How to Wash Contaminated Clothes How to Restore Leather Shoes After a Flood Water is particularly damaging for leather dress or athletic shoes, handbags, hats, and clothes and floodwaters filled with mud and bacteria are even worse. In fact, most suede and nubuck boots and shoes cannot be salvaged after a flood. If minor damage is caught in time, however, you may be able to salvage leather goods damaged by floodwaters....

Shelfies are having their moment. And we’re seeing all sorts of bits of spring popping up on people’s amazing shelves. Scrolling through Instagram brightens up our day when we see pops of pastels, beautiful flowers, and little nods to spring taking over the shelves on home decor accounts. We spoke with five creators of some gorgeous #SpringShelfies to help inspire some updates on your (possibly dusty) shelf. White Shelving With Pops of Color Who: Mansa of @thisissimplicite Her shelves are filled with gorgeous flowers that add the perfect pop of color to her room....

And the brand’s first collection celebrates Black History Month, with 100% of the net profits to go to Black Girls Smile, a nonprofit that seeks to provide young Black women with mental health resources and education. According to a press release for the announcement, the collection was “created and curated in-house for the first time by JCPenney’s Creative Coalition, an internal team of BIPOC designers.” “We are honored to introduce JCPenney’s 2022 Black History Month collection authentically created in house by our very own BIPOC design team — a first of its kind for the Company,” said Val Harris, senior vice president, design, brand management, and trend, JCPenney, in a press release....

Planted in the spring after the threat of frost has passed, jewelweed has a fast growth rate. It can reach up to about 5 feet tall with branching, weak stems and blue-green, oval leaves that are toothed and partially fuzzy. In the summertime, cornucopia-shaped flowers appear, then give way to seed capsules that, when mature, can split at the slightest touch (which is how the plant got the name touch-me-not)....

Solid Hardwood vs. Laminate Flooring: Major Differences Solid hardwood flooring, as the name suggests, is comprised of flooring boards that are solid hardwood material through and through. The boards, usually 3/4-inch thick, are generally milled with a smooth top surface and tongue-and-groove edges that interlock to hold the boards together. They are usually installed by blind-nailing the boards to the subfloor through the tongues along the edges of the boards. If the boards are unfinished, the floor is stained and varnished once the installation is complete....

These versatile cooking utensils come in a wide way of materials, like glass, ceramic, aluminum, wood, and plastic. The type of rolling pin you choose makes a big difference during preparation of your desired food. For example, long rolling pins are used in Japanese cuisine to make udon noodles, while striated rolling pins are used for Norwegian lefse flatbread. How to Care for Wooden Rolling Pins One of the most popular rolling pins is the wooden American or baker’s rolling pin....

We decided to turn to the experts and ask for the final verdict: which sheet reigns supreme? At a Glance Benefits of Linen Sheets Linen adds visual warmth Designer Ginger Curtis of Urbanology Designs shares her love of linen sheets with us for its ability to warm up a space. “We absolutely love linen,” she says. “We admire the texture and warmth it adds to a space, and our clients like how breathable and yet durable it is....

This is the sole definition of porcelain tile by which the Porcelain Tile Certification Agency (PTCA) issues certificates to manufacturers, all of which are listed here.

Fast Facts Scientific Name: Eudyptula minorCommon Name: Little Penguin, Blue Penguin, Little Blue Penguin, Fairy Penguin, Korora Penguin, White-Flippered Penguin, Australian PenguinLifespan: 5-7 yearsSize: 13-15 inchesWeight: 3.2-3.4 poundsWingspan: 11-14 inchesConservation Status: Least concern Little Penguin Identification These penguins may seem plain, but it is that plainness that helps them be identified more easily. Their upright posture, chunky build, pied plumage, and short tail immediately identify them as penguins, and by recognizing just a few key features, birders can feel confident when they have seen a little penguin....

Botany and Plant Taxonomy of Little Titch Catmint Plant taxonomy classifies this dwarf catmint plant as Nepeta racemosa Little Titch (synonymous with Nepeta mussinii). Little Titch is the cultivar name. A common name used for this plant is “Persian catmint.” Nepeta racemosa is an herbaceous perennial. The plant is also considered an herb, the genus having been used medicinally for centuries in a number of ways. For example, it has been used to treat coughs, congestion, and fevers; it has also been used as a sedative....

Learn how to grow and care for this iconic Southern tree. Light Longleaf pine is a tree that needs to be grown in full sun to thrive. Soil A tree with a long taproot, longleaf pine wants a deep, sandy loam. Water Longleaf pine tree has average water needs. Temperature and Humidity The region to which longleaf pine is native is characterized by hot, humid summers and mild winters. Fertilizer Fertilize longleaf pine three times annually with a fertilizer that has a 3:1:2 NPK ratio....

Water-based latex paints have evolved and have become more prevalent in the home—to the point where oil-based products that require mineral spirits or paint thinner are used less frequently. Yet some professional painters and do-it-yourselfers still prefer oil-based paint for its ability to self-level and remain streak-free. Plus, many stains and varnishes are still oil-based, as well. Water cannot be used as a solvent for any of these products. Is there any difference between mineral spirits and paint thinner?...

Specializing in affordable bedding and linens for the everyday home, Nestwell is a collection available exclusively at Bed Bath & Beyond. Their Hygro Cotton Bath Towels seem to offer everything you’d want from a bath towel. Made in India from 100% cotton, Nestwell claim they are incredibly soft, long-lasting, and quick to dry. I put them to the test to see if the towels would live up to those promises and how well they fared with daily use....

A member of the Rhamnaceae (buckthorn) family, New Jersey tea will grow at a moderate pace, eventually reaching a mature height of 3 to 4 feet after about two seasons. The plant’s unique name came about during the American Revolution. Tea was a bit scarce at the time (after all, imported tea tariffs helped lead to the start of the war), so a tea-like drink was made from the leaves of this shrub....

What Polyurethane Is and Why It’s Beneficial Polyurethane is a clear thin liquid coating that can either be brushed or sprayed on. The purpose of the coating is mainly protective. But polyurethane does bring out the grain in wood finishes and impart a golden tone. Polyurethane finishes are often compared to varnishes, shellacs, and lacquers. Yet the unifying factor of polyurethanes is that they are essentially plastic. Shellac, notably, is made from an organic product—insects—yet polyurethane is a polymer coating produced in the factory....

How about a tight cluster of those basic services, where the cook has everything at their touch and nothing is too far to walk to? This is the concept that powers the one-wall kitchen layout. What a One-Wall Layout Is In a one-wall kitchen layout, all of the cabinets, countertops, and major work services are arrayed along one wall. The other three sides of the kitchen are open and often face living areas....