Prime Day is officially here, and while the homepage is flooded with discounts, the Blink Mini 2K+ is on sale for $27, down from $69, and it has caught my attention. Saving $42 (a massive 60% discount) on a brand-new two-pack means you are getting sharp, multi-room security for under $14 per camera.

In our testing, Blink’s compact plug-in line has consistently earned top marks for hitting the sweet spot between low cost and reliable performance, making this steep Prime Day price cut an absolute no-brainer if you want to cover your home without spending a fortune.

When evaluating budget home security, you might have to settle for blurry footage, tinny speakers, or clunky interfaces. What makes the new Blink Mini 2K+ worth talking about is how it tackles those exact pain points without bumping up the price tag.

The biggest upgrade is video clarity. Bumping the sensor up to 2K resolution gives you much cleaner detail and up to 4x digital zoom, making it far easier to read text on packages or identify faces across a room, even in tricky lighting. The Mini 2K+ also adds noise cancellation to two-way talk so conversations actually sound clear and natural.

On the software side, the upgraded internal chip processes computer vision directly on the device. That means you get accurate person and vehicle detection to filter out false motion triggers like passing cars or blowing curtains. It even integrates directly with Alexa displays and can double as a real-time chime if you own a Blink Video Doorbell.

It is also no longer strictly an indoor device. With an optional weather-resistant power adapter, you can mount these under an eave or on a patio to watch entryways. Setup takes roughly two minutes: simply plug it into a wall socket, scan the QR code in the app, and you are live.

Getting a single 2K camera for $27 would be a steal, but getting a two-pack of the Blink Mini 2K works out to under $14 per unit. If you want a low-cost way to keep an eye on multiple rooms or front doors, this is easily one of the smartest budget picks on sale right now.

More from Tom's Guide

• Blink Mini 2 security camera review: Mini but mighty
• My favorite streaming stick just hit $15 for Prime Day — plus 4 more Amazon device deals worth grabbing
• Amazon Fire TV devices explained: Which streaming stick (or Cube) is right for you?

Leaving water in your irrigation system over winter is a fast way to ruin expensive plumbing. As trapped water freezes, it expands, snapping underground PVC pipes, shattering valve manifolds, and cracking exposed backflow assemblies. Fixing freeze damage in the spring often requires tearing up your lawn and paying hefty repair bills.

Taking a little time in the autumn to properly shut down and drain your sprinklers protects your equipment, saves money, and ensures your system is ready to fire back up smoothly when warmer weather returns.

More from Tom's Guide

• How to prepare your above ground pool for winter in 7 simple steps
• Stop spring lawn weeds before they sprout with a simple fall pre-emergent barrier — applying it now saves you hours of yard work next year
• 3 essential fall jobs to protect young trees before the first cold snap

Securing the iPhone Duo on pre-order day is going to be a battle. Between massive global interest in Apple’s first foldable and notoriously tight initial stock, opening inventory could disappear in seconds.

Pre-orders open strictly at 5:00 a.m. PT on Friday, October 16, ahead of the official October 23 launch across major international markets (with a secondary rollout starting October 30).

If you want to bypass long backorder delays and ensure your foldable lands on your doorstep on day one, here's the game plan to follow.

How to guarantee your iPhone Duo before pre-order day

1. Lock in "Get Ready" on Oct 12

Don't wait for pre-order day. Four days before the drop, Apple opens its pre-order portal. Head into the Apple Store app on October 12 to pick your color, storage capacity, carrier status, and payment method ahead of time — allowing you to complete the entire purchase with a single tap the moment the clock strikes 5:00 a.m.

2. Audit your Apple Account details today

A single wrong digit will knock you out of the queue. Verify that your credit card hasn't expired, your billing address matches your bank records, and your shipping address is up to date.

3. Secure your trade-in quote early

Navigating trade-in questions during checkout adds unnecessary screens to your purchase. Get your valuation sorted in advance to bypass those extra steps on drop morning. The 14-day clock to return your old phone only starts once your iPhone Duo is physically delivered.

4. Confirm your financing options

Apple retired its legacy Upgrade Program in mid-2026. If you financed your last device, check your account status now to see if you qualify for Apple Card Installments, carrier options, or a direct purchase.

5. Load the app on multiple devices

The Apple Store app usually goes live faster than the desktop website. Have the app open and ready on your phone, but keep a desktop browser open on Apple’s site as a secondary backup just in case.

6. Stick strictly to your saved setup

Once pre-orders open, load your saved configuration and hit pay. Avoid changing your color choice or storage size at the last second — altering your basket re-queries Apple’s live inventory systems and risks pushing back your shipping date.

7. Pivot to in-store pickup

If shipping dates start sliding into November during checkout, select local Apple Store pickup instead. Retail stores receive dedicated inventory allocations completely separate from warehouse delivery stocks, making it the ultimate safety net for launch-day possession.

8. Check launch-morning store stock

If you miss iPhone Duo pre-orders entirely, physical Apple Stores routinely save dedicated stock for launch day walk-ins on October 23. Check Apple's online store tracker early on launch morning to grab unallocated local store stock.

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• iOS 27 has a hidden anti-scam setting — here’s why every iPhone user should turn it on
• There's a new shortcut in iOS 27 I’m using every single day — here's where to find it
• 4 new iOS 27 features that turn Apple Notes into a productivity powerhouse

If you wait until spring to start fighting weeds, you are already months too late. While your lawn’s top growth slows down in fall, winter weeds like chickweed, henbit, and annual bluegrass are actively germinating under the surface as soil temperatures cool down.

By the time green shoots pop up in April, those weeds have spent the entire winter establishing massive root systems across your yard. The secret to a completely weed-free lawn next year isn't pulling mature weeds in the heat of summer, it is stopping them from ever breaking through in the first place.

How pre-emergent works

Pre-emergents don’t kill existing weeds or feed your grass, they act as an invisible subterranean shield. While synthetic products are common, natural pre-emergents like corn gluten meal work on the same principle by preventing young roots from taking hold.

The catch is pre-emergents block all seed germination indiscriminately. If you are currently overseeding or patching bare spots, skip the pre-emergent entirely until your new grass is established — typically after it has sprouted and you’ve mowed it at least twice. Otherwise, the barrier will kill your expensive grass seed before it ever takes root.

Once applied and watered in, the product settles into the top inch of soil to halt cell division right as winter weed seeds (like chickweed, henbit, and annual bluegrass) attempt to sprout.

How to apply it

To apply the granules evenly, you will need a lawn spreader, which you push across the lawn and that drops the product out the bottom as you walk.

Look at the back of your product bag to find the recommended setting for your spreader model. Turn the number dial on the spreader to match that setting. Always fill the spreader's main bucket while parked on your driveway to avoid accidental spills on your grass.

Walk the outer perimeter of your yard first. This creates a turnaround boundary so you don't accidentally dump extra product at the property lines.

Push the spreader back and forth in straight, overlapping lines. For the best coverage, use a cross-hatch pattern by passing over the lawn north-to-south, then east-to-west.

Only open the bottom slot of the spreader while you are actively walking. Close it right before you stop or turn, or a heavy pile will dump out and burn your grass.

Sweep any stray granules off your driveway and back onto the lawn. Finally, water the yard lightly for 10 to 15 minutes to activate the chemical barrier and lock it into the top layer of soil.

More from Tom's Guide

• Before your lawn goes dormant, do this 15-minute job for thicker grass next spring
• 7 tips to banish weeds from your lawn that won't harm the grass
• Those pretty purple flowers are secretly destroying your lawn — here's why wild violets outsmart every weed killer and what actually works

Amazon’s Fire TV lineup can be confusing to navigate. With multiple streaming sticks hiding behind your TV screen, plus a standalone flagship box, telling the models apart isn't always easy.

Whether you need a quick fix for a guest bedroom or a high-performance streaming hub for a 4K home theater setup, here is a complete breakdown of every Amazon Fire TV device: what it is, what it does and who it's built for.

1. Amazon Fire TV Stick HD

What is it? Amazon’s most affordable plug-in streaming stick, built for non-4K displays.

What it does: The Fire TV Stick HD plugs directly into an HDMI port on your television and streams content in standard 1080p Full HD. It gives you instant access to major streaming apps, including Prime Video, Netflix, and Disney+, along with cloud gaming via Amazon Luna and Xbox Game Pass.

It ships with a basic Alexa Voice Remote that lets you control your TV volume and search for shows by holding down the microphone button.

Best for: Small bedrooms, kitchens, guest rooms, or replacing outdated app interfaces on older 1080p HDTVs on a tight budget.

2. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K (2026)

What is it? The updated mid-range streamer featuring Amazon’s new Vega OS and a redesigned tactile remote.

What it does: This new 4K stick delivers crisp 2160p Ultra HD streaming and introduces Amazon’s light, fast Vega OS interface (replacing the older Android-based software). Powered by a faster quad-core processor, it runs 20% to 40% speedier than previous budget streamers and can even draw power directly from your TV’s USB port.

Crucially, this model ships with Amazon’s redesigned Fire TV Remote. The new remote features an asymmetrical shape, indented buttons so you can navigate by feel in the dark, a metal Home key, and a customizable Star button that launches your favorite app or setting instantly.

Best for: Everyday 4K TV owners who want snappy performance, Amazon's best new ergonomic remote, and direct USB power capability for clean, wall-mounted setups.

3. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus

What is it? The mid-tier streaming stick equipped for cinematic picture and spatial audio, though your window to buy one is closing fast.

What it does: The 4K Plus takes standard 4K streaming a step further by unlocking premium audio-visual formats. Alongside standard 4K HDR10, it adds support for Dolby Vision, which automatically optimizes brightness and color scene-by-scene, and native Dolby Atmos spatial audio.

Amazon is officially phasing out the 4K Plus (and 4K Select) to simplify its lineup down to a single core 4K Stick, the 4K Max, and the Cube. You can still purchase the 4K Plus right now while existing stock lasts. and Amazon has confirmed it will receive software updates through 2030.

Best for: Viewers with a modern 4K TV and Dolby Atmos sound setup who want to snag a feature-packed mid-tier stick before remaining stock officially runs out.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max

What is it? The top-spec streaming stick built for heavy app users, cloud gamers, and smart homes.

What it does: As the most powerful stick in the lineup, the 4K Max doubles internal storage to 16GB (leaving around 11GB of usable space for your apps and games after system files).

It features Wi-Fi 6E support to reduce buffer times on crowded home networks, supports Xbox Game Pass cloud gaming natively, and includes the Fire TV Ambient Experience — which transforms your idle TV screen into a smart display with curated art and widgets.

Best for: Power users who constantly run out of app storage, cloud gamers, and busy households where multiple devices compete for Wi-Fi bandwidth simultaneously.

5. Amazon Fire TV Cube

What is it? Amazon’s flagship hybrid device — combining a top-spec 4K streaming box with a hands-free smart speaker.

What it does: Unlike the sticks, the Fire TV Cube sits on your media console. It matches the top specs of the 4K Max (4K, Dolby Vision, Atmos, 16GB storage, and Wi-Fi 6E) but adds a built-in speaker and far-field microphones.

This enables hands-free Alexa voice control, meaning you can switch inputs, play movies, or adjust smart lights across the room without ever touching a remote. It also features an HDMI pass-through port to route cable boxes or consoles through the Fire TV interface, plus a dedicated Ethernet port for wired internet connections.

Best for: Home theater enthusiasts wanting maximum processing power, rock-solid physical Ethernet stability, cable box integration, and complete hands-free voice control.

More from Tom's Guide

• How to set up and use your Amazon Fire TV stick
• The one Fire TV setting you need to change right now to instantly boost performance
• Your Fire TV Stick has an expiration date — here's when support ends

As outdoor temperatures drop, indoor humidity levels naturally creep up. Condensation occurs whenever warm, moisture-rich indoor air makes contact with cold surfaces like window glass, uninsulated external walls, or window frames.

While even the best dehumidifier can help pull excess water from the air, running one constantly without addressing the root cause is a costly battle. Most household damp is driven by everyday habits we're all guilty of .

Here are three subtle daily habits that trap moisture indoors — and the simple fixes that keep mold away.

The 48-hour moisture rule

Mold spores are always floating around harmlessly in the air, but they only become a problem when they find a damp landing pad. Once liquid water settles on a cold surface, those microscopic spores can germinate and start taking root in as little as 24 to 48 hours.

Wiping down foggy glass or painting over a dark patch might hide the problem for a day or two, but it won't stop it. If your everyday routines are constantly trapping fresh humidity inside, mold will keep finding a way back.

3 habits trapping moisture in your home

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• How to clean mold from bathroom caulk permanently — without using household bleach
• The common radiator mistake that is actually making your house colder, according to experts
• I spotted fuzzy white mold on my houseplant soil — here's how I fixed it with a cupboard staple

Sweat, sebum, and oil from our skin (not to mention spills and accidents) can all lead to yellow mattress stains. These bodily fluids oxidize over time, permeating our bed sheets and discoloring our beds.

As well as looking unsightly, these grubby marks can harbour bacteria that can be harmful to our health. That's why I decided to immediately tackle the ugly yellow stain on my young son's mattress.

Cleaning it with laundry detergent didn't work — but then I heard about a $3 spot cleaning treatment that could lift stubborn stains and restore it back to bright white, and decided to give it a go. Did it work? Absolutely. Here's how I removed a deep yellow mattress stain and made it look brand new.

The yellow mattress stain I had to clean

Sweat or urine? Who knows! What I do know is that this yellow stain had to go. Fluids oxidize over time, which can slowly seep through bed sheets and even some mattress protectors. So the yellow stain you're seeing today could be the result of an accident from weeks ago.

To keep your mattress in tip top shape, I recommend inspecting it for any stains or marks every time you change your sheets. That way you can deal with stains quickly, before they become darker and harder to lift.

The $3 spot treatment I used

• To use hydrogen peroxide as a safe cleaner, use a 3% concentration
• Avoid mixing with other chemicals.
• Use gloves to protect your hands.

The combination of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda serves as a two-pronged attack against unsightly yellow mattress stains. As a disinfectant and mild bleach, the hydrogen peroxide kills bacteria before breaking apart and lifting yellow pigments.

Meanwhile, the baking soda acts as a sponge. It absorbs the dissolved stain and neutralizes odors as opposed to simply masking them with a new scent.

Cleaning experts recommend using 3% hydrogen peroxide for best results, and diluting it with water in a 50/50 ratio. Once diluted, I then applied the solution to the yellow stain.

Once combined with the baking soda, the two products cause a chemical reaction that break down and drawn out the stain. With very little effort, I was able to restore my son's mattress back to bright white. Here's exactly how I did it...

How to use it

I'll be honest, the sight of the yellow stains on my son's mattress made me think that the best option might be to just replace it.

However, it isn't that old and it's in otherwise good condition. So I decided to give this two-ingredient soak a shot instead. Here's what you'll need and a step-by-step guide to bring your mattress back to bright white:

• Vacuum cleaner with upholstery attachment
• Rubber or disposable gloves to protect hands
• Clean microfibre cloth
• Clear dish soap (optional)
• bicarbonate of soda/baking soda
• 3% hydrogen peroxide
• Spray bottle

Step 1: Vacuum thoroughly

The first step to cleaning any mattress is to give it a thorough vacuum. This is to lift shed skin, dust, dust mites and other allergens that could be lurking in its surface. These airborne particles don't directly contribute to yellow stains, but they can impact your sleep.

I used the FEPPO 4-in-1 mattress vacuum cleaner from Amazon, but any vacuum with an upholstery attachment will work.

Slowly move the vacuum over the surface of the mattress, paying close attention to any seams, tufts or creases.

Step 2: Mist stain with hydrogen peroxide solution

There are several ways you can approach your yellow mattress stain with the hydrogen peroxide and baking soda mixture.

For oily stains caused by hair products or body lotions, I recommend mixing a couple of drops of clear dishwashing solution to your hydrogen peroxide mixture. That's because dish soap helps break down and lift oil and grease.

For my son's mattress stain, I strongly suspected it was the result of sweat or urine, so I knew I could skip the dish soap. Armed with my hydrogen peroxide mixture, I lightly misted the stain.

Step 3: Sprinkle with baking soda

While the hydrogen peroxide was busy breaking down the chemical components of the yellow stain, it was time to add a sprinkling of baking soda.

Baking soda acts as a sponge, drawing out moisture and neutralising odors — which, when dealing with a urine mattress stain — is important. I left the solution sitting on the mattress for a few hours, allowing it enough time to break down the stain.

Step 4: Vacuum again

Once you're happy that you've given the treatment enough time to do its job, it's time to vacuum up the residue baking soda. Again, this can be done with the upholstery attachment on your vacuum cleaner (provided that it's clean), or a specialist mattress vacuum cleaner.

Once I had vacuumed up the baking soda, which had become damp and lumpy at this point, I was able to asses the area. For me, the stain had completely disappeared. So I dabbed the area with a damp microfiber cloth to clean off any cleaning residue.

However, if a stain still remains, you may need to repeat the above steps.

Step 4: Allow to dry thoroughly

Once your mattress is back to its bright best, it's time to let it dry thoroughly. Ideally, you'll choose a warm sunny day that so you can open your bedroom window wide to allow your bed to air dry.

It's important you allow enough time for the mattress to dry before dressing it in bed sheets, as trapping in moisture can lead to mold and mildew growth.

To ensure that it dries thoroughly, allow up to four hours to dry after a light spot clean. For heavier saturation, you'll need to allow up to 24 hours.

Protect your mattress against yellow stains

Investing in one of the best mattress protectors is the only way to protect your mattress against yellow stains and create a protective barrier around your bed.

The mattress protector I was using on my son's mattress wasn't 100% waterproof, and it shows. Without one, your mattress becomes a sponge for sweat, pee, sebum and allergens, like dust mite and pollen.

Alongside keeping my living spaces clean, I also love a fresh-smelling home.

Whether using fragrance diffusers, scented candles, or essential oils, I am constantly seeking new ways to give every room a lasting aroma.

However, while these are common ways to refresh your spaces, I discovered a few bizarre tricks that will leave your home smelling heavenly, without spending a fortune.

According to an expert, these will take zero effort and can be done while you’re cleaning or decluttering at the same time — win-win!

Here’s what happened when I tried these three cleaning hacks to freshen my home — and do they actually work?

Scent your vacuum

Though it sounds odd, your vacuum cleaner can actually spread a lovely aroma throughout the entire home while you clean.

Simply add several drops of essential oil onto cotton balls, then place them directly inside your vacuum filter or dust container.

Once you turn it on to clean, the warm air rushes through the canister, which essentially helps the scents evaporate into the air.

“Just add a couple of drops of essential oil to your vacuum filter before you start cleaning,” says Yousof Fazelpoor, fragrance expert from Royal Oud Leicester.

“As you vacuum, the scent gets carried around the room, so you’re basically freshening the air while you clean.”

I decided to opt for peppermint oil for its fresh scent, but lavender is also a great choice. Since the scents are quite strong, be mindful not to soak or oversaturate the cotton.

Next, simply throw the scented cotton balls into your dust canister and start vacuuming around your house. As I did so, I could immediately smell the peppermint fragrance in the room.

Afterwards, I emptied out the canister, along with the cotton balls, to return to a fresh-smelling room. A quick and impressive way to clean your floor and freshen the air at the same time!

Put a bar of soap in your closet

Closets are prone to trapping unwanted odors, particularly when storing footwear. But this simple tip can banish lingering smells and keep it fresh all year round.

If you have travel-sized soaps or spare gift bars lying around, don’t throw them out! In fact, when tucked inside wardrobes, they instantly make great natural fresheners.

“One of my favorite little tricks is putting a scented bar of soap in your closet,” explains Fazelpoor. “Just keep it wrapped or pop it in a little fabric bag and tuck it in with your clothes or bedding.

"It’s a really easy way to keep everything smelling fresh when you open the cupboard.”

To test this out in my closet, it literally took seconds to hang the tiny pouch on the rail. And after a day or two, my closet had a pleasant aroma each time I opened the doors — smelling more like a bathroom than a bedroom.

Perhaps the only downside is that the smell starts to lessen after a week, but this could all depend on the fragrance itself. I’d probably opt for lavender next time as it offers a far stronger aroma than a typical soap bar.

Infuse your toilet paper roll

If you want a fresh-smelling bathroom, this bizarre hack does the trick.

“This is a bit of an odd one, but it actually works,” adds Fazelpoor. “Just put a couple of drops of essential oil on the cardboard tube inside your toilet roll, rather than the paper itself. It gives the bathroom a subtle hit of fragrance every time you use it.”

The idea is that each time the toilet paper is used, the spinning of the roll will help to release that hidden fragrance into the air.

“You don't need to go overboard with fragrance to make your home smell nice. Of course, you want to deal with the source of any bad smells first. Keeping things clean and well ventilated is the most important thing, but once that's sorted, these little tricks can give your home that extra bit of freshness.”

To my surprise, this easy trick kept my bathroom smelling fresh all week long — outlasting any store-bought air freshener. And when the scent began to fade, I reapplied a few drops. Best of all, a lovely fragrance greeted me the moment I opened the door.

Just bear in mind to take caution when using it around pets and kids to prevent any accidental ingestion or adverse reactions.

More from Tom's Guide

• I cleaned my house using only homemade cleaning products for a week
• Say goodbye to dust: Create your own cleaning spray with just 4 simple ingredients
• 5 surprising cleaning hacks you can do with a Swiffer sweeper

Watch India vs Pakistan on PTV Sports via Tamasha for free using NordVPN (75% off)

You can watch India take on Pakistan from 5:30 a.m. BST / 10 a.m. IST on PTV Sports via Tamasha.

The stream includes full coverage as India and Pakistan face off in the Asian Games cricket final in Nagoya City, Japan.

The Pakistani-based platform will show every wicket, four, and six as one country takes the gold medal.

But, can you watch PTV Sports via Tamasha outside Pakistan? Yes you can watch from anywhere with a VPN for FREE.

How to watch India vs Pakistan in Asian Games Cricket Final for free

Pakistan residents are in luck as they can catch India vs Pakistan for *FREE* on PTV Sports via Tamasha.

You don't even require an account for access.

Not at home right now? Use NordVPN or another VPN service to trick your device into thinking you're at home in Pakistan and watch PTV Sports wherever you are in the world.

How to watch India vs Pakistan live streams from anywhere

Although PTV Sports is only available in Pakistan those who are from the nations streaming the action for free but visiting the likes of India, the U.S. and the U.K. can stream it through the use of VPN (Virtual Private Network).

The software sets your devices to appear to be back in your home country regardless of where in the world you are. So, it's ideal for sports fans away on vacation or on business. Our favorite is NordVPN. It's the best on the market:

Using a VPN is incredibly simple.

1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite.

2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance if you're in the U.S. and want to view PTV Sports, you'd select Pakistan from the list.

3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to PTV Sports via Tamasha and watch the T20 final right now.

More from Tom's Guide

• How to watch cricket with Sling TV
• How to watch 'Celebrity Traitors' season 2
• How to watch Premier League 26/27

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Chemical drain unblockers promise a quick fix, but plumbers frequently warn against them. Caustic chemicals like sodium hydroxide can warp plastic PVC pipes, corrode metal plumbing, and melt rubber seals. Worse, if they fail to clear the blockage, you’re left with a basin of hazardous, standing acid.

As someone with long hair, my bathtub drain regularly succumbs to a stubborn mix of hair, soap scum, and limescale. I used to reach for a heavy-duty cleaner from the supermarket, but after learning how those chemicals harm both household pipes and local waterways, I looked for a safer alternative.

To my surprise, I already had everything I needed in my kitchen: plain white vinegar, baking soda, dish soap, a pot of hot water, and a wire coat hanger.

How to safely clear a drain clog

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• How to clean mold from your shower permanently — without using household bleach
• 'I can't remember the last time I cleaned this' — 5 hidden dirt zones in your house and how to clean them
• I sprinkled baking soda around the base of my toilet — here's why you should too

As a writer, my phone is an extension of my brain. For years, Apple Notes has been where I hurriedly scribble half-baked ideas, paste web clips, or draft grocery lists. It was fast and reliable, but I treated it strictly like a digital scratchpad: great for throwaway jottings, but underpowered for real writing.

Whenever it came time to build a structured outline or draft a long-form piece, I, of course, immediately closed the app and headed elsewhere. With iOS 27, Apple is finally closing that gap, turning Notes into a serious writing hub.

What do you think of the new Notes app?

Is this enough to change how you write on your phone, or is there still a feature you wish Apple had added? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!

More from Tom's Guide

• There's a new shortcut in iOS 27 I’m using every single day — here's where to find it
• iOS 27 has a hidden anti-scam setting — here’s why every iPhone user should turn it on
• Apple added 5 new lock screen tools in iOS 27 — here's what to change first

While mature trees easily weather winter storms, young trees with undeveloped root systems are incredibly vulnerable to freezing temperatures and drying winds. Failing to prepare them before the ground freezes can lead to severe frost damage, root desiccation, or bark girdling that permanently kills the tree.

Proactive winterization doesn't require complex landscaping — just three deliberate fall steps focused on hydration, insulation, and physical defense before the first cold snap hits.

How to winterize young trees

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• Before your lawn goes dormant, do this 15-minute job for thicker grass next spring
• Why your tomatoes aren’t turning red — and the simple pruning fix gardeners miss
• How to prepare fruit trees for winter — 7 expert tips

Ever since Apple introduced the Action Button on newer iPhones, it has come with one major catch: out of the box, it can only perform a single task at a time. For most people, that means using it as a basic mute switch or a quick camera launcher, leaving a great piece of hardware mostly wasted.

With iOS 27, Apple makes fixing that remarkably easy. The updated Shortcuts app now lets you set up custom actions using plain, everyday language.

By grouping your favorite tools into folders and tying them to your Focus modes, you can turn that single side button into a smart control center that automatically changes based on where you are and what you're doing.

Here's how to set up your Action Button to trigger multiple features at once.

Make the Action button adapt to your day

To make the side button even smarter, you can tell also your iPhone to change what the button does depending on where you are or what you're doing using Focus Modes (like Work, Driving, or Sleep).

Inside the Shortcuts app, you can build a simple 'If/Then' rule using basic commands:

• In Sleep Focus: When I'm in Sleep Focus, open my Alarms.
• In Driving Focus: When I'm in Driving Focus, open Apple Maps.
• Any Other Time: Otherwise, show my Action Menu folder.

Then assign this master rule to your Action Button in Settings.

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• There's a new shortcut in iOS 27 I’m using every single day — here's where to find it
• I finally unlinked my iPhone alarm from my ringer volume — here is where Apple hid it in iOS 27
• Siri in iOS 27 actually lives up to the hype — here are 3 truly unique uses

The overhead press, shoulder press, or military press looks simple — but it’s surprisingly easy to lift with bad form, and many more people than you'd think end up on the physical therapy couch because of poor lifting mechanics.

To maximize the benefits of this weightlifting move, we recommend learning how to overhead press before bad habits set in. As a trainer, I have a few tips to help you supercharge the muscle and strength-building benefits of the overhead press and its many variations.

Scroll on to see if you're making these common mistakes below, and my top tips to fix your form fast.

How to overhead press (and why)

As a common compound exercise cropping up in functional training workouts and strength programs everywhere, the overhead press is one of the big five lifts that works the upper body to build strength (and muscle) in your triceps, shoulders, upper chest, upper back and core while developing explosive pushing power and overhead strength.

The move recruits the upper pectoral muscles, anterior deltoids (the fronts of the shoulders) and triceps, and it also strengthens your upper traps. When done correctly, you can expect to develop maximal strength when you work to failure.

Your core muscles engage throughout to stabilize your torso, and your shoulder stabilizers support this exercise, so they require proper activation and positioning; it’s a surprisingly technical foundational lift.

Here's what I see go wrong, and three quick fixes:

• Hunching as you lift: Commonly, people will start the lift with their shoulders by their ears, meaning the rotator cuff (shoulder stabilizer muscles) can't properly activate. Not only does this increase injury risk, but it means less stability, overfiring of the bigger, powerful muscles and under-firing of the muscles that keep the move safe, causing imbalances. Fix: Draw your shoulder blades back and down and slightly together to "set them in place" and keep your shoulders away from your ears while you perform reps.
• Arching your spine: Pushing your hips forward hyperextends the spine and puts more pressure on your lower back. It can also signal you might be lifting too heavy for your core to properly engage and support the lift. Fix: Learn to brace your core properly, imagining you're expecting someone to punch you in the gut; breathe toward your diaphragm, not your chest. Next, slightly tuck your pelvis under so that you don't stick your butt out or flare your ribcage.
• Rushing your reps: Evidence suggests eccentric loading and time under tension are great ways to build control, stability and muscle mass. In this case, the eccentric phase is the lowering of the weights. Fix: Focus on a three-four second tempo down, then press up for one second, rather than getting your reps out as quickly as possible.

Why does it matter?

In short, you're wasting your time if your form is off. And we're busy humans who don't like our time being wasted, right?

Leaning back too far removes tension from your upper body and overloads your lower back. Keep your torso static — don't swing or use momentum to push the weight upward. Draw your ribcage down, engage your glutes, and slightly tuck the pelvis to keep everything locked in place.

Next, think about your shoulders; as I mentioned, draw them down and keep them there, even when you press. Our shoulders spend a lot of time protracted as we hunch over desks, slump into chairs, or sit for long periods, so retraction is key to developing healthy shoulder movement patterns while improving stability and posture. It’s also a great way to help safeguard your shoulders from injury.

Taking time during the eccentric contraction will prevent you from rushing and get the most from each rep. Pause and squeeze at the top and bottom of the movement to help maximize activation.

The rotator cuff muscles — a group of four muscles surrounding and supporting the scapulae — are crucial for shoulder stability. If you want to practice using them, I recommend adding scapula push-ups and scapula pull-ups into your warm-up routines.

If you have a shoulder-related injury, pre-existing health conditions or injuries, or you experience pain, speak with a qualified personal trainer or physician first.

Follow Tom's Guide fitness on Instagram for more workouts, routines, tips, and tricks.

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Amazon’s October Prime Day sale kicks off next week, bringing discounts across tech, home goods, and seasonal essentials. But while the best savings are strictly locked behind the Prime paywall, you don't need to spend a dime on a subscription to shop them.

If you aren't currently a subscriber, you can claim a 30-day free trial today to unlock complete access to every member-exclusive discount and fast, free shipping during next week's two-day event.

Students and younger shoppers have an even bigger advantage, qualifying for a Prime for Young Adults: 6-months free trial to cover the sale and the entire holiday season.

Here's a full breakdown of Amazon's plan options, along with the best way to sign up and cancel before your trial ends.

• shop all early October Prime Day deals

Prime membership plans and pricing

Free trial eligibility requires an account that hasn't held an active Prime membership in the past 12 months.

If you choose to stay subscribed after your trial ends, or if you don't qualify for a fresh free trial, here is how the current subscription tiers break down:

Standard Monthly: $14.99/month (Includes a 30-day free trial for eligible new accounts)

Standard Annual: $139/year (Saves you around $40 a year compared to paying monthly; includes a 30-day free trial)

Prime Access: $6.99/month (Discounted rate for qualifying government assistance recipients, including EBT and Medicaid. Includes a 30-day free trial)

Prime for Young Adults / Student: $7.49/month or $69/year (Designed for higher-ed students and young adults aged 18–24, featuring an extended 6-month trial)

How to sign up and cancel Amazon Prime

Dodge the renewal fee before it hits your card

If your goal is strictly to save on the upcoming sale without taking on a recurring bill, ending your trial before the 30 days elapse takes just a few seconds.

Simply log into your Amazon account, navigate to the main account menu, and select your Prime Membership settings. Under the management tab, click through the option to update or cancel your plan and confirm your decision to end the membership.

Amazon will maintain your full Prime benefits until the exact end date of your 30-day window, ensuring you keep access through next week's sale while guaranteeing your payment method is never charged.

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• Millions of Amazon Prime members could get up to $200 in automatic refunds starting Oct 1 — are you eligible?
• 7 Amazon Prime perks you’re probably not using
• Amazon has a hidden button that connects you with a real customer service agent — here's where to find it

There's nothing quite like climbing into bed when your sheets are freshly laundered... but wait, what's that horrible smell? If you've ever washed your sheets only to be met with a musty, sour odor when you come to make your bed, you're not alone.

According to experts, the unpleasant, urine-like stench is a result of a common mistake made during the drying process. And, as infection prevention expert Dr. Shanina C. Knighton, PhD, RN, CIC points out, there's a particular fabric that often falls foul to the so-called 'permastink.'

Below, Dr. Knighton digs into why your not-quite dry bed sheets can smell so stinky, plus how to fix it.

• Time for a refresh? Check out our guide to the best bed sheets for our top tested picks.

Why freshly washed bed sheets smell sour

According to Dr. Knighton, the unpleasant smell you sometimes find in your freshly laundered bedding comes from bacteria that multiplies when your sheets haven't quite dried properly.

"Washing removes most soil, but it does not sterilize, so a small number of bacteria survive every cycle," explains Dr. Knighton.

"When sheets sit damp, those survivors have everything they need: moisture, warmth, darkness and food in the form of skin oils, sweat and detergent residue left in the fibers."

Whether they've been sat in the drum of your washing machine too long, hung on the clothes line on a humid day, or were folded and put away prematurely, damp bed sheets become a breeding ground for bacteria.

"As an infection preventionist, I treat damp laundry the same way I treat damp hands," explains Dr. Knighton, research associate professor at Case Western Reserve University. "Both become a medium that picks up and transfers germs far more easily than dry surfaces."

Why storing your sheets makes the problem worse

You probably won't notice the smell at first. But once folded and put away, the bacteria that survived the wash cycle begin to multiply on your not-quite-dry bed sheets — and that's when the unpleasant smell starts to build.

"Folding and storing damp sheets makes the problem worse because the layers hold moisture against each other and airflow drops to nearly zero," says Dr. Knighton.

"The smell you notice later comes from the waste products of bacteria that have been feeding and multiplying on the fabric the entire time it sat damp."

But why do my bed sheets smell of pee?

To me, the smell of damp bed sheets has a particularly unpleasant stench, almost like urine. And according Dr. Knighton, there's a very good reason for that.

"The sour smell many know well from an overused towel or washcloth and the mal-odor in laundry share the same source: Moraxella osloensis, a bacterium that lives harmlessly on human skin.

"Your nose is not wrong about the urine note. As bacteria break down sweat and skin waste on bedding, they can release ammonia and the compound they produce sits in the same odor family as urine and stale sweat."

How to get your stinky sheets back to their fresh best

Unfortunately, fixing the problem of your smelly sheets isn't as simple as sticking them back in the wash. Once the bacteria sets in, it can be difficult to shift.

"This bacterium is hard to get rid of since it withstands drying, ultraviolet light and even some antimicrobial laundry additives," explains Dr. Knighton.

Below, the doctor shares her top tips to getting your musty bed sheets back to their fresh best, as well as avoiding the issue again.

Clean your washing machine

Before you attempt to re-wash your sheets, clean the washing machine itself. If the bacteria lives in your machine, washing your sheets again will only perpetuate the problem.

"If your washer does not have a self-cleaning option you should run an empty cycle with a washing machine cleaner or vinegar," says Dr. Knighton.

"Wipe the door gasket and leave the door and detergent drawer open between loads. Front load machines are notorious for harboring odor-causing bacteria in the gasket."

If possible, launder sheets at a higher temp

Next, wash your sheets in "the warmest water the fabric can tolerate, ideally 130 degrees Fahrenheit or above for cotton sheets, since cool and cold cycles leave more bacteria behind," says Dr. Knighton.

However, always check the care label first. If a higher temperature isn't an option, rinsing with one cup of white vinegar or baking soda can also work to break down the residue feeding the bacteria, advises Dr. Knighton.

Ditch the fabric softener

If your bed sheets smell bad, you might be tempted to be heavy handed with the fabric softener in order to mask the smell — don't, warns Dr. Knighton.

"Skip fabric softener on this recovery wash, because softener coats fibers and can trap residue and odor," the infection prevention specialist explains.

Dry thoroughly (then dry some more)

"Once the cycle ends, move the sheets to the dryer or the line immediately and do not fold them until every part is bone dry, including thick seams and the elastic corners on fitted sheets, which hold moisture longest," says Dr. Knighton.

"I tell people to wait for your items to cool. Sometimes they can seem dry when very warm, but when they cool off they may still be damp."

How to avoid running into the same problem again

✅Ventilate your laundry closet: "Linen closets are often the least ventilated space in a home and sometimes share a wall with a bathroom," says Dr. Knighton.

"Leave a little air space between laundry stacks and avoid storing linens in plastic bins that trap moisture."

❌Avoid synthetic fabrics: "Synthetics are prone [to trapping bacteria] and polyester and polyester blends are the worst offenders," says Dr. Knighton.

"Research shows odor compounds and odor-causing bacteria cling to polyester wash after wash, which is why athletic wear develops what researchers call 'permastink.'"

✅If you can, opt for cotton sheets: "Cotton is more forgiving because it releases oils and odors more readily in the wash," says Dr. Knighton. However, be mindful that heavy percale or flannel sheets can take longer to dry.

With iOS 27, Apple is introducing a native line of defense called Impersonation Risk Detection to tackle increasingly sophisticated social engineering scams.

From convincing fake text messages to callers posing as government agents or bank representatives, these attacks are notoriously difficult to block because traditional phone security struggles when a victim is tricked into voluntarily initiating a payment or sharing account details.

Designed to spot potential fraud in real time, this new system-level feature in iOS 27 acts as a built-in safety net, warning you (and supported third-party apps), when an interaction shows signs of a scam before you hand over sensitive information or money.

How Apple spots scams without reading your private messages

Unlike invasive security tools that scan your personal files, Impersonation Risk Detection is built around Apple’s privacy-first architecture.

When you attempt a sensitive action inside a supported app, such as sending a wire transfer, making a high-value payment, or changing critical security settings — the app can request a risk assessment from iOS 27.

On the device, Apple analyzes interaction timing, behavioral patterns, context, and basic sensor data to determine if you might be acting under the influence of a scammer.

Based on this on-device analysis, iOS 27 assigns one of three risk levels:

• Unknown: No actionable data or normal usage pattern detected.
• Medium: Minor unusual activity flagged.
• High: Significant indicators of suspicious or manipulated behavior detected.

Crucially, Apple never reads or analyzes the content of your Photos, Messages, or Mail.

The app only receives the final risk level score, allowing it to trigger protective measures like requiring extra identity verification, delaying a transaction, or displaying an urgent warning banner.

Why the feature is turned off by default

Because Impersonation Risk Detection requires sharing limited event signals with app developers and system diagnostic servers, Apple leaves the feature disabled by default upon updating to iOS 27.

To take advantage of the protection, you must manually opt in through your settings.

How to turn on Impersonation Risk Detection in iOS 27

To set it up, open Settings on your iPhone, scroll down, and tap Privacy & Security.

Next, scroll down until you locate Impersonation Risk Detection. Tap this and simply toggle the main switch to on to grant consent for supported apps to request real-time risk assessments.

Apple notes that after enabling the toggle, it can take up to 24 hours for the protection signals to fully activate across compatible apps.

Once active, you can return to this same menu at any time to view Recent Activity, giving you full visibility into which apps have requested a risk assessment and the specific actions that triggered them.

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• I finally unlinked my iPhone alarm from my ringer volume — here is where Apple hid it in iOS 27
• Siri in iOS 27 actually lives up to the hype — here are 3 truly unique uses
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If you were charged for an Amazon Prime subscription between 2019 and 2025 without clear consent, or struggled to cancel your account, you could be due a direct payout of up to $200.

Starting October 1, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is launching an expanded distribution phase of its landmark $2.5 billion settlement with Amazon. The updated terms open up eligibility to millions of additional consumers and increase the maximum payout cap per customer.

Best of all, eligible subscribers do not need to fill out a claim form or jump through administrative hoops to get their money.

Why Amazon is paying out $2.5 billion?

The payments stem from federal regulatory actions alleging that Amazon used deceptive online checkout screens to enroll consumers into paid Prime memberships without explicit authorization. The FTC also alleged that the retailer made cancelling subscriptions unnecessarily complex.

Under the $2.5 billion agreement, Amazon agreed to pay a $1 billion civil fine alongside $1.5 billion earmarked directly for consumer restitution. As of September, federal regulators report that over $845 million has already been distributed to affected subscribers.

How much money will you get

A recent federal court order raised the maximum individual payout cap from $51 to $200.

If you were part of the initial wave of refunds and only received the original $51 cap, you do not need to take any action.

The FTC confirmed that supplemental payments of up to $149 will automatically be sent to bring qualifying recipients up to the new $200 maximum.

How you will receive your payout

There are no claim forms, verification portals, or applications required. Amazon will issue funds directly through:

• PayPal or Venmo: Direct transfers to the primary digital wallet linked to your account.
• Mailed Paper Checks: Sent to the physical address associated with your Amazon account.
• Electronic transfers and paper checks must be redeemed or cashed within 60 days of issuance. Unclaimed funds will be returned to the settlement pool.

More from Tom's Guide

• Amazon settles with FTC, needs to pay Prime members $1.5 billion — here's how to claim your share
• Amazon's $1.5 billion Prime settlement explained — your most common questions answered
• Amazon has a hidden button that connects you with a real customer service agent — here's where to find it

Google Photos has received a steady stream of smart upgrades recently, adding everything from AI wardrobe sorting to vintage filter presets. But among all the new additions, one simple privacy feature stands out as an immediate, everyday lifesaver for Android users: the new Redact tool.

It’s an addition that feels long overdue — especially since Apple beat Google to the punch by introducing native face-blurring tools back in iOS 18.

Scribbling over private text or faces on screenshots looks messy and can easily leave sensitive details exposed. Google’s new Redact tool finally catches up by swapping those clunky marker lines for a clean, pixelated blur that keeps your images neat and completely secure. Here's how it works, and where you can find it.

How to use the Redact tool in Google Photos

To try it out, open the photo or screenshot you want to edit in Google Photos, tap Edit, and head to the Markup section.

From there, select the Redact pen, choose your preferred blur style, and use the slider to adjust the brush thickness to fit whatever you are covering up.

Simply draw directly over any private text, account numbers, or faces you want to conceal. The tool automatically applies a pixelated blur over your selection.

Once you are happy with the edit, tap the checkmark icon and select Save as copy in the top-right corner so you preserve your original unedited photo.

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If you've noticed cluster after cluster of red and black insects creeping along your siding, porch, or windows, you are not alone. As fall weather rolls in, boxelder bugs emerge in massive numbers, turning the exterior of homes into their personal sunbathing spots.

While their sudden arrival can feel like a full-blown infestation, these bugs are largely harmless. They rarely bite unless handled roughly; they don't spread disease, and they cannot eat through your house.

Once gathered on your siding, their goal is simple: find tiny cracks around windows, doors, or vents to crawl inside and hibernate comfortably. The key is stopping them before they make themselves at home.

Here is exactly how to secure your perimeter and get rid of them for good.

The common mistake that makes the problem worse

When faced with hundreds of boxelder bugs crawling on your home, your first instinct might be to start swatting, stepping on, or crushing them. It's extremely important you don't do that.

Much like the notorious stink bug, squishing a boxelder bug triggers a natural defense mechanism: it releases a pungent, foul-smelling odor that can actually attract more bugs to the area.

Worse yet, their bright red body fluid leaves stubborn, oily stains on carpets, curtains, upholstery, and light-colored siding that are nearly impossible to wash out.

The $2 kitchen item that stops them instantly

You don't need expensive exterminators or harsh chemical sprays to clear boxelder bugs off your house. The most effective weapon is already sitting right next to your kitchen sink: standard liquid dish soap.

To make your spray, mix two tablespoons of dish soap into a spray bottle filled with warm water.

Spraying this mixture directly onto clusters of boxelder bugs breaks down their protective, water-repellent outer shells, causing them to dehydrate and die within minutes.

Because it relies on simple soap rather than toxic chemicals, this solution is completely safe to use around pets, family, and garden plants — leaving zero chemical residue behind.

Prefer a hands-off, non-lethal approach?

If you would rather not kill the bugs, you can safely relocation-proof your yard instead. Use a garden hose with a steady water nozzle to blast clusters off your siding and onto the ground; while this won't eliminate them permanently, it disrupts their gathering spots without harming them.

Alternatively, sweep or gently vacuum them up with a wet/dry vac. Placing a nylon stocking inside the vacuum hose nozzle creates a trap so you can safely catch and release them far away from your house.

How to keep boxelder bugs from invading your home this fall

Once you have knocked down active clusters outside, you need to prevent the remaining insects from finding their way into your living room. The easiest natural prevention method comes down to a simple three-step check around your home's exterior:

Seal the gaps: Grab a tube of exterior silicone caulk and seal up any small cracks around window frames, door trim, utility pipes, and siding.

Check the entryways: Inspect your window screens and door seals, replacing any torn mesh or worn weatherstripping that leaves a gap wider than a dime.

Keep a backup handy: Keep a bucket of soapy water or a wet/dry vacuum nearby to quickly clear any stray bugs off your porch before they can slip through open doors.

More from Tom's Guide

• I stopped spiders from taking over my porch — without squishing them or using harsh chemicals
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Remember when your induction cooktop shone like it was fresh out of the showroom? Now, no matter how hard you scrub, it is covered in a cloudy white film that refuses to budge.

If your usual antibacterial kitchen spray isn't making a dent, don't panic. yYou aren't dealing with permanent damage, and you don't need expensive specialty products to fix it. That stubborn haze is simply baked-on residue that requires a slightly different approach.

It’s surprisingly easy to lift that film using a couple of basic household items you likely already have. Read on to learn what causes the mystery haze, the common cleaning mistake that can permanently ruin your cooktop, and how to get it looking brand new again.

What’s actually causing that mysterious white haze?

There are a few common culprits behind a cloudy induction cooktop. The most frequent issue is metal transfer.

When you use cookware over high heat, microscopic metal particles from the bottom of your pots and pans can embed in the smooth glass-ceramic surface — a process known as displacement. The result is a foggy or milky stain that resists basic kitchen cleaners.

Other common causes include cooked-on food splatters, mineral deposits from hard tap water, and even dried soap residue from regular kitchen sprays.

Every time you turn on an induction zone, these leftover films bake deeper into the glass, creating a dull, milky surface even after a thorough wipe-down.

The cleaning mistake that causes permanent damage

Frustrated when your efforts to clean the cooktop have no results, you might be tempted to grab a Magic Eraser, SOS pad, or steel wool to tackle the problem. Don't do it.

The smooth surface of an induction cooktop is quite vulnerable to abrasive damage. Scrubbing pads cause micro-scratches that permanently dull the glass and trap even more grease over time.

Always stick strictly to non-abrasive sponges, microfiber cloths, or soft towels.

How to safely remove white film from your induction cooktop

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• I tried this genius dryer sheet trick on my baseboards, and it got rid of all the dust in 30 seconds
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One second, a tiny ruby-throated hummingbird is peacefully sipping nectar at your window. The next, a flash of iridescent feathers dives out of nowhere, chasing the innocent visitor out of the yard like an angry jet fighter.

If your backyard hummingbird station feels more like a miniature aerial battleground than a tranquil garden retreat, you aren't alone. Watching these tiny creatures bully each other can feel alarming, but understanding why they fight is the key to creating a calm, welcoming space for every bird in your neighborhood.

Here is the territorial instinct driving hummingbird feuds — and the smart feeder setup that restores peace to your backyard.

Why hummingbirds fight over sugar water

Despite weighing less than a coin, hummingbirds are among the most intensely aggressive creatures in the avian world. Their territorial hostility isn't personal, it is a survival instinct driven by three core factors:

How to stop feeder feuds (without chasing away the birds)

Trying to shoo away a dominant bully or moving your feeder around every time a fight breaks out will only stress out the birds. Instead, the real solution comes down to visual obstruction and strategic layout.

While territorial chasing is largely harmless, improper feeder setup and maintenance pose severe threats to hummingbirds.

Prevent fatal window collisions by placing feeders within 3 feet or beyond 30 feet of glass, avoiding clear visual "tunnels" through the home. Protect against fatal infections by feeding only a simple 1:4 white sugar to water ratio — never red dyes or honey.

And prevent toxic mold by cleaning feeders every 1 to 3 days, replacing extra feeders with low-maintenance native perennials if upkeep becomes overwhelming.

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• How to help hummingbirds prepare for fall migration — 3 essential yard tweaks to do right now
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As someone who washes their bedding every week, I was surprised to find a yellow pillow stain on laundry day — but I was even more surprised that my nightly dose of retinol was to blame. Yes, the skincare staple is notorious for leaving yellow or orange patches, which is why it's already discolored my almost-new pillow.

Luckily, you can remove a retinol pillow stain as quickly as it forms. After trying a host of viral cleaning methods, I discovered this one-ingredient pre-soak is all you need. A $1 medicine cabinet essential has eliminated the ugly yellow ring left by my skincare routine, restoring my pillow to factory-condition white.

Here's the simple one-ingredient pre-wash that removed retinol stains from my pillow, plus the steps I'm taking to prevent my pillow from turning yellow again.

Retinol stains and the simple pre-wash ingredient that lifts them

Many things can leave yellow stains on pillows, but these unwanted blemishes all boil down to two things: moisture and oil.

Over time, oil and moisture build-up can leave older pillows covered in yellow stains. A retinol mark, on the other hand, can appear quickly, usually as a single yellow or orange patch where your face rests against the pillow.

That's why my Helix Down and Feather Pillow, which I've only been using for a few months, is bright white expect for a small yellow ring on the right-hand side. (Exactly where my cheek sits, as a side sleeper who sleeps on my left side).

Recently I tried viral pillow cleaning methods to remove deep-set yellow stains from old pillows. And when I say "deep-set" and "yellowed", I mean it was near-impossible to tell what the pillows' original colors were.

After trying these stain-removing techniques — from lemons to dollops of shaving foam — one was the clear winner for restoring yellow stains to bright white: the 3% hydrogen peroxide pre-wash.

To use hydrogen peroxide as a safe cleaner, always use a 3% concentration of hydrogen peroxide, avoid mixing it with other chemicals, and protect hands with gloves. As hydrogen peroxide has a mild bleaching effect, avoid using on dark-colored fabrics and delicate materials such as silk, wool and cashmere.

The hydrogen peroxide pre-soak was the only method that brought the grubby discolored pillows back to mint condition. Trying the method on a small, retinol-induced patch was a no-brainer.

And following this simple pre-wash lifted the yellow ring of retinol and restored my pillow to bright white. Here's what you need to do...

How I used hydrogen peroxide to lift retinol yellow pillow stains

As retinol stains tend to form in small, concentrated patches rather than all over the pillow, I poured a small amount of 3% hydrogen peroxide onto a light-colored cloth and dabbed it on the yellow pillow stain. I then let it sit for 30 minutes. I then worked the hydrogen peroxide into the pillow with an old toothbrush.

Following the care label, I placed the pillow into the washing machine on a standard cycle. Once I took the pillow out of the washing machine, I blotted excess water with a towel and made sure it was thoroughly dry by placing it in the dryer on a cool setting.

If your pillow is discolored or has more than one retinol stain, you can spray the 3% hydrogen peroxide all over. Here's a quick demo on how the pillow-cleaning hack works:

And here's a satisfying look at the retinol stain before and after I gave it the hydrogen peroxide treatment:

What you'll need to keep retinol pillow stains at bay

How I'm stopping retinol pillow stains from now on

While the hydrogen peroxide prewash is a simple, low-effort cleaning method, I don't want to add it to my weekly cleaning schedule. After all, while sheets should be washed every week, a pillow deep clean should be scheduled every three to six months. I'm worried frequent hydrogen peroxide applications might start wearing down the fabric.

To keep my pillows fresh and protect them against the oily residue of retinol, I've invested in a zip-up pillow protector. Used under my pillowcases, the protector provides an extra layer of safeguarding and is slightly thicker than my lightweight cotton and silk sheet sets.

Every year, Apple loads its latest iOS update with flashy upgrades, AI features, and overhauled menus. But often, the changes that actually improve your daily routine are the subtle, single-fix tweaks buried right beneath your fingertips.

While major feature highlights get most of the attention, there is one smaller iOS 27 addition in particular that you will likely find yourself using dozens of times a day: we finally have a dedicated paste shortcut built directly into the top row of your keyboard.

How the new paste shortcut works

Historically, copying and pasting on an iPhone required a clunky series of taps. You would copy a link, image, or snippet of text, switch to another app, tap inside a blank field, wait for the small context menu to pop up, and press paste.

iOS 27 cuts out those extra steps entirely. Now, whenever you copy text, a URL, or a photo to your clipboard and open a new text box in another app, a smart suggestion appears automatically in the bar directly above your keyboard.

The shortcut even displays a quick preview, showing a short text snippet or a small image thumbnail, so you always know exactly what you are about to paste before you hit send.

Why it makes daily phone use so much faster

Whether you are sending a tracking number, saving a web link, or sharing a photo, this little shortcut saves you a ton of time. It makes copying and pasting feel completely effortless.

One thing to keep in mind, however, is that this clipboard integration appears to be an iPhone-to-iPhone perk. In my own testing, copying text or media over to an Android user didn't trigger the quick-paste suggestion.

The feature is enabled automatically across iOS 27, so as long as your device is updated, the paste bar will pop up the next time you copy an item and tap into any compatible text box on your iPhone.

More from Tom's Guide

• I finally unlinked my iPhone alarm from my ringer volume — here is where Apple hid it in iOS 27
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Ask around any plot come autumn, and you'll find two types of growers: those harvesting bowls of sweet red fruit, and those staring at vines heavy with stubbornly green tomatoes as the first frost looms. If you belong to the second group, don't panic.

Many assume late-season tomatoes just need more sunshine or extra time. In reality, tomato ripening is controlled by a specific biological trigger — and with one simple pruning technique, you can trick the plant into turning those green fruits bright red before cold weather shuts everything down.

Why aren't my tomatoes turning red?

To understand why tomatoes refuse to turn red early fall, you have to look at the pigments inside the fruit. Tomatoes rely on two primary compounds for color: carotene, which creates yellow and orange tones, and lycopene, which provides that rich, classic red.

The production of lycopene relies heavily on ambient temperature. Tomato plants actively synthesize lycopene within a specific thermal window — ideally between 68°F and 77°F (20°C to 25°C).

When temperatures climb above 85°F (29°C) during late-summer heatwaves, or dip below 55°F (13°C) as autumn nights cool down, lycopene production halts entirely.

The plant then enters a state of pigment paralysis. The fruit is mature, but the chemical switch required to turn it red is locked. Sunlight actually has very little to do with this phase; heat and internal plant hormones drive the entire process.

The 3-minute pruning fix to force ripening

When fall temperatures drop, force your plant into emergency survival mode to redirect its energy into existing fruit. Start by snipping off the main growing tip at the top of the plant to stop vertical growth.

Next, strip away all open flowers, tiny buds, and marble-sized fruit, as these only drain valuable sugars. Finally, sink a trowel into the soil six inches from the main stem on two sides to sever a few outer roots. This controlled stress triggers a surge of ethylene, forcing full-sized green tomatoes to turn red rapidly.

When to bring green tomatoes indoors

Keep fruit on the vine as long as nighttime lows stay above 50°F (10°C) for the best flavor, using frost cloth to protect against brief cold snaps. Once nights drop below 50°F or a hard frost looms, harvest all full-sized fruit immediately.

Skip the sunny windowsill as direct light bakes the skin and rots the fruit. Instead, place tomatoes in a single layer inside a cardboard box in a warm, dark room, and throw in a ripe banana or apple to concentrate ethylene gas and speed up ripening within a week or two.

More from Tom's Guide

• Are your tomatoes in crisis? Here's how baking soda and vinegar can save your crop
• Why are my tomato plant leaves turning yellow? 5 steps to save your harvest
• The timeless gardening wisdom your grandparents swore by — and why it still works today

Liquid chlorine bleach is a powerful tool for sanitising and brightening white linens, but there is zero room for error once you open the bottle.

Because towels and bedding absorb high levels of body soil (stuff like body oils, dead skin flakes, sweat, etc), occasional bleaching is an effective way to deeply disinfect fabrics and break down microscopic residue.

However, using it incorrectly can backfire. If applied directly to organic proteins like sweat, it can trigger a chemical reaction that locks in stains and turns fabrics yellow.

To get that ultra-bright look without stripping away fabric strength, here is how to use bleach correctly every single time.

3 essential rules before you start

Before opening a bottle of bleach, set your washer up for success with a few crucial pre-checks.

First, decode the care tag on your linens. Look for a solid or open triangle symbol to confirm the fabric is bleach-safe. If you spot a crossed-out triangle, avoid chlorine bleach entirely because it will permanently ruin the material.

Next, watch your detergent levels. Always pay attention to the detergent’s suggested amounts on the bottle and follow them closely. Too much detergent creates soapy residue that traps dirt in the fibers, while too little won’t clean properly.

And finally, avoid overstuffing the machine, which prevents water and bleach from circulating evenly. For top loaders, only fill the drum about three-quarters full.

For front-loading machines, use the palm trick: you should be able to easily fit your hand vertically between the top of the laundry pile and the top wall of the drum. If there isn't enough space for your hand, the washer is overfilled.

How to bleach towels and linens safely

How often should you bleach?

Less is more when it comes to chlorine bleach. Bleaching every time you wash your linens will weaken the cotton threads over time, causing premature fraying, holes, and roughness.

Limit bleaching to once every four to six weeks to lift general dinginess, or reserve it exclusively for deep sanitisation after someone has been sick.

Are you team chlorine bleach, or perhaps you have another hack for keeping whites looking crisp? Share your go-to laundry tip with us in the comments.

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For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been putting all the iPhone 18 Pro (and 18 Pro Max) camera upgrades to work. While the variable aperture system has drawn plenty of attention — and rightfully so, given the natural depth of field it delivers — the bigger upgrade for me has been the introduction of new Pro Controls.

I can’t tell you how long I’ve been asking for this. Apple has historically been reluctant to give users full manual control, but over the last few generations, it’s slowly been rolling out incremental features that prove it's actually listening. Even so, it wasn't until recently that I stumbled onto something that takes the feature to another level: the ability to fully customize the Pro Controls layout to match your exact shooting style.

Whether you want shutter speed pinned front and center, or the focus slider positioned for precise fine-tuning, customizing this interface completely transforms the experience. Here’s how to do it.

How to customize Pro Controls layout using the iPhone 18 Pro/Pro Max

All of your selections will stay locked in the exact order you arranged them, making Pro Controls vastly more practical since you're no longer forced to constantly tap the six-dot icon to dig into settings. I love this level of customization because it gives me the flexibility to tweak key parameters on the fly, letting me refocus on framing and shooting instead of fumbling through menus.

Best of all, this layout customization carries over seamlessly to video recording. While you’ll find familiar core adjustments like aperture, shutter speed, manual focus, and white balance, Apple also adds video-specific tools like Dual Capture, Action mode, and Adaptive — the latter designed for time-lapse recording to dynamically slow the frame rate when motion is detected.

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As nighttime temperatures begin to drop, your lawn is preparing for its winter shutdown. But while established grass is slowing down, early fall actually presents the single best window of the entire year to grow new, thick turf fast.

If you want a lush, green carpet ready for spring, understanding when grass goes dormant, and taking advantage of the crucial weeks right before it happens, is the secret to success.

Here is when your lawn enters winter dormancy, why September and early October are ideal for overseeding, and how to accelerate grass growth before the first frost arrives.

When does grass go dormant?

Grass doesn't die when cold weather arrives. It simply enters a protective state called dormancy to conserve energy and survive freezing temperatures.

For most cool-season grasses (like perennial ryegrass and fine fescues), dormancy is triggered when daytime air temperatures consistently drop below 50°F (10°C) and soil temperatures fall below 46°F (8°C).

As your lawn prepares to sleep for the winter, the shift doesn't happen overnight. Here’s what you’ll see as your grass slips into dormancy:

• Early fall: Blade growth stalls as daily temperatures drop into the 50s. You’ll notice you don’t need to mow nearly as often.
• Late fall: Your lawn loses its bright summer luster and fades slightly as energy retreats from the blades and channels into the root system.
• First hard freeze: Once soil temperatures dip below 41°F (5°C), the grass shuts down completely, holding its ground until warmer weather returns in spring.

Why fall is the golden window to overseed your lawn

Because grass goes dormant in winter, many homeowners assume lawn care ends in late summer. In reality, the weeks leading up to winter dormancy are prime time for overseeding — spreading fresh grass seed directly over an existing lawn to repair tired, bare patches.

Timing this job for early fall yields vastly better results than waiting until spring. Summer's leftover heat stays trapped in the soil to jumpstart rapid germination, while the crisp autumn air keeps delicate tender seedlings from drying out.

Throw in predictable fall rain to handle the watering for you and a seasonal decline in weed growth, and your new grass gets a clear runway to establish deep, sturdy roots completely unbothered by spring weeds.

How to force root growth before grass goes dormant

If you want new seed to establish strong roots, timing is everything. For cool-season grasses, the ideal window is when soil temperatures are between 50°F and 65°F (10°C to 18°C). Once soil temperatures drop below the 50°F (10°C) baseline, germination slows drastically or stops entirely.

Also, when consistent fall air temperatures fall to 45°F (7°C), the grass will trigger winter dormancy, leaving late-planted seeds unable to develop the root system needed to survive the winter. Follow the four steps below to guarantee rapid germination and establishment.

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You are out for a walk, enjoying your favorite podcast or playlist, when suddenly a sharp thumping, crackling, or high-pitched fluttering sound hits your ear canal. It usually happens the moment you step off a curb, hit a bump on the bus, or catch a sudden gust of wind.

Before you panic and schedule an expensive repair or start shopping for a replacement pair, take a breath. That strange, irritating noise doesn't mean your premium headphones or earbuds are broken. In fact, it might be a sign your Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) is getting tripped up by a hidden buildup of everyday grime.

So, what actually causes that weird acoustic glitch?

To understand why it happens, you have to look at how Active Noise Cancellation works under the hood. ANC headphones use tiny outward-facing microphones to listen to the sounds around you. The headphones instantly create an opposite sound wave to block out those background noises before they reach your ear.

When you step down hard on the pavement, ride over a pothole, or walk through a gust of wind, the physical shockwave sends a sudden rush of air toward those tiny built-in mics.

Normally, the software handles these air shifts seamlessly. But over time, microscopic particles of dust, pocket lint, and skin oils build up directly over the mesh grilles protecting those external microphones. When air rushes across a partially blocked grille, it creates uneven air friction.

Instead of reading normal background noise, the mics pick up localized air turbulence. The software panics, scrambling to cancel out a noise that is physically vibrating the microphone housing itself, producing that annoying thump, pop, or flutter directly in your ear.

The simple fix that solved it for me

I was experiencing this exact issue with my Sennheiser Momentum 5s on my daily morning walk, and after assuming my pair was simply on its last legs, I realized the problem wasn't internal hardware damage at all — it was entirely physical. The moment I gave the external microphone ports a thorough deep clean, the irritating thumps and pops disappeared completely.

To clear out the buildup yourself, start by locating every tiny mesh grille or pinhole port on the outside of your ear cups or earbud stems. Take a dry, soft-bristled toothbrush or an electronics cleaning brush and sweep gently across the grilles at an angle, making sure not to push straight down so you don't pack lint deeper inside.

Next, I applied a tiny amount of micellar water to the tip of a cotton swab — it breaks down skin oils cleanly without leaving a sticky film behind. Alternatively, you can use an electronics-grade rubbing alcohol (70% isopropyl) or a tightly wrung-out wet wipe.

Whichever you choose, ensure the swab or wipe is barely damp and never dripping, then gently roll it over the mesh openings to lift any stubborn residue.

I then let my headphones air dry for about 5 minutes before putting them back on, and the noise cancellation returned to crystal-clear performance.

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• Your earbuds are disgusting — here's the right way to clean them
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With an increasing number of broadcasters and streaming services getting in on the NFL action — and raising their prices each year — blanket coverage is a distant fantasy for most fans these days. However, that doesn't mean that there aren't still a few bargains to be found. And nothing beats a freebie. Here's how you can watch the NFL for free this season.

At least three and up to nine NFL games are free-to-air on English-language channels around the world during each week of the regular season, including marquee primetime fixtures like Thursday Night Football. In the main, however, they tend to cover games in the Sunday afternoon window.

NFL postseason coverage, meanwhile, is comprehensive in Australia and New Zealand. A far cry from the situation in the U.S., where almost every game from each round of the playoffs tends to be on a different channel.

Want to catch the NFL for free? Free-to-air 7Plus in Australia, TVNZ Plus in New Zealand, 5 in the U.K. and Virgin Media Play in Ireland show games every weekend.

Better still, you can tap into those region-specific streams from anywhere. Read on as we explain how.

Watch NFL from anywhere

Away from home and blocked from watching the 2026 NFL season?

You can still tune in live thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The software allows your devices to appear as if they're back in your home country regardless of where in the world you are. Ideal for fans away on vacation or on business. One of our favorites is IPVanish:

NFL 2026: Free Streams

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• How to watch NCAA College Football 2026/27 for free
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• How to watch Champions League 2026/27 for free

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

As fall sets in, households that don't have central air are turning their heating back on for the first time in months, only to find that one or two radiators aren't warming up properly.

Reaching for a radiator key the moment a panel feels chilly, however, could be a completely wasted effort. Heating expert at U.K. Radiators Rob Nezard warns that a cold radiator doesn't automatically mean you have trapped air, and performing the wrong fix won't solve the real underlying issue.

"Early fall is a sensible time to test your heating rather than waiting until the first really cold week," says Nezard. "Turn the heating on and give the system enough time to warm up. Then carefully check each radiator for uneven temperatures and listen for any unusual gurgling."

Here is how to diagnose your cold radiator in seconds using a simple touch test, plus six common bleeding mistakes to avoid this season.

Check where the radiator is cold first

Before touching any valves, turn your heating on and gently run your hands over the surface of the problem radiator. Where the cold air is trapped reveals everything.

Cold at the top? Bleeding will help. "The classic sign that a radiator needs bleeding is when the bottom is getting warm but the top remains noticeably colder," explains Nezard. "You might also hear gurgling, clunking or groaning noises when the heating comes on.

These can be signs that air has become trapped inside the radiator. Bleeding releases that trapped air and allows the hot water to circulate more effectively."

Cold at the bottom? Do not bleed it. If you feel the opposite, air is not your issue and opening the bleed valve will solve nothing.

"If the radiator is hot at the top but cold towards the bottom, don't automatically bleed it," Nezard warns. "Cold patches at the bottom can be associated with a build-up of sludge or debris inside the radiator. That's a different problem and repeatedly bleeding the radiator isn't going to remove sludge."

If sludge build-up or brown liquid is escaping your radiator, the system will likely need a professional flush rather than a simple bleed.

Radiator bleeding mistakes to avoid

If your diagnostic test confirms that air is trapped at the top of your radiator, proceed with caution. Nezard highlights six critical mistakes households regularly make when trying to fix their heating:

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Undoubtedly you've heard about doing a spring clean, but what about fall? Sure, spring is a great time of year to give your house a clean up ready for the warmer months ahead – and yes, it's definitely a catchier phrase than a fall clean.

But we're missing a trick. Fall cleaning should be just as important.

In fact, I'd argue that fall cleaning is even more pressing than spring cleaning. After a busy summer, our homes are begging for a deep clean (at least mine certainly is), and it's also just the perfect time to prepare your house for longer, cozy nights in, as well as setting up for all that Thanksgiving and Christmas hosting.

I also love to fall clean, declutter, and tidy up my busy household, ready for any new items that might arrive over the festive period.

Ultimately, adding fall cleaning to my seasonal list of chores has been a game-changer, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to hear it.

As a homes writer, I've found a lot of handy tips over the years that I now put into action specifically in fall. Here are my top 5 tips I want to share to make your fall clean the ultimate reset.

1. 'Chaos decluttering'

Earlier this year, I tried 'chaos decluttering' to spring clean my home – and I liked it so much, I'm using it for fall.

Essentially, as Kim Jones of Lock and Key Home coined the method, you create chaos in your home by pulling everything out of a messy area (and I mean everything) before sorting, organizing, and putting it away.

The idea of making more mess might make you cringe, but trust me, it works wonders when you face your clutter head-on.

You don't have to carry out this method for your entire house, but I'm using it to tidy up my baking cupboard and my wardrobe to sort through the summer clothes I know I didn't wear this year and won't wear next.

2. Clean your hallway

Fall is a popular time for hosting, whether it's Thanksgiving with all the family or a cozy night-in with friends. But, with more people coming and going, there's also a lot more muddy boots from the fall weather and a lot more clutter – especially in one area of your home, the hallway.

While I've previously encouraged Toms Guide readers on why you should clean your hallway in January to begin the New Year with a fresh start, it's definitely ready for another deep scrub in fall.

First, I tackle the amount of shoes that have gathered over the year, then the bags and coats ready to accommodate the larger, bulkier coats for the winter and then I streamline the amount of general clutter and overwhelming storage.

It might seem like a good idea to have boxes of items in your hallway for you to grab from, but it'll quickly turn into piles of mess meaning guests haven't got anywhere to put their things.

3. Deep clean your oven

Alongside a good clean of your entire kitchen (and home) during fall, you should pay close attention to your oven.

It's going to get a lot more use over the fall period, especially for making hot meals to enjoy during the colder weather. But you may have accidentally neglected cleaning it over a busy summer.

Fortunately, I tried an oven cleaning hack using two household items I already own, and it worked wonders. Not only is it really simple, but it's also super budget-friendly. All you need is a bottle of Cif Cream and some cling wrap.

You apply the Cif Cream to your oven door, leaving it open and covering it in cling wrap. Then, leave it for around an hour (though I had to leave it a fair while longer for stubborn stains) and wipe it off.

Then, popping all those finger foods for hosting and those tasty leftovers for an easy fall night meal can all happen in a lovely clean oven.

4. Try the 'moving out' decluttering method

If you've found you've given your house a lovely clean, but you're still concerned about the amount of clutter filling the rooms, you might need to get a little more ruthless – and that's where the 'moving out' decluttering method comes in.

I moved last fall, and I wouldn't want to do it again anytime soon, but it was a really excellent way to make me cull my household items and something I'd seriously recommend incorporating into any fall cleaning routine.

You go from room to room looking at what you own and asking yourself whether you'd box up certain items if it was time for you to move.

If the answer is no, then it's not something you need to keep. It basically asks you to reframe your mind rather than just living with something because you're used to having it around.

5. Make your home smell like fall

Finally, while I'm a sucker for the pine-scented candles of the festive period, I also like to make my home smell like fall – and it's super simple and cost-effective.

Thanks to @elnazhamai on TikTok, I've been following one of the many amazing hacks she shared to her over 500k followers for the last few years to make the ultimate fall home deodorizers.

All you need to do is mix two cups of baking soda with 3/4 cup of water. Then, scoop this mixture into cupcake cases on a baking tray. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes.

After they're fully cooled, add drops of essential oils to the ones you want to use. Each one lasts around three months, and you can keep the others in an airtight container. You can also reapply the oils to boost the scent.

Essential oils I like to choose for fall include cinnamon, cedarwood, ginger, vanilla, and blood orange, but you can use whatever scents you like. And then your home will be clean for fall and also smell just like it.

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When it comes to day-to-day household chores, I usually rely on natural, non-toxic cleaning products to do the job.

Whether it’s my trusty white vinegar and baking soda to tackle everyday grime or hydrogen peroxide to lift tough marks and mold, these eco-friendly alternatives are extremely popular.

However, it's important to know that not all natural ingredients work well together. Although white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide are household favorites, combining the two can be a lethal combo.

So before you get out your cleaning caddy, here’s why you should never mix vinegar and hydrogen peroxide.

What happens if you mix vinegar and hydrogen peroxide

While vinegar vs. hydrogen peroxide offer distinct advantages when used separately, combining acetic acid (vinegar) and hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle creates peracetic acid (peroxyacetic acid).

Essentially, this is a corrosive and toxic chemical that can irritate the skin, cause watery eyes, and affect your respiratory system (especially with long-term use).

If you do experience any of these symptoms, however, be sure to seek medical attention immediately. Another top tip is to open windows or doors to quickly let in adequate airflow and ventilation in the area.

In addition, when used on delicate worktops, such as marble or natural stone countertops, the corrosive mixture can cause damage to the surface.

So, to avoid potential health risks (or expensive repairs), it's advised to use these natural products separately to clean your home.

How to use vinegar and hydrogen peroxide safely

However, if you still want to clean with both products, there is a safe way to use vinegar and hydrogen peroxide — just not diluted.

If you want to lift light surface grime or stubborn marks, white vinegar works wonders. Just spray the area gently using one cleaner at a time — starting with the white vinegar — and let it sit for about 15 minutes before wiping the surface clear with a clean microfiber cloth.

Since white vinegar alone can’t effectively kill bacteria or germs, hydrogen peroxide saves the day — and good bleach substitute. Similarly, spray the same spot with hydrogen peroxide, letting it rest for a couple of minutes, before wiping it thoroughly clean.

Not only will your household surfaces remain both spotless and fully sanitized, but you’ll eliminate any harmful toxins.

For more top tips on natural products, check out cleaning vinegar vs white vinegar: Why you need to know the difference (and what to avoid).

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If you’ve ever opened Apple's Health app only to feel buried under endless charts and menus, relief has finally arrived. Available to try now in the iOS 27.2 public beta, Apple’s Health app is getting a massive makeover that turns a passive spreadsheet of numbers into a clear, day-to-day fitness companion.

Instead of just collecting your data, the updated app uses built-in smarts to explain what your stats actually mean for your body, and what you should do next.

Here is a straightforward look at what’s changing, the stand-out features to try first, and how to get the beta update on your iPhone today.

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With the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4, users can now view their total daily step count in real time on the watch face courtesy of Apple’s powerful S11 processor.

While there are a couple of different ways to add the Daily Steps widget to your watch face, below, I’ve explained my favorite way to do it: Using the new Siri Modular watch face in five quick steps.

Don’t have one of the latest Apple Watch models? You can still add a step count widget to the watch face using a third-party option like the Pedometer++ app.

That said, if you do have the Apple Watch Series 12 or Apple Watch Ultra 4, here’s how to unlock Apple’s step count widget in less time than it takes to walk around the block.

How to add the step count widget to your Apple Watch

1. Open the Watch app on your iPhone and tap ‘Face Gallery’ at the bottom, center of the page
2. Select the category ‘New Watch Faces' or search for “Siri Modular’
3. Select your preferred Siri Modular layout and scroll down to ‘Complications’
4. Tap on one of the complications to change it; you’ll find the ‘Daily Steps’ widget toward the top under ‘Activity’
5. With the ‘Daily Steps’ widget added, tap ‘Add to Watch’ to switch to the Siri Modular face

Read on to see full illustrated instructions for each step.

And... that's it! Your personalized Siri Modular watch face with a Daily Steps widget should now appear on your Apple Watch Series 12 or Apple Watch Ultra 4 (the only models that support this feature natively).

Looking for more ways to customize your Apple Watch with the latest watchOS 27 bells and whistles? Here's how to enable the new Siri AI voice assistant on your Apple Watch. Best of all, you don't need one of the latest models – just one that supports watchOS 27.

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If you’ve stepped onto your front porch recently and felt like you walked straight into a horror movie prop, you aren’t alone. Across the country, homeowners are reporting an influx of unusually massive spiders setting up camp right outside their front doors.

Naturally, the instinct is to grab a broom, sweep down the intricate webs, and call it a day. But if you've tried this, you already know the frustrating reality: within 12 to 24 hours, that exact same giant web is right back in the exact same corner.

Sweeping away spider webs never fixes the problem long-term because it misses the root cause. Here's why spiders are taking over porches right now, and the simple tweaks that will actually keep them away.

Why spiders look so massive right now

First, a quick reality check: you aren't imagining it. Spiders really are at their largest during late summer and early fall.

Throughout the spring and summer, young spiders stay hidden while feeding and growing. By early autumn, species like orb weavers reach full adult maturity. The males begin actively roaming out in the open to search for mates, while females build large, heavy-duty webs to catch enough food before laying eggs.

While they might look terrifying, these mature spiders are harmless to humans and act as nature’s pest controllers. However, that doesn't mean you want a massive web waiting for you at eye-level every time you open your front door.

Why sweeping webs down fails every time

Knocking down a web forces a spider to rebuild, but it doesn't give them a reason to leave. Spiders don't select your porch because they like the architecture, they select it because your porch is an all-you-can-eat insect buffet.

Here is what is actually drawing them in:

• Standard porch lights: Blue-spectrum and UV light from standard white bulbs act as a massive beacon for flying insects overnight —moths, mosquitoes, flies, and gnats. Spiders simply weave their nets at the exit of the restaurant.
  
• Overgrown spider highways: shrubbery or tree branches that brush against your porch railings or eaves create an effortless bridge for insects and spiders to cross directly onto your home.
  
• Porch clutter: Unused planters, stacked firewood, and neglected outdoor shoes offer dark, sheltered nooks where spiders can safely hide from predators during daylight hours.

How to keep spiders away from your porch and patio

To stop spiders from returning, you don't need harsh chemicals or exterminators. You just need to cut off their food supply and disrupt their sensory comfort.

Prevent them from moving indoors as it gets colder

As fall temperatures drop, spiders will naturally look for warm gaps to overwinter. While you're resetting your porch, take five minutes to seal potential entry points:

• Inspect weather stripping on front and back doors, replacing any cracked seals.
• Check window screens for small tears and patch them up.
• Use caulk to seal small foundation cracks near outdoor entryways.

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• How to tell if a hole in your yard belongs to a snake — and what to do next
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For years, iPhone users have lived with a high-stakes daily anxiety: turning down your ringer volume before bed meant accidentally silencing your morning alarm.

In iOS 27, Apple makes it easier than ever to keep your alarm volume completely independent from your overall ringer. The setting isn't enabled by default, and it's tucked away inside a menu most people scroll right past.

Here is how to set up your alarm volume independently so you can keep your ringer quiet overnight without missing your wake-up call.

How to set a dedicated alarm volume in iOS 27

Open Settings on your iPhone, tap Sounds & Haptics, and scroll down to the Alarms & Timers section.

From there, toggle Match Ringtone Volume to off. This step permanently unlinks your alarm slider from your physical side volume buttons.

Then drag the new Alarm & Timer Volume slider to your preferred level.

Once Match Ringtone Volume is turned off, pressing your iPhone's physical side buttons during the day will only change your media and ringer volume. Your morning alarm will stay locked at the exact volume level you set on this slider.

Does this override Sleep Focus?

No. If you use a Wake-Up Alarm configured inside the Health app or a Sleep Focus schedule, iOS continues to manage that volume dynamically based on your sleep goals.

However, for any standard alarms set in the Clock app or quick voice timers set via Siri, this new slider acts as your master volume control.

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Apple elected to settle a $250 million class action lawsuit back in May that means up to 36 million iPhone owners are eligible for a payout of up to $95 per device. The lawsuit alleged Apple misled customers with false advertising over the arrival of Siri AI and Apple Intelligence.

Apple denied any wrongdoing, but did decide to settle the lawsuit to resolve the claims swiftly. In a statement, it said this meant it could "stay focused" on "delivering the most innovative products and services to our users."

The settlement allowed each eligible person who filed a claim to receive a per-device payment of $25, which could increase up to $95 depending on the claim volume.

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There is nothing quite as puzzling as finding a random, messy clump of leaves crammed beneath your shed ramp or behind stacked boxes in your garage. Most homeowners assume a stray cat, rat, or squirrel is making a mess on their property, reaching straight for the broom to sweep it away and block off the gap.

Before clearing it out, take a closer look. That unsung leaf pile might not be random yard debris at all. It could be a temporary den built by an opossum. Unlike birds or mice, North America's only native marsupials build nests that look completely different from other common yard critters.

Once you know what to look for, you can stop worrying about structural damage and recognize that you simply have a temporary guest taking shelter for a few days.

What an opossum nest actually looks like

Unlike birds that weave intricate cups or squirrels that build neat dreys high in trees, opossums build simple, un-woven dens designed purely for short-term insulation.

An opossum nest looks like a tight, compressed bundle of yard debris stuffed firmly into a cavity. It lacks any neat architectural pattern, often resembling a simple pile of swept-up leaves.

They primarily gather dry leaves, fallen grass, twigs, and shredded bark. In suburban areas, they will also tuck in human scrap like paper, fabric, or plastic wrappers.

Opossums stay low. Look for dens tucked beneath deck steps, under shed foundations, inside hollow logs, or behind stacked boxes in cool, dark garage corners.

The leaf trail telltale sign

Opossums have a unique way of gathering nesting materials using their prehensile tails. They pick up leaves or grass with their mouths, pass the bedding under their bodies with their feet, and wrap the tip of their tail tightly around the bundle to carry it back to their den.

If you spot accumulated piles of dry leaves stuffed into small gaps or cavities under a porch or shed, an opossum may be building its nest nearby.

3 common opossum myths

Before trying to remove an opossum, it helps to separate internet myths from wildlife facts:

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Watch FREE 2026 UCI Road World Championships live streams to see who will get to wear the rainbow bands for the next 12 months.

Returning to Canada for the first time since 2003 this year’s road Worlds are based in and around the city of Montreal. There are 13 gold medals to be won over the week starting with the TT events on Sunday the 20th and ending with the Men’s road race a week later.

Any riders who have ridden the Grand Prix de la Montréal will be familiar with the road race circuit as it’s an exact replica of the undulating course which treats the riders to an ascent of Mount Royal each lap. The TT courses are different though, based on the roads around the old town and the port.

All the World's best riders will be present from Demi Vollering and Lotte Kopecky to Remco Evenepoel and Tom Pidcock apart of course for one very big name, Tadej Pogačar after he crashed out of the Vuelta and was forced to end his season.

See below for a full preview of events.

You can watch UCI Road World Championships 2026 live streams from anywhere with a VPN, and potentially for FREE.

Watch UCI Road World Championships 2026 live streams for free

FREE UCI Road World Championships 2026 streaming is available in multiple countries:

Abroad? If you're based in any of these countries but aren't at home during the race, don't worry — you can unblock your usual local stream with a VPN. We'll show you how to do that below.

Watch UCI Road World Championships 2026 streams from abroad

Away from home at the moment and blocked from watching the cycling on your usual subscription service?

You can still watch UCI Road World Championships 2026 live streams thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The software enables your devices to appear to be back in your home country regardless of where in the world you are. So, it's ideal for sports fans away on vacation or on business. Our favourite is NordVPN. It's the best in the field:

Using a VPN is incredibly simple.

1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite.

2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance if you're in the U.S. and want to view an Australian service, you'd select Australia from the list.

3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to SBS On Demand or another streaming service and watch the action.

How to watch UCI Road World Championships 2026 live streams in the U.S.

Cycling fans in the U.S. can watch the 2026 UCI Road World Championships on FloBikes. A subscription will set you back US$155.88 for the year or US$39.99 on a monthly basis.

If you're out of the US but still want to watch the 2026 UCI Road World Championships then don't forget to explore the VPN route set out above, which will help you access your subscriptions from anywhere.

How to watch UCI Road World Championships 2026 live streams in the U.K.

In the UK, the BBC will be showing selected events from the UCI Road World Championships live and on-demand for FREE on BBC Two, BBC Three, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website

The UCI Road World Championships are also is streaming live each day on TNT Sports in the UK.

TNT coverage in the UK is on the HBO Max platform. It costs £30.99 per month, though there is a better value £25.99 "saver plan" available if you sign up for a 12-month term.

Streams will be spread out across the TNT Sports Channels.

If you're currently traveling overseas, don't worry, as you can use NordVPN to watch your usual service from abroad.

How to watch UCI Road World Championships 2026 live streams in Canada

Fans in Canada can watch the UCI Road World Championships 2026 on free streaming service CBC Gem

As host of this year's World Championships, a deal has been struck with the local broadcaster meaning you can watch all the action at no cost.

Not at home right now? Use NordVPN or another VPN service to trick your device into thinking you're still in Canada.

How to watch UCI Road World Championships 2026 live streams in Australia

The UCI Road World Championships 2026 are available on Stan Sport in Australia.

Prices start at AU$9.99 for a standard sub with the Sport add-on coming in at AU$20/month. This also gets you access to a host of other sport, including Premier League and Champions League football and Nations Championship rugby.

Outside Oz? Use NordVPN or another VPN service to trick your device into thinking you're still in Australia.

2026 UCI Road World Championships Preview

Kicking off the championships will be the Women’s Elite TT and starting as favourite on the predominantly flat course will be the 2025 World Champion Marlon Reusser. She will however have to hold off the challenge of Britain's rising star Zoe Bäckstedt, who at just 21 is 14 years younger than Reusser and riding the elite champs for the first time.

In the Men’s event later the same day you’d have to be crazy to bet against Remco Evenepoel, who is currently in a class of his own when it comes to the TT. Going for his 4th title in a row the only rider with a realistic chance of beating him is the Italian great Filippo Ganna, however the climb to the finish may just be too steep for him.

After the Elite TT’s on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday are for the U23, Junior and the mixed relay events run over various permutations of the roads used for the elite races.

With the TT medals awarded it’s time to begin the road races and these kick off with the Women’s Under 23 and Men’s Junior race on the Thursday followed by the Men’s U23 and Women’s Junior on the Friday. All covering different distances the one thing they have in common is the inclusion of the event's signature climb, the infamous Mount Royal.

After the warm up acts have finished it’s time for the show-piece events, the Elite Road Races. First up are the women on Saturday as they face 180 kilometres including 8 laps of the city centre circuit which means eight ascents of Mount Royal. Favourite to take the win, and her first rainbow bands is the Dutch rider Demi Vollering as she aims to cap a sensational season. The only riders in with a sniff of beating her are likely to be Paula Blasi, Elisa Longo Borghini and the 2025 Tour de France winner Kasia Niewiadoma.

If there is a hot favourite for the women’s race the men’s is the total opposite. In the absence of Tadej Pogačar who is sidelined with injury there are now a whole host of riders who will be dreaming of claiming the rainbow bands. Covering 274 kilometres and climbing 3,800 meters the course is hilly but nothing these riders won't be used to and keeps the door open for all sorts of styles to triumph. Heading the list must be Evenepoel though who will be aiming to double up by winning the TT and the RR but behind him you could take your pick from Tom Pidcock, Wout van Aert, Paul Seixas, Isaac del Toro and of course 2023 champion Mathieu van den Poel.

2026 UCI Road World Championships event schedule

Sunday, 20 September | Women’s elite individual time trial | 39.2km | 09:00 - 11:20

Sunday, 20 September | Men’s elite individual time trial | 39.2km | 12:45 - 15:15

Monday, 21 September | Women’s U23 individual time trial | 20.3km | 09:00 - 10:40

Monday, 21 September | Men’s U23 individual time trial | 31.3km | 12:00 - 14:25

Tuesday, 22 September | Team time trial mixed relay | 40.6km | 08:30 - 11:15

Tuesday, 22 September | Men’s junior individual time trial | 10.7km | 12:15 - 14:25

Tuesday, 22 September | Women’s junior individual time trial | 10.7km | 15:15 - 16:45

Thursday, 24 September | Women’s U23 road race | 134km | 09:00 - 12:45

Thursday, 24 September | Men’s junior road race | 134km | 13:30 - 17:00

Friday, 25 September | Men’s U23 road race | 174km | 09:00 - 13:20

Friday, 25 September | Women’s junior road race | 80.4km | 14:15 - 16:35

Saturday, 26 September | Women’s elite road race | 180.4km | 09:00 - 14:10

Sunday, 27 September | Men’s elite road race | 273.7km | 09:00 - 15:40

More from Tom's Guide

• How to watch cycling free online in 2026
• How to watch F1 live streams online
• Tom's Guide to the Premier League 2026/27

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

For years, your iPhone’s lock screen was designed around Apple’s rigid aesthetic rules rather than your personal taste.

With the release of iOS 27, Apple has finally handed full visual control back to users. Alongside system-wide refinements to the frosted Liquid Glass interface, the update introduces five key settings that let you strip away visual clutter, resize UI elements, and shape your display to look like you designed it yourself.

If your iPhone is running iOS 27, taking a few minutes to tweak these controls will completely change how your phone looks every time you pick it up.

5 new lock screen tools in iOS 27

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Few things ruin a clean bathroom faster than discolored, dingy grout lines. No matter how thoroughly you scrub your floor and wall tiles, darkened grout leaves the entire space looking worn and neglected.

Getting your grout sparkling again does not require endless elbow grease or harsh fumes. By switching to an oxygenating paste that breaks down deep-seated grime from the inside out, you can restore your grout lines in minutes.

Here is why bleach fails on grout and the simple method to clean it for good.

Why household bleach fails on bathroom grout

Unlike smooth tile, grout is a cement-and-sand mixture that acts like a microscopic sponge. Every shower forces body oils, soap scum, and hard water minerals deep inside its pores, far past the surface.

Reaching for household bleach only makes things worse.

Household bleach is mostly water, so its active ingredients sit on top of the tile while the water seeps into the grout, feeding the mold's hidden root system. Bleach whitens surface stains, but it can't dissolve buildup.

To permanently lift grime without breaking your back, you need a smart dual approach: an alkaline agent to melt away grease and soap scum, paired with a deep-penetrating oxygenating agent to pull organic stains and mold roots out of the pores for good.

How to restore dingy grout without scrubbing

Instead of liquid sprays that run down the wall before they can work, the trick is creating a clinging paste that lets chemistry do the lifting.

Start by combining half a cup of baking soda, a quarter cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide, and one teaspoon of liquid dish soap in a small bowl.

Stir the ingredients together until they form a thick, toothpaste-like consistency. The dish soap immediately breaks through the oily barrier of soap scum, while the hydrogen peroxide penetrates deep into the grout's pores.

If you have natural stone tiles like marble or slate, skip the baking soda. While it isn't an acid, its gritty texture can scratch and dull highly polished stone finishes; stick to a simple mix of hydrogen peroxide and dish soap instead.

As the peroxide encounters embedded organic mold and grime, it breaks down and releases micro-bubbles of oxygen that expand inside the pores, physically lifting trapped dirt and spores to the surface.

Use an old toothbrush or application brush to paint a generous layer of the paste directly along your discolored grout lines. For vertical shower walls or severe floor staining, you can press strips of plastic wrap directly over the paste-coated grout lines.

The plastic wrap prevents the hydrogen peroxide and water from evaporating, locking in moisture and forcing the active chemical reaction to work against the grout for hours instead of drying out in minutes.

Once the time is up, peel off the plastic wrap and wipe the paste away using a damp microfiber cloth or a warm showerhead stream. The loosened dirt, mold, and soap scum will rinse off, revealing clean, bright grout lines underneath.

How to keep your grout clean permanently

Once your grout is restored to its original color, taking a few preventive steps will keep it bright and save you from deep-cleaning it again anytime soon.

Because freshly cleaned grout is completely exposed, you need to seal it— but timing is everything. Allow the grout to dry completely from the inside out for 24 to 48 hours after cleaning.

Once it is thoroughly dry, paint a clear penetrating grout sealer over the lines. This locks the microscopic pores so water, body oils, and soap scum bead off the surface instead of soaking into the wall.

After every shower, spend 30 seconds squeegeeing the walls to eliminate standing moisture, and, if you have one, leave the exhaust fan on for 20 minutes to keep mold-triggering humidity at bay.

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• I revived my stiff, scratchy bath towels to their original softness using simple pantry staples
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I’ll be the first to admit I stopped relying on Siri years ago for anything more than quick kitchen timers or checking the weather. Like many iPhone users, I had grown accustomed to its limitations.

But after spending time testing the new Siri experience in iOS 27, I'm actually shocked by how much it's improved. Instead of just answering basic questions, Siri finally feels full integrated into your phone.

If you've been ignoring the feature like I was, here are the three unique tools that actually changed my daily routine.

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Opening your freezer to find your food buried under a heavy layer of white frost is a frustratingly common problem. In most cases, freezer ice buildup is caused by simple everyday issues like blocked airflow vents, improper food storage, or a worn door gasket letting warm, humid kitchen air sneak inside.

Before chipping away at the ice with a scraper, or calling for repair, you can usually solve the problem yourself in just a few minutes. Here's why your freezer keeps frosting up, how to fix the underlying cause, and the simple steps to keep ice from coming back for good.

Why frost builds up in your freezer

Frost forms whenever warm, moisture-heavy room air meets the freezing temperatures inside your appliance. When that humidity hits the cold interior walls or vents, it instantly freezes into ice crystals.

Overpacking your freezer or pushing boxes tightly against the back vents blocks cold air circulation, creating localized cold spots where moisture settles and freezes. Storing hot food too quickly also releases a cloud of steam that immediately turns into a layer of frost across surrounding items.

A dirty, cracked, or warped rubber door gasket allows a continuous stream of room air to leak inside. Even a tiny door gap caused by an overstuffed drawer or stray ice cube will coat the entire freezer in white fuzz within hours.

The clogged defrost drain problem

Modern frost-free freezers automatically run a heating cycle several times a day to melt frost off the hidden evaporator coils. This melted water flows down a small drain hole at the back of the compartment and travels through a tube into a drip pan underneath the appliance, where it safely evaporates.

If this drain hole or tube becomes clogged with food debris or ice, the meltwater cannot escape. Instead, it backs up, flows out onto the floor of the freezer compartment, and freezes solid into a thick, flat sheet of ice during the next cooling cycle.

How to fix and prevent freezer frost

Restoring proper airflow and sealing out moisture takes just a few simple 5-minute adjustments.

Avoid jamming your freezer to capacity and leave a few inches of clearance around the interior air vents so cold air can circulate freely. Keep your freezer about three-quarters full for optimal efficiency.

Always let hot cooked foods drop to room temperature on the counter before freezing them to prevent condensation build-up.

Try the dollar bill test. Close the freezer door on a dollar bill. If you can pull the bill out easily without resistance, your rubber gasket is loose or worn and needs to be cleaned or replaced.

If you spot a sheet of ice on the bottom floor of your freezer, unplug the unit, melt the ice with warm water, and flush the drain hole at the back with a squeeze bottle of hot water.

When to contact a professional

If your freezer continues to heavy-frost despite fixing airflow and cleaning the door seal, the internal defrost timer or heating element may have failed.

At that point, skip the DIY hacks and contact a qualified appliance repair specialist to inspect the electrical component.

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When it comes to household chores, I can always rely on natural cleaners such as white vinegar and baking soda, or even lemon juice to tackle those tough cleaning jobs.

Now there seems to be a new eco-friendly option that’s gaining popularity (and taking over vinegar) — hydrogen peroxide.

While both are effective cleaning agents, what’s the difference between the two? Each option has its own strengths and limitations, making them suited for entirely different tasks.

So, which tasks are ideal for each solution, and what surfaces should you never touch? I spoke with cleaning experts to discover when they rely on vinegar versus hydrogen peroxide to keep a home spotless.

When is white vinegar best used for cleaning?

Vinegar has been a staple cleaner in my home for many years, and I’ve put it to good use when removing limescale, bathtub scum, and unsightly marks on my shower doors or glass.

With its 5–6% acetic acid concentration, it excels at lifting stubborn stains, cutting through built-up dirt, and leaving glass spotless — entirely free from harsh chemicals. It’s easy to see why this has become such a favored choice for daily household tasks.

"Vinegar is my number one choice when I am faced with hard water deposits, specifically on shower glass,” states Ashley Torres, Cleaning Expert and Lead Cleaner at Karen's Green Maids. “Vinegar is also great for general cleaning around kitchens and bathrooms."

Things you can clean with vinegar

• Removing limescale on faucets and showerheads
• Cleaning appliances such as coffee makers, kettles, and microwaves
• Window glass or mirrors without leaving streaks
• Laundry stain remover and an effective substitute for fabric softener
• Deodorize drains and clear minor clogs

What are its limitations?

However, there are some things you should never clean with vinegar to avoid damage. This includes marble or natural stone countertops, wooden floors, and rubber items around the home.

Again, this is due to its potent acidic nature, which can cause more harm than good if used improperly.

"The biggest problem with using vinegar is knowing what you should NOT use it on,” agrees Torres. “I do not recommend using vinegar on marble, granite, or any other type of natural stone, as the acid will eat through them."

In that case, you might need a gentler solution, such as warm water and dish soap.

In addition, while vinegar makes a great surface cleaner, it doesn’t disinfect or reliably kill germs or viruses. So, vinegar falls short when it comes to thoroughly sanitizing spaces, particularly if someone in the household is sick.

For this, standard household bleach remains far more effective at eliminating harmful germs and surface bacteria.

When is hydrogen peroxide best used for cleaning?

On the other hand, hydrogen peroxide (forsana) is a powerful oxidizing agent that breaks down into water and oxygen. This agent has the ability to kill bacteria, viruses, fungi, and even biofilms.

For this reason, experts advise taking caution when using this for cleaning surfaces, as this may strip the top color.

"I would use hydrogen peroxide for specific stain removal and for disinfecting surfaces as needed,” advises Torres.

“Be cautious when using hydrogen peroxide as it may bleach, lighten, or otherwise discolor many types of colored fabric or finish. Always test before applying!"

Similar to bleach, hydrogen peroxide is also known to easily tackle tough stains such as blood, yellow marks, and bad odors. The main difference is it’s non-toxic and fragrance-free.

Things you can clean with standard hydrogen peroxide

• Clean mold and mildew
• Cutting boards
• Baking sheets
• Sinks and countertops
• Brighten laundry and remove stains from surfaces, tiles, and dirty grout
• Mirrors

What are its limitations?

Perhaps the main drawback is knowing when and how to use it properly, and professionals warn that this solution is frequently misused around the home.

“People pour it on wood floors or colored grout thinking it's a gentle option, but at 3% concentration it oxidizes pigment and lifts sealants off surfaces,” states Caleb John, director of Exceed Plumbing & Air Conditioning.

“I've seen grout go from charcoal gray to a patchy off-white after just two or three applications. The reason it does that is that the oxidation process doesn't distinguish between bacteria and dye, it breaks down whatever organic compound it contacts first.”

Another limitation is that it won’t get to work on surfaces right away, as you’ll need to leave it on for some time. “Hydrogen peroxide needs at least 10 minutes of dwell time to actually disinfect a surface,” adds John.

“Spray and wipe immediately, and you're getting basically zero disinfection benefit, even though it kills around 99.99% of surface bacteria when used correctly.”

So remember this the next time you’re frantically wiping down your surfaces.

Vinegar vs. hydrogen peroxide: Verdict

So out of the two natural cleaners, which one is better for your home? It depends entirely on the particular household task at hand.

"If I had to choose one (and I really shouldn't), I would say neither is superior,” adds Torres. “Each does something differently. Just remember: Do Not Mix.”

However, if you’re looking for the ultimate, all-in-one cleaner that can remove stains, odors, and kill bacteria, then hydrogen peroxide is the winner here. “I think hydrogen peroxide edges ahead,” agrees John.

“It leaves no residue, breaks down into water and oxygen, and doesn't produce fumes that linger in enclosed spaces the way strong vinegar does. For me, that's the cleaner I'd reach for first in most situations, as long as you keep it off colored fabrics and natural wood.”

More from Tom's Guide

• 7 natural hacks to make your home smell good without chemicals
• How to unclog a blocked toilet
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Not only are yellow stains on your memory foam pillow unsightly, they can mask a bacterial breeding ground. No one wants to breathe that in all night long, so the deep-set stains from sweat and oil (yuck) on my once brilliant white pillow had to go.

Yellow pillow stains occur when sweat, sebum and oil from your skin and hair seep into the surface of your pillow. These fluids oxidize over time, causing set-in yellow discoloration that's difficult to shift.

Washing a memory foam pillow isn't as simple as popping it in the washing machine on a hot wash. That's because high temperatures and saturation can damage the spongey foams beyond repair.

Instead, restoring a yellowed memory foam pillow to bright white again involves tackling stains head-on with a gentle spot cleaning approach. Sounds like hard work, right? Nope – I had a secret ingredient up my sleeve to banish those stains on sight...

The $1 cabinet staple I used

My secret anti-stain weapon is hydrogen peroxide. This is essentially water with an extra ingredient — oxygen. It's a store cupboard staple, thanks to its antiseptic and mild bleaching properties, and cheap price.

Cleaning experts recommend 3% for the best results and safest use.

While we usually recommend diluting hydrogen peroxide further by combining with water in a 50/50 ratio, memory foam is delicate. Therefore, I diluted my hydrogen peroxide further by mixing one part chemical to four parts water to prevent staining.

Once diluted, apply the solution to the stains. Instead of just masking the stains, the hydrogen peroxide eliminates them thanks to its antiseptic properties.

Scroll below for my step-by-step cleaning process...

How to use it

My memory foam pillow was so tarnished by yellow sweat, oil and tea stains I thought it was destined for the bin. Instead, I used hydrogen peroxide to restore it back to its original brilliant-white color. Here's what you'll need and a step-by-step guide to do it:

• Vacuum cleaner with upholstery attachment
• Rubber or disposable gloves to protect hands
• Clean microfibre cloth
• Laundry detergent
• bicarbonate of soda/baking soda
• 3% hydrogen peroxide
• Spray bottle

Step 1: Vacuum thoroughly

Regardless of the pillow type you sleep on, the dead skill cells we shed every night drop and collect onto our headrests. Gross, right? Over time, our pillows become weighed down with dead skin cells, dust and the dust mites that feed on them.

So, the first step in deep cleaning my memory foam pillow is giving it a thorough vacuum. I used the FEPPO cordless mattress vacuum cleaner from Amazon, but any vacuum with an upholstery attachment will work.

Slowly move the vacuum over the surface of the pillow, paying close attention to any crevices or seams. Flip the pillow over and repeat this step.

Step 2: Gently spot clean stains with laundry detergent

Before I tackled the stains specifically, I wanted to give my pillow a thorough clean. To do this, I mixed one part laundry detergent with ten parts of water and applied a light mist of the cleaning solution to the pillow.

Then, I used a clean and soft microfibre cloth to gently dab at the areas I wanted to clean (in this instance, it was the entire pillow). I used a gentle circular motion all over the surface of the pillow in order to lift the dirt and oil.

Don't press too hard and don't use too much water, as being too rough and oversaturation can damage the pillow.

Step 3: It's time to tackle the stains

For this step, it's time to pop on your gloves if you haven't already. Hydrogen peroxide can be harmful to memory foam, as it can discolor the foam and outer layer, as well as damaging the structure of the delicate foams.

For that reason, I diluted it by mixing one part hydrogen peroxide and four parts water. I then spritzed the solution directly onto a microfibre cloth, which I then used to dab at the stain. This was so that I could manage the amount of fluid that came into direct contact with the foam, to avoid damage.

After allowing the hydrogen peroxide to work for around 30 minutes, I blotted at the stains with a clean and damp microfibre cloth. Here's my colleague Frances using hydrogen peroxide to restore her yellow-stained pillow back to bright white...