1. Studies and readers set the priority list.
We rank what to publish by two signals: where the peer-reviewed evidence is loudest, and where readers tell us they're worried. When those two overlap, that's the next chapter.
Plastic was Chapter 1 because both signals pointed the same way. The dose-response evidence is overwhelming. The 2024 NEJM/Columbia paper on microplastics in human tissue, the 2022 NIST work on plastic cutting boards, the McGill teabag study. And Netflix's Plastic People (2024) put microplastics in front of millions of households at the same time. The questions in our inbox followed.
Inside each chapter, categories are ranked by daily volume of exposure: drinking water and the everyday pan come before the bath mat, for the same reason calories come before micronutrients.
2. The criteria are public.
For every category we publish what disqualifies a product before we shop. "Stainless" bottles with hidden plastic liners, PVC-derivative liners labeled "PEVA," cookware with undisclosed coatings, sheets finished with formaldehyde for wrinkle resistance. All out, regardless of brand goodwill.
When a product's materials aren't fully disclosed, we dig: certifications, third-party lab reports, the brand's own published spec sheets, and any independent testing we can find. If we still can't verify what's in it, we don't list it.
3. We test, and then we shorten the list.
Most categories end with two to four picks across Good / Better / Best tiers. If we wouldn't buy it for our own home, it isn't here.
Where lab data exists (NSF/ANSI for filters, GOTS / OEKO-TEX / GOLS for textiles, MADE SAFE for cleaners), we cite it inline. Where it doesn't, we say so.
4. We change our minds in public.
When new evidence overturns a pick, we update the page, log the change, and flag it in the next newsletter. The original reasoning stays visible; we don't silently rewrite history.
Have a correction or a citation we missed? Write to corrections@homedetox.co. We read what comes in and reply when we can.
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