Why Clean Living Matters: Understanding the Hidden Impact of Everyday Products

What goes through your mind when you think about living clean? What a hassle? Labels are so confusing & who has time for that anyway? Clean products are expensive? Clean products don't work? I love the way my non-clean products smell? I need the strength of chemicals to get my clothes/house/face/body clean? I am NOT Erin Brockovich.

This is not meant to discount any experiences you may have had with clean products in the past, but would your motivation to find better, cleaner, safer products change if you were guaranteed a health disruption as a result of malicious chemicals in the products you know & love? Like cancer or trouble conceiving. Or perhaps the more positive outcome of a guarantee that by eliminating chemicals in your products you would be guaranteed perfect health? Now there are no guarantees either way, but check this out.

EWG conducted a study which found that women on average come in contact with 13 personal care products per day containing 114 ingredients, on average 2 of which are linked to cancer and 2 linked to chemicals that harm the reproductive & development systems. Men use 11 products daily containing 105 ingredients (1). If that exposure repeats itself every day, 365 days a year, for years and decades, is it a wonder that 4 out of 10 Americans will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime (2) and 1 in 6 people worldwide are affected by infertility (3)?

While it is impossible to completely avoid all exposures to the $4.7 trillion chemical industry (4), we certainly can impact the toxins we are exposed to by choice. Small changes over time can make a big impact.

Free. was founded to take the guesswork & the overwhelm out of living clean. We offer information in bite-sized pieces that are meant to help you understand the why behind clean living & how. Check out what we offer here. In the meantime, EWG is a fantastic resource to start identifying any big offenders.

Be well, Live Free

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many toxic chemicals are in everyday personal care products?

EWG research found that women use an average of 13 personal care products daily, exposing themselves to about 114 ingredients — including an average of 2 linked to cancer and 2 that harm reproductive and developmental systems.

Can the products I use every day really increase cancer risk?

Cumulative daily exposure to ingredients linked to cancer and endocrine disruption is believed to contribute to risk over time. With 4 in 10 Americans expected to be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, researchers point to environmental and product-related chemical exposure as significant contributing factors.

What are endocrine disruptors and why do they matter?

Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that interfere with your body's hormone system. They are linked to fertility issues, developmental problems in children, metabolic disorders, and certain cancers — and they are commonly found in household and personal care products.

Do clean products work as well as conventional ones?

Yes — many non-toxic products perform just as well as conventional alternatives. The misconception that 'chemicals make things work better' is largely a result of decades of marketing by the chemical and personal care industries.

Is it worth switching to clean products even if I am healthy now?

Absolutely. The damage from long-term chemical exposure is often invisible until it manifests as a chronic illness years later. Making small swaps now reduces your cumulative chemical load significantly.