Tausi Insider

About 10,500 units of stainless steel cups and bottles have been voluntarily recalled by Green Sprouts , a manufacturer of reusable baby products, over a possible lead poisoning hazard. The recalled Green Sprouts bottles have been sold at major retailers, including Whole Foods stores nationwide, and online at Amazon, Target, Buy Buy Baby , and Bed Bath & Beyond from January 2020 through September 2022 for between $14 and $19. Lead is poisonous to anyone who handles it and touches their eyes, nose, or mouth, or if it is ingested. The metal is especially harmful to children, according to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences . The poisonous metal exposure can cause a range of adverse health effects, including developmental delays and learning disabilities in children. What is the recall for? According to the alert from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the bottom base of the products can break off, exposing a solder dot that contains lead...

Photo : Aleksei Lazukov ( Shutterstock ) What artificial Christmas trees lack in fresh evergreen scent, they make up for with ease of maintenance. Unlike the live versions, faux firs don’t shed, or need to be watered, then disposed of at the end of the holiday season. But that doesn’t mean that they’re completely maintenance-free. Given that artificial Christmas trees spend a few weeks living with us in our home, and rest of the year tucked away in storage, they do accumulate some dirt and dust, and would benefit from an annual cleaning. Here’s what to do. How to clean an artificial Christmas tree To prolong the life of your artificial tree, experts recommend cleaning it before putting it away , and then again when it comes out of storage at the beginning of the holiday season, before you decorate it. Even if you don’t care about the tree itself, those prickly fake branches are dust magnets, so if anyone in your household has dust mite allergies, it’s a good idea to clean the tr...

Photo : Patrick Hatt ( Shutterstock ) Mineral oil and mineral spirits may both have a place under your sink or on a shelf in your garage, but despite sounding similar, they are very different. Not sure which to use for your project? Here’s what to know. What’s the difference between mineral spirits and mineral oil? Both start with the word “mineral,” and are clear liquid byproducts of the distillation of petroleum, but the similarities end there. Here are some of the difference between mineral spirits and mineral oil : Mineral spirits Common uses: Thinning paint or ink Cleaning paintbrushes and other tools Cleaning paint spills Stripping built-up layers of polish, wax, and oils on wood Prepping wood before staining or painting Removing residue from stickers Restoring garden tools Cleaning window frames Removing scuff marks from the floor Degreasing auto parts and other tools Cleaning plastic outdoor furniture Removing sap from garden tools Similar to: Turpentine Acetone Denature...

Photo : Joni Hanebutt ( Shutterstock ) It would be unusual for most of us to ever have a chance to cook in a top chef’s kitchen with all of it’s fancy, gleaming equipment as far as the eye can see—but settling for buying hugely discounted All-Clad cookware might be the best possible conso lation prize . The well-regarded (and expensive ) stainless-steel kitchenware, All-Clad , is having a massive final sale right now until Sunday night. You can find many of their products heavily discounted ( t he most discounted item I found was this 15-inch oval baker for 76% off) . While yes, y ou can probably find plenty of other brands selling full-price stainless-steel kitchenware for the same price as these discounted pots and pans, if you’re looking for high quality and durability, these are basically the gold standard . The terms and conditions for the sale warn that these items are considered “factory seconds,” meaning they “have minor cosmetic scratches and/or dents.” Howeve...