It's winter, which means it's snowing and it's cold. And these happen to be the two elements you need to get your wool rugs seriously clean. Here's a trick for cleaning wool rugs from Scandinavia: Start by taking your rug outdoors and draping it over a railing. It needs to cool down and acclimate to the freezing temperatures, which will neutralize bacteria and help reduce odors. Then lay the rug facedown on the snow, beat it thoroughly with a broom, flip it over and beat it again with the broom. Brush off the loose snow and bring it back inside. Beating the rug in the snow loosens dirt, and the tiny frozen ice crystals remove particles from the rug. And since the rug is cold, the snow won't melt on it. Final result: A really clean rug without the use of any chemicals.

Have you ever accidentally put a wool sweater into the washing machine and worried you've shrunken it? First, don't toss it in the dryer -- that will set the fibers and make it impossible to save. Instead, soak the sweater in the sink with a few tablespoons of gentle soap (like shampoo). Let it soak for 30 minutes and place it on a large bath towel. Then gently stretch the sweater back to the original shape. Let it sit for a few hours, then roll it up in the towel. Once it's completely dry, your sweater should be as good as new.

The Environmental Protection Agency has multiple certification programs to help consumers find the most energy- and water-efficient products in the marketplace. A new program called the Wood Heater Certification Program was originally designed to help reduce air pollution when it comes to burning firewood by highlighting the cleanest-burning wood stoves. But these certified wood stoves have also been found to be more efficient in generating actual heat when used, too. So when shopping for a new wood stove, look for the EPA-certified ones for the cleanest and most efficient models.