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Quick Tips For Reducing Formaldehyde Exposure At Home

Author:

Liz Moody

Medical reviewer:

Heather Moday, M.D.

August 18, 2020

Author & Podcaster

By Liz Moody

Author & Podcaster

Liz Moody is the host of the top-rated The Liz Moody Podcast, author of bestselling books "100 Ways to Change Your Life," "Healthier Together: Recipes for Two—Nourish Your Body, Nourish Your Relationships," and "Glow Pops," and a popular online content creator who has helped millions of people transform their lives. A regular speaker, panelist, and podcast guest, Liz shares her own deeply personal anxiety journey that led her to where she is now as well as actionable, fun, and science-based ways for everyone to live their best lives.

Medical review by

Heather Moday, M.D.

Allergist & Immunologist

Heather Moday, M.D. is the founder of the Moday Center for Functional and Integrative Medicine in Philadelphia, where she practices both traditional medicine and integrative medicine.

August 18, 2020

Formaldehyde is a colorless gas that's commonly found in homes, offices, and nail and hair salons. It's a volatile organic compound (VOC), meaning it can off-gas chemicals and compromise air quality over time.

Formaldehyde is found naturally in the environment and isn't a threat in low doses. However, it can cause irritation to the skin, eyes, nose, and throat 1 in high amounts, and the National Toxicology Program has declared that formaldehyde is "known to be a human carcinogen" and can increase the likelihood of certain cancers. With this in mind, you'll want to limit your exposure to formaldehyde at home when possible. Here are some are common places formaldehyde is found and a few formaldehyde-free alternatives:

Sheets

Formaldehyde has long been used to stiffen fabrics, so there's a chance that sheets labeled "wrinkle-free," "easy care," or "permanent press" have been treated with it.

Consider steering clear of them and opting for untreated organic options instead. Here's a list of mbg's favorite sheets that you can feel good spending eight hours a day curled up on.

Mattresses

"The majority of mattresses on the market are made from polyurethane foam based on petroleum chemicals, so it can off-gas volatile organic compounds, which can cause respiratory irritation, skin irritation, etc.," Environmental Working Group senior scientist and co-author of the group's Healthy Living Home Guide Tasha Stoiber previosly told mbg.

The EWG's top choice is mattresses made from 100 percent natural latex foam, which is extracted from rubber trees and isn't treated with as many chemicals as polyurethane during manufacturing.

Furniture

Formaldehyde is often part of the glue that holds particle board together, making it fairly common in lower-quality furniture, including tables, chairs, dressers, bed frames, and couches. The best way to avoid formaldehyde in your furniture is to eschew particle-board furniture altogether, opting instead for anything labeled "real wood."

IKEA has some good low-formaldehyde options, and antiques stores also tend to be great sources of real wood furniture. Even if they're made from particle board, older pieces will have already off-gassed some of their formaldehyde compounds. Plus, it's better for the environment to keep these pieces in use rather than buying new ones.

Clothing

Similar to sheets, clothing is sometimes treated with formaldehyde to become "wrinkle-resistant" or "stain-free."

Avoid clothing with these designations and opt for natural, organic fabrics instead (think: cotton, hemp, wool, and linen over nylon and polyester). You can also buy used clothing, which is far less likely to off-gas chemicals and is better for the environment.

Beauty treatments

Hair straightening treatments like Brazilian blowouts contain formaldehyde 2, as do most nail polishes 3 unless otherwise stated.

Short of embracing your natural hair texture, there's not much you can do about the straightening issue—nobody has developed a truly eco-friendly way to change hair texture yet. For nail polish, though, there are tons of bright, trendy colors in "five-, seven-, or nine-free" (referencing the number of chemicals excluded) formulations. Check out some of our favorite clean polishes here.