If you decide to minimize or eliminate pesticides in your home, the first step is fairly obvious: Get rid of all insecticides and herbicides and adopt a less toxic strategy, such as Integrated Pest Management.

But how do you go about finding alternatives for all those household products that have pesticides lurking in them? Here is a checklist to get you started.

Building and Decorating Materials

Many building and decorating products contain pesticides, primarily to safeguard them from destruction by microbial "pests" such as fungus and mildew.

• Pressure treated wood has usually been treated with arsenic, a known human carcinogen that can leach out of the wood. Manufacturers have agreed to phase out this type of wood and replace it with safer alternative. To read more about pressure treated wood, go to A Sane Home. If you have pressure treated wood around your home, you can address the hazard it presents. See How to Avoid Arsenic from CCA-Treated Wood for tips.
• Paint manufacturers formulate some of their products to resist mildew by adding pesticides to the mix. A safer alternative is to use a less toxic paint product, which are discussed in our Paint and Finishes Factsheet. And prevent the root causes of mildew by eliminating moisture and dirt.
  • Keep walls clean and dry, fixing any leaks or plumbing problems that may dampen painted surfaces.
  • If mildew does appear, clean it and let it dry thoroughly before repainting; latex paints tend to mildew easier than enamel or oil resin paints.
• Synthetic carpets typically contain a stew of chemicals; in addition to toxic adhesives, many carpets contain anti-mildew pesticides. What’s more, carpets retain not only pesticides applied indoors, but also pesticides tracked in from outdoors. For carpet alternatives, see our factsheets on Carpets and Rugs and Floor Coverings.
• Wallpaper and the paste used to hang it often contain fungicides to kill the fungi that cause rotting; however, these volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can offgas, polluting indoor air. For safer alternatives, see Wall Coverings.
• Even shelf paper often contains pesticides to prevent insects from living in the cupboards. Instead of storing dishes and glassware in direct contact with pesticides, line shelves with butcher paper. Keep foods in airtight containers, and don't forget to monitor cupboards for insect activity.

Mothballs Look Like Candy!

When it comes to households with kids, mothballs are an avoidable hazard. Mothballs may look just like candy to children, but they usually contain harmful chemicals. And the danger isn’t from just mothballs themselves: If an excessive amount of mothballs are stored with clothing, the fabrics can absorb and emit enough fumes to cause illness!

For alternatives, see our profiles on napthalene or paradichlorobenzene, two chemicals used as active ingredients in moth repellents.

Antibacterial Soaps and Disinfectants

More and more products are including antimicrobials in their formulations. In many cases, these chemicals do little more than kill odor-causing bacteria. And there's another worry: Illness-causing microbes can become resistant if overexposed! For more information on antimicrobial products in cleaners and soaps, see Antibacterials and Disinfectants: Are They Necessary?

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