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Delivering a mattress to your doorstep has never been easier, plus the materials and technology used to grant you a great night’s sleep have improved, too. This means old truths about the life of a mattress might no longer ring true—and just when things were getting easy, too. Experts John Clary Davies, senior director of brand editorial and sustainability for Avocado Green, and Russell Jelinek, senior director of engineering, quality, and compliance at Casper, share everything you need to know about when to replace a mattress, including how to get more mileage out of your current model....

While bats may not be the most glamorous creatures, they’re superheroes when battling insect pests. This is good news for your garden, where plant-eating beetles, moths, hornworms, grasshoppers, and stinkbugs are among bats’ favorite meals. These nocturnal winged mammals also help curb mosquito populations. Here’s how to attract bats so they’ll get to work in your yard. Why Bats Are Beneficial First of all, insect-eating bats have huge appetites. Some bats, especially pregnant females or nursing mothers, may consume close to their body weight in bugs each night....

You may not believe in ghosts, ghouls, spirits, or lingering souls, but you’ve likely seen plenty of horror movies that start with an unsuspecting family moving into a haunted house. Offscreen, too, some actual houses are rumored to be haunted. While some people certainly are interested in haunted houses for sale, plenty might reconsider the purchase if this information was handy. According to the analysis, home sellers in most states don’t have to tell potential home buyers if they think their house is haunted, so it would be easy enough for someone to buy a house without knowing it possessed a ghost (allegedly)....

While it’s true that succulents are generally easy to care for (they’re the “set it and forget it” of houseplants), they still have specific requirements that need to be met in order to thrive. Below, learn all the fundamentals of succulent care to ensure your plants stay healthy, plump, and picture-perfect. Succulents Care Succulents are a diverse group of plants with thick, fleshy leaves and stems that store water. The majority of succulents are native to hot, arid climates, but with the right care, they can be grown almost anywhere....

Parsley—that brilliant green herb—can play a supporting role sprinkled as a finishing touch to a pasta dish like linguine with clam sauce, or it can be the star in dishes like garlic and parsley shoestring fries. It can take the place of basil for a flavorful pesto or make a nice cilantro substitute, for people who dislike that particular herb. Adding fresh parsley to almost any dish gives food a bright, flavorful boost that the dried version of the herb can’t provide....

If you have an upholstered or slipcovered fabric sofa, the techniques below will banish dirt, dust, and stains so the focal point of your living room will stay pristine for as long as possible. Movie marathon popcorn crumbs are no match for these cleaning methods. Note: It’s always a smart idea to test any new products or cleaning methods on an inconspicuous spot first. Before you start cleaning, read the fabric care tag on your sofa....

Refer to the carpet manufacturer’s guidelines before cleaning the carpet. Then use our instructions below for the best carpet cleaning tips. We’ll show you how to clean carpets using water extraction, dry extraction, rental carpet cleaners, and more. Before Getting Started: Test Carpet for Colorfastness Before you begin cleaning carpets, the first step is to test colorfastness. Colorfast carpet won’t bleed, fade, or change when cleaning it or removing stains....

Learn how to keep your family safe with these simple steps which ensure your fruits and vegetables are as clean as possible before you enjoy them. RELATED: How Long You Can Store (Almost) Anything in the Fridge and Freezer RELATED: 10 Healthy Pantry Essentials You Should Always Have on Hand, According to RDs Consume food that is heated at hot temperatures to help destroy microorganisms and other viruses, opt for peelable fruits and vegetables (as long as you wash your hands before and after); ensure cooked food is not recontaminated and remains purified before consumption; and purchase packaged foods (packed, frozen, or dried) whenever....

Why You Need to Clean Portobello Mushrooms When you buy portobello mushrooms at the store and see what looks like dirt in the packaging, chances are it’s not actually dirt. Portobellos are a cultivated variety of mushroom (versus wild), and are likely grown in sanitized, composted peat moss. While the moss is safe to consume, it can be disconcerting to do so, so we prefer to give our shrooms a rinse....

The best way to clean shoes varies depending on the material. Most footwear can be cleaned using a solution of mild dish soap and water, but certain types of shoes, including mesh sneakers and suede shoes, require special care to avoid damaging the material. We’ll walk you through how to use simple household items, such as baking soda, distilled white vinegar, and a toothbrush, to remove grime and discoloration from your footwear....

In addition to their exquisite flavor and unique texture, artichokes are packed full of necessary nutrients like fiber, antioxidants, and phytonutrients. They’re also beneficial for liver health, similar to garlic and turmeric. Another great thing about artichokes is that they’re best served with simple ingredients like olive oil, lemon, salt, and butter. How to Buy Artichokes The artichoke season has two parts. In March, artichokes first become available until May....

How to Clean Smelly Sneakers What You’ll Need: DetergentWhite vinegar Follow These Steps: If the shoes are machine washable, launder them in warm water with a small amount of detergent and a cup of white vinegar, says Katie Berry, author of 30 Days to a Clean and Organized House. (Don’t add fabric softener, as it could harm the shoes’ moisture-wicking abilities.) After the wash, place the shoes in the sun to dry....

More specifically, dehydration can be a major cause (and remember that caffeine and alcohol are both dehydrating), as can a high salt intake, points out Sydney Givens, PA-C, founder of Skincare by Sydney. (Hence why you wake up puffy if you’ve had too many chips and margaritas the night before.) A lack of sleep, allergies, and even the weather can also contribute. The good news? There are easy things you can do, both to address the root cause(s) of the issue and to quickly de-puff when swelling does strike....

Some are unkind, while others are downright abusive. Because they hold leadership positions and decision-making authority, their attitude and actions can affect an entire organization. Employees subject to a bad boss can suffer from conditions such as stress, emotional and physical exhaustion, and even depression. Unless you have a plan to quit, you’ll be better served by a plan to cope. First things first: You’ll need to understand if your supervisor’s behavior is so bad that it is actually illegal....

And what happens if you’re not in the emotional space to start decluttering? Consider hiring a storage service, like MakeSpace, that will even pick up (and later deliver) the belongings you’re not ready to deal with just yet. Keep the best and let go of the rest. Save heartfelt letters from mom, not every card where she simply wrote “Love, Mom”. Edit items to fit into a reasonably-sized container. Pare down plastic tubs of baby clothes to a few adorable tiny pieces that will fit in a box on a shelf....

According to Google trend data, search interest in sage green reached a record high this year, with the color currently beating out emerald and mint as the most-searched shade of green. “Sage is a lighter, more muted shade of green, so it creates a calming effect in just about any space in the home,” says Sue Wadden, director of color marketing at Sherwin-Williams. “It also has such strong ties to the greenery and nature that surrounds our home, so it really helps bring the outdoors in and make a space feel more grounded....

But it might be worth figuring out your favorite way to eat kale, since this powerhouse plant is packed with nutrients and considered one of the healthiest superfoods out there. Kale provides vitamins C, K, and A, and is also rich in essential minerals like calcium and iron. “Like other vegetables in the cruciferous family, kale contains glucosinolates, which are associated with decreased inflammation and protecting against cancer,” says Jackie Topol, RD, CDN, registered dietician and culinary nutritionist....

It’s true that gliding a brush against a wall is easier than many home improvement jobs, but the biggest challenge of painting is in the surrounding prep work. And if you skimp on the prep, it’s likely that your simple DIY becomes a lot more complex (or a lot less attractive). And everyone wants to have results that appear as though a professional was called in, even if you actually did the work solo and in sweatpants....

The shimmery aesthetic isn’t your average glittery accent; it’s a whole other beast. To get the lowdown on the look, and to learn how to achieve it from home, we reached out to Morgan Taylor Lacquer’s Morgan Haile and Sally Hansen partner Hannah Lee. Keep reading for their pro tips. What are velvet nails? First thing’s first: The velvet mani isn’t actually velvet. It’s all an illusion, and the surface of the nail is actually flat and one-dimensional....

The most recognizable versions—made popular by Studio McGee—are the jug-shaped pots that have this weathered antique quality, and just the right amount of a handmade and distressed vibe. But at $300 for the medium size, they’re a bit out of my budget—so I set out to conquer a DIY version. What I came up with costs just dollars to create and is so impressive, I dare to say you can’t tell the difference....