How To Reduce PFAS Exposure | Smart Steps That Matter

Reducing PFAS starts with your drinking water, food choices, cookware, and dust control — simple everyday swaps make a real difference.

PFAS are everywhere — in tap water, takeout boxes, nonstick pans, and household dust — but cutting your exposure doesn’t require a complete lifestyle overhaul. Here’s how to reduce PFAS exposure with targeted, evidence-backed steps that federal health agencies actually recommend.

Start With Your Drinking Water

Your drinking water is the single highest-impact place to start. The EPA advises anyone on public water to ask their utility whether PFAS testing has been done and what steps are being taken. If you’re concerned, a home filter certified to lower PFAS is worth considering — reverse osmosis systems, some activated carbon filters, and certain pitcher-style filters have been shown to reduce PFAS levels. The catch: filters only work if you maintain them per the manufacturer’s instructions. Replace cartridges on schedule and don’t let the system run past its rated capacity.

For private well users, regular well testing is the first step. Your state environmental or health agency can point you to certified labs and help interpret results. If testing shows elevated PFAS or you simply want extra caution, consider using an alternate water source for drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, and mixing baby formula — the EPA specifically flags formula as a use where safer water matters most.

Change What You Eat, Cook With, and Store Food In

Food packaging is a significant PFAS route, especially grease-resistant wrappers, pizza boxes, microwave popcorn bags, and paper-based takeout containers. Eating more fresh, minimally processed foods and less packaged and fast food reduces that exposure automatically.

Cookware matters too. Nonstick coatings can release PFAS when heated or scratched. Prefer stainless steel, cast iron, glass, ceramic, or enamel cookware instead. If you still use nonstick pans, don’t preheat them empty, avoid oven use above 400°F, and never use steel wool or abrasive cleaners. Discard any pan that’s cracked or chipped — the coating is compromised.

Store leftovers in glass containers rather than plastic. And if you eat locally caught fish, check your area’s fish advisories first — PFAS accumulates in fish from contaminated waters. The CDC recommends avoiding fish from known-impacted waterways and moderating how often you eat wild game, shellfish, and offal.

Update Your Cleaning and Product Choices

PFAS settles into household dust, so how you clean matters. Skip dry dusting — it just redistributes particles. Use wet dusting or wet mopping, and vacuum with a HEPA filter. The CDC recommends ventilating your home twice a day for at least 15 minutes and considering HEPA air filtration for extra dust control. EPA’s guidance on PFAS reduction also reinforces that regular wet cleaning is one of the most effective household habits.

Personal care products are another overlooked source. Avoid cosmetics and moisturizers that list “PTFE,” “perfluoro,” or any ingredient starting with “fluoro.” Products described as “waterproof” or “long-wear” are more likely to contain PFAS. Check sunscreen, eye drops, and lipstick labels too.

For clothing and household textiles, skip items labeled “stain resistant,” “water resistant,” or “waterproof” unless they’re explicitly marked PFAS-free. Look for “PFAS-free” or “PFC-free” labels — “PFOA-free” alone is not enough, because manufacturers can replace PFOA with other PFAS compounds. Avoid aftermarket waterproofing sprays unless you can confirm they’re PFAS-free.