This week I’m reminding you to clean your shower drain and the insides of your windows. They desperately need your attention. Also in this issue: how to prevent mice from getting into your car, and what we really think about charcoal toothpaste. 

THE BIG STORY:

‘You Did Me Dirty’

We all have places in our homes we might forget to clean. For me, it’s the space underneath any heavy furniture. While my boyfriend and I vacuum our living room every week, the floorboards underneath the sofa are often left untouched. Then we recently realized the amount of dust that had piled up.

I asked CR editors—who have written about how to clean the different corners of your home—what places can be surprisingly dirty. Here’s what they told me. Brace yourselves.

QUIZ

Photo: Adobe Stock Photo: Adobe Stock

Yes or no: Charcoal toothpaste is a good way to whiten your teeth.

QUICK FACTS

Today I learned:

1) Hard water is one of the reasons your dishes aren’t coming out of the dishwasher clean.

2) You might still be tracked by TikTok across the internet even if you don’t use the app.

3) There’s a simple trick to determine whether your pots and pans are compatible with an induction cooktop.

4) CR staffers have some strong opinions about which Halloween candies are the best and the worst.

ASK AN EXPERT

Question: 
I have definitely overused dryer sheets over the last few years. Is there some way to undo the damage I may have done?

Answer: 
Products like dryer sheets and fabric softeners can leave a residue on your clothes and cause a rash if you have sensitive skin or allergies. So if you’re concerned about the buildup on your laundry, simply stop using dryer sheets, says Rich Handel, CR’s laundry expert and tester of dryers and washing machines. Over time, the residue will wash out of your clothes.

Dryer sheets can also leave a chemical residue on your dryer’s moisture sensor, which might make it less effective. To prevent that from happening, you can clean the moisture sensor periodically with a cloth and a few drops of rubbing alcohol, Rich says. The sensor is generally two raised metal bars mounted in plastic. It may be in the back of the drum or in the front of the drum near the lint filter housing.

And if you’re curious about whether laundry products like scent boosters and color enhancers are necessary, this is our take.

THE GOOD STUFF

A sentence I never thought I would say: Here’s how to prevent rodents from getting into your car.

@consumerreports Rodents?! In cars?! Stay calm and follow these tips for keeping them away. #cartok #carsoftiktok #carcommunity ♬ original sound - Consumer Reports

QUIZ ANSWER

The answer is no. If it’s teeth whitening you’re looking for, charcoal toothpaste probably isn’t the way to get it done.

Charcoal toothpaste has shown mixed results when it comes to whitening teeth, according to studies. It might even make your teeth look worse. The charcoal can stain the plaque on your teeth green, which takes a lot of effort to brush off, says Linda Greenwall, BDS, a dentist and specialist in prosthodontics and restorative dentistry in London. Since it’s abrasive, it can also potentially damage your teeth’s protective enamel.

"In this world, nothing is certain but dust and taxes."

Pang-Chieh Ho

I'm a newsletter writer who likes looking into the different ways we can live smarter. The topics I cover typically explore unanswered questions we have about the products we use every day and bridge the gaps between what owners' manuals advise and what we actually do. In my spare time, I like to take photos, critique movies out loud while I watch (at home!), and take care of my ever-increasing plant "children."