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As you read this blog post, I’m serving this quiche to company; hence the name. I think you’ll enjoy it and I hope they do as well. You can adjust the ingredients to suit your tastes: substitute spinach for the broccoli; add mushrooms; leave out the bacon or use cooked sausage or ham. Customize to your tastes and if you spill, just follow the links to remove the stains.
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Has your home or yard been overrun by crazy ants? No, we don't mean Aunt Mildred but one of the 12,597 known species of ants that may be paying you a visit this summer. Like some relatives, they can be erratic, arrive in groups and tend to overstay their welcome.
Ants can be troublesome anytime but are most active between April and mid-October according to Scotts, which markets the Ortho brand of lawn chemicals. While they are not known to carry disease, ants can contaminate your food and the sight of them parading through your home can be unnerving. To get rid of them, think small—seal or caulk cracks and other entry spots around doors and windows and along baseboards, walls, and cabinets.
Scotts also recommends keeping foods that attract to ants—which can be almost anything—in tightly sealed containers. And as soon as you’re done cleaning up after a meal, stash the trash in an outdoor garbage bin.
Outdoors, ants can become a problem by protecting insects that damage plants, such as aphids, scales and mealy bugs, from attack by their natural enemies. And according to Scotts, certain ants stroke aphids to increase their production of honeydew, or carry them to un-infested plants to supply them with ample food. Okay, that's just weird.
Carpenter ants are no picnic either and leave piles of sawdust along baseboards. Like termites, carpenter ants gravitate to moist soil and rotting wood so make sure the soil around your foundation is graded properly and that your gutters are directing runoff away from the house.
Ants aren't alone in their ability to vex homeowners. Grubs, chinch bugs and other critters can harm your lawn. A simple drench test will quickly reveal whether you have a problem. Begin by adding 8 ounces of liquid dish soap to 2 gallons of water. Then sprinkle the mixture over one-square yard of lawn, covering both healthy and damaged turf. Hidden insects will move to the surface within minutes, letting you identify which you have and how many.
If you have an infestation, take appropriate measures. As for easing Aunt Mildred out the door, sorry we can't help with that.
—Ed Perratore
As recalls go, this week's of 1,700 Husqvarna riding tractors was pretty small. Of course, the 53 owners who reported fuel line damage to their $3,000 mowers might disagree. The problem with the mower is that the fuel line on the rear-mounted fuel tank is too long and can come in contact with moving parts while the tractor is in use. This poses a fire hazard.
The recall involves gas-powered Husqvarna riding lawn tractors designed for residential use. Models and serials numbers included in the recall are: GTH27V52LS lawn tractors with model numbers 96043009100 and 96043009900, with serial numbers 010810A00XXXX through 05061000XXXX. (The model and serial numbers are printed on an identification plate located underneath the tractor seat.) Made in the U.S., they were sold by Husqvarna dealers nationwide from January to May.
The recall notice from the Consumer Product Safety Commission says that consumers should immediately stop using the recalled tractors and contact Husqvarna to arrange a free repair at (877) 257-6921 or by visiting the firm's website.
We have Husqvarna riding tractors in our Ratings (for subscribers), but we didn't test the models included in this recall.
Q. Is it ok to use “Regular” bleach in an HE machine?
A. Thank you for your question. Yes, not only is it OK to use Clorox® Regular Bleach in your HE clothes washer, it is really important to do so! Any water left behind inside the works of a HE machine can be a breeding ground for bacteria that may transfer to subsequent loads. We hear a lot of complaints from front-loading HE clothes washer owners trying to figure out why their machines have a bad odor, and bacteria growth is usually the culprit. Regular bleach usage prevents bacteria growth and keeps a HE machine smelling fresh. We also receive questions about how much bleach to use. That depends on your HE clothes washer’s dispenser design. For best results, always fill the bleach dispenser to the “max” line. Reviewing the user’s guide instructions on how to use the bleach dispenser is also a good idea–the more you know about how it works, the better!
In my opinion, there are three types of laundry-doers – the ones that dig something out of the hamper, sniff and decide another wearing is possible, those that throw everything in the hamper to wash even if they just tried it on for 15 seconds and those of us who look everything over and make common sense decisions.
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We all have them – dirty secrets about how often we wash our clothes and linens. A few months ago, a study revealed that some British women only wash their …
Come on Now – this is just a waste of GD water.
“Gene Goforth sells showerheads—big ones, like the Raindance Imperial 600 AIR. Selling for as much as $5,457, it has a 24-inch spray face, 358 no-clog channels and a triple-massage option. “You can just stand under it, and it helps your psyche,” says Mr. Goforth, who has one in his home….”
What it means: A small quantity of highly selected green coffee beans. Micro-lot beans are usually the very best quality the farmer or cooperative can produce.
Why the caffeine buzz? When your bag of beans is labeled with the latitude, longitude, and elevation of the area where it was grown, it’s time to wake up (and smell the coffee).
A traditional lot of coffee, as traded on the ICE Coffee Exchange, is 37,500 pounds, according to the Specialty Coffee Association of America. And then there’s the exceptional micro-lots, ranging from a few bags, about 132 pounds each, to half a container. You’ll find micro-lot beans online and in stores from $10 a pound to $30 and more.
But if the price gives you the jitters, consider that Eight O’Clock Coffee that topped our Ratings of 100 percent Colombian coffees (available to subscribers) and costs about $6 per pound. Using a good coffeemaker doesn’t hurt either.
—Kimberly Janeway
Year-over-year shipments of appliances rose nearly 10 percent in June, according to the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM). The home-comfort category saw the biggest increase, with shipments of dehumidifiers up 66 percent and room air conditioners up 44 percent. We have reviews of both air conditioners and dehumidifiers including buying advice and Ratings.
The so-called AHAM 6—washers, dryers, dishwashers, refrigerators, freezers, and ranges/ovens—were up nearly 7 percent in June. That’s likely the result of cash for appliances, the rebate program that’s still going strong in more than 30 states.
—Daniel DiClerico
I just finished watching Brian Williams on NBC Nightly News expound on the explosion of bed bugs in all fifty states. Reported bed bug infestations in Alaska are up 800 percent!
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Q. I just purchased a GE Top-Loading Infusion HE washer. I normally use Clorox bleach with my white towels, but I am confused as to how much bleach to use. With the smaller amount of water used in the wash cycle, how much bleach should I add?
A. Good for you for rethinking your wash habits with your new machine–adapting clothes washing habits to new High Efficiency technology definitely takes some thought since so many things have changed, such as the smaller amount of water and the dependence on dispensers to add laundry products being the most drastic. I would start by checking the bleach dispenser to see if it has a “max fill level” on it, and using that amount. Also, reviewing the owner’s manual for correct bleach dispenser usage (it should tell you the dispenser’s capacity), and information on when the dispenser adds the bleach to the cycle, should be helpful. Good luck with your new washer, and let me know how it goes!
Q. I just purchased a GE Top-Loading Infusion HE washer. I normally use Clorox bleach with my white towels, but I am confused as to how much bleach to use. With the smaller amount of water used in the wash cycle, how much bleach should I add?
A. Good for you for rethinking your wash habits with your new machine–adapting clothes washing habits to new High Efficiency technology definitely takes some thought since so many things have changed, such as the smaller amount of water and the dependence on dispensers to add laundry products being the most drastic. I would start by checking the bleach dispenser to see if it has a “max fill level” on it, and using that amount. Also, reviewing the owner’s manual for correct bleach dispenser usage (it should tell you the dispenser’s capacity), and information on when the dispenser adds the bleach to the cycle, should be helpful. Good luck with your new washer, and let me know how it goes!
President Obama marked the twentieth anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act yesterday with a special ceremony on the White House South Lawn. “Not dependence—but independence. That’s what the ADA was all about,” the president said, before signing an executive order that, effective 2012, will require new construction to meet enhanced design standards for doors, windows, elevators, and bathrooms.
The order is another big step forward for one of the ADA’s biggest offshoots: Universal Design. Also known as Aging in Place, Universal Design is about creating products and spaces that people of all ages and abilities can use. In the last two decades, we’ve seen the movement’s impact on many product categories. Here are five highlights:
Taller toilets. So-called comfort-height toilets, which are 17 to 19 inches off the ground instead of the traditional 15 inches, put less stress on knees and backs. Most of the toilets we test are now comfort height, including several top-rated models.
Handheld shower sprays. Removable sprays can be used from a seated or standing position. Read our latest review of showerheads to see which handheld models combine that ease of use with the strongest flow and steadiest temperatures.
Better task lighting. Adequate illumination is critical for aging eyes. That means adding more fixtures in your home, both for general illumination and targeted task lighting. Increasingly efficient bulbs let you brighten a room without jacking up your electric bill.
Slip-resistant floors. These surfaces keep shoe heels and crutches from slipping. Many vinyl and linoleum products are available in slip-resistant finishes. These materials have been around for more than twenty years, but our latest flooring tests found an expanding array of styles, including some that mimic the look of wood or stone.
Accessible counters. More kitchen designers understand the need for varied counter heights, say one at 36 inches, one at 34 inches, one at 26 inches. Clearance under one or more counters for seated individuals is also essential. Better selections of stock cabinets and countertop materials makes it easier to design a kitchen around these requirements.
For more information, read “10 Questions for…Michael Thomas, Aging in Place Expert” and our tips for creating a stylish Universal Design bathroom.
—Daniel DiClerico
We don't have to remind you that this summer's been hot—wiltingly so. The grass is scorched and the hydrangeas are hanging their heads. Even if you're taking a break from yard work until the temperatures moderate, you should still heed the needs of your lawn equipment. It doesn't do well in this weather either. So pour yourself a tall glass of your favorite beverage and meander out to the shed to perform some midsummer maintenance.
Oil levels in yard equipment should be checked frequently and topped off if needed to ensure maximum lubrication and cooling on hot days, says Peter Sawchuk, our guru of lawn equipment. But don't overfill either—too much oil can cause air bubbles. It's also wise to add a fuel stabilizer during extremely hot spells. "Hot weather accelerates the normal degradation of gasoline," saws Sawchuk, who also offers these tips.
—Gian Trotta
Mow better. Our Lawn & Garden Guide offers reviews of the best yard equipment, money-saving makeovers for your outdoor spaces and year-round advice on maintaining yard equipment. For more tips, read the transcript of Sawchuk’s live chat on our mowers, tractors, and lawns forum.
According to KMOV TV in St. Louis, a 7-year-old girl was stuck in a washer for 12 minutes at a Joplin, MO laundromat. She had put money in the machine and then climbed in because she thought it was broken. Her sister shut the door and she was trapped for 12 minutes as the wash cycle began. Rescuers had to break the glass to get her out. She had to have 155 staples and some stitches in her head and body.
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