Lindsay Dahl has long made it her mission to unravel the toxic web woven into our everyday environments—and with her new book, Cleaning House: The Fight to Rid Our Homes of Toxic Chemicals, she offers clarity and direction at every turn. Drawing on her experience as a lobbyist, product formulator, and parent, Dahl blends scientific rigor with an unwavering commitment in the pursuit of safer spaces. Here, she shares how to audit your own home, uncover hidden sources of toxicity, and understand how even small, deliberate actions can ripple into systemic change.

You help people transform their homes into sanctuaries free of toxic chemicals. What first inspired your path into this work—and how did that grow into what you do now?

I became a lobbyist by accident and didn’t expect to work on consumer safety issues. At first, it felt much less sexy than the environmental causes I was drawn to, like climate change. Turns out that toxic chemical pollution is directly linked to climate change—many of the most harmful chemicals come from petroleum. It has turned out to be an incredibly rewarding career that helps bridge the gap between the health of our bodies and the health of the environment.

Was there a moment in your own experience where you realized how much toxicity was hiding in plain sight?

In my book Cleaning House, I share the story of how I first learned about this issue nearly 20 years ago and fell into a deep hole of peer-reviewed research. I came to this work as a skeptic, believing there was no way that small amounts of toxic chemicals in our products could be linked to real harm. After I pulled the threads of the scientific research, a clear picture emerged: many of these chemicals don’t just stay in our products—they become global pollutants that impact our water and air. As I learned about the communities living near chemical plants and waste incinerators, and the disproportionate exposures they endure as a result of our consumption-driven lifestyle, a fire was lit in me to take action.

When someone is just beginning to audit their home, where is the most approachable entry point? What’s the simplest, most surprising place to start?

I encourage people to focus on three priority categories when it comes to reducing exposure to toxic chemicals: cookware, mattresses and furniture, and personal care products that stay on your skin all day. Cookware is a major exposure pathway for things like PFAS—’forever chemicals.’ Safer options are cast iron and stainless steel, along with glass food storage containers over plastic. For furniture and mattresses, look for options that are free from flame retardants and PFAS. And when it comes to personal care, a simple approach to navigate clean beauty is to choose products that are EWG Verified or MADE SAFE certified. You can also shop at retailers like Credo, which carefully vets brands against high safety standards.

Do you have a personal ritual or audit you walk through in a room to quickly spot red flags?

“Spotting the toxic chemical” shouldn’t be your responsibility, nor should it be on your to-do list. Most toxic chemicals are not labeled due to ingredient labeling loopholes, making them nearly impossible to identify with an untrained eye. One of the central points I make in my work is that while it’s important to support brands who work hard to make safer and sustainable products, we also need to conserve enough energy to pick up the phone to call our elected officials to demand bans on these chemicals outright. We need strong federal agencies that are both empowered and funded to hold polluters accountable.

Are there particular labels or certifications that genuinely guide people toward safer options?

Certifications can vary in quality and credibility, but they can be extremely helpful when navigating the marketplace. Some of my favorite certifications across product categories include:

EWG Verified
MADE SAFE
USDA Organic / Regenerative Organic Certified
EPA Safer Choice
OEKO-TEX and GOTS Certified

Environmental and human health are deeply intertwined. How do you see your work contributing not just to individual safety, but to larger systems—of manufacturing, consumer behavior, or even policy?

I love helping people see the connection between their home environment and the health of the natural world. Take PFAS or flame retardants, for example, these chemicals show up in everything from makeup to stain-resistant rugs to cookware. Peer-reviewed science shows that we should avoid them in our homes when possible, but they also end up in our drinking water, in wildlife, and in the air we breathe. I want people to push beyond the question, "Is this safe for me and my family?” and start asking, “Is this product or chemical impacting people and ecosystems across its entire lifecycle?” For many of the most notorious toxic chemicals, the answer is yes.

You’ve said that a safer world will only come through systemic change. For someone who’s never contacted a lawmaker or engaged in advocacy, what’s the most accessible first step they can take to affect change?

Calling your elected officials is easier, cheaper, and far less time-consuming than trying to shop for safer products. In fact, it only takes about 10 calls in a week for a Member of Congress to be notified of a topic—proof that our voices still matter in a democracy. All you have to do is call the Capitol Switchboard, and you’ll be connected directly to one of your U.S. Senators, where you can leave a message. It’s simple and empowering. I even share specific tips and scripts in the Take Action section of my book to make it easier to get started.

With your unique vantage point as a former lobbyist, product formulator, and parent, what have you learned about the levers of power? How can everyday people—outside of politics—still influence the policies that shape the products in our homes?

We hold a tremendous amount of power as both consumers and constituents. I encourage people to do what they can: shop for products with trusted certifications, write to your favorite companies to ask how they’re addressing ingredient safety and sustainability, and call your state and federal elected officials. There isn’t one “right” way to make a difference—thousands of small actions add up. As a result, we’ve seen the market support new, amazing brands making safer, more sustainable products. On the policy side, I’ve personally helped pass over 30 state and federal laws removing toxic chemicals from consumer products. Every day, we are making such a huge impact. And my favorite way to have an impact is the simplest, buy less!

Learn more about Lindsay's work and her new book at Lindsay Dahl.