One Minute Toxic Test
Between the cute kittens and baby pictures, there was one meme circulating in my social media this week that I couldn’t click away from: Have you taken the Toxic Test? And although I’m usually adverse to flashing messages promising to tell me something I don’t already know, I clicked on over to the Toxic Test to check it out. Believe me, I was surprised.
With more than 80,000 unregulated chemicals in products, they’re hard to avoid. What was your Toxic Test score? I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours. The Toxic Test was produced by the Healthy Home Company. I haven’t researched their products so I can’t speak to their formulation or efficacy, but I will say that with the Toxic Test they did a mighty fine job.
The landing page shares information about the 80,000 chemicals present in household products, which are virtually unregulated in the United States, and that there are more than 1,000 chemicals used in American beauty products that are banned in Europe. (My added two cents: The number of chemicals we regulate here? 11. Yes, really.)
It just takes a minute to click through one of ten categories—from bathroom cleaner to deodorant—to determine how many toxic chemicals you’re exposed to on a daily basis. You get a letter-grade based on your answers.
What was your Toxic Test score? I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours. Leave me a comment, please. Thanks!
6 Comments
Laura
The only non-natural product in my house is toothpaste. Can you recommend a good one?
Rachel Sarnoff
Definitely avoid those with triclosan, here’s why: https://mommygreenest.com/triclosan-toothpaste/. I still use Tom’s even though I found that it has SLS, it’s the one brand that my family will use. Thanks for commenting, Laura!
Molly
I took the test and many of my products didn’t have the ‘suspect’ ingredients all in one. (I’m weird, I buy several diff. toothpastes and multi-cleaners.) Most of the products I have and use are Simple Green, CLR, Murphy’s Oil soap, Borax, Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda, vinegar, baking soda and Meyer’s dish soaps and multi-surface cleaner. Some of these are labeled as being biodegradable. I don’t clean my whole house all the time…
This test makes me suspect because some of the items I didn’t choose ANY of the ‘toxic’ ingredients but because 10 ingredients were checked, (try finding a soap that suds without SLS, even Tom’s toothpaste has SLS…) all of my products are ‘toxic’. I think they’re just trying to tell me my products are harmful, just to sell me theirs.
I use the Environmental Working Groups site and I read labels to TRY to not use super toxic stuff but I don’t want to always mix my own cleaning products up either…
I’m sorry…I’m a little skeptical of the ‘test’. I don’t think all the products should’ve resulted with red ‘X’s on them when some didn’t contain any of the bad ingredients.
Molly
I mean, please don’t misunderstand me, I understand this is for my own health and the planet and it’s just a way to get some people to re-think the products they use in their daily lives… but I just can’t afford to be neurotic about everything all the time. Shopping in a regular supermarket is difficult enough as it is, Lol. And I’ve been labeled as too picky and fussy by some co-workers… oh well!
Rachel Sarnoff
Yes, I totally hear you Molly! That’s why I use vinegar for pretty much everything 🙂
Rachel Sarnoff
Yes, I hear you! There are levels of toxicity and you can’t lump everything into one. I just thought that the Toxic Test was a good prompt for people to read labels and start thinking about what they’re using. Again, I haven’t looked into these products so I can’t vouch for them. I also use EWG’s guide, which is REALLY helpful. BTW you should take a close look at Simple Green, not the best for your lungs 🙁