You don’t need an expert to tell you that you spend a lot of your life in bed. (Yes, even you busybodies who barely sleep.) And when the lights go out, you’re in full contact with your sheets and pajamas—and whatever you washed them in. So it isn’t any wonder that Marilee Nelson, cofounder of natural cleaning line Branch Basics and all-around guru when it comes to chemical-free living, encourages special attention be paid to the bedroom if you’re working on detoxifying your life. Even if you’re not working on detoxifying your life, the reality of the chemicals in your bedroom might actually inspire you to start. When you sleep in close contact with harmful substances like SVOCs and synthetic fragrances, “the body never gets the chance to rest, recover, and recuperate because it’s busy detoxing these chemicals," Marilee explains. The good news is, you don’t have to replace everything in your bedroom at once. Here are six parts of the bedroom to consider updating according to the expert, and some alternative products and methods to spring for when you’re ready to make the swap.

Mattress

“The bed is the most important piece of furniture in your home,” Marilee says. She recommends three brands: Lifekind, OMI, and a wool option called Shepherd’s Dream, all of which are free of pesticides and made in a dedicated facility where they can’t be contaminated.

And what if you’re not ready to buy a new mattress? There's one stopgap you can try, but it comes at the cost of a good night's sleep. “Let’s just say you call me and you have a Tempurpedic bed, which has flame retardants—I’m going to tell you we can encapsulate that bed until they’re able to get another one,” she says. This process involves buying a crinkly, reflective product called Reflectix from Home Depot, wrapping your mattress up like a package, then taping the seams with foil tape. A few blankets can be added on top to make it comfortable, but if you’re raising your eyebrows at this inexpensive—but admittedly uncomfortable-sounding—option, maybe it’s best you just swap out the mattress sooner than you'd like.

Carpet and flooring

SVOCs, a sub-group of VOCs that ride on dust particles, might be lurking in your bedroom if you’ve been using a chemical-laden mattress, rugs, or even paint. The answer to getting rid of them without burning down the house is simply to vacuum. You’ll want to get a vacuum that has a HEPA filter and a sealed canister (because what’s the use of vacuuming up chemicals if you just pop the dust bag open when you’re done?); Marilee says they’re readily available from brands like Miele, Nilfisk, and Shark.

Sheets, pillowcases, pajamas

Polyester is tempting because it’s so cheap, but Marilee says natural fibers are much preferred “because the body can breathe better.” If or when you’re in a financial position to do so, go for organic sheets, pillowcases, and even pajamas in materials like cotton, linen, and silk—but don’t worry if that feels out of reach for now. “If they have the means, they can go to Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, or Walmart and buy an inexpensive set of cotton sheets while they’re trying to decontaminate,” says Marilee.

Laundry

Then there’s the laundry. Simply switching your detergent from generic to truly fragrance-free (Branch Basics is obviously Marilee’s suggestion) is much better for your body, and you can always use essential oils, processed without solvents, to make everything smell good. You can even detoxify your clothes by regularly washing them and drying them in the sun.

Pillows

Marilee does not mince words on this one: “You want to get a good pillow, because guess where your head is?” Her top recommendation is an Ogallala Hypodow feather-filled pillow, but you can also source safe ones from the mattress brands listed above. Just ask, and they’ll make you a pillow from the same material.

Window treatments

Yes, really. “Usually, blackout curtains especially are full of chemicals,” Marilee says. “These are really problematic. If you think about it, the sun comes in and heats up everything, and the heat just makes those volatiles come out even stronger. Think about a new car in the hot sun.” Nontoxic window treatments can be sourced more easily than you’d expect, thankfully, and you can also get an air-purifying plant (or a fancy air purifier) if you’d like to clean things up without replacing the shades just yet.