By Arabella Peterson Entertainment 26.09.2025

How to Detox Your Home from Microplastics (Starting Today)

Microplastics are everywhere – from your pantry to your bathroom – but with a few simple swaps, you can start cleansing your home for good.

Who remembers The Great Black Spatula Panic™ of 2024? For those unfamiliar, it was sparked by an Atlantic article ‘Throw Out Your Black Plastic Spatula’, which drew on a study that claimed using one could expose you to 80% of the EPA’s daily limit of a toxic flame retardant. Months later, chemists found an initial maths error, and placed the real figure closer to 1.8%. A slight reprieve, but still not the amount of toxins I want to be chowing down on.

Before spatula-gate, it was reported that most people ingest the equivalent of one credit card every week, while other studies suggest that this estimation is a tad overblown. One thing we do know, however, is that microplastics are now inside everyone, everywhere, all the time.

Then there’s the small matter of how microplastics affect our planet (you know, the only one we’ve got). An estimated 93–236 thousand tonnes (≈51 trillion particles) float on the ocean surface – a number I can’t quite compute, but I know is frankly, quite terrifying. The earth itself is also heavily impacted, with microplastics altering soil pH and reducing microbial diversity (the natural balance of bacteria living in the ground).

While the science is still out on the long-term impact and dangers of microplastics, the issue remains – we are consuming it daily. And whatever the exact amount of micro- and nano-plastic particles entering our bodies, I think we can all agree we’d rather not have them as part of our balanced diet.

In 2016, Sophie Kovic founded Seed & Sprout as an answer to her personal quest to find the perfect non-toxic, practical lunchbox for her son. Now, it’s grown into a full range of reusable and biodegradable home goods that are better for the planet and for our bodies. Through the extensive research and testing involved in making Seed & Sprout products, Sophie has become an advocate for reducing hidden plastics in everyday life.

So, if you’re finally ready to bid adieu to your spatula and start the journey of microplastic detoxing, Sophie has some simple, practical tips.

1. Start with one room at a time

If you start to dwell on where exactly plastic is living in your home (hint: it’s pretty much everywhere), it can be too overwhelming. Instead, break it down room-by-room and consider the most impactful place to begin. “Start small and start where you are. You don’t need to overhaul your entire home overnight,” advises Sophie. “Pick one area of your life that creates the most plastic waste – usually the kitchen or bathroom – and focus there. Swapping out one or two items that you use every single day makes it feel achievable and keeps the momentum going.”

According to research, some of the biggest offenders in terms of microplastic shedding are items like cutting boards, nonstick cookware, kettles, blenders, and bottles – so to make it feasible in terms of time and money, work your way through these everyday items steadily and sustainably.

2. Swap out everyday single-use plastics

When it comes to reducing plastic to take positive environmental steps, naturally, disposable items are the place to start. Sophie recommends, “Prioritise the single-use items you buy again and again – cling wrap, zip-lock bags, paper towel – because that’s where the biggest savings come in both cost and waste.” As mentioned, it can feel intimidating to dispose of home items and buy a whole new range of alternatives, but when done gradually, “Often, going plastic-free actually saves money in the long run,” says Sophie.

3. Find the worst offenders

Whether it’s hidden household products you wouldn’t think of, or the obvious ones that you’ve just never gotten around to binning, there are some particularly insidious troublemakers lurking in your cupboards. Sophie offers the usual suspects: plastic-sealed tea bags, coffee pods, cotton buds, and dental floss. “The good news is, every one of these has a natural alternative – loose leaf tea, refillable coffee, bamboo buds, and biodegradable floss,” she notes.

“Food storage is the big one. Choosing reusable containers, stainless steel lunchboxes, or glass jars instead of single-use cling wrap and plastic bags has a huge impact,” Sophie explains. “Replacing things like plastic dish brushes or sponges with compostable versions is another easy win… These swaps don’t just reduce waste, they also last longer and feel better to use.”

“Dish sponges are also one of the sneakiest culprits – most are just microplastic in disguise,” Sophie points out. In fact, it’s estimated that a typical kitchen sponge made of nylon and PET can release about 100–200 microplastic particles in just 30 seconds of scrubbing a glass surface, even without water or detergent. Over its lifetime, a standard sponge is estimated to shed at least 100,000 microplastic and nanoplastic particles into the environment.

4. Use up what you already own

Once you realise how surrounded you are by synthetic debris, it’s tempting to go all in and declare yourself a plastic free earth-child, disposing of all traces of your former Tupperware-hoarding self. However, Sophie recommends you use what you own first as a stepping stone, which actually creates less waste. “Work through what you already have before buying anything new. Use up what’s in your cupboards, then replace it with a lower-waste option when it runs out,” she suggests.

5. Build a toolkit of plastic-free essentials

Every sustainable home needs a toolkit, and Sophie’s top five picks prove that the basics can make the biggest difference. Her top five go-to products make a low-plastic lifestyle easy to maintain:

“Stainless steel lunchbox or bento box – lasts forever and no more cling wrap”
“Compostable sponge or dish brush – better for the planet and your kitchen”
“Reusable produce bags – no more flimsy plastic at the supermarket”
“Shampoo and conditioner bars – plastic-free and they travel well”

“A good compost system – it reduces waste overall and means you don’t rely on bin liners”

6. Try a weekend plastic detox challenge

Sometimes all it takes is three focused days to achieve a great deal. As Sophie says, “If someone wanted to ‘plastic detox’ their home in a weekend, here’s a simple plan they could follow:

Day 1: Audit your bins. See what plastic you throw away most and make a list.
Day 2: Replace just those top 3 items with better alternatives. For most people it’s cling wrap, plastic bottles, and bathroom products.
Day 3: Organise your space so the reusables are easy to reach – if it’s convenient, you’ll actually use them.”

7. Aim for progress, not perfection

As The Zero-Waste Chef Anne Marie Bonneau’s quote so aptly captures, “We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.” Going zero-waste can feel intimidating, but the truth is that change doesn’t have to happen overnight. What matters is starting somewhere and building habits you can actually stick to.

Sophie shares this sentiment, “The key is not perfection – it’s progress. A few thoughtful swaps in a weekend can kick-start a whole new way of living.”