Microplastics are one of those things that feel everywhere once you notice them; our water, our food, our laundry, even our bodies. Yikes. The good news is you donât have to overhaul your entire life or move off-grid to make a difference. A few intentional swaps can dramatically cut down the amount of plastic shedding into your home and the environment. Read on for five simple ways to reduce microplastics at home.
NEW 2026 Kimchi Research Here!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Read my full disclosure [here]
Side Note: I will never spam you with amazon products just to make a buck and line a billionare's pockets. I only recommend products from companies I believe are trying to do goodâđť
Reducing Microplastics
Here are five realistic, family-friendly ways to reduce microplastics:
1. Skip Dish & Laundry Pods (Yes, Theyâre Convenient⌠But)
Laundry and dish pods are often wrapped in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). While marketed as âdissolving,â research suggests this material doesnât always fully break down and can contribute to microplastic pollution in waterways, and eventually back to us.
The swap: Powder detergents in cardboard or better yet, plastic-free tablets
that don’t use PVA. I personally love Blueland because theyâre effective and come in a “forever tin.”
Or better yet, try homemade:
Easy Homemade Laundry Detergent (Takes 10 Minutes)
Youâll need:
- 1 bar castile soap, natural bar soap, or Fels Naptha (grated) I use Dr. Bronner’s
- 1 cup washing soda
- 1 cup borax
Instructions:
- Grate the soap finely.
- Mix all ingredients together.
- Store in an airtight glass jar.
- Use 1â2 tablespoons per load.
⨠Optional: Add a few drops of essential oil to the wash (not the container) if you like a light scent.
⨠Hot Tip: Canât find washing soda? Itâs super easy to make! Bake one cup baking soda on low (200) for an hour. Voila!
Itâs cheap, effective, and you know exactly whatâs touching your clothesâand your skin.
đ Want more low-waste, budget-friendly home swaps?
Checkout my upcoming book HERE
2. Plastic-Wrapped Food (Bread, Iâm Looking at You)
This one is tough. Plastic-wrapped food is everywhere. And the more I try to shop without plastic the more I seem to find! Bread is a big offender in my house. I love baking bread, itâs cheaper, healthier, and honestly kind of magical. But making enough loaves to keep up with our busy family schedule is not currently realistic. I have found plenty of little ways to cut back at the grocery store.
What I do instead (progress over perfection):
- Buy in bulk: Bring your own glass jars to the bulk aisle for flour, grains, and nuts. Itâs usually cheaper and zero-waste.
- Reuse the plastic bags as long as humanly possible.
- Bake when I can and freeze loaves in reusable freezer containers.
Quick No-Knead Bread: Mix 3 cups flour, 1.5 cups warm water, 1 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp yeast. Let sit for 12â18 hours. Bake in a preheated Dutch oven at 450°F (30 min lid on, 15 min lid off).
Fail-Safe Bread Recipe: Mix 3 cups flour, 1.5 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp instant yeast, 1.5 cups warm water into a shaggy ball. Cover and let rise at room temp for 3â4 hours. 2. Shape into a round on parchment paper.
The Trick: Slide the parchment onto a standard baking sheet. Place a pan of boiling water on the rack below it in the oven. 4. Bake at 450°F for 30â35 minutes until golden. The steam from the water pan creates the crust!
đĄ Bonus tip: Many âecoâ products still come wrapped in plastic. Donât beat yourself up. Focus on reducing new plastic whenever possible.
đ Looking to cut plastic in other household staples? Toilet Paper was our next biggest offender:
3. Rethink Food Containers (This Oneâs a Two-for-One Win)
Plastic food containers scratch easily, and those scratches shed microplastics into your food, especially when heated, wether in a microwave or the dishwasher.
The swap: Glass food containers.
Why I love them:
- Oven-safe, microwave-safe, dishwasher safe
- Donât stain or hold smells
- AND⌠they double as serving dishes
⨠Bonus hack:
Serve dinner in the glass container. Less plastic, easier cleanup, and suddenly you feel wildly put together.
The “lid thing”: If you don’t want to replace all your bowls, try beeswax bowl covers which stretch over your existing dishes.
4. Balloons⌠Letâs Talk đŹ
Unpopular opinion incoming: balloons are out.
Theyâre a massive source of plastic waste and a serious choking hazard for babies and young kids. Even biodegradable balloons donât break down the way weâre led to believe.
I understand the impulse; they’re fun, and everyone loves playing keepy-uppy. But remember, you’re not depriving your kids of anything when you make choices to protect their future. In fact, once my kids were old enough to understand plastic pollution, they were actually upset that I had ever purchased them balloons!
Check out this recent report on balloon pollution, it’s a leading risk for marine wildlife.
Better alternatives (still fun, still festive):
- đż Floral arches or arrangements (real is ideal, but reusable faux can be an alternative IF you will get a lot of use out of them)
- đ¸ Photo booth backdrops
- đĽď¸ Green screen + light photo editing (great for parties, and older kids will love doing their own edits!)
- Check out these reusable cloth water balloon alternatives for summer fun!
- đŽ Paper lanterns are stunning, reusable, and endlessly customizable
Celebrations donât need balloons to feel special. They need people, connection, and maybe cake. Or any dessert, really.
5. Ditch Ziplock Bags (Freezer bags were the hardest for me!)
Single-use plastic bags are one of the sneakiest sources of microplastics, and one of the hardest habits to break.
The easy swaps:
- Silicone reusable bags like these Stasher Silicone Bags
- Bee’s Wrap Beeswax Wraps (Perfect for cheese, half-cut veggies, or wrapping your homemade bread).
The hard one: Freezer meals. I get it. Those gallon ziplocks are so convenient.
Alternatives that actually work:
- Glass jars (leave headspace for freezing!)
- Stackable glass containers
- Silicone freezer trays for soups and sauces
- Freeze meals flat in reusable silicone bags for easy storage
Itâs not about never using plastic again, itâs about slowly reducing how much ends up in landfills, waterways, and eventually⌠our bodies.
Final Thought: Small Changes Matter
Reducing microplastics isnât about being perfect. Itâs about being intentional. Pick one swap. Try it for a week. Then add another when youâre ready.
Your home doesnât need to be plastic-free to be healthier. It just needs a little awareness, and a few good glass containers
đđ If you want more simple, budget-conscious living ideas for real families:
Check out my book Resourceful Living coming soon!