Experts' concerns about the proliferation of fragrances have to do with their potential effects on our health. We'll show you how to be savvy about fragrances and transition to unscented or botanically scented products -- some of which might even benefit your well-being.

Reacquaint yourself with plant fragrances by incorporating these health-enhancing essential oils into your life. At natural-foods stores, look for personal-care products that contain them (not their artificial counterparts), or buy the oils themselves and try our do-it-yourself suggestions.

Here's a nontoxic but effective way to clean your tub: Add one teaspoon of liquid soap and several drops of an antibacterial essential oil (such as tea tree, eucalyptus, rosemary, or peppermint) to one cup of baking soda. Add just enough water to form a paste, and use it with a sponge or brush to scour bathtub surfaces.

Contrary to popular belief, you don't need high-octane chemicals to render a home spic-and-span. Three new brands of natural cleaners are proof.

When it comes to buying new linens, think green. Toweling off with bamboo and snuggling up at night under sheets colored with fiber-reactive dyes is a whole lot cozier than it sounds -- and that's good news for the earth.

If worries about fireplace fumes leave you cold, warm up to recycled fire logs, which steer clear of dangerous toxins such as petroleum and paraffin wax found in traditional "logs."

For basic nontoxic stain removal, mix up a little grandmother knowledge and apply it liberally. The principles behind creating stain removers -- or nearly all household cleaners -- are relatively simple.

To beat the heat and keep allergies at bay, we often seal ourselves inside our comfy, climate-controlled homes, not realizing that the air in there may not be much better. According to the EPA, indoor air pollution levels are typically at least twice as high as levels outside.

For many of us, recycling is an event that ends at the curb. But as you'll find out, that's just the beginning. Find out everything you need to know about recyling.

Despite skyrocketing fuel prices and diminishing resources, household energy use and its consequential pollution continue to climb. A few strategic shifts can reduce your home's impact on the environment -- we're talking thousands of pounds of greenhouse gas emissions -- while saving you hundreds of dollars on energy bills and more in taxes.

Think a greener floor means chilly stone, scratchy gray wool, and a budget in the red? Not anymore. Today's eco-flooring choices boast competitive prices, rich colors, and varied surfaces from smooth linoleum to warm cork -- and all of them spell good news for your health.

There's more to deep cleaning than mopping up the mudroom and sponging the baseboards.