As a designer who places wellness at the heart of my work, designing healthier homes by reducing toxins in our homes is a top priority.
These toxins are present in the form of VOCs or Volatile Organic Compounds. VOCs are compounds with high vapor pressure and low water solubility. While some VOCs are naturally occurring—like those from pine or flowers—many are man-made and harmful to both our health and the environment. VOCs are found in paints, adhesives, craft materials, furniture (especially those containing polyurethane foam), and everyday items like air fresheners, cleaning products, and even dry-cleaned clothes. Although some are detectable by smell (think “new car smell”), many are odourless, silently off-gassing into our homes for years, even after the strongest odours have faded.
The health impacts of VOCs can be both immediate and long-lasting. Short-term exposure to VOCs can cause irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat, as well as headaches, dizziness, and nausea, while prolonged exposure has been linked to asthma, eczema, respiratory issues, brain impairment, and even cancer, as well as damage to the liver and kidneys.
With VOC concentrations often up to 10 times higher indoors than outside, and with humans now spending 90% of our time indoors, this exposure is near constant. Commonly referred to as ‘forever chemicals’, these chemicals persist in our environment, showing up in soil, water, the food chain, and even human breast milk! According to the documentary ‘Brains in Danger’, babies are exposed to these chemicals whilst in the womb.
Children are especially vulnerable: research reveals that VOC exposure is up to 100 times higher for them on a bodyweight basis than for adults. As Andreas Kortenkamp, Professor of Human Molecular Toxicology at Institute for the Environment, Brunel University, points out, merely sitting down on a sofa pushes VOCs into the air and onto floors, where they bind with dust particles that are then ingested by young children and babies as they crawl around the floor.
Polyurethane foam, which is commonly used in upholstered furniture, is a highly flammable petrochemical material that is then required by UK law to be treated with toxic flame retardant (FR) chemicals – we have the most stringent FR regulations in the world! According to Delyth Fetherston-Dilke, an upholsterer and a leading voice on this issue, there are 1000s of studies linking flame retardants used on furniture with toxic effects. Upholstered furniture can contain dozens of VOCs, including known carcinogens like propanoic acid, pentanal, hexanoic acid, acetaldehyde, 2- butoxyethanol, 2-ethyl-1-hexanol and formaldehyde.
These chemicals slowly accumulate in the fatty tissues in our bodies. The older you are, the higher the levels. Some cancers take 30-40 years after exposure to develop, so it’s often difficult to make the link.
As I was doing my research for this post I read that long-term exposure to Benzene, found in glues, paints, and finishes used on furniture, can be damaging to bone marrow, increasing the risk of leukaemia. And this really hit home to me, as my own father, a passionate woodworker, now lives on borrowed time with Multiple Myeloma, a cancer affecting bone marrow.
According to Michelle Ogundehin, a global survey recently revealed that 77% of us are completely unaware of our indoor pollution. And even if you are aware, trying to identify products that don’t contain man-made VOCs can be a minefield. Creating a completely toxin-free home may be unrealistic, but prioritising safer spaces—especially for children and babies—should be our focus.
So what can we do to reduce our exposure to toxins in our homes?
- Choose products with third-party certifications such as Greenguard, GOTS, or OEKO-TEX.
- Select paint that contains trace levels of VOCs, ideally less than 1g per litre.
- Opt for furniture made from solid wood with natural upholstery materials like natural latex, horsehair, coir (coconut husk), jute, cotton or wool. For the outer fabric, choose those with over 75% natural fibres to avoid toxic fire-resistant back coatings.
- Prioritize pre-loved furniture, which has already released many of its VOCs.
- Use natural materials for flooring, carpets, and rugs – avoid vinyl and synthetic materials.
- Pick curtains, blinds, and mattresses made from natural rather than synthetic materials.
- Avoid memory foam mattresses and opt instead for those made from natural materials.
In addition, ventilate your home regularly, especially after bringing in new furniture, and consider air purifiers with activated carbon filters to help minimize VOC levels. By making informed, proactive choices, we can create homes that support our health and well-being, reducing the impact of unseen toxins.
If you need help creating a healthy home then please do get in touch!