Top Five Ways To Reduce PFAS in Your Home
Published July 29, 2025 | Updated November 19, 2025
Photo by Kaitlin Green
Key Takeaways
PFAS (forever chemicals) are in many places in your home and cause serious health effects, but there are proven ways to reduce your exposure. The top five best ways to remove PFAS from your home are:
Use a certified water filter for drinking and cooking
Choose an air purifier with a true HEPA filter and activated carbon
Dust and vacuum every week
Opt for PFAS free cookware
Use low-shedding toilet paper made without PFAS.
Read more about why these methods are important and why they work and how to implement them effectively, below.
What are PFAS?
PFAS refers to a massive group of about 15,000 lab-made chemicals — what they all share in common is a fluorine-carbon bond, which is one of the strongest bonds known in chemistry. PFAS stands for Per- and PolyFluoroalkyl Substances, and they're commonly called forever chemicals because they don't break down in the environment for hundreds to thousands of years. These persistent chemicals accumulate in the environment and in the human body over time.
PFAS is the umbrella term for PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, and branded versions of these chemicals like GenX and Teflon. (Hot tip: this is why, if something is advertised as "PFOA free," it may not actually be PFAS free, because it may still contain any number of the other 14,999 PFAS chemicals.)
PFAS were created by DuPont in the 1930s and became widely used because of their ability to make everyday products stain-resistant, oil-resistant, and water-resistant. They’re very convenient! But, we started learning in the 1960s that PFAS were related to birth defects, and by the 1980s, we knew they could cause cancer in animal studies. Unfortunately, their convenience has meant that they are still being produced today, despite mounting evidence that they cause serious harm.
What are the health effects of PFAS?
PFAS are a unique group of toxicants because they affect every organ system of the human body. They bind to many different kinds of cellular receptors, causing different effects in the gastrointestinal, neurological, cardiovascular, endocrine, and immune systems. They negatively affect metabolism, immune function, and hormone signaling, and are both carcinogenic and reprotoxic. We know that exposure to PFAS is associated with:
Increased cholesterol levels
Decreased antibody response to vaccines
Changes in liver enzyme function
Pregnancy complications including pre-eclampsia and decreased birth weight
Increased risk of certain cancers (kidney cancer, testicular cancer)
Thyroid hormone disruption
Developmental delays in children
Potentially more effects still being studied
Because PFAS are a (relatively) new group of chemicals, and because there are so many kinds of PFAS, we are still actively learning about the full extent of their negative effects on human health. There are other early and animal studies that suggest PFAS are related to additional health issues, but it will take some time to confirm these, and to understand how serious they are. In general, researchers and doctors are highly concerned with PFAS exposure and consider them a priority chemical to avoid.
Where are PFAS found in the home?
PFAS are found in a surprising number of places throughout your home. They come from oil-resistant, stain-resistant, and water-resistant products, as well as from the degradation of these products over time. These products invisibly shed PFAS from their surface, and the particles make their way into the air and dust in your home. Eventually, airborne particles settle and dust gets into groundwater, which becomes tap water.
You may have experienced this type of PFAS shedding firsthand, noticing that a waterproof jacket becomes less waterproof over time as you wear it or wash it.
Common sources of PFAS in your home include:
Wall paint: Standard indoor paints are made glossy and wear-resistant with PFAS chemicals
Carpets and rugs: Stain-resistant or water-resistant carpeting and area rugs may contain ScotchGuard or other types of PFAS coatings or treatments
Couch and furniture upholstery: Stain-resistant or water-resistant upholstery is typically made with PFAS treatments. Learn more about choosing non-toxic furniture for your living room
Bedding: Mattress toppers, pillow protectors, comforters and blankets, especially those made with polyester, microfiber, or advertised as repelling sweat or liquids. See my guide to choosing non-toxic bedding
Non-stick pots and pans and bakeware: Including Teflon, GenX, and other newer forms of non-stick technology. Read my free comprehensive guide on non-stick coatings for more details, and see my specific recommendations for PFAS-free cookware
Furniture paints, glues, and varnishes: Standard adhesives and finishes can contain PFAS
Electronics: PFAS are a common component in cables, electrical insulators, and computer parts
Indoor Air: As PFAS shed from products, including everything from couch upholstery to toilet paper, some particles are small and light enough that they become airborne and float in indoor air until they settle into dust
Dust: House dust contains PFAS that shed over time from home products. Regular dusting and vacuuming helps reduce this exposure
Tracked-in soil and soot from outdoors: Fire retardants and other PFAS chemicals used in transportation and industry are tracked in on our shoes into our homes. Using boot trays near your entrance can help contain this
Water: As of 2023, 45% of water supplies in the US contain PFAS, and municipal treatment facilities are not able to filter it out effectively before it reaches your home. This is because the technology to do this on a large citywide scale is expensive, time-consuming, and difficult. A certified under-sink water filter can effectively remove PFAS from your drinking and cooking water
Other personal products: Unrelated to the home itself, PFAS are also in many personal care products like makeup, toiletries, clothing, and food packaging
Can you test for PFAS in your home?
Yes, you can test for PFAS in your home, though testing options are still somewhat limited and can be expensive.
SimpleLab offers several different types of PFAS testing for home products, including kits for textiles, soil, and plastic containers. Testing is still quite expensive, so if you don’t want to invest in this, you can also assume PFAS are present in water-resistant, and stain-resistant products, as well as in many plastics, and follow the mitigation strategies listed below.
For testing PFAS in tap water, MyTapScore has testing kits. If you have well water, it is possible that your state or county will pay for testing. Contact your officials directly for this information. If you have city tap water, you can check the city’s annual published water supply reports, EWG’s water database, or contact your supplier directly, in lieu of testing. (FYI, canned and bottled water regulations are not strict, and many have PFAS in them.)
One interesting thing to note is that we have testing available for around 40-50 types of PFAS, meaning there are 14,950 or more that we can’t yet test for. Therefore, if you receive a negative result on a home PFAS test, it doesn’t guarantee the total absence of all PFAS chemicals.
Top Five Ways to Remove PFAS from Your Home
Photo by Kaitlin Green
1. Use a water filter to remove PFAS
Certified water filters can effectively remove PFAS from your drinking water and cooking water. Choose one made with activated carbon that has been tested and certified by NSF, IAPMO, or WQA to meet the NSF/ANSI 53 standard. This standard is critical because it means the filter can truly, effectively remove PFAS from water. (There is so much water filter marketing hype and healthwashing out there!)
The test results should also tell you how many gallons it met this standard for, so you know how long your filter will remain effective before needing replacement. This is essential information because filters lose their PFAS-removing ability over time.
Removing PFAS from your cooking and daily drinking water is a great first step toward reducing your overall exposure. See the shortlist of certified under-sink water filter options I recommend here. You can also consider a shower filter that removes PFAS to reduce dermal absorption during bathing.
Photo by Kaitlin Green
2. Use an air purifier to remove PFAS from your indoor air, or open windows daily
If an air purifier contains a true HEPA filter and activated carbon, it is able to remove PFAS particles from your indoor air. Not all air purifiers contain an activated carbon component, so this specification is important when choosing a unit. See the air purifiers that filter PFAS.
If an air purifier isn't in your budget right now, you can also open your windows daily to ventilate your home. Indoor air contains higher levels of PFAS than outdoor air, so ventilating is a helpful first step to reduce indoor PFAS concentrations.
Finally, make sure to regularly change your HVAC filter to reduce PFAS levels throughout your home's air circulation system.
Photo by Clay Banks
3. Reduce dust in your home daily and weekly
PFAS collect in household dust after settling from the air, and you track in soot, soil, and dust from outdoors that already contain PFAS chemicals. Remove your shoes when you walk in the door, and store them either outside or in a designated area near your door. See boot trays that won't off-gas or add unnecessary rubbery smelling VOCs into your home.
Wet-dusting and vacuuming weekly is also a boring but very effective way to remove PFAS from your home. Use a wet rag so that dust isn't re-suspended into the air. If it's in your budget, use a fully-sealed vacuum that contains a HEPA filter so that it doesn't blow any PFAS or other particles back into the room as you use it. Here are the four vacuums I have both tried and recommend.
4. Use PFAS-free cookware
Ingesting PFAS through eating is one of the main ways these chemicals get into your body. Use cast iron, stainless steel, or titanium cookware without PFAS non-stick coatings. Be cautious about any non-stick coating, and especially careful about misleading claims like "PFOA-free," which only means it is free of 1 of the 15,000 types of PFAS.
See the details on this on my free guide to non-stick coatings, as well as the pots and pans I recommend here. See the one-pot cookers like dutch ovens and slow cookers here, and bakeware here, including safer PFAS-free non-stick options.
5. Use PFAS-free toilet paper
Yes, most toilet paper is made with PFAS! This surprising source makes the top five because you use toilet paper multiple times daily, and it can release PFAS into your body in two ways.
First, via direct contact when you wipe with it, and second, via the dust that's created as you tear sheets off. This dust releases PFAS into the air and settles onto bathroom surfaces, contributing to your home's overall PFAS dust burden.
Choose a low-dust PFAS-free variety, or save money long-term with a bidet attachment. See the PFAS-free toilet paper I like here.
What else can you do to remove PFAS from your life?
Besides the top five methods I have listed above, which target the daily exposures specifically found as part of your home environment, the best thing you can do to avoid PFAS is to start reading labels and asking questions of the companies that make the products you use. If a brand doesn't advertise that they're PFAS-free, call, chat with, or email them. Even if they don't respond, or have a vague reply, it sends the message that you and other consumers care that PFAS aren't in their products.
A few specific places to also consider:
Look for PFAS-free cosmetics: Avoid waterproof mascara and other water-resistant makeup
Use PFAS-free floss: Many dental flosses contain PFAS in their coating
If you use period underwear: Ask the company to confirm they aren't made with PFAS chemicals
Bring glass containers for take-out food: Or quickly remove hot fast food from its oil-resistant packaging, which often contains PFAS
Wear natural fibers for athletic wear: Or ask the company to confirm no PFAS are used in their fabrics or moisture-wicking treatments
Avoid stain, water, and oil-resistant products: Unless they specifically state that they are PFAS-free or made with C0 DWR (this means durable water repellency with zero carbon-fluorine bonds)
Although PFAS exposure can feel scary and overwhelming, there are daily manageable ways you can reduce your exposure to these forever chemicals!
Frequently Asked Questions About PFAS in the Home
How do I know if my water has PFAS?
You can test your tap water for PFAS using home testing kits from companies like MyTapScore (also known as SimpleLab.) If you have city water, you can also check your municipality's annual water quality report or search EWG's Tap Water Database for detected PFAS levels in your area. As of 2023, approximately 45% of US tap water contains detectable levels of PFAS, so testing or using a certified water filter is a wise precaution.
What water filter removes PFAS?
Water filters that remove PFAS must contain activated carbon (also called activated charcoal) and be certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 53 for PFAS reduction. Look for third-party certification from NSF, IAPMO, or WQA. Not all carbon filters are certified for PFAS removal, so checking for this specific certification is critical. I provide detailed recommendations for certified under-sink water filters and shower filters that effectively remove PFAS.
Do air purifiers remove PFAS?
Yes, air purifiers with true HEPA filters and activated carbon filters can remove airborne PFAS particles from indoor air. However, not all air purifiers contain activated carbon — many only have HEPA filters, which capture particles but don't remove the super-small volatile PFAS compounds. You need both HEPA and activated carbon for comprehensive PFAS removal from indoor air. See my recommendations for effective air purifiers that include activated carbon filtration.
Is all non-stick cookware made with PFAS?
Most traditional non-stick cookware contains PFAS chemicals, including Teflon, GenX, and similar fluoropolymer coatings. However, there are newer ceramic non-stick coatings that are PFAS-free, though they may not perform as well or last as long. The safest options are cast iron, stainless steel, and titanium cookware, which require no non-stick coating. I provide detailed analysis of PFAS-free cookware options, including bakeware and one-pot cookers.
Can PFAS be removed from the body?
Unlike some toxins, PFAS are extremely persistent in the human body, with half-lives ranging from several years to over a decade depending on the specific PFAS compound. This means it takes years for your body to eliminate the PFAS you've accumulated.
Plasma donation and blood draws can reduce high PFAS blood levels, though brings up some ethical issues. Moreover, PFAS are stored in your body’s organs and tissues, slowly released into your blood stream, so this doesn’t target the root cause necessarily.
The best approach is reducing ongoing exposure through the methods outlined in this article and others — use certified water filters, air purifiers, PFAS-free products, and regular cleaning to minimize continued accumulation.
What products contain PFAS?
PFAS are found in thousands of consumer products, particularly those marketed as stain-resistant, water-resistant, or oil-resistant. Common sources include non-stick cookware, waterproof clothing, stain-resistant carpets and upholstery, some cosmetics (especially waterproof mascara), dental floss, food packaging, and surprisingly, toilet paper. I've created comprehensive guides to help you choose PFAS-free alternatives for your bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and living room.
Does vacuuming reduce PFAS exposure?
Yes, regular vacuuming is one of the most effective ways to reduce PFAS exposure in your home. PFAS-containing products shed particles that settle into household dust, and vacuuming removes this contaminated dust. For best results, use a vacuum with a sealed HEPA filter system to prevent particles from being blown back into the air. Vacuuming at least weekly, combined with wet-dusting, significantly reduces PFAS levels in your home. See my tested recommendations for effective vacuums.
Are PFAS banned in the United States?
PFAS are not fully banned in the United States, though regulations are increasing. Some states have passed laws restricting PFAS in specific products like food packaging, carpets, and cosmetics. The EPA has set enforceable limits for certain PFAS in drinking water as of 2024, but thousands of PFAS chemicals remain in widespread use. Under our current administration in 2025, regulations on PFAS are actually being loosened. This is why taking personal action to reduce PFAS exposure in your home remains so important.
How long do PFAS stay in the environment?
PFAS are called "forever chemicals" because they don't break down naturally in the environment. Depending on the specific type of PFAS compound (and there are thousands!), they can persist for hundreds to thousands of years in soil, water, and air. This extreme persistence is due to the incredibly strong carbon-fluorine bonds that make PFAS so useful in consumer products but also so harmful to environmental and human health.
Can I remove PFAS from my existing furniture and carpets?
Unfortunately, you cannot effectively remove PFAS from existing furniture and carpets that were manufactured with PFAS treatments — the chemicals are integrated into the materials and fall out with friction over time. However, you can reduce ongoing exposure by vacuuming regularly with a HEPA filter vacuum to remove shed PFAS particles, using air purifiers with activated carbon, and replacing PFAS-treated items gradually as they age. When shopping for new furniture and carpets, look for items certified OEKO-TEX or specifically advertised as PFAS-free so you don’t bring any more into your home. See my guides to non-toxic living room furniture for safer alternatives.
Is bottled water PFAS-free?
No, bottled water is not necessarily PFAS-free. Testing has found PFAS in many bottled water brands, and regulations for bottled water are actually less strict than those for municipal tap water. The most reliable way to ensure PFAS-free drinking water is to use a certified water filter that meets NSF/ANSI Standard 53 for PFAS reduction. This is more cost-effective and environmentally friendly than bottled water. See my recommendations for under-sink water filters that effectively remove PFAS.
Let me know if you have questions!
