â¦to cut flowers from someone's yard?
PHOTOGRAPH: GREG MARINO/STUDIO D; STYLING: AMY CHIN
helpwanted how bad is it... …to cut flowers from
someone’s yard?
A: If you didn’t plant ’em, you can’t have ’em. Imagine
walking up to a house and taking the mail or the grinning garden gnome. Same diff. If you want to help yourself to a few blooms, including any that are peeking over your property line, “you have to ask permission first,” says Diane Gottsman of the Protocol School of Texas. Or agree on a flower-exchange routine, leaving a note every time you snip.
bottom line: really bad
WRITTEN BY RACHEL JACOBY
hgtv magazine 25
how bad is it...
…to throw away paint cans in the trash?
A: Warning: We’re getting
into legal terrain here! Oiland latex-based paints are considered household hazardous waste (HHW) and should be handled by your local HHW management system. Enter your zip code at earth911.com for local disposal rules. The toxic ingredients pose a health risk to sanitation workers, and can also potentially drip out of the garbage truck and pollute waterways.
bottom line: super bad
…to eat fruit without washing it?
bacteria, pesticides, and (brace yourself) animal feces clinging to its skin. That’s the sort of nasty stuff that’s been found on unwashed food, making produce a common cause of foodborne illnesses. “You need to give fruit more than the typical one-second shake under water,” says Lauren Slayton, R.D., director of foodtrainers.net. “Rinse produce for at least 15 seconds and you’ll get rid of 98% of the bacteria.”
bottom line: really bad
…to use laundry detergent in the dishwasher?
A: Don’t do it—even in a pinch. Knowingly using the wrong
type of detergent will void your warranty and could damage your dishwasher, and you’ll still have dirty dishes. “Dishwashing and laundry detergents are both formulated with surfactants (a dirt-lifting foaming agent), but laundry detergent has a much lower concentration,” says Harry Grubbs of mrappliance.com. And since your dishes contain far more grease and grime than clothing does, one full dishwasher cycle with laundry detergent won’t even scratch the surface.
bottom line: pretty bad 26 hgtv magazine
…to fake sing happy birthday at a party?
A: If you can carry a tune, it is
a little rude to lip-synch. But if your voice makes a dog howl, the birthday girl/boy will be glad you bluffed your way through.
bottom line: not bad at all
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: GREG MARINO/STUDIO D; SHUTTERSTOCK
A: An apple a day won’t keep the doctor away if that apple has
helpwanted how bad is it... …to cut flowers from
someone’s yard?
A: If you didn’t plant ’em, you can’t have ’em. Imagine
walking up to a house and taking the mail or the grinning garden gnome. Same diff. If you want to help yourself to a few blooms, including any that are peeking over your property line, “you have to ask permission first,” says Diane Gottsman of the Protocol School of Texas. Or agree on a flower-exchange routine, leaving a note every time you snip.
bottom line: really bad
WRITTEN BY RACHEL JACOBY
hgtv magazine 25
how bad is it...
…to throw away paint cans in the trash?
A: Warning: We’re getting
into legal terrain here! Oiland latex-based paints are considered household hazardous waste (HHW) and should be handled by your local HHW management system. Enter your zip code at earth911.com for local disposal rules. The toxic ingredients pose a health risk to sanitation workers, and can also potentially drip out of the garbage truck and pollute waterways.
bottom line: super bad
…to eat fruit without washing it?
bacteria, pesticides, and (brace yourself) animal feces clinging to its skin. That’s the sort of nasty stuff that’s been found on unwashed food, making produce a common cause of foodborne illnesses. “You need to give fruit more than the typical one-second shake under water,” says Lauren Slayton, R.D., director of foodtrainers.net. “Rinse produce for at least 15 seconds and you’ll get rid of 98% of the bacteria.”
bottom line: really bad
…to use laundry detergent in the dishwasher?
A: Don’t do it—even in a pinch. Knowingly using the wrong
type of detergent will void your warranty and could damage your dishwasher, and you’ll still have dirty dishes. “Dishwashing and laundry detergents are both formulated with surfactants (a dirt-lifting foaming agent), but laundry detergent has a much lower concentration,” says Harry Grubbs of mrappliance.com. And since your dishes contain far more grease and grime than clothing does, one full dishwasher cycle with laundry detergent won’t even scratch the surface.
bottom line: pretty bad 26 hgtv magazine
…to fake sing happy birthday at a party?
A: If you can carry a tune, it is
a little rude to lip-synch. But if your voice makes a dog howl, the birthday girl/boy will be glad you bluffed your way through.
bottom line: not bad at all
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: GREG MARINO/STUDIO D; SHUTTERSTOCK
A: An apple a day won’t keep the doctor away if that apple has
