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Why Pillows Need to Be Replaced There are three main reasons why pillows need to be replaced—comfort, hygiene, and health. While it might seem that a pillowcase would protect the actual pillow from getting dirty, sweat and body oils penetrate through the cover and into the pillow. Because pillows are used every day, dirt also builds up, which can begin to cause skin irritation and allergies. Washing your pillowcases regularly, as well as your pillows if they’re machine-washable, helps, but you will still need to replace them at some point....

How to Make Banana Bread If you’re a beginner, our tried-and-true banana bread recipe is a great place to start. Follow our step-by-step instructions to make banana bread whenever a craving strikes. It’s also a banana nut bread recipe, but if you’re allergic to nuts or don’t like them, leave the walnuts out of the batter and skip the streusel-nut topping. Step 1: Roast Bananas and Prepare Pan Preheat the oven to 350°F....

When Was the Rainbow Flag Created? In the 1970s, gay rights activists used a pink triangle as a symbol to represent their cause. The pink triangle was used as a badge in Nazi concentration camps in World War II to identify prisoners convicted of homosexuality. Harvey Milk, Cleve Jones, and other movement leaders believed a new symbol with less tragic roots would better represent the community, so they asked activist Gilbert Baker to create something new in early 1978....

With a few common household materials and this easy step-by-step guide, you can care for your window AC and make sure it’s ready and able to keep you cool during the hottest months of the year and beyond. How to Clean a Window AC Unit Don’t let dust and debris build up in your window air conditioner. Follow our step-by-step instructions for cleaning an AC unit to keep it performing its best....

How to Make Painted Wooden Easter Eggs Supplies Needed Craft punches Vinyl tape (like electrical tape) in various widthsWood eggs Craft paint and brushes Step-by-Step Directions With a few materials and these directions, you can make your own wood Easter eggs that will last year after year. Customize your wooden eggs by picking your favorite colors or adding embellishments like ribbon or glitter. Step 1: Make Shapes Use craft punches to cut shapes from vinyl tape to create stencils....

Butt joints are challenging to finish because they require that you build a slight, gradual mound to hide the joint. To make the mound subtle enough to go unnoticed, you must feather the joint compound over a wide area. You can also minimize the difficulties of concealing butt joints by using a back blocking technique when hanging the drywall. We’ll show you the best way to finish drywall butt joints, plus provide a few helpful pointers....

Luckily, if the door and frame are level and secure, a squeaky door isn’t a detrimental problem that needs to be resolved immediately. But it can grow to be a nuisance. Thankfully, fixing a squeaky door is relatively easy. It’s also a quick, inexpensive DIY repair, so you don’t have to worry about buying expensive tools or supplies. Inspect Hinges for Dirt, Rust, or Paint Before fixing a squeaky door, it’s necessary to inspect the hinges for any signs of a contaminating substance that could be restricting movement....

How to Freeze Pears Perfectly, Every Time When selecting fruit for frozen pears, choose firm, ripe fruit for best results. So how much is enough? Anywhere from 2 to 3 pounds of fresh pears yield about 1 quart frozen pears, depending on your method for freezing pears. Then follow these steps for how to freeze pears in syrup. A Quicker Way to Freeze Pears If you’re searching for how to freeze pears without syrup, and in fewer steps, use a dry pack (aka flash freeze)....

Popular Winter Squash Varieties Pumpkins People may wonder what the difference is between pumpkins and squash. You might be surprised to learn there is no difference. Pumpkins are squash, but they are divided into two groups based on their look. Pumpkins usually have a spikier stem and their seeds are edible. Butternut The name says it all—you don’t need to add butter. One of the most popular squashes, the butternut squash, is yellow on the outside and extra sweet on the inside....

“Men often think that osteoporosis is a disease that only impacts women, but a male over the age of 50 is just as likely to suffer an osteoporotic-related fracture as he is to develop prostate cancer,” says Shirin Hooshmand, PhD, RD, and Professor at San Diego State University, whose team recently finished a study examining the role of prunes and bone health in men. The outcome is very promising and shows a mainstream food, like prunes, can be such a simple way to help improve your bone health....

Expect to spend roughly an hour on this project, and make sure you’re comfortable using basic DIY tools like a drill, screwdriver, and level. We installed our guides in a kitchen, but they also work well in a bathroom, bedroom, or home office. What You Need Soft-close side-mount drawer glidesMounting clipsDrillScrewdriverTape measurePencilLevel Step 1: Remove Drawer and Hardware Empty the desired drawer and remove it from the cabinet. Unscrew the existing drawer glide hardware from both the drawer and the cabinet....

We’ve all seen backyards where the garden shed sticks out like a sore thumb. Maybe it’s the wrong color or style, or perhaps the shed is in need of repair. Help your garden shed stand out in a good way with these clever tricks, like adding exterior lights and repurposing rustic materials. Create Camouflage The easiest way to integrate a garden shed into your landscape is to work with the yard’s existing features....

Create a cozy reading nook with an arrangement that wraps around a corner or flank a fireplace with DIY architectural character. Follow the steps below to learn how to make bookcases look built-in. How to Make Bookcases Look Built-In For a seamless look, purchase tall bookcases that reach nearly to your ceiling so you can easily fill in the gap with trim. What You Need Desired number of full-sized bookcasesOne narrow shelving unit for the corner (optional)1 gallon of paint or stainPaintbrushScrews and a screwdriver (or drill)Anchoring hardwareTape measureTrim pieces (enough to line the top edge of full unit)SawSandpaperHammer and nails (or nail gun)LevelWood filler...

Get the recipe for the above Double Chocolate Cake here. Ingredients for Chocolate Cake 3/4 cup butter3 eggs2 cups all-purpose flour3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder1 teaspoon baking soda3/4 teaspoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon salt2 cups sugar2 teaspoons vanilla1-1/2 cups milk1 recipe for frosting (see below)Chopped chocolate sandwich cookies or chocolate candy (optional) Dark Cocoa Buttermilk Cake with Cocoa Mascarpone Frosting (pictured) Step 1: Prep Let butter and eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes....

1. On-Display Storage Mason jars double as charming decor and functional storage in the kitchen. Fill them with dry ingredients like oats, beans, or flour; then arrange the jars on open shelves for a pretty and practical use of space. For an extra splash of color, choose tinted glass jars, like the blue ones on display in this farmhouse-style kitchen. 2. Mason Jar Laundry Organizer Create a Mason jar organizer for your laundry room to hold items you frequently need on washing day....

Here, you’ll find fall decor items (all less than $30!) that will refresh your space for sweater weather. For your living room, there are corduroy pillow covers, a plush throw blanket, and a felt garland. When it comes to your kitchen, swap in a fall dish towel, a mug that’s a must for enjoying your pumpkin spice latte, or a dishwasher-safe ceramic pumpkin bowl. And in the bathroom, don’t forget about simple additions, like a pumpkin chai-scented candle and a delicious-smelling room spray....

Get our Paleo Mayonnaise recipe.