I have concern about all the dirt, pesticides, allergens and germs that my dog tracks into the house on his feet and on his nose. (His tolerance for grossness is considerably higher than mine).
I think about all the germs collecting on my feet as I walk through my home. I can’t even imagine what happens when I hop in the bath. Does my bath water turn into a toxic soak? Do I absorb all those germs & chemicals into my body? Yikes, what can I do pretox my home?
Toxic World
Not a day goes by that I don’t read about toxins. I subscribe to many healthy living newsletters and everyday there is always at least one mention of toxins and how to eliminate them from our bodies. From cleanses to superfoods our daily diet no longer has to just nourish but must also serve to go to battle against all the chemicals we expose ourselves to everyday.
The newest approaches to living toxin free include eliminating toxins before they even enter our body- Pretox. And that strategy includes pre-toxing our homes, or preventing toxins from getting into our homes the first place.
GOOP on household toxins
Recently I read a great article about toxins in Gwyneth Paltrow’s GOOP newsletter. She introduces Jessica Alba’s new line of non-toxic baby and household cleaning products (The Honest Company).
In the article The Honest Company Co-Founder Christopher Gavigan answers questions about creating a safer environment for you and your kids. He recommends
“Tak[e] off your shoes. There’s a lot packed into your shoe treads – among the pollutants: lead dust, animal feces, and chemicals, including fertilizers and pesticides. When you leave your shoes at the door, you’re also leaving these contaminants at the door instead of tracking them all over your home.”
Source: GOOP Newsletter
I was instantly motivated to always (not just sometimes) remove my shoes at the door, but I don’t want all that toxicity in my home at all.
A toxin bouncer at your doorstep
Shortly after reading the GOOP article I learned about Debbie Greenspan, another savvy mom on a pretox mission to eliminate household toxins by ‘trapping’ them at the front doorstep.
The logical first step in doing this is literally setting up a barrier at the front door. That is the smart thinking behind this mom’s plan to develop a front door toxin trap.
Greenspan, a lifelong allergy and asthma sufferer was driven to the research to protect her young children. She created a mat that apparently traps and neutralizes toxins, microbes, fungus and allergens right in it’s fibres, without poison or more harsh chemicals.
Check out the Dr. Doormat website for a video of how it does this.
“90% of the harmful toxins, pollutants and dirt that enter your house do so right on the bottom of your shoes! Every time you step on your common doormat, you not only step into a reservoir of microbes that grow and infest your mat; the mat also acts as a springboard for the microbes and pollutants to contaminate the soles of your shoes and transport all the pollutants into your home.”
Source: Dr.Doormat.com
Cool things about Dr. Doormat
- Made from natural & sustainable products
- Non-toxic
- Raised little round brushes help clean out the nooks & crannies on the bottom of your shoes
- Very stylish (with a trendy chrome plate in the corner)
Now if only I can teach my dog to wipe his feet on Dr. Doormat!
-Shari
TALKBACK QUESTIONS
What are your strategies for pretoxing your home?
Image credit: Dr.Doormat (dogs on doormat)
Image credit: Shari Feuz
I started pumping iron and drinking green smoothies in my teens. Now a 40+ mama with 25 years of experience working in the fitness industry, I do things differently. What I discovered during my personal healing journey made me pivot in my approach as a personal fitness and wellness coach. Now I teach people how to sweat, nourish and glow from an entirely new perspective.