Now that 2024 is in full swing, it’s time to refresh more than our calendars and wardrobes—our homes could use some love, too.
13.01.2024 - 12:57 / thespruce.com / Ashley Chalmers
In theory, laundry should be one of the easiest household chores—after you’ve decoded all those laundry care symbols on the labels, of course. Then it’s just sort, wash with your detergent of choice, and dry accordingly.
But in practice, things can easily go wrong—and sometimes, it’s hard to figure out what even happened.
Since the best way to avoid making a mistake is to know the risks and plan accordingly, we turned to an expert to ask: what are the biggest laundry mistakes people make when it comes to washing, drying, and sorting their loads?
Here’s what we learned, as well as advice on how to fix them.
The Spruce Home / Dera Burreson
According to Jonathon Reckles, vice president of marketing for CD One Price Cleaners, one major mistake his team sees is using certain household cleaners as stain removers. Yes, sadly, this includes both club soda and everyone’s favorite: white vinegar.
“Club soda does not help fight stains,” Reckles says. “In fact, the sugar in the club soda will do more harm than good. It may cause color loss on the fabric during the cleaning process due to oxidation.”
This is also true of white vinegar, which Reckles says can also pull color and, even worse, eat away at certain fabrics.
While Reckles says to skip the white vinegar and club soda, there are other secret laundry weapons in your arsenal that you might be overlooking: WD-40 and cream of tartar.
WD-40 works wonders to break down grease stains by getting deep into the fabric to loosen the oil molecules, he explains.
Cream of tartar is also great for stain removal, but for white fabrics only. When combined with acid such as lemon juice, the cream of tartar will lower the PH of the liquid, and simultaneously turn into a
Now that 2024 is in full swing, it’s time to refresh more than our calendars and wardrobes—our homes could use some love, too.
If you're wondering whether your dining room is designer-approved, you'll want to keep reading. The pros often notice a variety of mistakes in this room of the home, pertaining to lighting choices, furniture size, and much more.
If you’re a gardener—and since you picked up this magazine I’m guessing you are—you probably get peppered with plant questions all the time. I know I do. Take Thanksgiving just this past year. My dad was looking for some trees that would “subtly block” his neighbors who had recently put a pool in their backyard. So in between doling out mashed potatoes and deciding if I wanted apple or pumpkin pie for dessert, I pulled out Dirr’s Hardy Trees and Shrubs from the nearby bookshelf to spark some suggestions. (That illustrated encyclopedia was a Christmas gift a few years back to help my dad make plant choices without my help. Its successfulness in doing so is still up for debate.) This same scenario takes place at summer picnics, children’s birthday parties, or even on planes when my seatmate asks what I do for a living. After I answer, it’s common to hear, “Wow, that’s so interesting. Listen, I have this spot where I need something …” Most of these inquiries center around trees too—and I get it. A tree is an investment with a capital “I.” Not only is a tree the single most expensive plant you will likely purchase for your landscape, but it is also the longest lived. Trees don’t like to be moved, they generally require a bit more effort to get established than a perennial or shrub, and they are usually the focal point of a specific area. For all of these reasons, everyone wants to choose the right tree.
Making your spider plants curly and full is the right blend of science and care. We’ll help you how to master the approach with correct tips.
If you want cool plants for your home, try these unique trailing ones! Like Trailing Begonia with pretty leaves, Trailing Jade for hanging pots, Trailing Rosemary for fragrant greenery, and Trailing Peperomia with nice patterns. Also, check out Trailing African Violet, Trailing Ferns, Trailing Spider Plant, and Trailing Calathea. Read more about each one below.
These days, it's certainly acceptable to think beyond the traditional all-white kitchen, but you should be mindful when making your color selection.
Bagworms are caterpillars that make homes using twigs and silk. If you see bags hanging from your plants, they might be bagworms, causing harm by eating leaves and adding weight to branches. You can remove them manually, use insecticides with Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), or invite birds and wasps to control them. If the problem persists, consult a pest control professional.
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Thinking about incorporating some thrifted or vintage pieces into your home? The pros are all for doing so, and we spoke with a number of secondhand-loving interior designers to gather their most useful takeaways for what to keep top of mind when decorating with preloved finds.
As the temperatures continue to drop outside, we will all be spending more and more time indoors. There are endless ways to make your home feel cozier for winter if you have some extra money to spend, but if you’re being mindful of your finances after the holidays, the task can feel a bit tricker. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
If you want your houseplants to look big and lush, pruning and regrowing them in the same pot is a smart idea! Plants like Pothos, Spider Plant, Philodendron, Snake Plant, ZZ Plant, English Ivy, Wandering Dude, Sedum, Herbs, String of Pearls, and String of Bananas can be easily grown from cuttings. Just cut a healthy stem or take baby plants, remove lower leaves, and plant them in the same pot as the parent plant for a fuller look. That's it.
Move over, awkwardly placed windows. If you're dealing with windows that are positioned a bit strangely throughout your house or are oddly shaped, we're here to help.