According to Preston, “There are 80,000 chemicals on the market now, and less than 10 percent have been tested for their effects on children. And even less than that have been tested in combination, and you never get hit with one chemical separately – it’s always in combination. And the flammability, and the combustibility, whatever happens with them when they’re in conjunction with another chemical, it’s endless and frightening.”

So what’s a parent to do? The use of – or lack of – chemicals in your home is one way to take control of your environment. “The air pollution in your home is sometimes 300 to 500 times more toxic than standing on a freeway,” Preston says. “We’re taught that if it smells clean, it is clean. It may be clean but it’s also toxic – just to inhale it.” She notes that kids’ bodies are much smaller than ours and they’re breathing in far more often, making them far more vulnerable. “There are natural alternatives – nontoxic and nonchemical cleansers.”

Here is the list of products that Preston and Travolta use in their home: