20 Ways to Protect Your Home During Remodeling Projects

Wrap Window Treatments

Most window openings that will be exposed to dust should be entirely covered with plastic. But for windows you need to open, cover the window treatments in plastic instead of removing them. Removing window treatments is risky business: Parts disappear; metal slats bend; fabric rips or gets dirty. And replacing damaged treatments can get expensive—if you can even find one that matches, that is. Tape plastic to the top of the casing, then tuck the plastic up underneath and behind it.

Open the window to tape the plastic on the back of the treatment to the top jamb. Don’t forget to remove the screens. Screens and construction don’t mix. One of the very first tasks of any remodeling job is to remove all the screens from any window or door that could be in harm’s way. Label each one so they all find their way back to the right place. Wrap them in plastic and put them in some safe, out-of-the-way location.

Friction-Fit Dust Barrier

Every remodeler knows that building a temporary wall covered in plastic is a great dust barrier to keep dust from migrating to other parts of the house. But here’s how to do it in a finished room without damaging the surfaces. Wedge strips of R-11 insulation (3-1/2 inches thick) between the framing and the ceiling and the walls for a dust barrier. The insulation creates a friction fit and holds everything in place without fasteners.

The insulation also allows a little air to flow, but acts as a filter. Start by setting the bottom plate on the floor where you want it. Hold up the top plate with insulation on top of it. Have a helper wedge a couple studs between the top and the bottom plates every 4 feet or so. Cut the studs 3-3/8 inches shorter than the wall. That allows for the thickness of the plates and leaves a 3/8-inch gap to squish the insulation.

Install the plastic with a staple gun rather than a hammer tacker so you don’t knock the wall over. Double up the plastic at the top for a more secure hold. Write ‘Don’t Lean on Wall’ with a marker to prevent unfortunate accidents.

Paint-on Tub Protection

Marring a beautiful bathtub with a big, ugly scratch is not a good way to showcase a bathroom remodel. Protect a tub by covering it with a thick, tough rubber coating. Tub protection products like this one are brushed or rolled on and then peeled off when the job is done. You’ll usually need two coats. That sounds expensive, but it’s cheap insurance to protect a tub that might cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

Lay Down a Wood Chip Path

Some remodeling projects involve walking back and forth across a muddy yard that has no pavement or grass, and keeping that mud out of the house is a challenge. Temporary plywood walkways are one option to keep the muck at bay, but plywood seems to sink into mud and eventually becomes as dirty as the ground around it. When wood chip paths get muddy, you can just lay down another layer. Wood chips work better than stringy mulch and are relatively inexpensive.

Cover the Countertops

Any flat surface in a work zone inevitably becomes a workbench or storage shelf, even if that surface is an expensive countertop. To protect countertops from nicks and scratches, cover them in cardboard. Use clean cardboard and wipe the counter before laying it down. Tape the edges to keep out debris and to keep the cardboard from sliding around.

Protect Corners with Cardboard

A daily parade of building materials, tool belts and tools is hard on finished walls. Even the most careful worker is going to bump one now and again. Fixing wall dingers is easy enough, but fixing a bent corner bead can be a real pain. Protect outside corners with strips of cardboard. You can cut them out of thick shipping boxes or buy a box of premade protective corners online. Be sure the cardboard extends at least 4 ft. high, and hold it in place with painter’s tape, which won’t ruin the paint when it’s removed.

Threshold Shield

Sure, all thresholds will get beat up eventually, but why not avoid the wear and tear until after the work is done? Some new doors come with plastic threshold protectors. Keep those in place until the end of the project. Use tape to protect those doors that don’t come with a protector, as well as existing doors that will be used a lot during the remodel. A couple of layers of exterior painter’s tape should hold up great.

Make Pathways All Over

Protecting the floor that leads from the work area to the outdoors is a no-brainer. But don’t forget about the paths less traveled, like the one to the bathroom or to the room where the electrical panel is located. Make sure to lay a plastic floor protector there too. Rolling out a plastic floor protector is easy. It doesn’t offer heavy-duty protection but is good enough for the occasional trip. Self-adhesive carpet protection film like this is inexpensive. Similar construction floor protection is available for hardwood floors.

Booties are Cheap and Easy

Avoid tracking filth all over the house with a pair of protective shoe covers. It’s easier than untying and retying your shoes or boots when you need to run to a part of the house without floor protection in place. Booties are cheap and available at home centers.

Seal Off With Plastic

Dust goes everywhere air flows, so the key to stopping dust is stopping airflow. A loose curtain of plastic hung with a few strips of tape won’t do the job. Instead, make your dust barrier as airtight as possible. Completely seal the top and sides with tape to create a dust barrier. Taping to walls is usually easier than taping to woodwork.

If you can’t seal the bottom edge with tape, lay a board across it. Light plastic (1 mil or so) is fine for most jobs. If you need to pass through the dust barrier, use heavier 4- or 6-mil plastic and add an adhesive-backed zipper. These are available at home centers and lumberyards.

Cover Up Air Ducts

Construction dust sucked into return air ducts can plug your furnace filter. Even worse, small particles can pass through the filter and coat every room in the house with a blanket of fine dust when the blower turns on. Air supply ducts can be a problem too—dust that settles inside will come blasting out when your heating/cooling system starts up.

You can close the damper on a supply register, but it won’t seal out dust as effectively as plastic and tape. Note: Turn off the heating/cooling system while the ducts are covered. Operating the system with restricted airflow can damage it.

Don’t Buy Cheap Tape

Use a medium-adhesion tape for most jobs. These tapes have names like “Safe Release” or “Clean Release.” There are also low-adhesion tapes for delicate surfaces like wallpaper, and high-adhesion tapes for hard-to-mask surfaces like brick. A paint store often has the best tape selection.

Remove the tape as soon as possible. The adhesive bond strengthens over time. Depending on the type of adhesive, masking tapes are meant to stay in place from one to 14 days. Check and heed the label.

Drive Dust Outside With a Fan

A fan blowing out the window helps to keep dust levels down, and it creates a slight vacuum in the work area. That way, any gaps in your dust barrier will let air flow into the work zone, but dust-laden air can’t sneak into surrounding rooms.

This works so well, in fact, that you may not even need a dust barrier for light-dust projects, like perhaps in a small kitchen demolition project. Just be sure to close large gaps around the fan with cardboard or plastic so wind gusts don’t blow the dust right back inside. For good airflow, you may have to crack open a door or window on the opposite side of the room.

Vacuum Without Raising More Dust

The exhaust stream from a shop vacuum can raise more dust than the vacuum sucks up. And small particles (like drywall dust) can sail right through the vacuum filter to form a fine dust cloud. You can solve both problems with some extra vacuum hose: Connect a hose to the exhaust port and run it outside, or set the vacuum outside and run the hose inside.

Shield Floors From Scratches and Dents

Carpeted floors are easily protected from snags and stains with a heavy canvas dropcloth. Safeguarding hard flooring isn’t so simple. A hammer knocked off a ladder can dent wood flooring, chip ceramic tile or even puncture vinyl, and heavy foot traffic will grind grit into the floor. For protection against falling tools (and just about everything else), cut sheets of 1/8-in. hardboard to fit the room and duct-tape them together at the seams.

Also tape around the perimeter with masking tape so grit can’t get underneath the hardboard and scratch the floor. For quicker protection of hard flooring, use strips of rosin paper taped at the seams and around the perimeter. While rosin paper can’t match the impact and puncture protection of hardboard, two or three layers of it provide good defense against scratches and spills.

Protect Stairs Safely

Protecting stairs is tricky because you don’t want to use anything that will cause a slip or trip. Rosin paper is a good choice for wood stairs because you can crease it over the edge of the tread and tape it securely around the entire perimeter. You can also tape separate sheets to the risers. For carpeted stairs, use a long, narrow dropcloth (called a runner). Secure the runner by driving small nails right through the carpet and into the treads.

Wrap Doorways for Bump Protection

Remodeling means lugging tons of big, clumsy stuff through doorways and tight spaces and around corners. Even if an object isn’t heavy, it’s best to have a helper to steer big stuff through tough spots. With or without a helper, cardboard is a good defense against accidents. You can wrap door jambs with it, cover up wall corners, or even shield large sections of wall along main pathways.

To make sure the cardboard stays in place, crease it thoroughly to fit corners and don’t be stingy with the masking tape. Doors can take a beating during remodeling too. The best protection is to remove them from the work zone. If removing a door isn’t practical, clad it with cardboard.

Cover Baseboard With Cardboard

Whether you’re moving a ladder or stacking 2x4s, it’s all too easy to bang up baseboards. But protecting them is simple: Just cut strips of cardboard about an inch wider than your baseboard, set them against the wall and tape them top and bottom. If nearby walls are at risk, don’t hesitate to tape cardboard over them as well. It’ll save you from having to spend a weekend repainting.

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Can Costco Laundry Detergent Really Clean Vinyl Siding?

Many people love Kirkland laundry detergent — Costco’s signature brand — including those at Consumer Reports, which selected this brand as the best value among competing products. Henkel, the German company responsible for making it, announced in 2022 that it was divesting its retail brands in the U.S. and selling them to another company, so the product may change. But while it’s still on the shelves in its current form, you might consider it for cleaning things other than laundry. So, can you clean siding with Costco laundry detergent?

Actually, siding is a great candidate, according to our experts for cleaning with Kirkland laundry detergent. “It is safe to use and has no chemicals which will damage the siding,” says Derek Christian, who owns a home cleaning company. Scott Schrader, another cleaning expert, largely agrees, but cautions “there are some pros and cons to keep in mind.” Here’s what you need to know about cleaning siding with Costco (Kirkland) laundry detergent.

What’s In Costco Laundry Detergent?

A glance at Costco’s Materials Data Safety Sheet reveals a comforting fact about Kirkland Signature Heavy Duty Laundry Detergent: It doesn’t contain phosphates, which means it probably won’t hurt the vegetation surrounding your house or contaminate the water table. Also reassuring: “It has no chemicals which will damage the siding,” according to Christian.

The unscented variety, which comes as a liquid, contains mostly salts and alcohols, along with fatty acids, which act as surfactants, a brightening agent and limonene as a freshening agent. Scented varieties contain a long list of other chemicals, but you probably wouldn’t want to use scented detergent to clean your siding anyway, so it’s best to stay away from those to protect your plants.

Can You Clean Siding With Costco Laundry Detergent?

Sure. “Laundry detergent has also been used for decades to clean heavily soiled places like concrete at gas stations,” says Christian, so there’s no reason why it won’t make short work of your vinyl siding. Schrader adds that Kirkland detergent is “a very powerful cleaning product designed to remove stains and grime that are often stuck to vinyl siding, building up from dirt and mildew.”

Why It Works…

“Many clothes are made out of plastic fibers, much like what your siding is made from,” explains Christian. Because laundry detergent is designed for clothes, it works great on stains common in laundry like oils and dirt, but there are caveats.

When It Doesn’t Work…

“A common reason for cleaning siding is to remove either black mold or green algae. To remove these, you need something that will kill the organic materials, like hydrogen peroxide or bleach.” Kirkland detergent does not contain any such chemicals, but you can add them when mixing the detergent with water to make your cleaning solution.

Besides this, Schrader points out another problem: “Detergent may leave residue or even discolor your siding if you do not rinse the siding to completely remove all of it.” That means that using too much detergent, or failing to adequately dilute the detergent, can damage your siding and potentially allow for residue to build up over time.

Should You Clean Your Siding With Costco Laundry Detergent?

Can you clean siding with Costco laundry detergent? Sure. Should you? If saving money by getting the job done with stuff you already have around the house is a top priority, why not? But you’re going to have to work harder, because Schrader cautions against using high-pressure washers with Costco detergent, “as it is likely to damage siding.” That means scrubbing by hand, so if that doesn’t sound appealing, you’re better off sticking with detergents specifically designed for cleaning surfaces with a pressure washer.

Schrader’s recipe for mixing is to add about a cup of detergent per gallon of warm water. Keeping in mind that, as Christian point out, laundry detergent won’t kill mold or algae, include about half a cup of bleach, isopropyl alcohol or hydrogen peroxide as a disinfecting agent. Scrub gently with a cloth or soft-bristle brush (wear gloves) and don’t forget to rinse thoroughly with a garden hose to prevent residue buildup.

About the Experts

• Scott Schrader is the Chief Marketing Officer at CottageCare, a leading home cleaning company with over 41 locations nationwide.
• Derek Christian is the Co Owner of All Star Cleaning, one of the largest home cleaning companies in America. Derek has cowritten the book and testing program used to certify home cleaners by the trade association, ISSA.

Sources

• Consumer Reports: Best and Worst Laundry Detergents of 2025; (2025)
• The U.S. Sun: Costco fans in frenzy after ‘legendary’ product set to be discontinued for good – but a rival has stepped up its game; (2025)
• Costco Wholesale: Kirkland Signature Cleaning Products – California Cleaning Product Right to Know Act; (2025)

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Save Your Retaining Wall: Expert Tips to Avoid Costly Collapses

When we were in the market for a new home a few years ago, we were looking in a hilly town. We noticed that many of the properties had bulging retaining walls. We learned that it was due to the area’s geology and soil composition, and unfortunately, it made many homes undesirable. A local engineer told us it could cost many thousands of dollars to prevent or fix a retaining wall collapse.

Luckily, that price tag isn’t universal. Depending on the size of your wall and what’s causing it to fail, fixing a retaining wall isn’t always too expensive.

“But if the whole thing’s come down, or it’s no longer stable, you’re probably looking at rebuilding it,” says Hayden Slack, owner of G.L. Hunt Foundation Repair. “Rebuilding is more expensive, so catching problems early is the best-case scenario.”

If you’re worried or wondering about your retaining wall, here’s what to know about its potential demise and what to do about it.

What Is a Retaining Wall?

A retaining wall is a structure that holds soil in place to prevent erosion and movement.

“You’ll see them a lot around properties with hills, slopes or where the land’s been cut and graded for a house or driveway,” says Slack. “It’s there to stop soil from washing away or collapsing in places where the natural grade has been altered.”

Retaining walls vary in design, and can be made from concrete blocks, stone, brick, wood or even boulders. Some are built into a cut-slope or backfilled to create usable space behind.

“Depending on the type of soil to be supported, height of planned wall and any anticipated surcharge loads, a wall may extend two times deeper into the earth than is visible at the surface, or even include horizontal tiebacks for enhanced stability,” says Jakob Walter, founder and principal engineer of haushepherd.

Why Retaining Walls Collapse

The main reason retaining walls collapse is because of improper drainage, aka water trapped behind the wall, which causes pressure buildup and pushes the wall outward.

When making a retaining wall, “A lot of people skip proper drainage or backfill, but it adds up over time,” says Slack. “Sometimes folks build them without really thinking about how heavy wet soil can get.”

Sometimes homeowners also end up overloading a wall by parking vehicles or building additional structures on top of it.

“In colder climates, even freezing water can create pressure enough to damage the walls,” says contractor Yaeir Moinzadeh. “Using the right materials and design for your specific soil conditions is crucial.”

How To Prevent a Retaining Wall Collapse

When building a retaining wall, it’s vital to set up proper drainage systems to ensure water can escape. Depending on your situation, these could include weep holes or gravel backfill. Also, make sure the soil underneath the wall is properly compacted, and don’t park or build heavy objects close to the edge.

“Bring in a structural engineer who can figure out the load requirements,” says Slack. “You’re also going to want to keep an eye on it after it’s built, or if it’s been there for a long time. If it’s cracked or leaning, get it checked out.”

How To Fix a Collapsing Retaining Wall

“In a lot of cases, repairs are possible, but it really depends on how far gone it is,” says Slack. Depending on your situation, a few solutions could include:

• Adding supports or braces, which can fix a small amount of leaning.
• Fixing the drainage by digging out the soil behind it, then reinforcing the wall with tiebacks or piers. “But you need a specialist for that,” says Slack.
• Deepening the wall footing, aka underpinning.

“Installation of a French drain behind the wall, if not present, is also an excellent mitigation measure to reduce the possibility of groundwater induced failure,” says Walter.

FAQ

Does homeowners’ insurance cover a retaining wall collapse?

Not usually. “Basically, they consider it normal wear and tear or classify it as ‘earth movement,’ thus, it is excluded,” says Nick Schrader, owner of Texas General Insurance. “However, coverage could be applicable to specific cases, like vehicle damage to the wall.”

About the Experts

• Hayden Slack is owner and general manager of G.L. Hunt Foundation Repair in Fort Worth, Texas, and has a decade of hands-on foundation experience.
• Jakob Walter, PE, is founder and principal engineer of haushepherd, a residential engineering and design firm based in San Francisco, which helps homeowners stabilize existing foundations, repair and build new retaining walls and develop drainage designs.
• Yaeir Moinzadeh is an MHIC licensed contractor and owner of Blue Rise Baltimore Roofing in Maryland.
• Nick Schrader is owner of Texas General Insurance. He has more than eight years of experience in the insurance industry.

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10 Natural Tick Repellents and Their Effectiveness Explained

Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus

All the experts I spoke to agreed that it’s safest to stick with EPA-approved skin-applied tick repellent products, as they are proven effective and safe when used as directed. One natural tick repellent idea that fits this bill is pre-mixed Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (30%).

David Price, Associate Certified Entomologist and Vice President of Strategic Growth at Mosquito Joe, explains that OLE repels ticks for up to 6 hours in most situations. “However, it isn’t recommended for children under the age of three,” he says.

Craig Sansig, Associate Certified Entomologist and Public Health Entomologist and Service Director of Viking Pest Control, points out that it also contains low doses of a compound called PMD (para-Menthane-3,8-diol), which nursing mothers should avoid.

Sansig also cautions against relying on OLE or other natural tick repellents in areas with high incidences of tick-borne illness, such as the northeast with Lyme disease. “I would recommend utilizing DEET or Picaridin due to their proven effectiveness, improved durability, and long history of use with minimal adverse reactions,” he says.

Metarhizium Brunneum

Metarhizium brunneum or Metarhizium anisopliae fungus is a natural tick repellent for use in the environment rather than on your skin. While you could sprinkle the granules around your yard, be aware that this is not an EPA-approved product. “Studies of its effectiveness have had mixed results both in the laboratory and in field trials,” Kait Chapman, an Extension Educator of Urban Entomology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, says.

Garlic Oil

Garlic oil has shown some repellency to ticks. However, Chapman points out that it only offers protection for less than an hour, so you would need to reapply frequently, and it is not EPA-registered. Also, Price explains that it repels but doesn’t kill ticks. “This allows reproduction and greater risk for increased disease transmission,” he says.

Catnip Oil

Some studies suggest that catnip essential oil can be an effective skin-applied tick repellent, and it is also EPA-registered. However, you might not want to slather this type of homemade bug repellent on your skin if you are hiking in cougar country, as the scent has also been shown to attract wild cats.

Other Essential Oil Blends

“A blend of essential oil[s] has proven effective with ingredients of cinnamon oil, clove oil, 2-Phenylethyl Propionate and geraniol,” Price says. “However, most of the time, the blend isn’t correct or a person or pet will have an allergic reaction.”

Sansig cautions that he would be suspicious of many plant essential oil-derived repellants. “Due to decreased regulation on the manufacture of EPA-exempt plant oils, there is very little oversight of the products’ manufacturing, and no proof of effectiveness is required to sell these materials in most states,” he says. “If you do decide to utilize a plant essential-oil-based products, I would stick with those manufactured by well-known brands if at all possible.”

Mowing and Pruning

Mowing your lawn regularly and trimming back small trees, tall grass and shrubs is an effective natural tick repellent idea. Doing this as part of an integrated pest management system (alongside other natural strategies) can help prevent a tick explosion in your yard. “This will help by reducing something for the ticks to grasp while awaiting a host to walk by and latch onto,” Price says.

This is a more effective strategy than introducing tick-repellent plants. “Most plantings will not protect homeowners as the ticks will simply move to other nearby plants that don’t repel them,” Sansig says.

Using Mulch or Gravel Borders

Price recommends creating a 3-foot band of mulch or gravel between your lawn and any surrounding tick-filled woodland. “This will help in reducing migration of ticks to the apron of the wood line,” he says.

Keeping Rodents at Bay

Taking steps to keep rodents away from your home and yard is another way to keep ticks at bay. “Field mice and small rodents are a tick’s first host and typically carry borrelia burgdorferi, which is the pathogen that carries Lyme disease,” Price says. He recommends stacking wood neatly and in a dry place to discourage field mice harborage, and Sansig suggests controlling weeds in your yard, as the seeds are a food source for mice.

Don’t Encourage Wildlife in Your Yard

You will add another effective natural step to your integrated tick-preventing pest management strategy by simply not feeding wildlife in your yard. “Deer, foxes, raccoons, and opossums become the second [tick] host, and denying them access will reduce a migration in your yard,” Price says.

The Right Clothing and Regular Inspections

When spending time in tick-prone areas outdoors, Chapman recommends wearing long pants tucked into long white socks to prevent ticks from latching onto legs. The white socks will allow you to spot any ticks and remove them before they find another access spot. “Placing clothing into a dryer on high heat for at least 30 minutes can kill any ticks lingering on clothing,” she says.

She also points out that “nothing is a better substitute for preventing tick bites and tick-borne disease than regular, full-body tick checks after spending time outdoors.” That includes inspecting your pets and immediately safely removing ticks—even if you have been proactive about using preventative treatments. “Many people get ticks when pets are allowed on furniture and beds, where they become dislodged only to then utilize people as a host,” Sansig says.

About the Experts

• Kait Chapman is an Extension Educator of Urban Entomology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Insect Science and Master’s in Entomology at the University; email interview, 5. May, 2025.

• David Price is the Associate Certified Entomologist and Vice President of Strategic Growth at Mosquito Joe, a Neighborly company; email interview, 5. May, 2025.

• Craig Sansig is an Associate Certified Entomologist and Public Health Entomologist and Service Director of Viking Pest Control; email interview, 6. May, 2025.

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Warning: Modern Car Lasers Could Break Your iPhone!

If you spend time in online car enthusiast spaces, you may have come across an intriguing video of a Volvo’s lidar sensors wrecking a camera. The original post is simple footage of the vehicle. It seems innocuous at first, but as the camera focuses on the lidar, something happens. More and more colorful dots start to fill the screen. They may look pretty, but they’re also an indication that the camera is damaged. It may seem easy enough to avoid filming the lidar, but if you’re a curious person, you may want more information. And unless you’re well-versed in how car lasers work, you may not understand how they can wreck the camera on an iPhone or most any other camera for that matter.

What Is Lidar?

If you drive a newer car, you may be familiar with lidar even if you don’t recognize the name. This system works in tandem with the other cameras, radar and sensors to help keep you safe on the road. According to Volvo, lidar  “is a laser-based system that collects information about your surroundings, which can be used by several driver support features in your car.” This allows your car to detect other cars ahead of you as well as potential obstructions on the road.

How Does Lidar Work?

The lidar system works with infrared light to get a picture of your vehicle’s surroundings. According to Volvo, “Infrared light waves are continuously sent out and bounce back if they encounter an object in their paths.” The vehicle uses this information, in conjunction with the other sensory systems, to try to  “identify the distance to objects and certain aspects of their movement or appearance.” When it’s working properly, your car will have a good grasp of the layout of the road and can help to keep you safe while you’re driving.

Why Could Lidar Exposure Wreck My Camera?

Lidar is a wonderful tool, so why is it a problem? The lidar systems on your car are lasers, which means they can damage your iPhone. Volvo warns that you should never point your camera right at the lidar, saying that it “uses infrared light waves that may cause damage to certain camera devices. This can include smartphones or phones equipped with a camera.” You may not be able to salvage the camera once the damage sets in. However, you can avoid this danger fairly easily. Take Volvo’s warning seriously and don’t film the lidar.

Source

Lidar detection and limitations, Volvo, 2025

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7 Reasons Your Raised Bed Vegetables Are Struggling

Poor Soil Quality

The plants in raised bed gardens are entirely dependent on the quality of the soil you provide. If that soil isn’t up to par, your plants will show it through poor growth and weak yields. Use top-quality garden soil when creating your beds, and add fertilizers when needed.

“At the end of the day, vegetables are annual plants that do all their growing in one season, and sometimes they do need supplemental support,” Campbell says.

Soil Not Deep Enough

If your raised bed vegetables are struggling, inadequate soil depth could be the culprit, especially for deep-rooted plants. While a soil depth of eight to 12 inches is standard for most vegetables, root vegetables like carrots will need 12 to 18 inches to grow. Soil that is too shallow will inhibit root growth and lead to poor yields. To fix this, add additional soil to increase the overall depth.

Poor Drainage

Drainage is crucial to the health and success of any raised bed garden. Without it, water can build up in the soil and lead to suffocated or rotted roots and deprive plants of much-needed oxygen. Most commercially available raised bed kits are designed with adequate drainage in mind, but DIY beds with a solid bottom will need dime-sized drainage holes every six to eight inches along the base to allow excess water to escape. Additionally, consider using a well-draining soil mix or adding compost to further prevent water from pooling at the roots.

Insufficient Sunlight

If your vegetables receive less than six hours of direct sunlight a day, they may struggle to grow or produce fruit. To get the best results, carefully plan the placement of your raised beds in the sunniest part of your yard. If you’re laying out your garden during the winter months, don’t forget to factor in how nearby trees will cast shade once the leaves fill in. If your beds are not receiving enough sunlight, prune overhanging branches or consider relocating your raised beds to a sunnier spot.

Crowded Plantings

Plants in a raised bed competes for nutrients, water and sunlight, which can become limited if the bed is overcrowded. Too many plants in a single bed can lead to stunted growth as there’s not enough to go around and some, if not all, plantings will struggle. Proper spacing also encourages adequate airflow, which is crucial for preventing rotten leaves and fungal growth. Overcrowded plants also make it difficult to spot pests or problems.

Lack of Crop Rotation

Planting the same plants in the same raised bed year after year can deplete soil nutrients and lead to repeat pest problems. Campbell suggests rotating your crops every couple of years to give the soil a chance to recover, and annually if you have a pest issue. “If you have a specific pest impacting your tomatoes, don’t plant anything in that bed that is attractive to that pest the next year,” Campbell says. Instead, plant an unrelated crop like leafy greens to deter pests from coming back.

Watering Challenges

“Raised beds dry out faster compared to in-ground gardens,” Campbell says, “and will need more regular watering.” If your vegetables are struggling in a raised bed, you may not be watering enough. This is especially true during hot or windy weather, when moisture evaporates quickly from the exposed soil. If the top one to two inches of soil is dry, it’s time to water. To maintain consistent moisture, consider installing a drip irrigation system or adding mulch to help retain soil moisture.

FAQ

Which vegetables shouldn’t be planted in raised garden beds?

Plants that spread quickly or take up a lot of space are not ideal in a raised bed. Examples include fast-spreading herbs like mint, oregano and thyme and space-takers like corn, melons and squash. “Sprawling plants like zucchini, squash and melons can quickly overtake a garden,” Campbell says. “I wouldn’t recommend these in a raised bed.”

About the Experts

• Spencer Campbell is the plant clinic manager at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois, 25 miles west of Chicago.

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Toyota Recalls 440,000 Vehicles Over Dangerous Rearview Lighting Defect

Unfortunate news for Toyota owners: There’s a new recall that may impact you. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that hundreds of thousands of Toyotas have lighting issues. The unlucky owners have vehicles that are dangerous to drive. With the cars’ lighting systems malfunctioning, the vehicles are less visible on the road.

Find out if yours is one of the faulty vehicles and how to remedy the problem if it is.

Why Is Toyota Recalling These Cars?

According to the NHTSA brief, hundreds of thousands of Toyotas have lighting issues. The reverse lights aren’t fully waterproofed and as a result, “moisture may enter the reverse light assemblies and cause a light failure.”

Without functioning reverse lights, your car becomes a danger. “Reverse light failure may reduce visibility,” the NHTSA warns. If the lights aren’t working, there’s no indication that you’re in reverse, which means pedestrians and other vehicles may not stay clear of you. Your risk of being involved in a car crash increases significantly.

Which Toyota Cars Are Being Recalled for Lighting Issues?

This recall impacts 440,000 Toyota vehicles, including the:

• 2022 Tundra
• 2023 Tundra
• 2024 Tundra
• 2025 Tundra
• 2022 Tundra Hybrid
• 2023 Tundra Hybrid
• 2024 Tundra Hybrid
• 2025 Tundra Hybrid

Toyota will mail out owner letters in late June 2025. If you own one of the Toyota vehicles on the list, keep an eye on your mailbox to confirm whether your car needs repair. While you’re waiting to hear, be extremely cautious when driving your vehicle and minimize, to the best of your ability, the amount of time you have to drive in reverse.

How Will Toyota Fix the Problem?

Toyota “dealers will replace both reverse light assemblies and repair the wire harnesses as necessary, free of charge.” Until you’ve gotten your vehicle repaired, be extra diligent when driving, and especially while reversing. You won’t have any lighting indicators, so you’ll have to rely on hand signals to communicate that you’re reversing.

If you have further questions or don’t want to wait for the letter to confirm whether or not you have one of the affected vehicles, you have a couple of options. You can reach out to Toyota’s customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Clarify that you’re asking about recall numbers 24TB06 and 24TA06. You can also contact the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236. Their number for this recall is 25V322000.

Source

Vehicle Lighting Failure, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2025.

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Euro Hinges: The Secret to Effortless Cabinet Door Installation

Face Frame or Not?

A frameless or “Eurostyle” cabinet is basically a box. A face frame cabinet has a frame surrounding the opening of the box. Hinges like the face-frame hinge shown above mount onto the face frame, typically with a single screw. Hinges like frameless cabinet hinges shown above, attach to a mounting plate that’s screwed to the cabinet. They’re made for frameless cabinets but can be used with face frame cabinets if you buy special mounting brackets.

Inset or Overlay Doors?

Inset doors are flush with the front of the cabinet; overlay doors cover all or part of the front. Some doors, called “partial inset” are a combination of both. We show frameless cabinets here, but the same terms apply to face frame cabinets. Want to refresh your cabinet doors?

If you choose overlay doors, you’ll have to decide how much. With some frameless hinges, the amount of overlay is determined by the thickness of the mounting plate; a thicker mounting plate results in a lesser overlay.

The simplest, smallest and least expensive hinges usually open to 105 or 110 degrees. If you want your doors to open farther for easier access inside the cabinet, the hinges will be bulkier and more expensive.

Installing Euro Hinges

No matter what type of hinge you choose, the hinges are mounted on the door first and then the cabinet. For installing cabinet hinges, you’ll be drilling two sets of holes in the door. First, there’s the “cup hole,” the large hole that the hinge drops into. This hole is 1-3/8 in. diameter for all Euro hinges. You’ll need a Forstner bit to drill it. Second, you’ll drill two pilot holes for the screws that fasten the hinge to the door.

The instructions will tell you what bit to use. Some Euro hinges come with a full-size template for marking both sets of holes, but many hinges don’t. In that case, the instructions will include a scale drawing in millimeters (not inches) and you’ll have to make a template yourself. Read on for step-by-step instructions for how to install Euro hinges.

Make a Template

Make the template from an old business card. Fold the card around the edge of a scrap of wood. Measuring from the fold, draw a line indicating the mounting screw locations. Cut the card along this line. Draw a centerline on the card, then measure the distance from the folded edge to the center of the cup hole. Poke a hole here using an awl.

Mark the Door

Determine the location of the hinges on the door. The distance from the top or bottom of the door to the hinge’s centerline is usually about 2 in. to 3 in. Draw centerlines for the hinges using a square or a wood scrap. Align the template with a centerline indicating where the hinge will go. Trace the edge of the card to mark the mounting screw line, and then use an awl to mark the center of the cup hole.

Drill the Cup Hole

Using a 35-mm (1-3/8-in.) Forstner bit, drill until the top of the bit is about level with the wood. Use the bit itself to judge how deep you’ve drilled.

Mark Screw Holes

Place the hinge in the cup hole, then mark the hinge’s mounting screw holes (Photo above). Drill pilot holes (making sure you don’t drill through the door!), then fasten the hinge to the door.

Face Frame: Fasten the Hinge

To install hinges on face-frame cabinets, turn your cabinet on its side, and then place the door alongside it. Rest the protruding parts of the hinges on the face frame. Center the door. Make sure the tabs on the hinges are butted up to the face frame, and then use an awl to mark the centers of the mounting screw pilot holes. Drill the holes and install the screws. Stand up the cabinet and fine-tune the door’s position by turning the hinge’s adjusting screws.

Install a Mounting Plate

Hinges for frameless cabinets have a separate mounting plate. The instructions will show you the correct distance from the front edge of the cabinet to the screw line. Draw screw lines inside the cabinet. Attach the mounting plates to the hinges. Place the cabinet on its side, then butt the door to the cabinet. Center the door side-to-side. Align the mounting plate’s holes with the setback lines. Mark the centers of the holes. Pull the door away from the cabinet and remove the mounting plates.

Drill pilot holes, then fasten the mounting plates to the cabinet. Snap the hinges onto the plates, then stand up the cabinet and adjust the hinges as needed. Learn how to install frameless cabinets.

Tips for Euro Hinges

Here is a list of our pro’s expert tips for making your Euro hinge installation easier.

Mark Your Template

Store-bought templates like this one include lots of holes to accommodate various hinges. It’s all too easy to use the wrong holes. To prevent that, mark the holes you need with paint or a marker.

Go Metric

In the world of Euro hinges, everything is metric. You’ll need a metric ruler to make your own marking template, for example. For about a buck, you can pick up a metric ruler at any store that carries school supplies.

Drill Shallow Starter Holes

The tiny screws that come with Euro hinges often strip out in softwoods or plywood. So instead of drilling a full-depth pilot hole for screws, just create a divot to position the screw using a drill bit, awl or even a nail. If you do accidentally strip your screw, learn how to remove it.

A Corded Drill is Best

You can bore cup holes with a cordless drill, but that strains the drill and drains the battery fast. A corded drill does the job faster and better. If you do decide to go with a cordless drill, here is our buyer’s guide.

Don’t Forget the Bumpers

Most Euro hinges are self-closing, which means doors slam hard and loud. Pick up sheets of adhesive-backed cabinet bumpers at any home center for a couple bucks.

Fast, Goof-proof Centerlines

To mark perfect centerlines for the hinges, lay the cabinet box on its side and center the door against it. Then trace along a marking block (2 to 3 in. wide). Use masking tape labels to match doors to their locations.

Leave Adjustments for Last

Euro hinges allow for absolutely perfect alignment. But don’t bother with that until cabinets are installed. Fussing with adjustments before your cabinets are squared up and level is a waste of time.

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5 Popular Faucets Sold on Amazon Recalled Over Dangerous Lead Levels

With summer fast approaching, there’s no better time to ensure you have a faucet in your home that’s suitable for washing your hands and drinking. That said, there have been several popular faucets sold on Amazon recalled this month by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Even if you think your faucet has been working correctly or your water tastes fine, it can’t hurt to learn more about the recalled ones to double-check that it isn’t your faucet or that any of the same pipe materials or mechanisms in yours don’t align.

Ahead, learn more about the five faucets that have been recalled, why consumers are being told to stop purchasing (and using them), and what to do if you’ve recently purchased (or have been using) one of these faucets.

What Amazon Faucets Are Being Recalled?

Although the CPSC notes that the following Amazon sellers have not yet agreed to an acceptable recall, there are several Amazon faucets the CPSC advises consumers to stop using, including:

• Kitchen faucets from the Qomolangma brand (sold for approximately $30 by XiaJun Li under the Amazon seller name Qomolangma Sanitary Ware)
• HGN brand kitchen faucets (sold for approximately $35 by Wenzhou Xinxinweiyuyouxiangongsi under the Amazon seller name HGN Sanitaryware)
• Kicimpro brand kitchen faucets (sold for approximately $35 by Kaipingshikemuyulinweiyushiyeyouxiangongsi under the Amazon seller name Kicimpro)
• VFAUOSIT brand kitchen faucets (sold for approximately $40 by Jiang men cai nuo wei yu you xian gong si under the Amazon seller name Whisper08)
• NICTIE brand bathroom faucets (sold for approximately $25 by Wenzhouzetaoweiyuyouxiangongsiunder the Amazon seller name NICTIE).

Why Are These Faucets Being Recalled?

According to the CPSC, “the faucets were tested and found to contain lead that can leach into water at levels that can be particularly harmful to young children.” Many of these faucets have also been found to contaminate the water flowing out of them with additional hazardous substances.

What To Do If My Faucet Is Recalled?

If you’ve been using one of the faucets that are recalled, the CPSC recommends that you stop using it immediately and replace it. If you must continue to use your faucet for water supply, it is advised to let the water run for 15 seconds before consumption.

FAQ

Why is lead dangerous?

Lead is a naturally occurring but toxic metal that poses numerous health risks, especially to young children. The CPSC notes that “lead ingestion can cause harmful neurological effects on young children, including attention-related behavioral problems, decreased cognitive performance, and lower IQ.”

The World Health Organization notes that although young children are more susceptible to lead’s toxic effects (especially within their central nervous systems) since they can absorb more of the substance, adults can also endure kidney damage, cardiovascular issues, and an increased risk of high blood pressure with the contamination or ingestion of lead, especially over time.

What happens if there’s lead in water?

If there’s lead in water (or from the Amazon faucets recalled), stop drinking it altogether. Lead in water is very dangerous for all humans, but most especially young children and pregnant people. That said, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) notes that unless you are notified or know there is lead in water, it is usually hard to tell, as it is not accompanied by a taste, smell, or visual that would let you know the chemical is present.

If you discover lead in your drinking water, you should notify the local authorities and get tested (especially if you have children) by a physician to take any necessary steps to remain as healthy as possible. Furthermore, you’ll also want to have any pipes or plumbing systems evaluated and/or replaced to lower the likelihood of future contamination.

Sources

• Cpsc.gov: “CPSC Warns Consumers to Immediately Stop Using Qomolangma Brand Kitchen Faucets Sold on Amazon.com Due to Dangerous Lead Exposure for Young Children”
• Cpsc.gov: “CPSC Warns Consumers to Immediately Stop Using HGN Brand Kitchen Faucets Sold on Amazon.com Due to Dangerous Lead Exposure for Young Children”
• Cpsc.gov: “CPSC Warns Consumers to Immediately Stop Using Kicimpro Brand Kitchen Faucets Sold on Amazon.com Due to Dangerous Lead Exposure for Young Children”
• Cpsc.gov: “CPSC Warns Consumers to Immediately Stop Using VFAUOSIT Brand Kitchen Faucets Sold on Amazon.com Due to Dangerous Lead Exposure for Young Children”
• Cpsc.gov: “CPSC Warns Consumers to Immediately Stop Using NICTIE Brand Bathroom Faucets Sold on Amazon.com Due to Dangerous Lead Exposure for Young Children”
• Who.it: “Lead Poisoning
• Cdc.gov: “About Lead in Drinking Water“

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