How to Reduce Your Exposure to PFAS
Wellness & SelfcareHealthy Living

How to Reduce Your Exposure to PFAS in Your Daily Routines

How to Reduce Your Exposure to PFAS in Your Daily Routines
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Published on October 9, 2025
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Eating more fish, drinking plenty of water, and flossing your teeth are all undeniably healthy habits. But they may be exposing you to PFAS (sometimes called “forever chemicals”).

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of man-made chemicals added to a wide variety of products to make them nonstick, stain-resistant, or waterproof. There are thousands of them, and they’re in hundreds of products like coated cookware, cosmetics and personal-care products, household cleaners, greaseproof food packaging, and carpeting, but they also leach into the air we breathe, food we eat, and water we drink.

“The thing about these chemicals is that they’re designed to be hardy, which makes them hard to break down in both the environment and in our bodies,” says Aly Cohen, MD, a New Jersey–based board-certified rheumatologist and integrative medicine physician and author of Detoxify: The Everyday Toxins Harming Your Immune System and How to Defend Against Them. And nearly every single person in the United States has some level of exposure to them.

That’s problematic because PFAS have been linked to a range of health problems, including high cholesterol, immune system issues, pregnancy complications, low birth weight, thyroid disease, ulcerative colitis, and certain types of cancer.

But while it might not be realistic or even possible to completely avoid PFAS in your everyday life, there are still ways to reduce your overall exposure.

How to Reduce PFAS in Your Water

Out of all the ways we encounter PFAS in our daily lives, exposure through drinking water is the most worrisome, says Alan Woolf, MD, MPH, director of the Environmental Medicine Program at Boston Children’s Hospital in Boston. That’s because contaminated water from sites like landfills and industrial plants can get into local water supplies.

“Both water from private wells and municipal wells can be contaminated by PFAS, and it doesn’t take very much: We’re talking about levels in parts per trillion that can cause important health problems,” he explains.

To remove PFAS from your water at home, filter your drinking water with an activated carbon or reverse osmosis filtration system.

 Reverse osmosis systems remove PFAS better than activated carbon filters, but they also tend to cost more and can be more challenging to install.

Look for filters that have been third-party tested to confirm claims that they remove PFAS. “If a water filtration system doesn’t explicitly say it has been tested and validated by an independent lab to remove PFAS, you should assume it does not remove PFAS,” says Alissa Cordner, PhD, associate professor of sociology at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington, and codirector of the PFAS Project Lab.

You can search for filters that have been certified by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) to reduce PFAS in drinking water on the organization’s website.

Whichever system you choose, it’s important to keep up with filter maintenance, including changing out filters at the recommended time intervals. If you don’t, Dr. Cordner says, the filters can concentrate the PFAS and then start releasing them back into your drinking water.

Keep in mind that bottled water may not be a better option than tap water. This water often comes from municipal water supplies, and bottling companies aren’t required to test or treat it for PFAS.

How to Limit PFAS in Your Food

PFAS are present in some foods, but they can also get into our meals and snacks from certain types of food packaging and via PFAS-laden cookware.

PFAS in Food

The most concerning source of these chemicals is seafood caught from PFAS-contaminated waters, Dr. Woolf says. In fact, fish may be the food with the highest risk of PFAS contamination. In one survey by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that looked at 81 types of seafood, PFAS were detected in three-quarters of the samples.

To limit your exposure, the FDA recommends checking local fish and shellfish consumption advisories before eating any seafood caught recreationally. It also stresses, though, that seafood can and should still be part of a healthy diet featuring a variety of different foods.

PFAS can also enter crops or animals grown or processed in contaminated areas.

 So if you’re buying local produce or meats, check the area’s public health advisories first. You can also check this interactive map that shows sites across the U.S. with known or suspected PFAS contamination.
The FDA is conducting tests of the general food supply to get a better idea of its exposure risk from PFAS, but there’s no good data available on that just yet.

PFAS in Food Packaging

PFAS are often used in packaging for fast or processed foods, and they’re also found in microwave popcorn bags.

To lower your exposure, try air-popped popcorn instead of reaching for microwaveable packets, and opt for more fresh foods over those that come in takeout containers or wrapped in greaseproof paper.

Indeed, one study found that eating more food prepared at home was linked to lower overall levels of PFAS in the blood.

When it comes to the containers you store your food in, Dr. Cohen says to consider swapping plastic for glass or stainless steel. “The stronger the materials we carry and heat food in, the less likely the chemicals from those materials will get into our bodies,” she says.

PFAS in Cookware

Most nonstick pots and pans (such as Teflon products) are made with one or more PFAS, Woolf says, which is why you may want to opt instead for nontoxic cookware made from cast iron, stainless steel, glass, or enamel.

You may see some nonstick cookware labeled as “free from PFOA,” or perfluorooctanoic acid, a type of PFAS that has been phased out, but these products may still contain other types of PFAS.

If purchasing new cookware isn’t within your budget at the moment, there are ways to lower the risk of PFAS contamination from nonstick cookware, including:

  • Cook on medium and low temperatures because high heat increases the risk of PFAS transferring to food or the air.
  • Use wooden or other nonscratch cooking utensils to avoid damaging the nonstick coating because this can release PFAS.

How to Reduce PFAS in Your Home

PFAS lurk in a wide variety of household staples, including clothing, stain-resistant furniture and carpeting, and personal care products like cosmetics and dental floss.

Chemicals from these products can then get into the air in your home and accumulate in household dust, Cohen says. She and Woolf recommend the following to reduce your exposure:

  • Vacuum regularly, and make sure your vacuum has a HEPA filter.
  • Dust and damp-mop your floors and baseboards several times per week.
  • Open windows instead of using air fresheners or lighting synthetic candles.
  • Wash your hands carefully and frequently, especially before eating.
  • Maintain your home’s HVAC system.

It’s also possible to track in these chemicals on your shoes, Cohen says, so have all family members leave their footwear at the door.

Of course, it’s ideal to avoid bringing PFAS-containing products into your home in the first place. To choose PFAS-free or low-PFAS products:

  • Avoid waterproof and stain-proof clothing, furniture, carpeting, and other textiles unless they specifically state they’re free of PFAS.
  • Prioritize buying from companies that have pledged not to use these chemicals. To that end, search PFAS Central’s database of PFAS-free products.

How to Advocate for Change

While some PFAS are no longer being manufactured in the United States due to concerns over their health effects — namely, PFOA and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) — they’re still present in older nonstick and waterproof products as well as in the environment, including in drinking water.

And newer types of PFAS are still in use, such as PFNA (perfluorononanoic acid), which has been used or found in metal plating, cleaning agents, waxes, and other products.

Reducing your exposure to PFAS can be challenging when they’re used so widely. But advocating for changes in the rules around how these chemicals are used may help bring about wider-reaching bans or restrictions that can lower your long-term exposure and improve overall public health.

Here are a few ways you can advocate for change at the federal or local level:

  • Ask your local water supplier to test for PFAS, if they don’t already, and petition your state officials to pass stricter limits on PFAS in drinking water.
  • Join community advocacy groups that are working to protect local water quality.
  • Urge elected officials to support restrictions on PFAS in consumer products and pass legislation to remediate contaminated areas.
  • Encourage your legislators to create a PFAS water- and blood-testing program in your state.
  • Write to your favorite retail brands and manufacturers to tell them you want products made without PFAS.

The Takeaway

  • PFAS are a group of pervasive chemicals found in hundreds of types of products, and they’re also present in our food and drinking water.
  • The research on PFAS is still developing, but they’ve been linked to a wide range of health concerns, including cancer.
  • It’s possible to reduce your PFAS exposure by filtering your drinking water and being more intentional about the foods and products you buy.
  • Advocating for changes to the way PFAS are monitored and used is also an important component of reducing your overall exposure.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. What Are PFAS? PFAS Exchange.
  2. Guidance on PFAS Exposure, Testing, and Clinical Follow-Up. National Academy of Sciences. July 28, 2022.
  3. How to Reduce Your Exposure to PFAS. PFAS Exchange.
  4. PFAS at the Tap. NC State University Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS.
  5. PFAS and Drinking Water: What You Should Know. PFAS Exchange.
  6. Questions and Answers on PFAS in Food. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. April 16, 2025.
  7. Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS). U.S. Food and Drug Administration. January 3, 2025.
  8. Hampson HE et al. Associations of Dietary Intake and Longitudinal Measures of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Predominantly Hispanic Young Adults: A Multicohort Study. Environment International. March 2024.
  9. Persellin K et al. ‘Forever Chemicals’: Top 3 Ways to Lower Your Exposure. Environmental Working Group. February 14, 2024.
  10. All About “Forever Chemicals” in Non-Stick Pans. San Francisco Environment Department.
  11. PFOA, PFOS, and Related PFAS Chemicals. American Cancer Society. May 31, 2024.
  12. Listing of Specific PFAS as Hazardous Constituents. Federal Register. February 8, 2024.
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David Mannino, MD

Medical Reviewer

David Mannino, MD, is the chief medical officer at the COPD Foundation. He has a long history of research and engagement in respiratory health.

After completing medical training as a pulmonary care specialist, Dr. Mannino joined the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Air Pollution and Respiratory Health Branch. While at CDC, he helped to develop the National Asthma Program and led efforts on the Surveillance Reports that described the U.S. burden of asthma (1998) and COPD (2002).

After his retirement from CDC in 2004, Mannino joined the faculty at the University of Kentucky, where he was involved both clinically in the College of Medicine and as a teacher, researcher, and administrator in the College of Public Health. He served as professor and chair in the department of preventive medicine and environmental health from 2012 to 2017, with a joint appointment in the department of epidemiology.

In 2004, Mannino helped to launch the COPD Foundation, where he served as a board member from 2004 through 2015, chairman of the Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee from 2010 through 2015, and chief scientific officer from 2015 to 2017.

Mannino has over 350 publications and serves as an associate editor or editorial board member for the following journals: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Chest, Thorax, European Respiratory Journal, and the Journal of the COPD Foundation. He was also a coauthor of the Surgeon General’s Report on Tobacco in 2008 and 2014.

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Kaitlin Ahern

Kaitlin Ahern

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Kaitlin Ahern is a New Jersey–based health journalist and content strategist with over a decade of experience in lifestyle media and content marketing. She has held staff positions at Well+Good, Livestrong.com, Johnson & Johnson, and Parents.com. She is a graduate of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.

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