Steer clear of laser printer in progress
If you have a home office or sit near a laser printer at work, consider moving it far away from you. When a laser printer prints out documents, it works by passing paper over hot printer rolls, which have chemicals. As the warm printouts come out of the printer, tiny particles called volatile organic compounds are also emitted into the air. These ultrafine particles contribute to an unhealthy air environment and can be potentially harmful because they can be breathed deep into your lungs. To prevent this, keep laser printers away from you and in a well-ventilated space. And avoid standing over the printer when using it; wait for it to finish printing before retrieving your documents.
DIY DISINFECTANT
To keep things clean and disinfected at home, there’s no need to buy wipes when you can make your own. Just cut old cotton T-shirts into squares and toss them into an old plastic container with a lid. Then add 1/2 cup of white vinegar, 1/4 cup of distilled water, 1/4 cup of rubbing alcohol and just a few drops of liquid dish soap. Seal the lid and shake. When you need to clean up a spill or disinfect a spot, just ring out a towel and wipe away. The wipes are machine washable, so you can use them over and over again.
KEEP PESTS AWAY
As temperatures dip in the fall months, your warm and cozy home becomes a desirable place for rodents and insects. To prevent them from coming into your home, consider some nontoxic preventative measures. One is to place a screen inside your kitchen vent; this large hole is a popular entry point for insects. Also, trim weeds and overgrown plants that are near the front door of your home. These are excellent hiding places for mice, and they’ll wait to dart into your home when the front door opens.
PAPER PRODUCTS
When it comes to tissues, napkins and paper towels, what do you do with them after they’ve been used? The good news is that used paper products like napkins and towels are compostable; they just need to be layered as “brown” matter in a compost bin with “green” material like kitchen trimmings and grass clippings. But don’t forget the paperboard boxes and tubes these items are packaged with; they can be added to paperboard recycling. And even the plastic film on the outside of paper towels can be recycled in the same bin as plastic shopping bags at the store.
BUILD A BRUSH PILE
If you have a backyard, you can do tiny things to help give wildlife a habitat and a source of food during the fall and winter months. The easiest way is to build something called a brush pile; just layer large fallen tree limbs, branches, grass clippings and leaves together. It becomes a safe spot to nest for small animals and amphibians. And even stacking firewood in a crisscross fashion can help; the design creates internal spaces that offer relief from the cold for animals.
WATER FOR WILDLIFE
Reliable water sources for wildlife can suddenly become unavailable if you live in a climate with harsh, freezing temperatures. While an electrified birdbath is one way to help, it can be difficult and expensive to maintain and also poses the risk of shorting out (which can hurt birds and small animals). The simplest idea: Just place a water source on the south side of your property, where the sun’s rays will be strongest during the day. It should help thaw just enough to be a source of much-needed water.
STEAMER FRESH
If you want to avoid the expense (and chemicals) of dry-cleaning your clothing, consider investing in a handheld portable steamer to use at home. Using just the power of regular tap water, hot steam helps blast away wrinkles. But it also does much more. The steam is hot enough to eradicate odor-causing germs, so it helps freshen up things like sweaters and coats. You can also use it to freshen throw pillows, blankets, sofa cushions and even carpet. The key is to blast steam slowly over the item to fully saturate the fibers.