Beware the benzene in attached garages

One of the biggest sources of air toxicity in your home comes from your garage. A Canadian health study found that homes with attached garages had high levels of benzene (a chemical from gasoline), while homes without garages had little to none. To prevent toxins from leaking into your home, never start up a car in a closed garage, and don't start lawnmowers, motorcycles or chainsaws, either. Keep the door from the garage to your home closed, and make sure the seal is as tight as possible.

HONEY FOREVER

Here's an interesting fact: Honey never expires. The reason why has to do with the water content - with just 17 percent water content, it isn't moist enough for bacteria or fungi to thrive. And even with 17 percent water content, only a very tiny fraction of that is actually "available" for microbial growth. What does harm honey is light and heat, which can change its color, taste and aroma. If you have honey that has crystallized, it's totally fine to use. Just zap it in the microwave for a few seconds to warm it up, and you're good to go.

DIY STAIN TREATMENT

Stain eraser pens seem to be magical: When you get a stain on your shirt, just uncap the pen and rub it away. In minutes, the stain disappears. But these pens are not recyclable, and they have very little cleaning solution inside. Why buy it when you can DIY it? Mix 1 cup hydrogen peroxide, 1/2 cup clear liquid dish soap and 1 tablespoon baking soda. This combination is designed to lift stains and dry without any residue. Store it in a spray bottle, or invest in a small perfume bottle to stash your solution so you can treat stains wherever you go.

TRACK WATER SAFETY

Are you curious if your tap water is safe to drink? The Environmental Working Group has launched the EWG Tap Water Database, so now it's easy to find out if there are contaminants in your city's drinking water. Just type in your ZIP code, and you'll see a complete list of contaminants found in your water supply. The report also outlines if these levels are safe or too high, if a contaminant is at a legal level and what independent scientists think about it for public safety. Learn more at ewg.org/tapwater.

SOLARIZE WEEDS

When you pull out mounds of invasive weeds from your backyard garden, what do you do with them? You can compost them, but when you spread the compost, will you also spread weed seeds? The greenest solution is to bag them in black plastic trash bags and THEN compost them. Placing the weeds in a black bag and allowing them to bake in the sun is a simple way to kill the seeds by scorching them, called "solarizing." After a few days, simply empty the bag into the compost, and you're good to go.

MAGIC ERASER RESIDUE

Ever use a "magic" eraser to clean around the house? The product seems pretty eco-friendly: All you need to do is wet the eraser and it magically removes dirt, grime and stains from almost anything around the house. But as it breaks down into smaller pieces, that means it's leaving small traces of itself on the surfaces you touch. These erasers are made from melamine plastic, and when you scrub a tub, sink or any surface with water, tiny particles go down the drain. These plastic particles end up in our water supply and contribute to water pollution. Cleaning with rags and nontoxic cleaning products is better than high-tech erasers.

DISHWASHER DUTIES

A dishwasher can do more than just get your pots, pans and dishes sparkling clean. These energy- and water-efficient machines also can naturally sanitize using hot water and detergent. Use the top rack to clean things like baseball caps, kids' toys, flip-flops and light fixture covers. Even switch plate covers, fan grills and vent covers (all covered in dust, dirt, grease and debris) can go right in. Using the rinse-only cycle is the best way to wash delicate items or to test something for how it does inside a dishwasher.

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