Avoid your home's hidden health threats: from chemicals in your bedsheets to dangerous germs in your dishcloth, health threats abound in your home. But you don't have to live with them. Create a safe haven with our 22 tips - Consumer guide: how to be an educated consumer

Natural Health, Sept, 2003 by Theresa Anne Morin

Low-VOC Paints: These latex paints are specially formulated to contain even lower levels of VOCs. Unlike the first generation of low-VOC paints, these offer excellent coverage and work on all surfaces. You'll find the best selection at paint stores like Sherwin-Williams and Glidden.

Milk Paints: Made of the milk protein casein, these flat-finish paints contain no VOCs. They work well on furniture, wood, and walls, but can't be used in damp places like kitchens and bathrooms because they foster mold growth. You're also limited to using earth tones, since the pigments in milk paint come from minerals known as iron oxides. One good source is The Old Fashioned Milk Paint Company (978-448-6336; www.milkpaint.com).--J.T.M.

Theresa Anne Morin is a freelance writer in the Boston area. During a recent remodel, she chose tile over carpet.