News — Cleaning

s You could suddenly find yourself without clean drinking water during a water-related emergency, such as damage to a treatment plant or contamination of your local water system. One way to be prepared is by storing a supply of water that your family can get by on for several days or longer. In a water emergency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends storing at least one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days for drinking and sanitation. However, they strongly suggest stashing away a two-week supply if you’re able. And, if you live...

And when choosing the best towels, there are a lot of factors to consider.  Are you more concerned with softness or durability?  Do you want oversized towels or towels that won’t take up a lot of room while drying on the back of your door?  Do you need to match the towel’s color to your decor or would you prefer an all-white collection of hotel-style towels?  Which material will feel best on your skin, absorb water the fastest, and last you the longest? Typically, cheaper towels are made from run-of-the-mill cotton, while the most absorbent bath towels are made from...

Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. Consumers have many worries right now during the coronavirus pandemic. Somewhere on the list for some is keeping their car dependable, especially for those who work at “essential” businesses and need to commute.  There are many basic car care tasks, such as checking fluids and inspecting tires, that can be performed in your driveway. And in an ideal world, you would have been ahead of all routine services and repairs, such as an oil change, before social distancing.  People in many parts of the country have been advised to...

Yoga has a ton of benefits. This ancient practice helps you build strength, flexibility and circulatory health; it can also relieve stress and anxiety. Best of all, to practice yoga, whether you’re at home or heading to a studio, all you really need is a yoga mat. As the most important piece of your yoga kit, keeping your yoga mat clean and odor-free should be your top priority. Unfortunately, sweat, dust and other germs can build up on the surface of your mat, causing bad smells and even spreading diseases if you’re not careful. To prevent this and to ensure...

If no one in the house is sick, there’s no need to go crazy. Depending on the size of your household and how often everyone goes in and out, every other day or two to three times a week should be adequate for cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting highly-touched surfaces. If someone in your house is ill, it’s recommended to keep them isolated and to clean surfaces and surroundings daily. Before you get cleaning, remember to check the labels on your disinfectants. ‘Sanitising’ significantly reduces the number of germs and can take a fraction of the time of disinfecting, which kills...