1.1 OCD List on Microplastics

Roll up your sleeves for the OCD List

This is the “leave no microplastic behind” list. Each item is detailed with what to buy, how many, which brands, and what to watch out for. Use it as a comprehensive audit. Be my guest, go to town!

Kitchen & Food Contact

  • Utensils → Retire nylon/melamine spatulas, ladles, and spoons (they shed ≥100 °C / 212 °F, especially in acidic sauces).
    • Swap: Platinum-grade silicone (stable to 200–250 °C / 392–482 °F) or stainless.
    • Starter set: 1 ladle + 1 spatula + 1 spoon in silicone. Add stainless tongs if you grill/sauté often.
    • Brands: GIR (Get It Right), OXO Good Grips.
  • Cling Film → PE/PVC wraps leach at >60 °C / 140 °F into fatty foods.
    • Swap: Beeswax wraps (3-size set) + 3–5 silicone stretch lids.
    • Brands: Bee’s Wrap, Abeego.
  • Cookware → Replace scratched Teflon/PTFE pans (release particles >260 °C / 500 °F).
    • Baseline set: Stainless steel sauté (10–12″) + cast iron skillet (10″).
    • Add-on: Enameled cast iron Dutch oven (5–6 qt) for soups/sauces (acid-resistant).
    • Brands: All-Clad (stainless), Lodge (cast iron), Le Creuset/Staub (enameled).
    • Caution: Stainless heats fast → preheat with oil. Cast iron needs light oiling after use.
  • Cutting Boards → Plastic (HDPE/PP) sheds thousands of particles per chop.
    • Swap: Bamboo (easy-care) or end-grain wood (durable, knife-friendly).
    • Household ≤4: 1 large (18×12″) + 1 medium (12×8″).
    • Household >4: Add a second medium board.
    • Care: Bamboo = wash/dry. Wood = oil monthly with food-grade mineral oil.
  • Drawer Liners → Plastic liners abrade, contaminating utensils.
    • Swap: Cork sheets, bamboo mats, or washable cotton.
  • Dinnerware → Stop using melamine (leaches melamine/formaldehyde at ≥70 °C, esp. acidic foods).
    • Swap: Corelle Vitrelle glass plates (microwave/oven safe up to 350 °F).
    • Kids: Stainless steel plates/bowls or tempered glass with silicone sleeves.

Water & Drinks

  • Filters → Brita/PUR pitchers don’t catch microplastics and may shed.
    • Swap: Countertop reverse osmosis (APEC, iSpring) or distiller.
    • Distiller recs: Megahome countertop (~4 L, stainless interior, glass jar) or Pure Water Mini-Classic (~8 L/day).
  • Storage → Store filtered/distilled water in glass or stainless jugs. Avoid plastic carboys/jugs.
  • Thermos Bottles → Most lids use polypropylene/polycarbonate inside. They leach above 70 °C / 158 °F (esp. coffee, tomato-based drinks).
    • Best: Stainless steel body + silicone-only contact lids.
    • Brands: Hydro Flask, Klean Kanteen with silicone-gasket lids.

Household Surfaces

  • Flooring → Vinyl/laminate = constant microplastic dust.
    • Swap: Hardwood, bamboo, cork, tile.
  • Rugs & Carpets → Synthetic fibers (polyester, nylon, acrylic) shed heavily.
    • Swap: Wool or cotton rugs.
  • Curtains & Upholstery → Polyester fabrics shed.
    • Swap: Linen, hemp, cotton covers.
  • Furniture Padding → Memory foam = polyurethane microplastics.
    • Swap: Natural latex, cotton, or wool cushions.

Air & Dust

  • Vacuuming vs Sweeping → Sweeping re-suspends dust.
    • Swap: Vacuum with HEPA filter (Dyson, Miele, Shark with HEPA).
    • Tip: Empty vacuum outdoors.
  • Air Purifiers → HEPA purifiers in living room + bedrooms (Coway, Blueair, IQAir).
  • Laundry → Polyester/nylon/spandex clothing shed fibers.
    • Use: Guppyfriend washing bag or install Filtrol filter on washer.
    • Tip: Air dry instead of tumble dry (dryer lint = airborne plastics).

Flooring & Carpets

  • Carpets & Rugs:
    • Synthetic carpets (nylon, polyester, acrylic, polypropylene) shed vast amounts of microplastic fibers into household dust.
    • Wall-to-wall carpeting traps fibers and makes them harder to remove; every vacuum cycle releases more into the air.
    • Area rugs are easier to clean and swap out.
    • Better options: Wool, cotton, jute, or hemp rugs.
  • Hard Flooring:
    • Vinyl/laminate flooring = a continuous source of microplastic dust as the surface wears.
    • Better options: Hardwood, bamboo, cork, tile, or polished concrete.
  • Vacuuming vs Sweeping:
    • Sweeping re-suspends dust → more inhaled particles.
    • Vacuuming with a sealed HEPA filter captures fibers. Always empty outdoors.
  • Pro-tip: Place washable doormats at entryways (cotton or coir, not synthetic) to cut down on dust and plastic tracked in from outside.

Children & Infants

  • Baby Bottles → Polypropylene bottles release millions of particles/L when formula prepared at 70 °C.
    • Swap: Glass bottles with silicone nipples (Dr. Brown’s, Lifefactory, Evenflo).
  • Sippy Cups → Stainless or tempered glass with silicone sleeves.
  • Toys:
    • LEGO (ABS) = durable but micro-shedding possible if chewed.
    • Soft vinyl dolls (PVC) = high leaching risk.
    • Swap: Wooden toys, cloth dolls, silicone stacking cups.
  • Mouthing phase → Minimize plastics entirely. Rotate safe, natural toys.
  • Teethers & Pacifiers
    • ★ Highest impact: Avoid PVC-based.
      • Swap: Food-grade silicone or natural rubber teethers/pacifiers.
  • Play Mats
    • Foam mats (EVA/PVC) shed microplastics.
    • Swap: Cotton quilted mats or natural rubber play mats.
  • Feeding Accessories
    • Avoid plastic bowls/spoons.
    • Swap: Stainless or bamboo/silicone-tip spoons.

Clothing & Textiles

  • High shedders: Polyester, nylon, acrylic, spandex.
  • Better: Cotton, wool, linen, hemp, silk.
  • Athleisure: Wash inside Guppyfriend. Line dry.
  • Wigs: Synthetic wigs = polyester/acrylic → shed. Natural hair wigs = safer.

Microfiber Towels

At one point in my life, I had many pets, including bunnies, birds and a dog. I got turned on to microfiber cloths because they soak up water so well (plus pet pee and other secretions) and are light and easy to care for. I used them for drying my hair and even replaced my regular towels with microfiber ones last year (so soft and so good at drying!) BUT, turns out they shed plastics!

Made of polyester and polyamide, they shed microplastics during washing, which are too small to be captured by wastewater treatment plants. Microfiber cloths are a major contributor to global microplastic pollution (ugh!).

This put me in a bind. Banishing them to landfills wouldn’t actually reduce their harm so I’ve learned to use responsibly. I’m back to using regular cotton towels and saving the microfiber towels for major plumbing issues (they’ve happened) and drying my hair. The main thing to focus on is how you launder them:

  • Wash less often:Washing your microfiber towels less frequently can help reduce fiber release.
  • Wash in full loads:Washing a full load of laundry creates less friction, which leads to less fiber shedding.
  • Use liquid detergent:Liquid detergent can reduce friction compared to powder (and powder clumps anyway).
  • Avoid fabric softeners and harsh detergents: Fabric softeners can leave a coating on the fibers that reduces absorbency and can increase shedding.
  • Air-dry when possible: Skipping the dryer entirely helps prevent additional shedding that occurs during the high-heat tumbling process.
  • Use microfiber-catching devices: You can purchase special laundry bags, such as a Guppyfriend, or install a washing machine filter to trap microfibers before they enter the wastewater

It’s not 100% but it’s something.

Personal Care & Cosmetics

  • Makeup → Glitter and plastic microbeads in scrubs = direct microplastics.
    • Swap: Biodegradable glitter, mineral scrubs.
  • Lotions & Oils → Stored in plastic bottles, especially in warm bathrooms → leach plasticizers into creams.
    • Swap: Glass pump bottles, aluminum tubes.
    • Tip: Keep plastic-packaged creams away from heat/sun if no alternative.
  • Toothbrushes → Bamboo handles reduce plastic load. Bristles still nylon, but less overall.
  • Dental Guards/Invisalign → Medical-grade thermoplastic (polyurethane, PETG). Micro-shedding likely.
    • Tip: Limit acidic/sugary drinks when wearing.

Pets

  • Food & Bowls
    • ★ Highest impact: Replace plastic food/water bowls.
      • Safer: Stainless steel (human-grade, food-safe) → inert, durable.
      • Ceramic caution: Many pet ceramics are painted/glazed with lead-containing pigments. If ceramic, use lead-free human-grade dinnerware instead of “pet-branded” ceramics.
    • Kibble packaging: Almost all commercial kibble comes in plastic-lined bags. Some premium brands (e.g., Open Farm, Honest Kitchen dehydrated foods) use compostable or recyclable paper-based liners, but they’re rare.
    • If stuck with plastic bags: Transfer to stainless or glass bins.
      • Room temperature = acceptable.
      • Avoid heat/sunlight → accelerates leaching.
      • Dry food is lower risk than oily/wet food for pulling out plasticizers.
  • Toys
    • Vinyl/PVC chew toys shed heavily.
    • Swap: Natural rubber (e.g., Kong), cotton rope toys, silicone chew toys.
  • Bedding
    • Synthetic polyester beds shed fibers.
    • Swap: Cotton canvas covers + wool/hemp fills.
  • Litter
    • Some clumping litters use synthetic additives.
    • Swap: Natural clay, walnut shell, or paper-based.

Plants, Soil & Gardens

  • Soil & Potting Mix
    • ★ Highest impact: Avoid potting mixes with polyacrylamide crystals (“moisture beads”). They break down into microplastics.
    • Swap: Organic soil + compost.
  • Planters
    • Plastic pots degrade outdoors.
    • Swap: Terracotta, ceramic (lead-free), or metal planters.
  • Mulch & Covers
    • Plastic mulch film fragments into soil.
    • Swap: Straw, wood chips, biodegradable paper mulches.
  • Watering
    • PVC hoses leach phthalates + microplastics.
    • Swap: Rubber or polyurethane hoses labeled “drinking water safe.”

Highlights:

  • Pets: Use stainless bowls.
  • Kids: Use non-PVC teethers/pacifiers.
  • Plants: No polyacrylamide soil mixes.

Behavior & Environment Hacks

  • Rule of Thumb: If it’s hot, acidic, or oily, it should never touch plastic.
  • Audit sequence: Start with daily high-contact → cookware, bottles, storage. Then move to textiles/flooring.
  • Dust discipline: HEPA vacuum weekly; avoid sweeping. Wipe with damp cloths, not dry dusting.
  • Family script: “Glass for food, plastic only for toys.”
  • Habit hack: Put new glass containers at eye level in fridge. Hide old plastics in the pantry for dry goods only.

Overwhelmed? Exhausted? Scrambling to get it all done? Do as much or as little as you want. And always feel free to slack off and default to the Life is Short List anytime. Life is for living, after all!

See you next week!

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