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You Should Always Clean This Room First to Make Your Life Easier, Cleaning Pros Say

Olena Ruban / Getty Images If youredoing a deep clean at home, its best to have a plan. As it turns out, they have strong feelings about which room is the best starting point. Starting here ensures youll clear up all the grease, crumbs, and bacteria right away. Olena Ruban / Getty Images Want more cleaning and organizing tips? This includes the living room and dining room, which are often prone to clutter....

You Should Always Wash Cashmere This Way for Luxuriously Soft Results, a Laundry Pro Says

Learn how to wash your cashmere sweater properly at home. Checklist How Often Should You Wash Cashmere Sweaters? Spot-clean stains as they happen so the garment can be worn a few more times. The Spruce / Jason Donnelly Always wash the sweater at the end of the season before you store it. Want more cleaning and organizing tips? You’ll have the best results by using afront-load washerwith a more gentle tumbling action for cleaning clothes....

You Should Be Flipping Your Mattress More Often—Here's What Pros Suggest

Don’t lose sleep over it The Spruce / Meg MacDonald Your mattress needs rest, too. Manufacturers recommend either flipping or rotating it periodically to keep it in tip-top shapeevery 6 monthsis perfect. Flipping/rotating a mattress allows the mattress to wear evenly, according to Robert Schuster ofVerlo Mattress. The Spruce / Meg MacDonald When a mattress is worn evenly, it extends the life of the mattress. Meet the Expert Robert Schusteris the vice president of purchasing at Verlo Mattress in Milwaukee, WI....

You Should Ditch Fiddle Leaf Figs This Winter and Grow This Underrated Plant Instead

Another houseplant that’s notorious for shedding its foliage without warning? That sounds like a lot of plants we grow indoors in temperate regions, right? First leaves begin yellowing at their bases, thendevelop brown patches, then fall off entirely. Ashley-Belle Burns / Getty Images That can be a lot of money to gamble on such a finicky, fiddly plant. Want more gardening tips? One, ‘Triangularis’, even sports leaves in a three-sided shape reminiscent of a fiddle leaf fig....

You Should Mulch Your Flower Beds Now for Better Blooms in the Spring—Here's How

If youre ready to master the art of winter mulching. Maryviolet / Getty Images When Should You Apply Winter Mulch? But exactly when mulch should be applied depends on the types of plants youre growing and your growing zone. Rymasheuskaya Volha / Getty Images To avoid this, mulch perennials when the plants die back after the first hard freeze. Trees and Shrubs Like perennials, trees and shrubs should be mulched after the first hard freeze....

You Should Mulch Your Hostas Now to Guarantee Gorgeous Spring Blooms — Here's How

Learn how to protect your hostas with a winter mulch to give them the best start next spring. Crowns can develop rot or fungal infections which are difficult to correct and plants often die as a result. Mulching protects against this rot, as well as providing other benefits. KatieMathews / Getty Images Want more gardening tips? If deer or insect pests are an ongoing problem, bark mulches including cedar and cypress contain repellant oils....

You Should Mulch Your Roses Now to Guarantee Gorgeous Spring Blooms — Here's How

Which Roses Need Mulching Before purchasing a rose, always check its hardiness range. Due to their growth habit,climbing rosesare difficult to protect against the cold. Want more gardening tips? Vladyslav Varshavskiy / Getty Images High nitrogen produces shoots growth late in the season, which will succumb to the first frost. Once the rose has gone dormant and has lost its leaves, do some light pruning. Cut long canes back to a height between 18 and 24 inches....

You Should Never Grow Butterfly Bush in Your Garden, Pros Say—Here's Why

The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova The appeal of a butterfly bush cant be denied. Phillips shares all the details on why butterfly bush is better avoided, plus what you should plant instead. Meet the Expert Mary Phillipsis the head of native plant habitat strategy/certifications at theNational Wildlife Federation. The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova Is It Bad to Grow a Butterfly Bush? They grow at a fast rate and can thrive in a wide variety of conditions....

You Should Never Paint These 5 Household Features, According to Reno and DIY Pros

Paint pros say that this is a job to leave to the experts. Want more home reno project tips and inspiration? Door Knobs and Handles Styles definitely change over time, and from person to person. Aleksandr Zubkov / Getty Images Yesterdays shiny gold knob might not appeal to todays popular muted looks. Paint isnt going to adhere well to a metal object with a high sheen, Lara says. These fixtures constant exposure to hand sweat can also easily compromise the quality of any cover-up you try....

You Should Never Use a Steam Cleaner on Hardwood Floors, Cleaning Pros Say—Here's Why

This exposure can impact the shape of the wood, causing it to warp and twist over time. Want more cleaning and organizing tips? Since these products contain wood particles, Romero says they too are susceptible to damage from a steam cleaner. jchizhe / Getty Images Additionally, Romero recommends youdry dust mopregularly to remove surface dirt. Consistently clearing your floors of dirt and can help maintain their integrity by protecting the floors from damages....

You Should Plant Saffron Crocus Right Now for Fall Color—Here's How

Saffron crocus grows best in full sun conditions with rich, well-draining soil and temperatures around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. These cheerful little flowers are mildly toxic to pets. Saffron Crocus Care Here are the main care requirements for growing a saffron crocus. Emily_M_Wilson / Getty Images Want more gardening tips? Light Full, bright autumn sun is necessary for saffron crocus' vibrant violet blooms. If you’re planting indoors, place in a sunny window with direct sunlight....

You Should Plant Tomatoes ASAP, Gardeners Say—What to Do Now for Your Best Crop Ever

Guido Mieth / Getty Images Fresh tomatoes are a juicy end-of-summer delight. With awide growth rangefrom 60 to 100 days, it can be hard to determine when to plant tomatoes. Meet the Expert Adam Weissis the founder of Pike Lane Gardens. Guido Mieth / Getty Images It’s best to plant tomatoes in two stages, says master gardener Adam Weiss. In the first stage, the seeds are planted indoors. In the second stage, theseedlings are transplanted outdoors....

You Should Plant Vegetables Soon for Your Most Bountiful Crop, Gardeners Say

L Feddes/Getty When should you plant vegetables? Overall, the best time to plant vegetables is between April and November. This broad growing season is divided into two seasonsspring and fallfor different crops. L Feddes/Getty We spoke to three gardening specialists so you’re able to learn when to plant vegetables. The other best time for planting vegetables is fall. Want more gardening tips? Spring Though spring is the best time to plant, each crop is different, Dysinger says....