Tips to protect you and your child from harmful chemicals.

• Food
• Personal care
• Pest control
• Home supplies and repair
  
• Cleaning
  

Food:

• Fish is some of the healthiest food you can eat, but it’s important to choose wisely.
  
  
  King mackerel, marlin, shark, swordfish, tilefish, tuna steak, striped wild bass, alewife, bluefish, shad, imported wild sturgeon, or weakfish.
  
  
  Wild salmon, sardines, anchovies, Atlantic herring, Dungeness crab, Pacific cod, Alaskan black cod, farmed striped bass, tilapia, farmed catfish, clams, mussels, and Pacific oysters. Learn more about seafood here.
  
• Eat organic food as much as possible, especially these foods found to be most contaminated with pesticides: peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, pears, grapes (imported), spinach, lettuce, and potatoes.  Learn more about pesticides in food here
• Avoid canned foods as much as possible. Linings in cans may leach bisphenol-A, a chemical that mimics estrogen.
• Choose low-fat meat and dairy products, organic if possible.
• Avoid clear water bottles (in any color) that are labeled #7 on the bottom. These bottles are typically made of polycarbonate, which may leach bisphenol-A. Choose water bottles made of uncoated stainless steel or cloudy plastic instead. Read more tips on safer plastics here.

Personal care:

• Choose cosmetics and personal products from companies committed to safer products, like Burt's Bees, Avalon, Aubrey Organics, and California Baby. You can also explore safer products and ingredients on the Cosmetic Safety Database.
• Consider giving up perfumes and nail polish, which typically contain harmful chemicals.

Pest control:

• Don’t use bug killers, weed killers, and other pesticides in the home or garden. Focus on preventive techniques, and learn about easy non-toxic options here.

Home supplies and repair:

• Replace plastic shower curtains with fabric curtains (like nylon or polyester), and avoid vinyl mattress covers and inflatable furniture.
• Don’t do any remodeling unless it’s absolutely essential. If you must remodel, don't do the work yourself, and choose products free of VOCs. Learn more about safer building materials here. If you have an older home with lead paint, hire a certified lead abatement worker (list available here) to protect yourself from lead paint dust or chips. 
• Learn more in our fact sheet, Reducing Exposure to Lead in Older Homes, and 5 Steps to a Healthy Nursery or Child’s Room.
• Inspect foam furniture and get rid of items where foam is exposed and crumbling.

Cleaning:

• Try cleaning recipes (find recipes here) using liquid soap, baking soda, and vinegar, or these safer brands: Seventh Generation, Bi-O-Kleen, and Country Save.
  

• Leave shoes at the door and try to vacuum once a week!

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