Project Overview

Finished dimensions: 8-in. deep x 10-1/4-in. tall x 44-in. long.

Cutting List

Cut Your Parts

Start by cutting the parts for your coat rack. Refer to the cutting layout diagram above to see how each component fits on the board.

In this diagram, we assume you purchased a 10-foot board at a home center, surfaced on all four sides with exact dimensions of a 1 x 8: 7-1/4-in. wide by 3/4-in. thick. The cutting diagram includes a 1/8-inch buffer around the perimeter of the board, and assumes your blade’s kerf is also 1/8-inch.

The last step: Trim the stile (E) thickness from 3/4-in. to 5/8-inch. If you’d rather do this on a thickness planer than a table saw, keep all the stiles together and plane them down to 5/8-in. before cutting them to 4-1/2-in. lengths.

Introduction

Build a handy key holder for all your everyday carry items. Mount it on the wall in your home’s entryway and you’ll never lose your keys again! This is an easy woodworking project that will only take a few hours.

Cutting List

Glue and Clamp the Shelf

Cut the mounting board and shelf parts to length, then glue and clamp the shelf to the mounting board. Leave a 1/4-in. space on either side of the shelf and set aside for the glue to cure.

@nottheworstcleaner

Powerpaste is the ultimate cleaner 🔥✨ @Scrub Daddy #cleantok #scrubdaddy #scrubdaddypartner

♬ original sound – Not the Worst Cleaner

What is the Scrub Daddy Power Paste?

We’re going to say it: The Scrub Daddy Power Paste is the shining star of the Scrub Daddy product line. Used in conjunction with the Scrub Mommy Sponge, deep cleaning chores just got a whole lot easier. The biodegradable cleaner allows you to clean caked-on messes without scratching delicate surfaces. We also love the handy palm-sized tub, as the compatible sponge conveniently fits in the container.

What is the Scrub Daddy Power Paste used for?

The non-toxic yet powerful Scrub Daddy Power Paste cleans and polishes stoves, tiles, pots, pans and any hard surface with built-up residue. It tackles limescale, soap scum and mildew, and it can also be used on glass, chrome and granite surfaces.

In the kitchen, use it for cleaning your stainless steel appliances and even your glass stovetops. Scrub Daddy cleans burnt on messes in your oven and on your pots and pans.

Outdoors, Scrub Daddy gives new life to patio furniture, grills, and smokers.

In the bathroom, power paste cleans, polishes and protects your countertops, tile and fixtures. Users love how it breaks through soap scum and mineral deposits and claim that glass shower doors sparkle after cleaning with Power Paste.

Scrub Daddy Power Paste is naturally abrasive for tough jobs, so please don’t use it on especially fragile surfaces. Before getting started, test a small area to ensure the surface responds well to the paste. 

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How to Use the Scrub Daddy Power Paste 

Dampen a Scrub Mommy Sponge with warm water and load the abrasive side with the Scrub Daddy Power Paste. Scrub in a circular motion to lift dirt and grime. Rinse and repeat if necessary. When you’re ready to polish the surface, use the soft side of the sponge to wipe any remaining residue away.

The Best Amazon User Reviews

Over 8,000 Amazon customers reviewed this natural cleaning product.

Diane recommends the Power Paste as a cleaning solution for old pots, “I love Scrub Daddy/Scrub Mommy sponges; they do an awesome job when washing dishes or pots and pans. The paste worked very nicely. It really removed any burnt marks or wear on my pots with the exception of one. It makes your pots very shiny and my pots are 36 years old! I would definitely recommend this product.”

May wrote a five-star Amazon review saying, “The pictures speak for themselves! Simply marvelous! The burns or whatever that is on the pot has been there for some years so it required more scrubbing than advertised by some of the people I’ve seen using the product but I ain’t complaining cuz this product is worth every penny.”

Verified Amazon purchaser Epic Olvera shows before and after pictures saying, “I bought this product to see if I could get the cooked on stains off of my pans. WOW! Not only did it take off the stains but it started taking off the enamel too. I’m glad I only used it on one of my unimportant pans. I won’t use it on anything vintage or that has an enamel coating. I absolutely love this cleaner though and am so glad I found it. Proceed with caution though because it will clean more than you expect. I’m excited to clean more things with it.”

Where to Buy the Scrub Daddy Power Paste

It’s no wonder this innovative paste went viral. For under $10, you can have a super power working for you.

Scrub Daddy Power Paste and the Scrub Mommy Sponge are available at Target, Walmart and Amazon.

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What Is the Lokby showerhead?

The Lokby showerhead is a telephone-style showerhead like the editor-tested Moen Attract showerhead. What sets this showerhead apart is the eight available spray settings—including built-in power jets. The power jets, located on the top of the showerhead, blast away soap scum and dirt on your skin—and in your bathtub.

Why do shoppers love the Lokby showerhead?

Not only does this showerhead offer high pressure while still remaining eco-friendly thanks to a built-in flow restrictor, but it includes a whopping 57-inch hose that is capable of reaching clear across the bathroom. It’s possible to use the cleaning jet to power-wash your sink, toilet and tiles—no harsh scrubbing and chemicals required.

If your hair or skin suffers from the quality of your water, pair the Lokby showerhead with this editor-tested showerhead filter and enjoy bouncier hair and a clearer complexion. Filtered showerheads remove harsh chemicals and metals that diminish the effectiveness of your showerhead. The best part is that they’re typically compatible with any type of showerhead, including the Lokby showerhead.

Unlike other showerheads, the Lokby showerhead boasts over 15,000 reviews. Customers comment on the lightweight construction and incredible power of the built-in jets.

FAQ

Which type of showerhead is best?

The best showerhead is subjective depending on your family’s needs. It’s worth exploring different types, including LED showerheads that offer lighting in dim bathrooms and smart showerheads that pair with Bluetooth for a custom cleaning experience. Spa showerheads also exist, and they offer a relaxing experience for those who prefer to use their shower to unwind.

Will a better showerhead increase water pressure?

Some showerheads have better water pressure than others. Ultimately, for the best water pressure, ensure you clean your showerhead on a regular basis. If your showerhead becomes jammed with debris and mineral buildup, there are plenty of ways to unclog a showerhead.

If all else fails, it’s easy to replace unusable showerheads. Locate some of the best showerheads by looking at reviews and deciding what features are a dealbreaker for your family.

Do all showerheads fit any shower?

Generally, showerheads are a standard size that fit most showers, so it’s pretty simple to change your showerhead. Some specialty showers, like smart showers, may require a special showerhead to function properly. Always check the specs of your new showerhead to ensure it will fit with your shower’s setup.

Where can I buy the Lokby showerhead?

The Lokby showerhead is available on Amazon for $65. Secure one for only $35 thanks to a generous 45% discount for the eight-setting chrome version. The matte black and brushed nickel colors are also available on sale for 44% off and 43% off, respectively.

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For my next trick, I’ll show you how to clean a toilet with a dryer sheet. It’s one of many dryer sheet uses that aren’t laundry.

How to Use Dryer Sheets to Clean Toilets

If you’ve got long hair, you know it can get stuck in that small crevice between the toilet bowl and the tank. While it’s not a spot we touch every day, it’s still nice to keep it sparkling clean. Especially when we worked so hard to get the rest of the bathroom looking gorgeous!

Pick up dust and hair

Lucky for us, TikTok user @amandakaysheppard presents the hack we didn’t know we needed. All you need is a normal dryer sheet.

Run it over any part of your toilet with unwanted dust, hair or debris. The sheet picks up all that loose stuff in a flash. No more going back two or three times while your towel or cloth pushes it around.

@amandakaysheppard If you’re not using a dryer sheet on your toilet before cleaning it … you’re doing it wrong! #cleantok #dryersheet #fyp ♬ original sound – TheWadeEmpire

Remove the “toilet ring”

If you want to get the most out of your dryer sheets (and we know you do), use them to scrub the inside of your toilet.

We’ve all seen those unsightly rings in toilets that just won’t go away, no matter what products you use. So pull on a pair of rubber gloves, grab your sheet and get scrubbing! The gentle woven fibers of the sheet don’t scratch the toilet while the fabric softener eliminates stains. It really is an all-in-one.

Casework Overview

Drawer Box Overview

Cut List

3/4-inch plywood

1/2-inch plywood

1/4-inch plywood

Solid wood

Cut the Components

Cut all your parts from the list above. In choosing a wood species for your dresser, select 3/4-inch plywood and solid wood of the same species, since that’s all you’ll see on the exterior.

As for the 1/2-inch and 1/4-inch plywood, I prefer to use apple ply or Baltic birch plywood. The thinner ply configuration is stronger and offers an aesthetically pleasing edge that’s visible on the top of the drawer boxes.

Note: You may need to adjust your drawer widths and cut list layout if you can only obtain traditional 5/8-thick Baltic Birch plywood in 5-ft. by 5-ft. sheets.

Organic Style Outdoor Sink

This outdoor sink by @ericdubnicka_artist is like a piece of functional art. It includes a firewood holder, cedar backsplash, hose bib, deep well sink and shelving. It’s wrapped with a 1/4-inch plywood skirt and painted with a brush for texture.

“The firewood holder is 1/2-inch copper pipe and the shelving and branches was a fun way to give it an organic feel and add valuable storage,” says Dubnicka.

Many people find their hair is drier when showering with unfiltered or hard water, and dry hair can be more prone to fizziness and dandruff. A water filter can also be used to treat dry skin. If you have eczema or psoriasis, you might find that a shower filter is just what you need to help relieve dryness.

With more than 11,000 five-star ratings on Amazon, the AquaHome in-line shower head filter is designed to remove harsh chemicals and heavy metals from your tap water. Plus, the filter can be installed in seconds on almost any showerhead without tools.

We tested the popular AquaHome shower head filter to see if it lives up to the hype—scroll on to find out how we tested the AquaHome filter and what we discovered after thoroughly using the product.

What Is the AquaHome Shower Head Filter?

The AquaHome shower head filter helps remove chloramine, fluoride, chlorine, heavy metals, sediment and pesticides from tap water. It comes in a 15- and 20-stage filter design, which cleans your water and reduces dry skin, hair and nails.

Additionally, the AquaHome connects to virtually any showerhead type, including fixed, rain, handheld and smart showerheads. The installation process is quick and doesn’t require any tools (unless your showerhead is screwed on so tightly that a wrench is needed to unscrew it). Before installing the shower filter, you’ll want to wrap Teflon tape around the thread of the shower arm and shower filter. The filter fits between the shower arm and the shower head.

Why is the AquaHome Shower Head Filter Trending?

The AquaHome is super popular among TikTokers like @haulswithhales because it’s said to help with hair loss, rosacea and keratosis pilaris (those little bumps on the skin sometimes called “chicken skin”). More than anything, users note noticeable improvements in their hair health.

@haulswithhales If you were to only buy one thing I recommend from Amazon, let it be this!!! #amazonfinds #waterfilter #showerfilter #bestamazonproducts #amazonbathroomfinds #lifechangingproducts ♬ original sound – Haley | Best Amazon Finds

In addition to adding shine to your hair, a water filter like the AquaHome can relieve itchiness, dandruff and eczema. It can also prevent the growth of fungi, bacteria and mold in your shower area, which can harm your health. Because the AquaHome is affordable and easy to install, people are snatching it up left and right to try it out for themselves.

How We Tested It

We tested the AquaHome shower head filter to see if the claims about improved hair and skin texture are valid.

The installation process was as easy as removing the handheld showerhead, twisting the filter onto the shower arm and reattaching the showerhead. You’ll want to use Teflon tape and tightly attach the filter and showerhead to prevent leaks.

I showered with the AquaHome for about two weeks and noticed a few key differences in my shower experience. Firstly, my shower water smelled and tasted better. (I wasn’t filling up glasses of water from my showerhead, but water inevitably gets into my eyes and mouth during a shower.)

And just like filtered tap water from the kitchen sink, the filtered water from my shower was tangibly cleaner. Beyond a difference in my water’s taste and smell, I also noticed less soap scum buildup on my shower floor and walls (a sign of hard water from calcium reacting with soap to form a residue).

Now, for the part you’ve probably been scrolling for, did I notice improvements in my hair and skin? Yes and no. My hair seemed softer and bouncier after using the AquaHome filter, but the jury’s still out on skin improvements.

For reference, I have straight, coarse hair prone to frizz, which often looks weighed down. Showering with a filter reduced frizz and made my hair feel lighter. I don’t color my hair, so I can’t speak to how it affects color-treated hair, but multiple users noted that the filter helps their hair color stay bright longer.

I also have extremely sensitive skin and keratosis pilaris. Eczema and psoriasis are other skin issues I deal with on and off. While I rarely emerge from a hot shower without looking like a tomato, the AquaHome reduced some of the redness and itchiness I experience post-shower. It also seemed to soften spots on my skin where I don’t always apply lotion, like the back of my shoulders.

I tested the AquaHome shower head filter during extreme winter weather, so I was more proactive about applying lotion after each shower. However, my skin didn’t seem to dry out as much in between showers when using the filter.

The most significant difference I noticed while using the shower filter was in my hair. Perhaps with long-term use, I would see more differences in skin texture and softness. Still, I didn’t notice anything incredibly noteworthy about how the filtered water affected my skin.

AquaHome Shower Head Filter Product Features

The AquaHome is a lightweight shower filter available in five colors to match your existing showerhead. It comes with two filter cartridges that will last six months each, Teflon tape and rubber o-rings so that you have everything you need for installation.

Install the AquaHome filter in either the bathroom or kitchen to clean water wherever you need it most. Worried about the filter affecting the water pressure? Don’t sweat it–the filter won’t reduce existing water pressure, so you don’t have to worry about it changing the shower experience you love.

Pros

• Affordable
• Easy to install
• Available in 5 finishes
• Compatible with most shower arms and showerheads
• Comes with everything needed for instillation
• Includes extra shower filter cartridge

 Cons

• Can’t return if opened or used

FAQ

Do shower filters actually work?

In short, yes, shower filters do work. One of the main reasons for using a shower filter is to remove chlorine, which can negatively affect skin, hair, throats and lungs. While some experts say that shower filters don’t treat all of the water quality issues they claim to, most do well at managing chlorine-related issues, which can specifically affect the hair and skin.

What type of shower filter is the best?

The best shower filter will remove as many impurities as possible that can lead to dry skin and hair concerns. Shower filters that are easy to install, cost-efficient and don’t cause any leaks are ideal. Some filters will infuse vitamins for better hair care—the AquaHome infuses water with vitamin C.

The most effective shower filters use a KDF (Kinetic Degradation Fluxion) process to filter the chlorine and other impurities out of water. The AquaHome uses a KFD-55 system, the most common among KFD filters.

Is a shower filter good for hair?

Shower filters are vital in removing excess chlorine from your water, which affects hair. Your hair (and skin) will be dry and damaged if too much chlorine absorbs into the follicles.

How long do shower filters last?

Shower filters typically last for six months, depending on your chosen filter. The AquaHome filter should last the prescribed time of six months. Although some filters can last longer, we recommend regular replacement to ensure effectiveness (like you’d see for a fridge filter).

What Other Shoppers Had to Say

If that’s concerning to you, we get it. Luckily, there are quick fixes—like introducing a filtered showerhead into your bathroom—that you can make to upgrade your water situation. Here’s everything you need to know about how a filtered showerhead could make a difference.

What Is a Filtered Showerhead?

A filtered showerhead is—as you might have guessed—a showerhead with a filter system included. The way that it works is by making sure any water output by the showerhead is treated before it reaches you and your family. Most reduce the amount of chlorine in the water, but some also help eliminate other contaminants such as heavy metals.

And just because your shower has a filter doesn’t mean you can skip cleaning the showerhead—it’s still a must, so don’t cross that off your to-do list quite yet. If you’re curious to learn more, you can check out this complete guide to showerheads which walks you through everything you need to know.

Why Are Filtered Showerheads Becoming More Popular?

There are quite a few reasons why the filtered shower head is gaining momentum. For starters, drinking water in the United States is lightly chlorinated. Though chlorine helps disinfect the water, it also could have an adverse effect on your skin.

According to the Hair Professionals Career College, enough chlorine could strip must-have natural oils from both your hair and skin. As a result, you could experience dryness or damage. In addition, it’s possible your hair could have a chemical reaction to your hair which could alter its color, leave you with nasty split ends or even weaken it. Moreover, your skin could suffer as a result of chlorine exposure, especially if it’s sensitive.

As consumers look for ways to better support their hair and skin-care regimen, the filtered showerhead is emerging as a potential game-changer, and that’s exactly why they’re becoming more popular. Not to mention how some filtered showerheads filter additional contaminants like heavy metals.

The Best Filtered Showerheads

Looking for a filtered showerhead but aren’t sure which is the best? We’ve got you covered. Here are a few suggestions we’d recommend you try.

• Jolie: This filtered shower head effectively reduces chlorine, heavy metals and other contaminants to help you experience less skin and hair damage. Plus, it exceeds NSF-177 certifications, won’t reduce your water pressure and has been tested extensively in third-party labs, which puts our minds at ease. You can give it a try and if you don’t like it, return it within 60 days for a complete refund.

• Hotel Spa Fixed Rain Shower Head with Filter: If you’re looking for a filtered shower head on a budget, check out this wallet-friendly option. You can choose from mist, rain spray and massage patterns. This shower head also offers the most powerful water filtration to reduce the amount of chlorine, heavy metals and other impurities. Plus, the filter will last you between 6-9 months, so you don’t have to replace it too often.

• Sprite Showers Universal Filter: If you love your existing shower head and don’t want to replace it entirely, we have some good news. You might still be able to get the benefits of a filtered showerhead with an attachment to your pre-existing showerhead. This “universal” option works for many 1/2-inch NPT showerheads. You’ll need to replace the filter cartridge every six months, and you can download the company’s free mobile app to be reminded of when it’s time to do so. (And yes, in many cases you can even find a filter that will be compatible with your waterfall showerhead.)

Copper Sink Cleaning Tools and Materials

• Natural dish soap;
• Microfiber cloth;
• Sponge;
• Baking soda (optional).

Laurel Mountain Mercer II Whirlpool Tub

The 10 high-output hydrotherapy jets of the Laurel Mountain Mercer II Whirlpool Tub deliver spa-like relaxation in the comfort of your home. This bathtub features a scratch-resistant coating, cushioned backrest and a pillow. Plus, it’s made in the United States, which means you’re supporting American workers with your purchase.

Pros

• Lifetime warranty
• Upgraded trim options available
• 10 adjustable hydrotherapy jets
• Head and neck rest

Cons

• Drain kit not included

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Yes— for the most part.

Garbage disposals keep food waste out of landfills and prevent your kitchen trash bin from smelling like rotting food. They’re a barrier against clogs, too. No matter how hard you try, food always seems to find its way into the kitchen sink and drain, doesn’t it?

A smelly garbage disposal isn’t much better than a smelly trash can, though, so it’s important to keep it clean. If your disposal smells funky, here’s why, and how to fix it.

Why Does My Garbage Disposal Smell?

“It’s usually the result of decaying bits of food that have escaped the grinding process and gotten stuck in the appliance,” says Alicia Sokolowski, president and co-CEO of AspenClean.

Garbage disposals work by pulverizing food into tiny particles so they can be flushed down the drain. When chunks of food are left behind, they start to smell.

How To Clean a Smelly Garbage Disposal

Just like cleaning a smelly shower drain, Sokolowski recommends a vinegar and baking soda combo as an inexpensive, all-natural way to get rid of those stinky garbage disposal smells.

Remember that paper-mâché volcano you built in the third grade? You poured in the baking soda, followed by vinegar, and the volcano “erupted.” That bubbling action results from carbon dioxide produced when mixing bases like baking soda and acids like vinegar.

When combined in your garbage disposal, the bubbles mechanically break through accumulated gunk, releasing it into the drain so you can wash it down. Sokolowski recommends cleaning your disposal weekly or biweekly. Here’s how to do it:

• Pour a quarter cup of baking soda into the disposal.
• Follow with a cup of distilled white vinegar.
• Allow the mixture to bubble for several minutes.
• Run the cold water and turn on your garbage disposal.
• Rinse the mixture down the drain.

How To Clean the Splash Guard

You know that flappy rubber thing that covers your drain? That’s called the splash guard. It prevents the grinding action of your garbage disposal from spitting food up into your sink.

As you can imagine, the underside of the splash guard gets pretty gross. Ground-up food bits land there and attract bacteria and mold, giving off smelly compounds. (The rotted food stuck there smells pretty bad, too.)

Take an old toothbrush and scrub under each flap of the splash guard with an all-purpose cleaner. If you need extra scrubbing action, dip the toothbrush in naturally abrasive baking soda. That will remove the gunk and keep smells at bay.

If you notice rips or tears or deteriorating rubber in your splash guard, replace it.

How To Prevent a Smelly Garbage Disposal

Never grind anything other than food in your garbage disposal, Sokolowski says, and don’t put fibrous or starchy vegetables down there. That means no celery and no potatoes. Starch from potatoes forms a gluey mess that sticks to the disposal and your drain, while fibers from celery stalks and asparagus can twist around the grinding gears. No coffee grounds, either.

Always run cold water with your garbage disposal, Sokolowski says. That seems counterintuitive because hot water and cleaning usually go together. But cold water keeps food and grease from sticking to the inside of the machine. Run the disposal for 30 seconds when sending food down the drain to ensure everything clears the system.

Speaking of grease, never pour grease, oil or fats into your sink or disposal. InSinkErator, the most popular brand of garbage disposal, also says to avoid bones and fruit pits, unless you have a really powerful model. Always check your manual to see what you can put down your disposal.

Another tip from InSinkErator? Grind up citrus peels to keep your disposal smelling fresh.

Dust with pillowcase

• Place a pillowcase over one fan blade so it completely covers the top and bottom.

• Hold the blade with two hands over the pillowcase, near the center of the fan.
• Pull the pillowcase toward you, wiping the blade on the top, bottom and edges.

• Contain the dust inside the pillowcase as you reach the end of the blade.
• Repeat with all fan blades.
• Take the pillowcase outside, turn it inside out and shake to remove most of the dust.
• Toss the pillowcase in the wash.

When I moved into my home, a weird smell greeted me that first day. Easy enough, I thought. I’ll clean the drain. Turns out the previous homeowner grouted the drain cover into the tile. So not only did I have to chip away all that grout, I had to do it while my face was a foot from someone else’s smelly shower runoff. Good times.

Joe Hammer, owner of the Phoenix-area SAK Electric & Plumbing, Inc., says cleaning your shower drain (if you can get the cover off!) is easy– you probably have the ingredients you need in your pantry already. Here he’ll explain what causes shower drain smells, how to clean a smelly drain and how to keep future odors at bay.

Here’s his pro insight and advice.

Soap Scum

Soap scum forms when the molecules in soaps react with the ions in hard water, forming a precipitate. That white, filmy residue, combined with the dark, damp conditions of your drain, create a perfect breeding ground for bacteria and mold, Hammer says. Regular cleaning, he says, should minimize the buildup.

“At least once a month, remove the drain cover and scrub the drain with hot water, an all-purpose cleaner and a toothbrush,” Hammer says.

Next, clean out the pipes. Pour one cup of baking soda down the drain, then add one cup of distilled white vinegar. Wait at least 10 minutes. Then flush thoroughly with hot water.

In addition to regular cleaning, Hammer recommends using active bacteria sticks (aka enzyme sticks or just drain sticks) to keep soap scum and other residues from camping out in your drain. You can find these at most stores that sell appliances, or online. Just place a stick in your drain and the bacteria and enzymes eat away the buildup. That helps keep your pipes clear.

Dry P-trap

If you’ve walked into your bathroom and wondered, “Why does my bathroom smell like sewage?” you might have a dry P-trap.

P-traps, called that because they’re vaguely shaped like the letter P, hold a small amount of water in the drain pipe every time you use the sink or shower. That water acts as a physical barrier between the interior of your home and the sewer your drains empty into. (Toilets have their own integral P-traps, which do the same thing.)

Hammer says if your shower P-trap dries out, noxious sewer gases can migrate up the drain pipe and into your bathroom. Guest bathrooms that aren’t used a lot are particularly prone to dry P-traps. Run the shower periodically to refill the P-trap in little-used bathrooms, and clean as above for soap scum to keep your drain smelling fresh.

Mold

If mold is stinking up your shower drain, you might notice a musty odor. Molds love dark, moist environments, and your shower drain fits the bill. Molds need food, too. The soap scum, hair and shampoo concoction trapped down there looks pretty delicious to a mold colony.

To kill that mold, Hammer says to pour a solution of one-half cup bleach and two cups hot water down the drain. Let it sit for one hour, then rinse the drain well with hot water. A precaution: Never mix bleach with vinegar or other chemicals, because the combination can produce toxic gases.

Bacteria

Bacteria feeds on soap scum, hair, shampoo and other drain-dwelling substances. So-called “good bacteria,” like those in drain-cleaning enzyme sticks recommended above, eat away the gunk and send it down the drain. Other bacteria species, however, hang out on the slimy drain goo and release smelly substances into the air called microbial volatile organic compounds (mVOC).

To get rid of these odorous compounds, scrub the drain monthly with a toothbrush, all-purpose cleaner and hot water. Then give your pipes the vinegar and baking soda treatment. Finally, add a drain stick. This monthly combo will reduce biofilm buildup and prevent shower gunk-like soap and hair from accumulating.

Pro tip: Never use chemical drain cleaners like Drano on smells, clogs or anything else, Hammer says. The highly corrosive ingredients can damage your pipes, and those ingredients are caustic to your skin and eyes. Plus, they’re expensive.

If you have a large clog you can’t get rid of yourself, or if you can’t remedy the smelly drain, call a professional to check it out. You might have a bigger issue lurking.

Warm White Oak

Interior designer Melanie Thomas says the color making a big splash right now is warm white oak — wood tone.

“White oak is the perfect blend of warmth and modernity without being too orange or dark or light,” she says, noting that its neutrality wins over clients considering dark walnut and whitewash. “It’s just a friendlier and brighter version of these and mixes well with multiple finishes, including brass, oil rubbed bronze, matte black and nickel.”

French Drain

This consists of a gravel-embedded perforated pipe installed in a trench that slopes toward a drainage point. It’s a good solution for flooding caused by groundwater. Typically installed six to 24 inches deep, it can also control water seepage through walls.

This type is sometimes called drain tile because it was made from old roofing tiles in the days before plastic pipes. The gravel is usually left exposed at the floor surface, but you can cover it with a metal or plastic grid if you choose.

Here’s a rundown of how to remove a cast iron tub, in pieces or intact.

What Is a Cast Iron Tub?

Cast iron tubs consist of a solid iron body with a layer of porcelain enamel around it. They come in drop-in, apron (sometimes called alcove) or freestanding models. In use for centuries, they’re still popular today because they’re hard to damage and retain heat better than acrylic or steel tubs.

How Heavy Is a Cast Iron Tub?

As you might imagine, the more cast iron in a tub, the heavier it is. A freestanding clawfoot tub has more iron than an apron tub, which has more than a drop-in tub.

Looking at modern cast iron tubs, this Kohler drop-in weighs 356 pounds, this Kohler tub with an apron weighs 390 pounds, while this Kingston Brass clawfoot tub weighs 426 pounds.

Older tubs with thicker walls can be even heavier. Expect a vintage clawfoot soaking tub to weigh about 500 pounds. By contrast, even a heavy freestanding acrylic tub weighs 118 pounds.

Ways To Remove a Cast Iron Tub

When former Family Handyman editor-in-chief Gary Wentz examined the most common ways to break up a cast iron tub, he tried four techniques. Check out the video of his experiment, and then we’ll dive into specifics.

Reciprocating saw

Personally, this is my least favorite way to tackle a tub. It’s slow, you’ll tear through blades, and there’s a high chance you’ll nick surrounding materials. This usually isn’t a problem during a complete demo, but if you’re trying to salvage the shower surround or drop-in base, it can be an issue.

Angle grinder

One advantage of an angle grinder: The curved blade can easily navigate the interior curve of the tub. It’s far less likely to damage surrounding materials and doesn’t require much in the way of muscle. However, it’s slow going.

While an angle grinder alone may not be the most effective way to take out a cast iron tub, we’ll see another use for it in the next section.

Demolition hammer

In the video, this is far and away the least effective method. The many rapid strikes lack the single, overwhelming force of a sledgehammer strike.

Sledgehammer

This is the tried and true method for cast iron tub removal, though it takes a fair amount of upper body strength to do it effectively.

How To Remove a Cast Iron Tub with a Sledgehammer

If you want to DIY a tub demo, you’ll need to gather some personal protective equipment (PPE), do a little prep work and then start swinging.

PPE:

• Hearing protection: Tub removal is a loud process taking place in a small room that amplifies sound. Prepare accordingly.
• Eye protection: Shards of cast iron and porcelain enamel will be flying around. That’s an awfully strong reason to put on eye protection.
• Leather gloves: Jagged cast iron is sharp. Wear gloves to avoid a nasty gouge.
• Respirator: This may be optional, depending on the level of airborne debris.

Prep:

• Remove supply lines: The water shutoffs may be close to the tub, but you may need to turn off the supply to the whole house while performing the tear-out.
• Remove waste lines: Begin by removing the overflow and drain assembly. Then remove the waste line. Hopefully you can simply unscrew it. In older tubs, you may need to cut it off.
• Protect any vulnerable surfaces: If you’ve already taken the walls down to the studs, this may simply require covering up a window. If you’re removing a tub from an otherwise untouched bathroom, lay down plywood, moving blankets or other protective material as needed.

Demo:

• Score the surface first (optional): Some pros score the cast iron tub before picking up the sledgehammer. Use an angle grinder with a diamond blade to cut past the enamel and into the cast iron itself. The dual aim: Less sledgehammer force, and more control over where the tub breaks.
• Swing that hammer: With your PPE on and prep work done, start beating on the tub. The underside is reinforced at key points, so if you’re not making much progress, adjust your hammer strikes a few inches in any direction. You can muffle the sound and reduce the chance of flying debris by laying an old towel over the tub surface, although this may dampen or slightly deflect the sledgehammer strikes.
• Removal: Continue until the tub is in small enough pieces to remove by hand.

How To Remove a Cast Iron Tub Intact

You may want to remove your tub intact. Freestanding tubs can be valuable, or you may want to sell or refinish your tub. Drop-in or apron tubs can also be removed intact, although there generally isn’t enough demand for them on the secondary market to make it worthwhile.

Overall, removing a cast iron tub intact isn’t complicated. But it does require forethought and a few helpers. I once worked on a job where a vintage clawfoot soaking tub was taken off-site to be restored and refinished. To pull this off, we used a team of six strong men. (Well, five strong men and me.)

To be clear, the tub didn’t require six people to lift. I doubt we ever had more than four people lifting at once. But navigating anything that large and bulky through a home is tricky. We needed that many hands to move, reposition and hand off the tub through hallways and down a flight of stairs.

Be especially careful on stairways. Letting it slip at that point will be disastrous for anything (or anyone) in its path.

Putting together a network of pipes of different diameters and materials can be like assembling a puzzle. Sometimes you don’t know exactly which fitting to buy until you reach the part of the puzzle where you need it.

Plumbing fittings vary by size, purpose and material. You often must tie together pipes of different materials with transition fittings. The materials in common use today — copper, PVC and CPVC, PEX, ABS, galvanized steel and cast iron — can mostly all be connected to each other with appropriate fittings.

With all the different pipe sizes and materials out there, things can get confusing. Fittings for water lines are different than those for drain and waste lines. It’s no wonder professional plumbers don’t go anywhere without a truck full of fittings. It’s their magic cupboard, letting them complete installations and repairs much more efficiently than amateurs like me.

Water Line Fittings

PEX is quickly becoming the material of choice for water lines. But PVC, CPVC and copper are still in common use, as is galvanized steel outdoors.

Three reasons for PEX’s popularity are its flexibility (it can bend around corners), durability and ease of assembly. You simply push PEX pipes and fittings together rather than gluing (PVC and CPVC), soldering (copper) or screwing them (galvanized steel).

Here are the fittings you’re most likely to need when assembling or repairing water lines:

• Coupler: Joins two lengths of pipe in a straight line. Whenever you cut a pipe during a repair, you’ll need a coupler to put it back together.
• Bend: For changing pipe direction. The most common bend angles are 90 degrees (aka elbows) and 45 degrees. Bends are typically made of the same material as the pipe except for PEX bends, which are brass or hard plastic.
• Tee: Shaped like the letter “T” with two parallel ports and a perpendicular one. It’s used for adding a branch line. When the branch line is a different size than the main one, you can make the connection with a reducing tee.
• Reducing adapter: Another way to join pipes of different diameters. It may be shaped like a bell (common for copper and galvanized pipes) or fit inside the larger pipe (more common for plastic). The first type is a bell adapter, and the second a reducing bushing.
• Union: A type of coupler you can take apart. Its large threaded nut holds together the two halves of the connected pipe. You can use one in place of a coupler in any situation where you temporarily disassemble the pipes.
• Threaded adapter: To join a pipe with a glue or solder slip joint to one with threads, you’ll need a threaded adapter. It can have male or female threads. Threaded adapters join plastic pipes to each other, or copper to itself or to brass.
• Compression fitting: This lets you join plastic or copper pipes without glue or solder. Most feature a ring that fits around the pipe and a nut that tightens onto the fitting, wedging the ring into the gap between the pipe and fitting. Compression fittings allow for easy pipe repair. Most modern faucet and toilet shutoff valves have compression fittings.

Waste and Drain Fittings

Cast iron was a common material for drain pipes in the first part of the 20th century. They’re usually connected with couplers that feature rubber gaskets surrounded by stainless steel sheathing.

These days, most drains are made with PVC or ABS plastic. Plastic drain fittings are usually glued, but the ones you might need to remove temporarily, like cleanout plugs, are threaded.

Here are the most common drain fittings. The list doesn’t include couplers and ordinary bends, because they’re similar to the ones used for water pipes and serve the same purposes.

• Long-sweep elbow: Makes a 90-degree bend in a longer arc than an ordinary elbow to allow water to flow more smoothly. It’s used for connecting vertical drain lines to horizontal ones.
• Straight tee: Performs the same function as tees for water lines, but are seldom used for drain lines. They’re mostly for vents, tying horizontal pipes to vertical stacks.
• Sanitary tee: Aka a santee, this has a sweep on its perpendicular port to promote water flow in the direction of the sweep. Use it to connect a horizontal waste line to a vertical one, but not a vertical one to a horizontal one. That’s the job of the next fitting.
• Wye: Shaped like the letter “Y,” a wye does the same job as a sanitary tee, but with less chance of backflow. This is the fitting you need to connect the vertical drain from your sink or toilet to the sewer. You can also use it to connect a horizontal waste pipe to a vertical one.
• Double wye: As you might expect, this has two inlet ports instead of just one. It’s commonly used for connecting a double-basin sink to a single P-trap.

Transition Fittings

Whether you’re connecting PVC or CPVC pipes to copper, cast iron pipes to ABS or galvanized pipes to copper, you’ll need a transition fitting. In some cases, you can do it by taking two threaded adapters of different materials and screwing them together. But it’s often easier to use an adapter specifically made to couple them, assuming you can find one.

• Plastic-to-copper slip adapter: This fitting has male copper threads on one end and a PVC or CPVC slip joint on the other. After soldering a female thread adapter to the copper pipe, you screw in the adapter and glue the plastic pipe to the slip joint.
• Dielectric union: Used for mating copper or brass to galvanized steel, its insulating washer keeps the pipes electrostatically separated to prevent corrosion. Dielectric unions are commonly used when installing water heaters.
• Cast iron to plastic coupling: These are widely known as Fernco couplings after the company that makes most of them. They consist of a rubber cylinder surrounded by a stainless steel sheath and two or more threaded pipe clamps tightened with a screwdriver.

• Fill spray bottle about halfway with distilled white vinegar and top off with water.
  • Clearly label the bottle for future reference and for safety.
• Squirt a few drops of dish soap in bucket or bowl.
  • Don’t go crazy. Dish soap is highly concentrated and excess suds will have to be rinsed off.
• Fill bucket with hot water.
  • Hot water helps dislodge dirt and grease, but don’t burn yourself.
• Prepare another bucket with clean water, or plan to use the kitchen sink to rinse your sponge or cloth periodically.
  • Don’t put a dirty sponge or cloth in the clean suds or you’ll transfer dirt back to the cabinets.

Lately, many interior designers began calling cabinet hardware “the jewelry of your home.” Where to place the hardware so it looks good and functions well can be a challenge, so here’s a helpful guide. You might also be interested in how to install cabinet hardware.

Types of Cabinet Hardware

First things first: Knowing the different types of cabinet hardware can help you narrow your choices. Evan Nelson, kitchen designer at Nelson Cabinetry, identifies the basic types of kitchen cabinet hardware.

Knobs

Kitchen cabinet knobs are typically small, round and easy to grip. Nelson says they can provide a minimal or modern look, but plenty of traditional kitchens also feature them.

Handles

These tend to feature broader profiles. Some handles have more elaborate designs, while others are minimalistic. “Their profile makes them better suited for some vintage or ornate decorative schemes,” Nelson says. If the handles have backplates or a fussy design, they also can be slightly clunky and cumbersome.

Pulls

These offer a mix between the streamlined look of knobs and the wider profile of handles. “They work well in many aesthetic settings but may not be optimal for smaller cabinets or tight spaces due to their more prominent size,” Nelson says.

• Classic bar pull: Features a handle attached to the cabinet horizontally, providing ample space for gripping and easy maneuvering of the door or drawer.

• Arch pull: Features a more dramatic curve. The arch makes it easy to grip.

• Ring pull: Simple circles in relatively small sizes with a sleek, modern look.

• Cup pull: Often crescent, shell or bell-shaped. You can hook your fingers under these to pull your door or drawer open. Nelson says cup pulls add vintage charm.

Where to Put Knobs, Handles and Pulls on Kitchen Cabinets

Putting your cabinet hardware in the right place is paramount. Correctly positioned hardware looks better and functions well. If placed incorrectly, hardware can be difficult to reach, or you might pinch a finger.

Cabinet doors

If your cabinet doors come with rails (horizontal pieces on top and bottom of the door) and stiles (vertical pieces on the sides), use the bottom door rail as a guide. Line up a knob with the top of the bottom door rail. If you’re installing door pulls, line up the bottom of the pull with the top of the bottom door rail. Always center them on the door stile.

Nelson says the most common placement for cabinet knobs is opposite the door hinges. “This helps provide balance and visual symmetry on doors of all sizes,” he says.

Also, placing knobs higher or lower on the door can help to visually break up a large expanse of flat panels. Placing them two-and-a-half to three inches from the bottom corner of the door can add visual interest and dimension to wall cabinets.

Cabinet drawers and pull-outs

For these, center knobs as much as possible. “This creates a sense of balance and harmony that is easier on the eye and also helps make them feel more accessible,” Nelson says.

The same goes for bar pulls and cup pulls. On cabinets, install your hardware vertically two-and-a-half to three inches from the corner of the door. For drawers, they should be installed horizontally, in the center.

Cabinet Knob Placement Tips

With these expert tips and tricks, you’re more likely to place that hardware correctly the first time.

• Use a cabinet jig: “This is used to accurately position and drill holes for cabinet hardware, such as knobs and pulls,” Nelson says. This jig features a flat base, which has markings or drilled holes to help guide placement of the drill bit. It also typically includes an adjustable slide or clamp mechanism, which allows you to precisely align the jig on your cabinet door or drawer front.
• Use a modified combination square: This helps you measure right angles and center objects like knobs and handles. You can even make one yourself.
• Use adhesive putty: Not sure if your hardware is going in the right spot? Affix the hardware temporarily with adhesive putty so you can step back and assess. Dap makes a reusable adhesive called Bluestik.
• Cover holes: If you’re only upgrading your hardware and not the cabinets themselves, you may have visible and unsightly holes. If you’re switching from a pull to a knob, or you’d prefer to select pulls with a different hole pattern, cover the old holes or hide damaged surfaces with backplates.
• Space them properly: Most drawer pulls are centered on the drawer fronts. But if the cabinet you’re working on has two or three drawers the same size and one larger one at the bottom, install the bottom knob (or pull) higher than the center of that drawer front. Install it so all the knobs on the cabinet are spaced evenly. This configuration is pleasing to the eye, and you don’t have to bend over as far to open the bottom drawer.

We’re diving deep into the soapy sludge to help you get rid of soap scum efficiently, and practice methods that prevent it from coming back.

What Causes Soap Scum?

The name soap scum is self-explanatory: It’s scum caused by soap. But why does something we use to clean our bodies wreak such havoc on our bathroom surfaces?

The problem isn’t the soap. It’s actually the minerals in your water, especially if you have hard water.

Calcium and magnesium combine with soap residue to create a sticky mixture that bonds to glass, shower walls, fiberglass tubs and faucets. Add dead skin, body oils and dirt to the mix, and you’ve got a real mess. The longer you let soap scum build up, the thicker it gets and the harder it is to remove. That’s why you should tackle soap scum as soon as it appears.

How to Remove Soap Scum

Glass Shower Doors

In a spray bottle, combine two cups of vinegar and two tablespoons of Dawn dish soap. Vinegar’s high acidic content eats away at hard water minerals and soap residue, while the dish soap adds extra cleaning power while helping the mixture stick to the glass.

Spray the mixture on the shower glass. Let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes to do its thing. Then scrub the glass with a sponge and rinse thoroughly. Use a squeegee to dry and get a clear finish.

Tile

If you’ve got a thick layer of soap scum on your tile walls, gently remove it with a plastic scraper tool. After that, you can tackle the base layer of scum and make your tile shine.

After scraping, spray on a soap-scum-removing product; our favorite is Scrubbing Bubbles Bathroom Grime Fighter. The foam penetrates soap scum while killing viruses and bacteria. Scrub with a sponge, then rinse. For a porcelain tub, add salt to the mixture for extra scrubbing power

Bathtub

The same product you used in the shower works for the tub. For another homemade solution, grab the baking soda. Its gentle abrasive power is no match for soap scum.

Mix enough water with about 1/3 cup of baking soda to make a thick paste. With a sponge or microfiber cloth, rub the paste on the bathtub. Let it sit a few minutes, then rinse. If it’s a porcelain tub, add salt to the mixture for extra scrubbing power. (Don’t use salt on a fiberglass tub; it can scratch the surface).

How to Prevent Soap Scum

• Consider switching to liquid soap or shower gel, which don’t create as much soap scum as bar soap.
• About once a month, apply a water-repellent like Rain-X to your glass shower doors. Rain-X makes water bead and slide off the glass, preventing soap scum stains.
• For a long-term solution, install a water softener to get rid of those hard minerals.

Best Soap Scum Removers

• Scrubbing Bubbles Bathroom Grime Fighter penetrates soap scum and disinfects at the same time.
• Bar Keeper’s Friend Soft Cleanser is mildly abrasive and contains oxalic acid to cut through soap scum.
• Rejuvenate Soap Scum Remover is a miracle worker! Spray it on your shower doors, tile and fixtures. Wait three minutes, then scrub and rinse clean.

New Cabinet Doors

To achieve this dramatic transformation, professional cabinet refinishers @nhancewoodrefinishing replaced the old cabinet doors with updated Shaker-style wood fronts, custom-fitted to the existing cabinet boxes.

N-Hance uses proprietary paint products and processes to ensure a hard finish that won’t peel or chip. When choosing new cabinet colors, N-Hance says, “Keep your space in mind (lighting, size, wall color, hardware) and pick a color that matches well with your countertops!”

“Why didn’t I think of this?” I mutter to myself as I dust my ceiling fan with a pillowcase. “It’s genius.”

Other times, though, you just know something’s not right.

Cleaning your toilet seat in the dishwasher? Not right. This viral cleaning hack showed up on Reddit’s popular advice forum AITA four years ago, so it’s not exactly new. It is exactly disgusting, though.

Social media recently resurrected it, so I asked an epidemiologist (a germs and disease expert) and a cleaning pro about this dubious practice. I usually try out these hacks myself but decided to pass on this one.

Here’s the video. Don’t try this at home.

@mechanicallyincleyend 😲 Are you still cleaning your TOILET by ✋️ @spaceystacey4 #handyman #plumbing #viral #diy #cleantok ♬ Sneaky Snitch – Kevin MacLeod

How It Works

In theory (seriously, DON’T do this), you take your toilet seat off the toilet and run it through the dishwasher. That’s it. That’s the hack.

The toilet in the video has a quick-release seat attachment, so it comes off in a few seconds. Bolted-down seats must be unscrewed first. Already, we’re not saving any time, and that’s before the dishwasher cycle.

The TikToker puts the seat in the bottom dishwasher rack and says to run it on “pots and pans” or the “sanitize” cycle. Then the creator slides the seat back on the toilet. Did the toilet itself get cleaned? How long did the process take?

We’ll never know, but other TikTokers have some thoughts.

What Pros Say

If you’re trying to sterilize your toilet seat, dishwashers aren’t designed to do that. That’s according to Dr. Brian Mangum, associate professor of medicine and epidemiologist at University of Health Sciences Antigua. Sterilize means to eliminate all bacteria on a surface, and dishwashers just don’t get that hot.

“The bigger issue, though, is what happens after you remove the toilet seat from the dishwasher,” Mangum stresses.

“Consider the fact that your toilet seat is already full of germs, and you have now potentially transferred those germs to the same dishwasher where you will wash your children’s plates after pizza night,” Mangum says.

Plenty of things in our homes are dirtier than toilets, but that doesn’t mean we want bacteria from our bathrooms lingering around our dinner plates. Mangum puts it this way: “Would you eat pizza off the toilet seat, even if you had cleaned it first? Probably not.”

Dishwashers offer “sanitize” settings— notably not the same as “sterilize.” These settings use a ton of water and can add one and a half hours to the cycle (which can already be more than two hours). Consider energy and water consumption before using this setting very often.

Clean Your Toilet the Right Way

So, we know the dishes aren’t helped by this hack, and that dishwashers won’t sterilize toilet seats. What should people be doing to rid their toilets of bacteria and dirt?

“You would be much better off just using bleach or other commercial products designed to kill germs, such as Lysol,” says Mangum.

Melissa Homer, chief cleaning officer at MaidPro.com, agrees. To clean your toilet like a pro:

• Spray the entire toilet with disinfecting cleaner, including the top, sides, lid, both sides of the seat and under the bowl.
• Coat the underside of the rim with a gel toilet bowl cleaner. Buy compatible cleaners, so they don’t combine to create toxic fumes.
• Work from top to bottom and outside to inside, wiping the toilet clean with a microfiber cloth dampened with disinfecting cleaner.
• Use a brush to scrub the bowl in overlapping strokes, paying special attention to under the rim.
• Flush once to clear the bowl, and again to clean the brush. Spritz the brush with bleach water before storing.

If you have hard water, Homer recommends Bar Keeper’s Friend to remove rust and mineral stains. A porcelain-friendly pumice stone called a Pumie can get rid of stubborn mineral deposits.

Another pro tip: Color-code your sponges, scrubber and microfiber cloths, so you never accidentally use a bathroom sponge in the kitchen. Also, try this cleaning hack and add aluminum foil in your dishwasher.

Bottom Line

Once again, do not put your toilet seat in the dishwasher.

Forget the germs for a minute. Shouldn’t a hack solve a problem or make things easier? Is removing the dirty seat, loading it in the dishwasher and waiting for three or four hours helping us in any way?

And, we still have to clean the rest of the toilet. Why not leave the seat right there and do it all at once? No dismantling anything or wasting a bunch of water.

One last thing. No one is really doing this. Honestly. In the video’s comments, when asked “facts or caps” (TikTok slang for “fact or fiction”) the creator says “cap, for sure,” accompanied by a laughing emoji.

In other words, this is a gag, so don’t fall for it. Cleaning your toilet seat in the dishwasher doesn’t save time, it’s gross, and these creators are having a laugh at people’s expense — literally.

Open Shelving Fits in Awkward Spaces

If you don’t have room for standard-size cabinets, or you’ve got an angled wall or corner, open shelving in the kitchen offers a simple solution to a complex problem.

Nick Yahoodain, CEO of Advanced Builders & Contractors, says open shelving deceives the eye and creates continuity in spaces where there might be none. And, he says, the shelving doesn’t have to be perfectly symmetrical. He says he successfully installed staggered open shelving to bridge gaps and spaces in walls.

Open Shelving Lets in Light

Yahoodain says wall-to-wall cabinets don’t work if you have windows. But open shelving between cabinet banks can help bridge the gap and allow for unimpeded natural light from windows.

Open Shelving Can Save Money

According to Yahoodain, clients request base cabinets on the floor and open shelving for the uppers. It adds a modern look and it’s cheaper than full cabinets.

Melanie Thomas, an interior stylist at Melanie Thomas Design, agrees. “No hardware, no expensive doors or hinges, no carpenters,” she says. “After spending a fortune on everything else, it’s nice to have a little break.”

Open Shelving Is Accessible

Open shelving allows homeowners to find kitchen appliances and tools quickly. No more forgetting about that juicer stashed behind the blender.

“Sometimes people forget to make healthy food because they don’t see their kitchen appliances,” says Robert Johnson of Coast Appliances. With open shelving, you can see what tools you have to work with and get inspired, making fruit shakes or healthy sandwiches.

“You can easily clean, dry, and store appliances after every use,” he says. “Displaying them on open shelves also helps prevent mold, pests and wear and tear.”

Open Shelving Makes Spaces Feel Bigger

“Open shelves provide vertical storage, which helps to maximize limited space.” says Julio Arco, an architect and interior designer. Plus, lack of cabinet fronts creates the illusion of more wall space, making the room feel airier.

Open Shelving Compliments Open Concepts

“If your kitchen is open to the dining or living room, nothing is more abrupt or more kitchen-y than upper cabinets that break up the space,” says Thomas. “Open shelving at the entry point of the kitchen allows for the eye and the brain to integrate the kitchen as a part of the larger space.”

Open Shelving Reduces Noise

Evan Nelson of Nelson Cabinetry says open shelving eliminates the jarring sound of slamming cabinet doors. And because open shelving requires more organization, things shouldn’t topple over or rattle around.

Open Shelving Is Easy to DIY

Nelson says if you’re handy, it’s easy to install open shelving as a DIY project.

“Simply measure the space where you want the shelves to go, cut the shelving to size, and secure it to the wall,” he says. “You can use brackets, L-braces, or even reinforced bookends to keep the shelves in place.”

To add stability, Nelson advises DIYers to screw the shelving into wall studs.

Open Shelving Is Customizable

Make your kitchen space suit your exact needs. Nelson says you can add lighting, paint or stain, and arrange open shelves in whatever way you like. And, he says, it’s easy to change things up in the future if your style or needs change.

Open Shelving Lets You Show Off

Adam Graham, a construction industry analyst at Fixr, says open shelving allows you to showcase your personality. If you have beautiful dishes or pottery, he says open shelving lets you show them off. Arrange your dishes to let patterns and colors show so they’re appreciated at all times, instead of staying hidden behind a door.

Lauren Byington of Warren and Lauren adds you don’t need to “save” those beautiful, special items. “Sometimes we tuck dishes into cabinets just to get them out on the holidays,” she says. “Wouldn’t you love to see and use those expensive or sentimental sets every day? Open shelving can let you appreciate special items.”

Open Shelving Lets You See Your Walls

“Open shelves are a great way to extend your wallpaper into the kitchen,” says Thomas. “Nothing is worse than an abrupt break from your lovely living room wallpaper that you spent a month choosing than a row of upper cabinets and tile. The good news is that you can keep your white dinner plates and bowls, and they will look stellar against the wallpaper backdrop.”

Your shelving material finish choice can also add punch, whether it’s wood, glass or metal.

“You can carry up gorgeous tile, use a full marble, granite or porcelain slab or a concrete finish,” Byington says. “It’s a fun way to get to extend your decorative touch and add a wow factor.”

Open Shelving is Great for Entertaining

Stacy Lewis, owner and interior designer at Eternity Modern, says open shelving helps guests feel welcome at parties and gatherings. “All kitchen items will be visible and easier to grab, and guests can conveniently find whatever they need,” says Lewis.

Open Shelving Is Lower Maintenance

Graham says moving parts on cabinets eventually need maintenance.

“The knobs and pulls can come loose over time, the hinges can begin to sag, the doors can get chipped,” Graham says. “And because many shelves inside of cabinets are made of low-grade materials, these can begin to sag as well. Open shelves are thicker and with no moving parts, so they’re less maintenance and don’t need as many repairs.”

Open Shelving Can Help You Stay Organized

Because everything is out in the open, it’s easy to see what you have and where everything is stored. Arco says this cuts down on kitchen clutter.

Open Shelving is Great for Plant Life

Byington says open shelving can be a great place for houseplants to thrive, appealing to gardeners, gourmets and the eco-conscious. “Plants and herbs in a kitchen add a decorative touch and can cultivate the right health-focused mindset for at-home cooking,” she says.

Open Shelving Is a Timeless Trend

While it’s become really popular lately, Arco says open shelving has been around for centuries. “This makes it a classic storage solution that will always look chic in your kitchen,” he says.

Center Finger Pull

Want to get in on the trend of using brass or gold in your decor, but don’t know where to start? These satin brass finger pulls are just the right amount of glam for a modern bathroom or kitchen design. The pulls are available in three lengths and two finishes, and are a stunning way to add a sophisticated look to furniture, drawers or cupboards.

“Love the pulls,” says one reviewer. “Heavy, sturdy and easy to install. Ergonomically sound. Our carpenters said they’ll start using this style in all their remodels as they like them so much!”

Shop Now

I spoke to her retired plumber cousin over the phone, and he diagnosed the problem as a clog in the floor drain pipe rather than something more serious. But before she called another plumber for a quick $100+ cleanout, I brought over my recently acquired Cobra Tools Pistol-Grip Power Drum Auger to see if I could break up the clog myself.

What is the Cobra Tools Pistol-Grip Power Drum Auger?

How We Tested It

I bought the Cobra Tools Power Drum Auger because I was sick of standing in ankle-deep water standing in my aging bathtub as I showered. A week later I learned of my mother’s basement floor drain predicament, giving me two worthy tests just days apart.

How it Works

Unclogging drains is a messy job. But with the Cobra Tools Power Drum Auger, I was done in a matter of minutes.

In both cases I attached my cordless drill to the drum auger and plunged the rotary tip of the cable into the depth of the pipe. I didn’t use chemicals at all, so I felt safe operating the drum auger with just some thin rubber gloves and grungy work clothes.

Once I placed the Cobra Tools Power Drum Auger cable down the pipe, I pushed it by hand until I felt resistance from a bend in the pipe or the mass clogging it. With about 10 inches of the cable sticking out of the drain, I kept downward pressure on the pistol grip and slowly feathered the trigger of my cordless drill. This ensured the sharp pointed end of the tip burrowed into the obstruction, or made its way around the bend.

For a clog far down the pipe, the quick lever cable locking switch comes in really handy, since it needs to lock at each obstacle encountered.

Once I found and breached the clog, the backed-up water slowly drained. I learned years ago not to pull out the auger too soon. Instead, I made a couple of extra turns with my drill to ensure it locked into the obstruction. Then pulled the drum auger cable back. This method helps you bring all the debris to the surface. If you don’t, you may find yourself repeating this process a few weeks later.

Ease of Use

Value

Just having a plumber show up at your residence will run you well over a hundred bucks. With the Cobra Tools Power Drum Auger costing less than $40, I can’t imagine why you wouldn’t keep a drum auger on hand to try to break through a stubborn clog. If the clog is too substantial, then call in the professionals.

Pros

• Clears pipes up to three inches in diameter;
• Quick lever cable lock;
• Easy to use;
• Inexpensive;
• Works with any drill.

Cons

• Unclogging drains is a messy task.

Q&As

Q: Is the Cobra Tools Power Drum Auger compatible with any drill?

A: Yes, as long as it features an adjustable chuck.

Q: Can you use this to unclog a toilet?

A: No. This cable may scratch the porcelain. The Cobra Tools Power Drum Auger is best for smaller diameter pipes like sinks, tubs and shower drains.

Final Verdict

Where to Buy

The Cobra Tools Pistol-Grip Power Drum Auger is available at Lowe’s or Ace Hardware.

Buy Now

Vintage Greenhouse Shelving Cubbies

These cubby shelves add storage and vintage style to this beautiful greenhouse from @thehouseonlilac. She scored the find at a local flea market!

The small cubbies can hold plants, potting tools, extra pots and more. Of course, not everyone is lucky enough to find vintage cubbies, but this similar shelf unit can help you achieve the same look.

The three options for those who prefer to have their toilet in the house are chemical, composting and incinerating toilets. Of these, incinerating toilets are probably the cleanest.

Never heard of an incinerating toilet? Here’s what you need to know.

What Is an Incinerating Toilet?

As the name implies, an incinerating toilet burns human waste. The most common are standalone units, but systems are also available that connect multiple toilets to a central incinerating unit.

Standalones are fueled by electricity, propane, natural gas or diesel. Typically, they incinerate waste after each use. Multiple unit incinerating systems generally switch on only when they reach a threshold amount of waste.

Incinerating toilets can handle liquid and solid waste. They exhaust odorous gases through a vent pipe which, in the best models, is fitted with a catalytic converter to “scrub” the gases and make them harmless. When used properly, incinerating toilets don’t require much cleaning, with the only maintenance periodically emptying the ash reservoir.

Incinerating toilets don’t have to be connected to a sewer, and many don’t need a water supply. So installation is simple: Drop the toilet in place, connect a vent pipe and hook it up to a power source. You plug it in, hard-wiring it or connecting it to a fuel line.

How Does an Incinerating Toilet Work?

An incinerating toilet is shaped like a regular one. A trap door at the bottom of the cone-shaped bowl opens to a waste reservoir that houses the incinerator. Some models make you first insert a cone-shaped paper liner into the bowl; others feature a small water reservoir for cleaning the bowl.

When you flush, the contents (and the liner, if there is one) fall into the reservoir or are delivered there by a screw gear. Then they’re reduced to ashes when the burn cycle begins.

A single-use produces about a teaspoon of ash, which amounts to about a cup of ash per person per week. The ash collects in a reservoir at the base of the toilet under the incineration chamber that needs to be emptied periodically, usually by simply removing a drawer. The ash is free of bacteria and pathogens and rich enough in potassium and phosphorous to double as fertilizer in the garden.

The burn cycle typically stops when someone lifts the lid. It’s reactivated by pushing the button (equivalent to flushing), making it possible for two or more people to use the toilet in succession.

Types of Incinerating Toilets

Standalone incinerating toilets differ mainly by fuel type. All need electricity, but those burning with gas or diesel only require electricity to operate the controls.

Electric

An electric incinerating toilet energizes a radiant heat element in the incinerating chamber. Each burn cycle consumes 1-1/2- to two kilowatt-hours of electricity, which at the national rate of around $0.15 per kWh amounts to $0.22 to $0.30 per flush. By contrast, according to U.S. Department of Energy estimates, water for a single flush of a conventional toilet costs around $0.015 to $0.03.

Gas and diesel

The burn chamber on an incinerating toilet fueled by propane, natural gas or diesel is typically mounted behind the unit, and waste is fed in by a screw gear. Gas units only burn waste when the reservoir is full, which takes 40 to 60 uses.

The amount of fuel used equals a five-gallon bottle of propane for approximately 1,000 uses, which amounts to $0.08 to $0.10 per flush. Units must be plugged into a 12- or 120-volt electrical circuit depending on the model to power the gears and burner.

Waste combustion system

A waste combustion system consists of multiple toilets with internal grinders connected to a central reservoir next to the incinerating unit. Each toilet uses a small amount of water to flush waste. The grinder turns it into a slurry and transfers it to the reservoir.

When the reservoir reaches a predetermined level, a pump transfers the waste to the incinerator for burning. Unlike standalone toilets, which are DIY-friendly, installation of this type requires a professional plumber.

Benefits of an Incinerating Toilet

An incinerating toilet provides a viable waste disposal method for cabins, construction sites, off-grid homes and remote camping sites. It offers these perks:

• Sanitary waste disposal using no water or a small amount;
• No plumbing required;
• Easy to install;
• Clean and odorless.

Drawbacks of an Incinerating Toilet

Because they need fueled, an incinerating toilet will add to your energy bill. Other drawbacks include:

• Difficult to clean, especially waterless ones;
• May require a ready supply of paper liners that must be replenished;
• Ash produced by burning has far fewer nutrients than compost;
• Can potentially release pollutants into the atmosphere.

Are Incinerating Toilets Legal Everywhere?

At least eight states (Massachusetts, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Washington, Texas, and Montana) allow composting toilets, but offer no guidance on incinerating toilets. That doesn’t mean you can’t install one, but you’ll have to clear it with the local plumbing authorities, who have the final say on such matters.

Best Incinerating Toilets

The three best-known manufacturers of incinerating toilets are Incinolet, Cinderella and EcoJohn. All make electric and gas models. Here are three products for you to consider:

Best electric

Unlike many electric incinerating toilets, the Incinolet Model CF can be plugged into a standard 120-volt, 20-amp circuit. It can serve four people full-time and comes with 200 paper liners to get you started.

Best gas

The Cinderella Freedom hooks up to a five-gallon propane bottle and can handle three to four visits per hour. It uses 12-volt power to operate the burner and controls, so it works in places where electric service isn’t available and batteries must be used. It comes with 100 paper liners.

Best waste combustion system

The SepticJohn from EcoJohn is a whole-house system. It features a septic tank-sized reservoir that you bury, and a gas- or diesel-powered incinerator that sits above ground in the yard near the reservoir. It uses a small amount of water and, for a family of four, costs $6 to $7 per day to operate.

Ask someone at your home improvement center to do this for you, or do it yourself with a miter and/or hand saw.

Safety note: Always wear safety glasses, hearing protection and gloves when using power saws.

• Cut 4×4 posts into:
  • Four pieces, 2-1/2-ft. long.
• Cut fence pickets into:
  • Four pieces, 36-in. long.
  • Six pieces, 28-3/4-in. long (use dog-ear ends from the previous cuts for four of these).
• Cut 2x4s into:
  • Two pieces, 36-in. long.
  • Four pieces, 18-in. long.
  • Two pieces, 11-1/4-in. long (for spacers). You can use scrap wood if you have it.

What Is a Tushy Bidet?

What is a bidet, anyway? These nifty bathroom fixtures shoot a stream of water that leaves your bottom squeaky clean. They come in all shapes and sizes, from standalone fountains to attachments for home toilets.

The Hello Tushy Bidet falls into the latter category and has quickly become one of the most popular bidet options on the internet.

Made of renewable bamboo and accented with stylish brass hardware, it allows users to choose the water stream strength they prefer. From light to strong pressure, the precision angle adjuster of the Tushy 3.0 makes getting clean a quick and efficient task. Plus, you save big on toilet paper.

How to Use a Tushy Bidet

The Hello Tushy Bidet earned a 4.6-star rating on Amazon for its ability to alleviate hemorrhoids and make laundry day way less gross. Installation takes eight to nine minutes, and the universal fit suits almost all standard-size toilets.

One of the most appealing parts of this particular model: You don’t need additional power or electricity to make it work. It’s a worthy home improvement project if you want to spend less on toilet paper and stain-removing products for your laundry.

Amazon reviewers also note the latest model, the Tushy 3.0, features a nozzle cap integrated into the design, so you’ll never lose it or knock it off the bidet by mistake. There’s also a new SmartWash feature that washes the nozzle before and after each use. Plus, there’s something the manufacturer calls “The Schmutz Shield,” which protects against grime and buildup where your bidet and toilet meet.

The Best Amazon User Reviews

“This is a must-have,” writes Jose, a verified Amazon purchaser and five-star reviewer. “We bought a fancy bidet at the onset of the COVID pandemic because we were worried about having no toilet paper. As a result, we can’t go back to a non-bidet life. Any time we’re out of town, we just feel dirty!

“Our daughter came to visit and liked it so much, she asked for one for Christmas. So we researched ‘best bidets’ and found this one at the top of the list. Our son-in-law installed it and now they’ve been converted too. This one is fantastic for the money. It requires no power and installs in minutes.”

Writes verified Amazon purchaser Matthew: “It is amazing how well this cleans and how clean you feel after using it. I am absolutely blown away by this bidet and couldn’t be happier with my purchase.”

Morgan, another verified Amazon purchaser, writes, “We’ve been on the fence about getting a bidet attachment for a while and finally decided to pull the trigger. Our experience was WOW, that’s not nearly as strange as I thought it was going to be. There’s a bit of a learning process to getting lined up and fully washed, but we’ve never felt cleaner after using the porcelain throne.”

Where to Buy a Tushy Bidet

Head to Amazon where the Hello Tushy Bidet retails for $99. Hurry up and add it to your cart, though, because these bestsellers tend to disappear.

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