My Chemical-Free House
A Guide to Creating a Healthy Home
There are a variety of underlayments used under wood floors, click-together floating floors, as well as carpet and tile. Underlay can serve various functions like cushioning, sound deadening, leveling, uncoupling, and moisture resistance. The following underlayments are relatively high in off-gassing (too high for me): This post goes over the best non-toxic low-VOC options. Paper …
This is a look into non-toxic furniture, starting with specialty brands – those are mostly high-quality solid wood options with zero-VOC finishes. Then on to simple and affordable furniture made of non-toxic materials like glass, hard plastic, metal, and seagrass. This post was originally written for those with chemical sensitivity (MCS) as well as those …
This post lists and compares the 7 best air purifiers to reduce volatile organic compounds VOCs (off-gassing from new building materials). I also focus on which units have the highest amount of sorbent material, the least amount of offgassing, and are best for the chemically sensitive. I have a separate post for air purifiers that …
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 …
This post is an overview of the different types of weatherstripping for doors and windows, what they are made of, and which materials are the less-toxic options that are low in odor and do not contain PVC.
The usual paints recommended for radiators include enamel paints and conventional oil-based paints. These are often higher in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and that won’t be suitable for everyone. If you are repainting your radiator then you need to find out if it has an oil or water-based paint on it already. If it has …
Walls in mobile homes have a vinyl layer on the wallboard and battens covering the seam gaps. It is possible to remove the battens and mud over the seams. It is also a good idea to prime the walls with BIN Shellac primer to stop any offgassing or leaching of plasticizers from the vinyl.
Achieving a natural or non-toxic finish that is durable enough for a table or desk top is only possible with a few select brands and products. We can’t quite get to the same level of durability as an oil-based polyurethane, but we can get quite a good level of durability with either of these options. …
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.
There are a few key things you can do to prevent the infiltration of fragrance, smoke, pesticides, cleaning products, and other chemicals from entering your house. Whether the offending chemicals are coming from a neighbor with an adjoining wall in an apartment or a duplex, another house, or the outdoor air, the main strategies are …
The first thing to do is to choose your furniture carefully if you are buying new. If you are reading this before purchasing something, that is great. Most people contact me after they have already brought in furnishings that are off-gassing. It’s a little trickier to deal with after the fact, but there are still …
The following strategies are used by those sensitive to chemicals to sequester, encase and block off-gassing. They are more or less in order from the least effective to the most effective, though it depends on the thickness of some of the products. You can use them to seal up an item that is off-gassing VOCs, …
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
This post covers less toxic options for all kitchen appliances including fridges, trash compactors, dishwashers, ovens, stoves, and washing machines. I also take a look at less toxic sinks and air conditioners. The focus is on people with chemical sensitivities but non-sensitive people can benefit from our experience.
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 …
What is in Self-Leveling Cement Self-leveling cement is a poured-down cement product that produces a relatively shallow level of cement that can be installed over a slab to level it out. It can also be referred to as a cement underlayment. It’s often used as the underlayment to another floor like tile or a click-together …
This post is a comprehensive review of healthy, non-offgassing countertop options. We have to look at the materials themselves as well as the sealers if they require one. Almost all the countertop options here can also be used as non-toxic vanity tops in a bathroom. Many options are GreenGuard Gold, but most of the options …
Thermafoil, Melamine, and Laminate are all plastics used to cover substrates on kitchen and bathroom cabinets to create a hard, water-resistant finish. The substrates of cabinets doors and drawer fronts include particleboard and MDF. The boxes are plywood or particleboard. This post explains the material composition of these plastic covering options – what they are …
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.
