Another reason to eat fresh fruit whenever possible: The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) actually allows mold in frozen and canned fruit. The FDA calls the accepted levels "food defects" that are allowed in the processing of fruit because they believe these pose no health hazards to humans. This includes up to 60% mold count on canned or frozen berries, 45% mold count on frozen whole or sliced strawberries and 20% mold in canned pineapple. By eating in-season and fresh, you can know exactly what you're eating and whether it's 100% mold-free or not.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

If you want total assurance that the vintage blanket, T-shirt or fabric you bought is really sanitary, skip washing it and put it straight into the dryer. Mist your thrift store finds with a little water, then run everything on high heat for 30 minutes. This will destroy any bedbugs and bacteria, and it will help deodorize the items, too. If they are machine washable, wash them in warm water with detergent and dry with high heat. If the items came boxed or bagged, be sure to toss those packaging materials into the trash right away.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

While buying lightly used items from a thrift store or online is a smart way to save money and reduce waste, there are some things you should never buy used. Avoid used cribs, especially those made before June 2011. Safety standards changed significantly after June 2011, including new regulations on things like the height of the crib, the slat width and even how the mattress fits. These standards were changed to make cribs safer for the baby. When in doubt, don't buy it. And don't donate a crib if you know it predates those changes.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION