ArcaMax

If you’ve purchased a new washing machine, listen up: Don’t use DIY laundry detergent for your machine. While handmade detergents are a good all-natural alternative, they have a tendency to clog modern-day washing machines. As household appliances become more high-tech, untested detergents can cause internal havoc. Using a DIY detergent can ...Read more

Here’s one tip to save money and help save your eyes, too: Reduce the brightness on your computer, phone and TV screens. Our digital screens are often set to the highest levels of brightness; the brighter the screen, the more power is used, which raises energy costs and drains batteries more quickly. Simply reduce the screen brightness in the ...Read more

You might be surprised to know that more than $5 billion dollars loaded onto prepaid credit card gift cards never gets used. If you have a stash of gift cards with a small balance on them -- even just a penny -- you can donate the leftover balance to help make the world a better place. Many nonprofits, like the Salvation Army and the American ...Read more

If you have a credit card that has cash-back bonuses on it that give you a percentage of your charges back in the form of credit or cash, here's some good news: The bonuses are not taxable income, according to the IRS. But here's even better news: If you choose to donate your cash-back money to a nonprofit, that money is tax deductible. Save ...Read more

We all recycle, but there are ways to make it easier and more efficient. Labels on glass bottles and jars do not need to be removed; in fact, they help keep the bottles intact and prevent breakage. When glass is recycled, the labels are removed or burnt off during the melting process. If you happen to set your flattened cardboard boxes out at ...Read more

When you explore the beautiful natural landscapes of another country while traveling abroad, be sure to have your hiking boots cleaned before you head to the airport for your return flight. The deep treads of hiking boots can be filled with contaminated soil, seeds and other items that create a "biosecurity risk" by bringing non-endemic species ...Read more

When in doubt as to what to give someone as a gift, think potted plants. Some easy-to-grow plants that are nearly impossible to kill include snake plants, jade plants, peace lilies, succulents and, of course, cacti. Repot the plant in a pretty ceramic pot with drainage holes and tie a bow around it (be sure to leave the care instruction tag most...Read more

Can padded envelopes with plastic cushioning embedded inside be recycled? Yes! The next time something fragile is mailed to you in a padded mailer, feel free to toss it into any recycling bin that accepts mixed paper like magazines, junk mail and office paper. It can be recycled at the paper recycling facility where the plastic parts will be ...Read more

Yes, it really matters what kind of vacuum you use in your home. Ironically, using the wrong vacuum can make your home dirtier. When you have a vacuum that does not have a HEPA filter integrated in its design, you risk stirring up mold spores that can be sucked up and scattered around the room, making the mold problem worse. Vacuums with HEPA ...Read more

After you've brewed a cup of morning joe, don't toss the used grounds down the drain. Try soaking an old cotton T-shirt in cold coffee, then use it to wipe scratched tables and see the small nicks, dents and dings disappear. Or scrub your hands clean with old grounds and hand soap; the grounds will buff away dead skin, and the soap will ensure ...Read more

Did you know an outdoor sprinkler can put out up to 300 gallons of water per hour? It’s incredibly wasteful. To save water outdoors, invest in a good hose nozzle that can be turned on and off easily. Always water plants at the right time of day: When the sun is low (morning and night) and the winds and temperatures are lower, water evaporation...Read more

It’s easier than ever to find organic cotton bedding in big-box stores and shopping sites online. But other than helping farmers who grow cotton organically, what’s the real benefit of sleeping on organic sheets? Conventional cotton bedding is often bleached and then dyed using heavy metal dyes that can have formaldehyde resins. And if you ...Read more

It’s no surprise that one of the easiest ways to keep your home as healthy as possible is to leave your shoes at the door. Shoes can drag in pesticides, chemicals and dirt, so going barefoot inside is a simple way to keep it clean. But before you take off your shoes, be sure to give them a good wipe on a doormat outside. By placing your ...Read more

Particleboard is a common material made of compressed wood chips, resin and adhesives, and it's used in furniture and to build walls, floors and cabinets inside our houses. The problem? Most particleboard can off-gas chemicals like formaldehyde, which can create an unhealthy home environment. Since ripping out everything made of particleboard ...Read more

If you dread ironing clothes, here's a simple tip to speed up the process and help you save energy: Remove the fabric cover from your ironing board and cover it with a few sheets of aluminum foil. Then place the fabric cover on top of the foil. When you iron, the heat will be transferred to the aluminum foil and reflect to the surface, creating ...Read more

Having a mouse in the house is more than a nuisance; it can be hazardous, since they can chew through wires and start a fire. Prevention is the best thing, so install door sweeps on exterior doors to prevent easy access into the home. Look for holes on the outside where they can slip in; anything larger than a nickel is big enough for them. Plug...Read more

Buying vintage blankets, T-shirts and fabric is a great way to reuse and keep textiles out of the landfill, but you might wonder: Are they really clean? Instead of washing these items when you bring them home, toss them straight into the dryer. Just mist everything with water and run it on high for 30 minutes. This will destroy bedbugs and ...Read more

That delicious chocolate bar is obviously a no-go treat for dogs, but have you thought about the plastic wrapper that encased it? The residual smears of chocolate could be irresistible for a dog to eat, and when they do, that wrapper can attach itself to the lining of your pet’s stomach, which could lead to a pricey visit to the veterinarian. ...Read more

There are a billion reasons why you should choose a more eco-friendly toothbrush; that’s the number of brushes that are thrown into landfills every year in the United States. Instead of plastic, look for environmentally friendly alternatives that use renewable and biodegradable materials like bamboo for the handles. And save your old brushes ...Read more

If you want to keep your home warm without using more energy to heat it up, remember this fact: A naturally warm home is also a humid one, because humid air retains heat better than dry air. One easy way to add some humidity to your home is to open the door to your bathroom after a shower, which naturally allows humid air to make its way into ...Read more