A crisp shirt may be one reason to use spray starch when ironing your clothing, but it also can be a tasty treat for insects like silverfish. The reality is spray starch is a food source for pests; when you use spray starch on fabrics, it attracts bugs. Over time, these insects will nibble away at your clothes and leave tears, holes and damage. If you must use starch, keep your clothing in airtight containers -- or give it up altogether. Modern irons can freshen, remove wrinkles and give crisp lines using just water and heat.

When it comes to DIY or crafting, choosing the right nontoxic glue or adhesive is important. One ubiquitous glue -- rubber cement -- may be a childhood staple, but it should be avoided. Ingredients like acetone, heptane and trichloroethane found in rubber cement make it dangerous when it’s inhaled. The easy alternative is to use white craft glue or all-purpose glue sticks instead of rubber cement. You can even make your own totally nontoxic craft glue at home using pantry staples; just search online for the easy recipe.

With spring weather comes airborne allergens like pollen. If you suffer from seasonal allergies, you might want to consider lighting a beeswax candle. Unlike paraffin and soy candles, beeswax releases negative ions into the air when lit. They latch onto air contaminants -- like pollen, dust and other pollutants -- and make them fall into the ground. Just vacuum the floor to suck up the particles, and feel better!