Choose your location
Family Handyman
We Tested the Bissell SpinWave + Vac All-in-One Powered Spin-Mop and Vacuum
Our editors and experts handpick every product we feature. We may earn a commission from your purchases. In the last few months, I’ve tested more than your average amount of vacuums—Bissell vacuums in particular. I’ve become quite partial to the brand’s cleaning solutions, from the upright carpet cleaners to the pet stain erasers. Bissell’s best carpet cleaners can clean anything from upholstery to pet stains, so I was eager to try the Bissell SpinWave + Vac All-in-One that claims to vacuum and mop at the same time for a more efficient clean. Read on for my full Bissell SpinWave review.
How To Get Rid of Sugar Ants In Your Home
In Florida, one easy way to pick out tourists from locals is watching how people eat lunch. Rest a half-eaten banana on the picnic table? Tourist. Wipe up a drip of jam immediately? Local. That drip may attract invasive sugar ants, which are a huge hassle to have in your...
Can Stainless Steel Go In the Dishwasher?
Many professional and amateur chefs consider stainless steel the best cookware material. It’s strong, scratch-resistant and stylish. But is it safe to put in your dishwasher?. The answer is yes — most of the time. But there are exceptions. And it might not be the best way to clean...
I Tried the Spengar IR Paint Stripper and Love Removing Paint Without the Chemicals
Our editors and experts handpick every product we feature. We may earn a commission from your purchases. When it comes to removing paint you have several options and none of them usually seem appealing. There’s the chemical option wherein you pull on industrial-grade rubber gloves, PPE and lay out a tapestry of protective tarps. You read instructions, gather chemical-worthy containers, set aside a few sacrificial brushes and rags and get to work. When you’re done, egads, what do you do with all the leftover rags and chemical waste?
8 Stylish DIY Loft Bedroom Ideas
A loft is an open living space directly under the roof of a house. By definition, that’s where you would expect to find a loft bedroom. But more often, the term “loft bedroom” denotes style or design rather than location. In this case, an element of the room (usually the bed) is elevated above the rest of the space.
I Tried Anker’s Solix F3800 Portable Power Station with 240V Power
Our editors and experts handpick every product we feature. We may earn a commission from your purchases. Portable power stations have become integral to my partner’s and my life. We use them while working off-grid to run tools and charge batteries. We rely on them, coupled with solar panels, to power our camping van conversion. And when a recent storm knocked out our home electricity, we plugged in our fridge to save hundreds of dollars in groceries. But until now, there was one thing our power stations couldn’t do for us: run our 240V welding machine. So when we heard that the Anker power station was coming out, we eagerly anticipated its arrival.
How To Get Rid of Maggots In Your Home
For those of us who stumbled upon a cache of maggots, it’s an unforgettable sight. There’s something particularly disgusting about them. Maybe it’s because they signal spoiled food or dead animals. Or maybe we just don’t see them often enough to normalize them as a regular process of nature.
I Live in a Van, and I Swear By the Jackery Generator
Our editors and experts handpick every product we feature. We may earn a commission from your purchases. Living on the road, electricity is a commodity. Charging your devices and running essential appliances like a refrigerator isn’t as simple as plugging cords into an outlet. Well, it is, and it isn’t: My van is indeed equipped with standard 120-volt household outlets, as well as USB ports and 12-volt outlets. However, the integrated 320-Ah battery in my campervan has limitations, and I must be wary of power usage in a way I didn’t have to be when living in an apartment, house or condo.
24 Tips for Wiring Light Switches and Outlets
Play it smart and stay safe when wiring outlets and switches. We’ll show you how to wire three-way switches. The wiring is more complicated than a traditional single-pole switch, but we’ll explain how to make the connections. Once you’re done, you’ll be able to control a light from two switches.
What Are Toilets Made Out Of?
A modern toilet exists as something of a contradiction. By virtue of its function, it’s far from a sanitary item. Yet it’s manufactured to be one of the easiest-to-clean items in a home. And while toilets are amazingly durable — they can stay in service for a century...
I Tried the Halo Pizza Oven, and It Made Restaurant-Quality Pizza at Home
Our editors and experts handpick every product we feature. We may earn a commission from your purchases. I was born and raised in New York City, where pizza isn’t just a food—it’s a religion that preaches that at-home pizzas are akin to blasphemy. This sin can be forgiven, however, if you have a pizza oven that can replicate the hot temperatures found in brick pizza ovens. Could the Halo Pizza Oven be the answer to my prayers? While not as well-known as the Ooni Pizza Oven or the Solo Stove Pizza Oven attachment, the Halo Versa 16 won the 2022 Retailers’ Choice Award and comes with features that have impressed rookie and expert pizza makers alike.
4 Emergency Substitutes for Dishwasher Detergent
Out of dishwasher detergent? We've got you covered!. You’re out of dishwasher detergent, and you have a sink full of dishes. What to do?. Sure, you can hand wash dishes, but that cabinet full of household cleaners looks pretty inviting. Is there anything you can sub for the detergent without harming your dishwasher, your dishes or your family?
How To Use a Dishwasher Properly
Do you use your dishwasher? It’s not that crazy of a question. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, nearly 20% of U.S. households have a dishwasher but don’t use it. I went without a dishwasher for 20 years and washed a lot of dishes by hand. So...
Why Is Water Dripping from My Bathroom Fan?
If you see water stains in the drywall around your bathroom exhaust fan, or water dripping from the fan itself, the most likely issue is condensation in the fan duct. Of course, there’s always the possibility of a roof leak. “I had a customer call just yesterday and explain...
How To Get Rid of Groundhogs In a Humane Way
Groundhogs are adorable, unless they’ve eaten all your lettuce and dug big holes in your driveway. Well, even then they’re still pretty darling. But if they’ve become too bothersome and you want them out, some solutions don’t require lethal measures. First, don’t panic just because you...
10 Shower Niche Ideas for Your Bathroom
If you’re remodeling your bathroom, including a shower niche is a good idea. What exactly is a shower niche? Basically, a convenient place to put small items. “A shower niche is a space that is recessed into your shower wall and intended to store such things as shampoo, soap, razors, etc.,” says tile expert James Upton. “It gets those items off the ground and at a height that can be easily reached while showering.”
8 Warning Signs of a Tornado
Severe weather can move in quickly, and tornadoes — those powerful storms with winds reaching up to 300 mph — are some of the most unpredictable. I grew up in Oklahoma, which averages about 57 tornadoes a year, so school tornado drills were as common as fire drills. At home, we were taught to get in the bathtub or an interior closet if we couldn’t make it to a shelter.
How To Store Gasoline Safely
Gasoline is dangerous if not handled and stored properly. Old gas also poses a risk to your engines and equipment. This is a lesson I learned the hard way when rebuilding a motorcycle. When I went to re-assemble the bike, I discovered leftover gas had been sitting in the carburetors— for over two years.
How To Replace a Bathroom Exhaust Fan
Tired of the noise your bathroom fan makes? Install a new one in a few hours without ripping up the ceiling or walls. Quiet your fans and bring some peace to your bathrooms. Have you found yourself not turning on your bathroom exhaust fan because it’s too loud? Or maybe it’s too old and just stopped running?
Family Handyman
7K+
Posts
137M+
Views
The Family Handyman empowers DIYers to maintain and improve their homes, with inspiring projects, expert advice and clear, step-by-step instructions.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.