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Step 1: Clean the Washer Cleaning your washing machine isn’t just for appearance’s sake—the process helps eliminate buildup in hoses and pipes, too. Start by running an empty, regular cycle on hot, using two cups of vinegar instead of detergent. Then combine vinegar and water and use this mixture to scrub down the inside of the machine. Finish by running one more empty, regular cycle on hot with just water. For the machine’s exterior, wipe down the top and sides with an all-purpose cleaning wipe....

When was the last time you cleaned your range hood filter? If you use our 30 days of spring cleaning guide, chances are good you’ve wiped it down recently. However, like many homeowners, you might be surprised to learn you even have a range hood filter, let alone need to clean it. We asked Sarah McAllister, founder of the cleaning company and Instagram sensation Go Clean Co, to share her best advice on range hood filter cleaning....

Typically, it doesn’t matter exactly where you join to an existing pipe, but the new service must be precisely located. So it’s usually easier to start pipe runs at the new location and travel toward the existing pipes, rather than vice versa. It usually takes less than two hours to connect new to old once the pipes are run. Prep for the job by running new pipes from the new service location to the existing pipe; installing the last pipe a little longer than it needs to be, so you can cut it to length when you make the connection to the old pipe....

Muralists like Liz Kamarul and Racheal Jackson of @banyanbridges, for example, frequently impress with walls covered in color-blocked geometric shapes or sweeping squiggled lines. Other examples include watercolor-like abstract designs and organic scenes featuring tropical leaves or floral motifs. These hand-painted murals fill living rooms, bedrooms, hallways, and more with colorful, one-of-a-kind art, and they’re easier to pull off than you might think. In fact, part of what makes this project so popular is its accessibility....

Step 1: Outline Garden Bed Once you’ve decided where to build a new garden bed, mark the plot’s perimeter with spray paint or a sprinkling of flour. Removing the top layer of sod speeds up the process so you could be planting a little sooner, but it’s not necessary. You can just start adding your layers right on top of the grass. Step 2: Build Your Layers Spread a layer of newspaper six sheets thick so that the entire outlined space is covered....

Deck posts must be plumb, so they must start with square ends. Check the bottom of each post with a speed square and cut it if necessary. Dip cut ends in a preservative before setting them in the anchors and let the preservative soak in overnight. To make the job go quickly, do everything in stages—first, square all the deck posts and set them in the anchors with a temporary brace....

Before you start slicing apples for pie, start with the right apple. Certain varieties, such as Braeburn, Golden Delicious, Jonagold (sweet), Cortland, Granny Smith, and Jonathan (tart), hold up best during cooking. (Want to make sure you choose the best apples for your pie? Learn about the different types of apples here.) Once you’ve got your fresh apples ready, proceed with the following steps for the easiest way to peel apples for your favorite apple pie recipe....

How to Treat Spruce Spider Mites Gardeners aren’t the only ones who like the dwarf Alberta spruce. Sadly, it’s also popular with spruce spider mites that attack in spring and fall, unlike regular spider mites, which are active in hot, dry weather. If your spruce has yellow speckles or brown needles at its base or near the trunk, spruce spider mites are most likely the culprits. To find out if spruce spider mites have moved in, shake a browning branch over a piece of white paper....

Set aside roughly an hour to frame an 8x8-foot wall. Additional footage will require more time. Before you begin, make sure you know how to measure, mark, crosscut, and drive nails. Prep for the project by installing the wall’s ceiling plate. Laying out the positions of the studs in a wall is a crucial step in construction. Get it right and installing drywall is easy; make a mistake and you’ll have problems....

“We go way back,” interior designer Rebekah Zaveloff of KitchenLab Interiors says of her friend Lorie FitzGibbon. “We grew up together in Ohio. My mom owned a store that sold the latest fashions; Lorie’s mom was an art dealer. We were both heavily influenced by the style of the late ’70s and early ’80s—boho/hippy meets disco and glam.” So when Lorie and husband John built a new home in the Chicago suburbs, Lorie knew where to find her style muse....

This year, I’m creating a list of the can’t-miss items I plan on shopping for Prime Day. I’ve already spotted hundreds of discounts on the site, including electronics, kitchen appliances, and furniture. And while I could easily score deals on a new TV or pricey cookware, my sights are set on the home essentials I’ll need to enjoy hot summer days—including cooling bed sheets, outdoor string lights, and oscillating tower fans....

1. Plant a patio or bush tomato variety. Small tomato plants, known as patio or bush varieties, grow and fruit best in containers. Don’t be fooled by the size of a plant—a small tomato plant can still produce loads of fruit. Pot-friendly tomato varieties typically grow to a particular size, usually 1 to 3 feet tall, and then begin fruiting. There are many patio-type tomato varieties and dozens more coming onto the market every season....

Tip: Can’t find (or don’t want to splurge on) Champagne? Cava, Prosecco, or any sparkling wine all work well here. Tip: Feel free to make the cupcakes up to a month ahead and freeze until it’s time to celebrate. Our Complete Guide to Champagne Tip: This vegetable-rich Italian dinner is begging to be paired with anything from Chardonnay to Chianti.

Whether through a guide on how to shop for a home, tips on saving for and purchasing your dream house, or advice on whether buying a home is right for our readers, BHG has always supported homeownership. (We’ve even been part of the home buying experience through the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate division since 1978.) Homeownership rates have increased in the United States over the last 100 years, rising from a national rate of nearly 46% in 1920 to more than 65% in 2022, with some dips and peaks in the intervening years....

1. Natural Nooks and Crannies If you’ve got a gnarled old tree, it’s pretty much essential that it be fitted for a fairy door. At the end of a meandering staircase of moss and stone is this gorgeous creation by artist Sally J. Smith of Green Spirit Arts. Composed of just the sort of materials woodland weefolk would most like to use; bits of wood, sticks, and bark are magically transformed into a true work of art....

Buy It: Nordic Ware Naturals Quarter Sheet Pan ($11, Target)

Babka A list of Jewish desserts wouldn’t be complete without babka. Make this swirly bread recipe in any flavor you want! We recommend trying cinnamon-streusel, hazelnut, and dried-fruit babka fillings for a sweet Hanukkah treat. Chocolate Cookie Coins Gelt is practically a Hanukkah requirement. But instead of handing out foil-covered chocolate coins ($12, Party City) this season, add a twist to these delicious holiday treats by making small cookie coins instead....

1. Think beyond white for small bathroom colors. White is a favorite bathroom color choice for its bright, clean look and ability to make a small bathroom appear larger. But it doesn’t have to be your default if all-white spaces aren’t your style. Small bathrooms, including powder rooms and guest bathrooms, are an excellent opportunity to play with bolder hues and patterns that you might otherwise shy away from in larger living spaces....

Editor’s Tip: Help mom truly treat herself with a set of homemade bath bombs using the same dried flowers! Get the pink ‘Happy Mother’s Day’ label. Get the blue ‘Happy Mother’s Day’ label. Get the ‘I Drink Wine’ label. Get the ‘Best Mom Ever’ label.