We researched a variety of cleaning products and their ingredients to come up with this list of the best grout cleaners for floors, showers, mold problems, and more. We considered the type of cleaner, its recommended use, whether it’s a spray, paste, or liquid concentrate, and consulted Debbie Sardone, Founder of Cleaning for a Reason and owner of Speed Cleaning, for her expertise on shopping for the best grout cleaners....

To find the best hose reels, we put 26 picks to the test at our lab in Des Moines, Iowa. There, our testers used a pre-determined methodology to evaluate each pick based on six categories: setup, design, ease of use, portability, durability, and value. They were not aware of each pick’s price beforehand. We also consulted with Warren Eley, vice president of sales and marketing of Eley Hose Reels, to learn more about what consumers should look for when shopping for a hose reel....

Weight: 7.04 pounds | Suggested Use: Floors | Type of Pet Hair: All Weight: 3.7 pounds | Suggested Use: Floors, furniture | Type of Pet Hair: All Weight: 0.25 pounds | Suggested Use: Furniture, clothes | Type of Pet Hair: All Weight: 7.8 ounces | Suggested Use: Directly on your pet | Type of Pet Hair: All Weight: 4.7 ounces | Suggested Use: Directly on your pet | Type of Pet Hair: Dogs, cats, horses Weight: 5....

“Robotic cleaners are pricier but are also the easiest pool cleaners to use,” says Stewart Vernon, COO, and founder of America’s Swimming Pool Company (ASP). “They use software to determine how to clean your pool.” To find the best robotic pool cleaners, we put 19 of the best pool cleaners to the test. Over two weeks, our testers tried out their given styles in their pools right at home. Using a pre-determined methodology, they evaluated each model based on four categories: design, ease of use, effectiveness, and value....

The little yellow, orange, and white treat is an icon among holiday candies and has a legacy that goes back more than a century. Get the background on how candy corn came to be, discover fun candy corn facts, and learn all about how candy corn is made. Try our candy corn recipes and some sweet Halloween decorating ideas that feature the striped treat. Where Was Candy Corn Invented? According to oral tradition, George Renninger, a candymaker at the Wunderlee Candy Company in Philadelphia, invented the revolutionary tricolor candy in the 1880s....

Buy It: OXO Apple Corer ($12, Target) Buy It: Fox Run Leaf Cookie Cutters ($9, Walmart) Related Video

With paper, decoupage medium, and some hot glue, you can turn the plastic eggs into a gorgeous spring decor piece—and no one will know you made it with dollar store items. It’s an easy DIY that lets everyone know you’re excited about the arrival of the Easter bunny. Working an egg at a time, use a small paint brush to lightly coat one section of the outside with decoupage medium....

The Lasko Household Tower Fan is beloved by people who deal with hot climates most of the year, including those residing in Louisiana, Florida, California, and Texas, to name a few. That’s because the fan is equipped with three fan speeds to deliver a steady breeze that’s cooling, even on a 90-degree day. To buy: $60 (was $75); amazon.com. Standing at 42 inches, the tower fan circulates an impressive amount of air throughout the room thanks to its wide-reaching, curved design....

As the beauty and fashion director at Better Homes & Gardens, I met with brands, experts, and even a few celebrities from my bedroom office. I began feeling self-conscious about my background. From where I sat, my bed, dresser, and “beauty closet”—the console where I store many products to test—were all visible. I never got around to hanging art, and the unfinished backdrop didn’t reflect my job and interests or feel work appropriate....

1. Look for Different Types of Pumpkins If you picture an orange globe when thinking of a pumpkin, you might be surprised by what you will find at a pumpkin patch. Along with the classic pumpkins for carving your spooktacular Jack-o’-lanterns, many farms also grow heirlooms, which are older varieties with unique characteristics such as deep ribs, bumpy skin, and all sorts of colors. Their unusual appearance makes them extra fun to use in your fall displays....

When you look around your dark home at night, you might see dozens of electronic devices idling, waiting to be used. Or they’re still plugged into chargers long after they’ve reached full power. The energy consumed by these devices as they remain on standby mode is called a phantom load, a standby load, or even “vampire power.” These gadgets use valuable energy when we’re not using them, and the expense can add up....

Watersprouts vs. Suckers—What’s the Difference? Woody stems that spring up from the roots of a tree are called suckers. Suckers are most common on trees that are grafted to different rootstock than the upper portion of the plant. If left in place, a sucker can grow into a second trunk and compete with the main tree. Because suckers usually develop from the rootstock of a grafted plant, the sucker will likely have a different leaf shape, growth habit, and size than the main tree....

What is convection? Activating the convection setting on your oven kicks on an interior fan and exhaust system that circulates hot air around your food. This causes the heat inside the oven to be drier and more evenly distributed, so dishes cooked with convection will cook about 25 percent faster than those on your oven’s conventional bake setting. In addition to saving time, this makes convection cooking slightly more energy-efficient. Also, for this reason, most appliance manufacturers recommend reducing a recipe’s temperature by 25 F when cooking with convection (check your oven’s manual) to avoid burning your food....

If your cake didn’t rise or had a dense texture instead of the light and fluffy one you wanted, there are factors to keep in mind during your cake-baking adventures. Successful baking requires attention to every detail, and following these guidelines will help your cakes rise with a tender and airy crumb. Every time. What Makes a Cake Rise It’s essential to learn what makes a cake rise to prevent it from sinking (or rising and then deflating after cooling)....

But hosting one of these shindigs can be hard on your wallet. Unless you employ the BYO policy for both food and beverage, the onus is on you to put out a respectable spread for your guests. And at some stores, just two bottles of wine and a few snacks could top $50 before you even think of adding a sweet or two. That’s not the case at Trader Joe’s....

Of course, forgoing sprinklers or turning off your irrigation system when the weather turns hot and dry in the summer will usually result in a brown, crispy lawn but that doesn’t mean your grass is dead or dying. “Turf grasses can withstand far more drought than we might think,” says Bob Mann, an agronomist with NALP (National Association of Landscape Professionals). “Most grasses are well-adapted to drier conditions. It’s one of their evolutionary benefits,” he adds....

Step Up to the Snack Bar Mix Made with pub snack favorites such as honey mustard pretzel pieces, chili lemon corn sticks, honey roasted peanuts, and even the brand’s very own Trader Joe’s Cheddar Rocket Crackers, this snack mix is beloved for a reason. “This is a great example of something greater than the sum of its parts… everything is good,” Sloan gushed. Stepping It Up Spicy Snack Bar Mix If you like spice, you might want to purchase this snack mix (which comes in an apropos red canister) instead of the one mentioned above....

Test Kitchen Tip: For sheen, brush the loaves with an egg wash before baking. Buy It: 6 Cup Popover Pan ($15, Bed Bath and Beyond) Test Kitchen Tip: Use a mandoline slicer ($50, Williams Sonoma) to make even slices of potato. Related Video

Host a holiday potluck Potlucks are both fun and so much easier on the host. Create a shared sign-up sheet at least a week before your festivities so guests can plan and organize—and so you’re not stuck with seven sweet potato casseroles. Consider offering to make the turkey and fixings, and encourage guests to bring starters, sides, and dessert. This is a great opportunity for family members to whip up their renditions of traditional family recipes, or for friends to show off their own favorite holiday dishes....

1. Repot Your Rosemary Rosemary seeds are difficult to germinate, so the easiest way to start growing rosemary indoors is to buy young potted plants. Rosemary plants are often available year round, and some varieties such as compact ‘Blue Boy’ are ideal for growing indoors. Once you get your new rosemary plants home, repot them into a container that’s one or two sizes larger than the original container. Keep in mind that a plant in a porous clay pot needs water more often than one in a plastic or ceramic pot....