top of page
Untitled design.png

How Toxins Get Into Our Bodies: Exposure Pathways

  • Writer: Viv
    Viv
  • May 26
  • 7 min read

Updated: Sep 21

We all want our homes to help our bodies rest and recharge—not quietly add stress. Chemicals can reach us in everyday ways through our skin, lungs, and mouths, often without us noticing. The good news: once you know how exposure happens, simple changes can cut risk quickly. You do not need a lab or a big budget—just a clear action plan and a few steady habits. This guide, informed by WHO, EPA, and EWG guidance, explains the three main pathways, shows where risks show up at home, and offers practical steps you can take today.


Exposure pathways at a glance

Chemicals indoors enter the body in three main ways. All three matter because modern homes contain many potential sources—cleaners, personal care products, furniture, building materials, hobbies, and dust. Agencies consistently recommend focusing on source control, ventilation, and safer product choices because these give the fastest and most reliable wins.


  • Skin (dermal absorption): Some ingredients can pass the outer skin layer, depending on the chemical, the product, your skin condition, and how long it stays on. Leave-on products and repeated contact generally increase the chance of absorption.

  • Mouth (ingestion): Food, water, and hand-to-mouth contact with dust move chemicals into the body—especially relevant for children who explore with their hands and mouths. Adults are exposed through tap water, produce, and kitchen habits, too.

  • Lungs (inhalation): Fumes and tiny particles from cleaners, paints, smoke, gas hobs, and mold can build up indoors. Without strong source control and airflow, indoor levels can rise above outdoor levels.


You do not have to be perfect to see benefits. Small, targeted changes—like switching to fragrance-free basics, using your range hood, opening windows when you clean or cook, and washing hands before eating—add up quickly and are easy to keep up.



Dermal absorption

Dermal absorption happens when a substance moves from the surface of your skin into your body. At home, this is most relevant for cleaning products, personal care items (lotions, shampoos, fragrances), pesticides on lawns, and DIY materials like paints and solvents. Reducing how much touches your skin and for how long lowers risk. Healthy, moisturized, unbroken skin is a better barrier than dry or irritated skin.

Close-up of a person lathering soap on their leg in a bathtub, surrounded by milky white water. The mood is calm and serene.

Common household scenarios

  • Cleaning without protection: Sprays and concentrates can land on hands and arms, and residues can linger on surfaces you later touch.

  • Personal care routines: Leave-on products like moisturizers, sunscreens, and hair products increase contact time and sometimes layer multiple ingredients.

  • Home projects and hobbies: Oil-based paints, removers, adhesives, and solvents often contain skin-permeable compounds, and splashes are common.


Practical ways to reduce dermal exposure

  • Use protective gear: Wear the right gloves for cleaning and DIY; add long sleeves and eye protection to prevent splashes and transfer. Keep gloves with your cleaning caddy so it becomes automatic.

  • Switch to safer products: Choose fragrance-free, simpler formulas and products with clear ingredient lists or trusted third-party certifications. Avoid unnecessary specialty cleaners when soap, water, or a mild all-purpose cleaner will do.

  • Minimize contact time and area: Rinse or wipe surfaces after cleaning, avoid unnecessary “soak” times on skin-contact areas, and moisturize to keep skin intact. Wash off residues promptly after projects.

  • Read and follow labels: Heed signal words like Caution, Warning, and Danger; dilute correctly, close caps tightly, and store out of children’s reach. Never mix products unless the label explicitly allows it.



Ingestion

Ingestion includes swallowing contaminants in water and food, plus hand-to-mouth transfer from dust and surfaces. It is a major pathway for young children due to frequent hand-to-mouth behavior and smaller body size relative to dose. Adults are also exposed via drinking water, food residues, and household dust, especially when kitchen hygiene slips or when dust builds up in areas where food is eaten.


Common household scenarios

  • Tap water contaminants: Older pipes and fixtures can leach lead; other contaminants vary by location and plumbing materials.

  • Produce residues and kitchen hygiene: Pesticides can remain on produce; cross-contamination moves microbes and chemicals onto food via boards, knives, and hands.

  • Dust on hands and food: Dust collects flame retardants, phthalates, and metals from products and materials and is easily ingested during snacks, floor play, and meal prep.


Practical ways to reduce ingestion exposure

  • Clean hands and clean surfaces: Wash hands before eating and after cleaning or outdoor play; wipe high-touch tables and counters with a damp cloth rather than dry dusting to capture particles.

  • Safer food handling and produce prep: Rinse produce under running water and rub firm skins; peel or discard outer leaves when useful; separate raw and ready-to-eat foods; cook to safe temperatures; chill promptly.

  • Make tap water safer: Check your utility’s water report and test if needed; use a filter certified for your target contaminant and replace cartridges on schedule; flush standing water and use cold water for cooking and drinking.

  • Manage dust where kids live and play: HEPA vacuum carpets and rugs; damp-mop hard floors; leave shoes at the door to avoid tracking residues inside; focus on low surfaces that little hands touch.

  • Medication and chemical safety: Store in original containers, locked or out of reach; follow dosing and disposal guidance; avoid mixing chemicals and keep them away from food areas.



Inhalation

Inhalation means breathing in gases and particles that build up indoors. Common culprits include volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from cleaners and paints, smoke and particles from cooking or candles, nitrogen dioxide from gas hobs, and mold spores in damp spaces. Because we spend much of our time indoors, these exposures can be frequent and persistent unless we reduce sources and improve airflow.


Common household scenarios

  • Cleaning, spraying, and scenting: Aerosols, disinfectants, and air fresheners release VOCs and fine droplets that hang in the air. Scented candles and incense add particles and fragrances.

  • Cooking and heating: Frying, broiling, toasting, and gas hobs produce particles and nitrogen dioxide; weak extraction traps these indoors, especially in tight kitchens.

  • Fresh paint and new furnishings: New materials off-gas VOCs for days to weeks, especially in sealed rooms without cross-ventilation.

  • Moisture and mold: Bathrooms, basements, and kitchens accumulate moisture; mold releases spores and musty compounds that irritate airways.

Incense stick burning on a holder, smoke swirling in a tranquil beige setting. Blurred background features a lamp and decorative items.

Practical ways to reduce inhalation exposure

  • Control the source: Choose low- or no-VOC paints and adhesives; select fragrance-free cleaners; skip routine air fresheners and use targeted cleaning instead.

  • Ventilate where it matters: Use a vented kitchen extractor during and after cooking; run bathroom fans during showers and for at least 20 minutes after; open windows for cross-breezes when weather allows.

  • Handle high-emission tasks smartly: Paint or glue with windows open; keep doors to other rooms closed; air out new furniture and mattresses in a ventilated space before heavy use.

  • Reduce smoke and particles: Prefer back burners under the extractor; use lids to reduce fumes; avoid smoking indoors and limit candle and incense use to short, well-ventilated periods.



Action plan and quick wins

You do not need a lab or a large budget to reduce exposure. Start with a few high-impact habits and build from there. A short, focused hour can create momentum and visible change.


One-hour home audit

  • Declutter and contain chemicals: Gather cleaning supplies, solvents, and pesticides; store them together in a ventilated, child-safe area, away from food and out of direct sun.

  • Open-and-air routine: When outdoor air is good, open windows on opposite sides for 10–15 minutes to refresh indoor air, especially after cleaning, cooking, or painting.

  • Swap the daily drivers: Choose fragrance-free hand soap, dish soap, and laundry detergent to cut everyday VOCs and sensitizers without changing your routine.

  • Dust the right way: Damp-wipe first, then HEPA vacuum floors, baseboards, vents, and surfaces within a child’s reach; wash cloths after use.

  • Set up a shoes-off spot: Place a mat and rack by the door to keep outdoor residues out of living areas; add a small bin for slippers.


Product selection checklist

  • Cleaning products: Short ingredient lists, clear labels, fragrance-free when possible; use trusted guides to find options with fewer concerning ingredients and avoid dupes.

  • Personal care: Simplify your routine; choose fewer, multipurpose items and check ingredient profiles before you buy; patch-test new products.

  • Paints and sealants: Look for low or zero-VOC labels; plan projects with maximum ventilation and extra drying time before sleeping in the space.

  • Water filters: Maintain and replace on schedule; set a reminder so cartridges are not forgotten.


Family habits that stick

  • Wash hands before meals and snacks: A cornerstone habit that lowers ingestion of dust and residues, especially for kids; keep soap and towels easy to reach.

  • Ventilate while you cook: Run the range hood on high and crack a window; keep fans on for several minutes after cooking to clear lingering fumes and steam.

  • Gloves on for cleaning: Keep gloves in your cleaning caddy so protection becomes automatic and you avoid skin contact.

  • Weekly dust and vacuum: Put it on the calendar—regular light maintenance beats occasional deep cleans and keeps dust from building up.


When to get extra help

  • Water concerns in older housing: Test for lead if you live in an older home or suspect lead service lines; consult your utility and certified labs for next steps.

  • Persistent dampness or visible mold: Fix sources of moisture and consider professional remediation for extensive growth; address leaks and improve ventilation.

  • Strong, lingering odors or symptoms: If ventilation and source control do not help, consider an indoor air quality assessment and discuss symptoms with a healthcare provider.


Bringing it together

Dermal absorption, ingestion, and inhalation are the everyday doors through which chemicals can enter our bodies. The most powerful tools to close those doors—source control, smarter product choices, consistent ventilation, clean hands, and targeted cleaning—are within reach. You do not need perfection to make a difference. Pick two or three actions that fit your life—fragrance-free basics, a working range hood, gloves for cleaning, wet dusting, and a filter matched to your water—and build from there. Small steps, done consistently, protect your home’s calm and your body’s ability to recover.



References
bottom of page