Start Here: 11 Simple Ways to Begin Your Low-Tox Journey

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11 simple, manageable changes for healthier living, including adding indoor plants to improve air quality

I've been making low-tox swaps for over a decade now, and here's what I've learned: the most sustainable way to do this is one change at a time.

When I first started paying attention to ingredients, the sheer amount of information was overwhelming. Once you start looking, you notice chemicals and additives in products you never would have questioned before. But trying to change everything at once is expensive, exhausting, and usually doesn't last.

What works better is picking one thing, making the swap, and moving on to the next when you're ready. These eleven steps aren't ranked by importance because what matters most depends on your situation. Pick whichever one feels most relevant to you right now.

1. Ditch the Air Fresheners and Scented Candles

Those plug-in air fresheners, scented candles, and room sprays? They're releasing synthetic fragrance chemicals into your home continuously. Under Australian regulations, companies don't need to disclose what's actually in those fragrances—it's considered proprietary. That single word "fragrance" can represent dozens or even hundreds of undisclosed chemicals, including phthalates and volatile organic compounds. Learn more about fragrance chemicals in your products.

Research shows that 34.7% of Australians report health problems when exposed to fragranced products, with respiratory issues and headaches being most common. And these chemicals don't just disappear—they settle into your soft furnishings and continue releasing into your air.

What to do instead: Open windows for 10-15 minutes daily (even in winter). Use bowls of bicarb soda to absorb odours naturally. If you really want a scent, simmer orange peels and cinnamon on the stove, or use an essential oil diffuser with pure oils—just make sure they're actually essential oils, not synthetic "fragrance oils."

Australian option: Bosisto's makes pure Australian eucalyptus oil that's perfect for diffusing.

2. Start Reading Labels (Focus on What Actually Matters)

I'm not suggesting you need a chemistry degree to shop for groceries. But knowing a handful of red-flag ingredients makes a real difference in what you bring home.

Start with these:

In personal care products, avoid:

• Parabens (methylparaben, propylparaben)
• Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES)
• Fragrance or Parfum (unless it specifies "essential oils" or lists specific plant extracts)
• Triclosan
• Formaldehyde releasers (DMDM hydantoin, quaternium-15)

In cleaning products, avoid:

• "Fragrance" or "parfum"
• Chlorine bleach (unless you genuinely need it)
• Triclosan (antibacterial agent)
• 2-butoxyethanol

The good news is that many brands now prominently display "free from" claims on the front of packaging, making this easier than it used to be.

Reality check: If a product's ingredient list is longer than your shopping list and full of numbers and chemicals you can't pronounce, that's worth questioning.

3. Swap Your Hand Soap and Body Wash

This is probably the easiest first swap you can make because low-tox options are everywhere now—even Woolies and Coles stock them.

Regular antibacterial soaps often contain triclosan or other antimicrobials that aren't necessary for everyday hand washing and may contribute to antibiotic resistance. Most conventional body washes contain sulfates (SLS/SLES) that strip your skin and synthetic fragrances.

Look for: Plant-based hand soaps and body washes without SLS, synthetic fragrance, or triclosan.

Australian brands available at supermarkets: Ecostore, Sukin, Australian Botanicals. At chemists, try Black Chicken Remedies, Mukti, or Weleda.

Budget tip: Ecostore hand soap refills are available at most Woolworths for around $8—fill up your pump bottle and you're done.

4. Simplify Your Cleaning Routine

You don't need twelve different cleaning products. There are now plenty of low-tox cleaning brands available at supermarkets, chemists, and online if you prefer ready-made options.

Ready-made options: Australian brands like Koala Eco, Ecostore, and Zero Co are available at Woolworths, Coles, and chemists. They work well and take the guesswork out of cleaning.

Prefer DIY? White vinegar, bicarb soda, and castile soap handle most cleaning needs and cost a fraction of commercial products.

All-purpose spray cleaner:

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 10-15 drops essential oil (tea tree, lemon, or eucalyptus)
• Mix in a spray bottle. Use on benches, tables, bathroom surfaces—everything except natural stone (vinegar is too acidic for marble).

Hand soap or body wash:

• Quarter cup castile soap (like Dr Bronner's, Dr Planet)
• Three-quarters cup water
• 5-10 drops essential oil if you want scent
• Pour into pump bottle. Shake before use as it can separate.

Scrubbing power: Sprinkle bicarb soda on your sink, tub, or toilet. Spray with vinegar (it'll fizz). Scrub with a brush. Rinse.

For floors: Quarter cup white vinegar in a bucket of warm water.

Important: Always spot test DIY cleaners on a small area first to ensure they won't damage surfaces, particularly on natural stone, wood, or sealed surfaces.

Where to buy: Coles and Woolies sell 2-litre bottles of white vinegar for around $2 in the cleaning aisle. Dr Bronner's castile soap is available at most health food stores and online. Dr Planet is Australian grown and a liquid castile soap thats handmade and can be purchased online. Lets support Australian products.

5. Rethink Your Food Storage

Plastic containers are convenient and cheap, but when they're heated or used for acidic or fatty foods, chemicals can migrate into what you're eating. This is especially true if containers are old, scratched, or damaged.

You don't need to throw out everything tomorrow—that's wasteful. But when you're replacing items or buying new storage, choose glass or stainless steel.

Start small: Kmart sells a set of 5 glass containers with lids for around $15. They do appear on special at times in Woolies and Big W. IKEA has good options too.

Budget approach: Save glass jars from pasta sauce, nut butter, and pickles—they're brilliant for storing leftovers (or juices) and they're free.

My Personal Non-negotiable: For me personally, I dont use a microwave. If you are still using a microwave, dont use plastic containers. Even "microwave safe" plastic releases chemicals when heated. Use glass or ceramic only.

6. Choose Personal Care Products More Carefully

Your skin absorbs a significant portion of what you put on it, so this is where reading labels matters. Focus on products you use daily and products that stay on your skin rather than rinse off—moisturisers, deodorants, leave-in hair products, and makeup.

Research shows women typically use more personal care products than men and have higher levels of phthalates and other chemicals in their bodies.

Start with deodorant: Most conventional deodorants contain aluminium, which works by plugging your sweat glands. Switching to aluminium-free deodorant is one of the most noticeable changes you can make.

Australian brands that work: Black Chicken Remedies, Woohoo, No Pong, Lafe's.

Adjustment period: Natural deodorant can take 2-4 weeks while your body adjusts. You might be sweatier initially. It improves.

For body wash and shampoo: Look for products without SLS/SLES and synthetic fragrance. Four Cow Farm makes excellent Australian-made products. Also available: Sukin, Weleda, Mukti, Acure (all at Chemist Warehouse or Priceline, often on sale). Or make your own body wash and shampoo using Dr Planet's castile as mentioned in Simplify Your Cleaning Routine above.

For other products: Choose brands with shorter ingredient lists and avoid synthetic fragrance, parabens, and formaldehyde releasers.

7. Filter Your Drinking Water

Australian tap water is generally safe, but it can contain chlorine, fluoride (which is a contentious topic), and sometimes traces of pesticides or heavy metals depending on where you live and the age of your pipes.

You don't need a fancy whole-house system. Start simple.

Budget option: A filter jug like Brita costs around $20-30 at Coles or Woolies. Change the filter every couple of months. It's better than nothing and makes water taste better, which means you'll probably drink more.

Better option: Benchtop filters like Waters Co or Zazen provide more comprehensive filtration and last longer. They're an investment (around $200-400) but worthwhile if you drink a lot of water.

Best option (but pricey): Under-sink filters like Puratap or Pristine Water give you filtered water straight from the tap. Great if you own your home and can afford the upfront cost ($300-800 depending on system).

Important: Once you've filtered your water, drink it from glass or stainless steel bottles, not plastic. Otherwise you're just adding different chemicals back in.

8. Know What's Worth Buying Organic or Spray-Free

The question of organic versus conventional produce in Australia is more nuanced than simply following international lists like the Dirty Dozen. Different countries use different pesticides and have different regulations—what's high-risk overseas might not be the same priority here.

Australian growing practices, climate, and regulations mean we need to look at what's actually used on produce grown here, not just copy lists from overseas organizations.

What matters in Australia: Understanding which Australian-grown produce typically has higher pesticide residues based on our local farming practices.

Where to learn more: I've written a comprehensive guide on the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen, organic/spray-free produce versus conventional produce specifically for Australia, covering which items are worth prioritizing based on Australian data.

Budget approach: Focus your organic or spray-free budget on the items that matter most especially for the produce that systemic pesticides are used on. Farmers markets are often cheaper than supermarkets for organic produce, and you can talk directly to growers about their practices. Start your own vege patch for the easy things to grow or herbs. It so good to go and pick your own as you need it and the taste is so much better than store bought.

Certification to look for: Australian Certified Organic (ACO). Some small farms use organic practices but can't afford certification—at farmers markets, ask about their growing methods.

9. Replace Scratched or Damaged Cookware

If your non-stick pans are scratched, peeling, or flaking, those coatings are ending up in your food. Most conventional non-stick cookware contains PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances)—those "forever chemicals" that don't break down and accumulate in your body. Learn more about PFAS forever chemicals.

When it's time to replace cookware, choose cast iron, stainless steel, or ceramic options. Read our complete guide to non-toxic cookware in Australia for specific brands and where to buy them.

Cast iron: Lasts generations, brilliant for high-heat cooking, and becomes naturally non-stick when properly seasoned. Lodge cast iron is available at most homewares stores. New sets from Kmart are also affordable.

Stainless steel: Great for most cooking, though it has a learning curve if you're used to non-stick. Essteele and Scanpan are good Australian brands, but Kmart's stainless steel range works fine too.

Ceramic-coated: Easier transition if you're used to non-stick. GreenPan is widely available in Australia. Just avoid using metal utensils, which scratch the coating.

Important: Use what you have until it needs replacing. But for me personally, if its peeling and scratched I would replace it as you're ingesting these chemicals.

10. Improve Your Indoor Air Quality

Indoor air can be 2-5 times more polluted than outdoor air, particularly in newer, well-sealed homes. Simple changes make a real difference.

Open windows daily: Even 10-15 minutes makes a difference. Create cross-ventilation by opening windows on opposite sides of your home when possible.

Remove shoes at the door: You track in pesticides, lead dust, animal faeces, and whatever chemicals are on footpaths. Get a basket for shoes by the door and some cheap slippers for guests.

Add houseplants: While they won't single-handedly purify your air, they help. Snake plants, devil's ivy, and spider plants are nearly impossible to kill look great inside your home. Bunnings sells them for around $10-20 each or you might know a friend that can give you some cuttings, which is even better.

Vacuum regularly with a HEPA filter: Dust isn't just dust—it contains particles of flame retardants, pesticides, and chemicals from cleaning products. A vacuum with a HEPA filter (Kmart and Big W have affordable options around $100-150) captures more of these fine particles.

Run exhaust fans: When cooking or showering, run your exhaust fans to remove moisture and volatile compounds. If you don't have exhaust fans, open windows instead.

11. Trust Your Body's Reactions

Your body often knows something isn't right before your brain catches up. If a product makes you sneeze, gives you a headache, causes skin irritation, or just feels off, listen to that.

This applies to anything—cleaning products that make your eyes water, perfumes that trigger migraines, moisturisers that make you itchy, laundry detergent that causes unexplained rashes.

Research shows that about one-third of Australians experience adverse health effects from fragranced products. You're not being overly sensitive or paranoid—you're paying attention to legitimate physiological responses.

What to do: When something doesn't feel right, check the ingredients. Make a note of what's in products that bother you. You'll start to notice patterns and can avoid those specific ingredients in future.

Where to Actually Start

Here's the thing about this list: it's not meant to be a checklist you complete in order. It's a menu of options. Pick what feels most doable for your life right now.

Maybe you start with hand soap because that's easy and you need more anyway. Perhaps you're ready to tackle your cleaning cabinet this weekend because you've been curious about vinegar cleaning for ages. Or you might begin with personal care because you've been getting unexplained skin reactions.

All of these approaches are fine because they're yours.

What I've learned over the years is that one change often leads naturally to another. You swap to fragrance-free laundry detergent, notice your skin improves or your headaches have disappeared and suddenly you're curious about your body wash. You try vinegar cleaning, or the alternative store bought options and realize they actually work, and start wondering what else you've been told you need that you don't.

The momentum builds on itself, but only if you start somewhere manageable.

What Actually Matters

Small, consistent changes add up over time. You don't need to stress about every single product in your home or spend hundreds of dollars at specialty stores.

What matters is being more aware of what you bring into your home and onto your body. Start with what feels manageable.

Pick one thing from this list—just one—and try it this week. See how it goes. Then move to the next when you're ready.

Which of these feels most manageable right now? Start there.