If you’re embarking on a home improvement project, you will likely end up with perfectly good leftover supplies or materials. Your local Habitat for Humanity can make good use of building materials like vinyl siding, drywall, roofing shingles, ceramic tiles and flooring. The key with building supplies is to see if your surplus syncs up with projects your local Habitat charity is working on. To find your local affiliate, visit habitat.org.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Liquid castile soaps are the preferred choice of environmentalists because they’re made entirely from vegetable oil and are totally biodegradable, too. While castile soap is a great option for bathing and using around the house, it can be a bit trickier when it comes to washing pets. Most castile soaps use essential oils to give them a scent and often those oils are tea tree, lavender or peppermint. All three are toxic to small animals, especially cats. If you want to use castile soap to wash pets, use unscented. And remember: A little goes a long way.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Reclaimed wood is all the rage right now in everything from flooring to furniture. It’s eco-friendly because it’s reusing wood that comes from places like barns and railroads, and it looks good, too. But reclaimed can also harbor dangerous insects. To make sure your new reclaimed wood table is safe to bring inside, ask if it’s been heat-treated. This is an alternative to chemically treating the wood; it uses high heat to kill off bugs. You can also look for a small “HT” mark on the product, which indicates that the wood has been heat-treated.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION