Men's Health

Don’t Be a Home Improvement Disaster

Do-It-Yourself Safety Tips continued...

Read the instructions. Sounds simple enough, but many people just don't do it, says Barbara K. "The manufacturers take the time to write these instructions and people throw them out. The consumer should take the time to read the instructions before they use any product or tool, even if they have used it in the past."

Go green. "If you choose eco-friendly paints and materials, which are becoming increasingly available, they are nontoxic and thus easier to dispose of in a safe way so they are safer for the environment and safer for you and your family," says Robin Friedman, founder of EarthLove, a New Rochelle, N.Y.-based company that is devoted to helping consumers live greener each day.