Here’s one more all-natural thing to keep by your kitchen or bathroom sink: a small bottle of essential oils. If you want to avoid the chemicals in antibacterial gels or liquid hand soaps, natural oils can help disinfect, and they smell great! Oils like tea tree, peppermint and rosemary have natural antimicrobial properties that can help you stay germ-free and healthy. Just wash your hands and add a drop or two to the palms of your hands, then rub and smell the healthy goodness.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

When it’s cold outside, one way to help reduce heating costs is to close air registers in rooms that are rarely occupied so the heated air can be redirected to rooms you do use. But if you end up closing more than 50 percent of the registers in your house, your good intentions could literally backfire. This can complicate the flow resistance system of your HVAC, which can lead to complications and costly repairs. Instead, count how many registers you have and only close up to 20 percent of them to save energy and avoid damage to your system.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Yes, canned soup can be a fast and convenient way to have a warm meal in minutes, but many tin cans are lined with a nonstick coating called Bisphenoal A, or BPA. This coating is necessary to prevent spoilage of product inside cans, but it can also be an endocrine disrupter. If you want to avoid BPA when buying soup, look for soup packaged in glass, aseptic cartons or cans marked “BPA-free.” You can also look up recipes online to make homemade soups that are easy to freeze and reheat.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION