Modern homes have become a toxic cocktail, with literally thousands of synthetic chemicals being slowly released into the air (known as "outgassing") from all sorts of things, from walls to carpets. Many furnishings and fabrics nowadays have chemical coatings for fire and stain resistance. Cotton for Manchester and bed linen uses huge amounts of chemicals pesticides, herbicides and fertiliser. And the list goes on.

   No-one can really say the long-term effect of exposure to such a mix of chemicals, but rather than be part of this vast experiment in toxic living, you can reduce chemicals in your home by choosing natural, chemical-free furnishings and fabrics made with natural materials such as bamboo, organic cotton, hemp, solid wood and so on.