My Chemical-Free House
A Guide to Creating a Healthy Home
Those avoiding chemicals may want to avoid area rugs with synthetic latex backing, glues, synthetic moth treatment which is a pesticide (usually permethrin), and other topical treatments such as stain guard treatments which are often per- and Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS). For those very sensitive to chemicals, you may even want to avoid rugs treated with …
Non-toxic healthy closet, storage, and organization systems should be made of materials that do not off-gas VOCs or are extremely low in VOCs. The following options can be considered for the chemically sensitive or those avoiding toxins for health reasons.
Updated February 2026 For safe, non-toxic carpet, both natural and synthetic fiber options can be a healthy choice. The post outlines my top picks in the zero and low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) categories for residential and commercial use. This includes a look at the carpet fiber, backing, products used during installation, and padding (underlay). Even …
Non-toxic curtain, blinds and shades (including black out). Non-toxic window frame types and materials. Non-toxic sealing around windows
Summary: When looking for a zero-VOC, healthy engineered wood floor, the most important part is the construction type. PFAS? I would also make sure that the finish is free of PFAS, especially if the finish is not the type that contains aluminum oxide (I see no evidence that the aluminum oxide infused finish has contained …
If you want an all-natural non-toxic floor finish there are a few options: Natural finishes don’t look like your typical polyurethane coating. Oils darken wood but produce a matte look. The waxes add some more sheen. Shellac is naturally quite shiny. The soap finish will give you the most invisible look. Milk Paint can look …
Technically, a mineral paint is a paint made with potassium silicate as the main binder. These are also called silicate paints. Any paint with a polymer binder that polymerizes is not technically a mineral paint. Some companies are producing paints that they call mineral paints that are simply regular paints with mineral content. A paint …
This post covers eco-friendly paints that adhere well to concrete and other masonry like brick. There are totally natural options and synthetic options as well as those in between. I will start with the floors, both breathable and non-breathable options, and then look at walls. There are more paint options for concrete walls, since many …
The type of non-toxic paint you will choose for wood depends on how durable you need it to be, how safe you need it to be (is it going in a child’s mouth for example), what kind of wood it is, and what kind of paint or stain is on it already. Some of the …
This is a collection of pillows, sheets, and blankets that are well-liked by the chemically sensitive. The list was gathered over the last decade of being in community with chemically sensitive folks as well as being chemically sensitive myself and trying out some of the options.
This post covers bed frame options for the chemically sensitive. Metal and metal finishes, solid wood and laminated wood.
Laminate flooring is a click-together wood-look plank floor made of a fiberboard base and a melamine top layer with a printed image. My top picks: My top pick for the most non-toxic laminate flooring is Mohawk. Their lines are formaldehyde-free and ultra-low-VOC. After that I would consider other no-added formaldehyde brands, however we don’t know …
What Gives Wood its Odor? The majority of the identified odorants in wood from one study were 1) fatty acid degradation products 2) terpenoic substances and 3) odorous substances resulting from the degradation of lignin. (Source) 1. Fatty acid degradation products (69% of the odor of wood!) These include alkenals, ketones, alkylic acids and intramolecular …
You may have heard that there is no natural non-toxic sealer for real stone countertops. I found that natural sealers outperformed synthetic sealers without the VOCs or PFAS. I tested all of the natural (as well as synthetic sealers here) stone sealers on many different stone types. The testing went on for many months! Summary: …
Updated in 2026 The only leather I can personally fully endorse as eco-friendly and non-toxic is chrome-free, vegetable-dyed leather. This is made without the toxic metals and other harmful chemicals used in conventional leather. The second best option is leather that is at least chrome-free. Only a few brands in North America meet these standards. …
I used clay plaster throughout my tiny house on wheels, including the kitchen, over MgO walls, with oiled wood on the trim but there are a few things I would have done differently. This post contains affiliate links. Upon purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Should you use Clay …
