Wow! What Color Is

how bad is it …

Straight answers to scratch-your-head questions.

What’s for dinner?

…to put a bird feeder right outside your window?

Studies suggest that at least 365 million birds in the United States die each year from colliding with buildings, usually the windows. But surprisingly, hanging a feeder close to a window helps prevent crashes. That’s because birds commonly hit windows while taking off from a feeder, not while attempting to land on one. The closer you place a feeder to your window, the less likely it is that your feathered friends will hurt themselves when they fly away, says Matt Johnson, education manager for Audubon South Carolina. The ideal spot for hanging? Three feet or less from your home or at least 30 feet away from it. not bad at all!

…to eat your kids’ Halloween candy without telling them?

It may not seem like a big deal to sneak a Milky Way—or three—from your child’s Halloween haul. But depending on his or her age and temperament, it could be. While a 12-yearold probably won’t freak out if you take a piece, 5-, 6-, and 7-year-olds can be possessive of their stuff. Either way, “if you get caught, it’s bad news because we teach children not to steal,” says parenting expert Betsy Brown Braun, author of You’re Not the Boss of Me. Even if you don’t get caught red (hot!)handed, lots of kids count their candy and may figure out something’s missing without having seen you take it. Brown Braun suggests using the holiday to teach kids a lesson in sharing: Something as simple as “I share lots of things with you, so will you please share with me?” can go a long way beyond October 31. really bad!

…to store paint in the garage?

A properly sealed can of paint will keep for several years if protected from extreme temperatures, meaning those below 35˚F and above 120˚F, says Debbie Zimmer, director of communications and alliances for The Dow Chemical Company’s Paint Quality Institute. Frigid or scorching conditions can mess with paint’s texture, leaving it thick, lumpy, and difficult to use. Unless your garage is climate-controlled, Zimmer suggests stashing leftover paint indoors in a spot that stays between 50˚F and 80˚F. Sealing the can correctly also helps paint last. First wipe excess paint from the rim with a damp cloth. Place plastic wrap over the top, then tap the lid shut with a rubber mallet. When the lid is secure, turn the can upside down and store it that way. The paint will create an airtight seal against the lid. sorta bad!

…to sleep with your jewelry on?

Tossing and turning while accessorized can take a toll on your rings, earrings, and necklaces—and your skin. Continuous contact with even the softest sheets has an abrasive effect that can cause gemstones and metals to lose their luster over time, says Mark Mann of the Gemological Institute of America. Delicate chains and drop earrings can also break if they get caught on blankets. Giving jewelry the night off benefits your skin, too, since debris, oils, and bacteria can build up then rub off during the night, resulting in a rash. But dermatologist Nada Elbuluk, M.D., an assistant professor at New York University School of Medicine, says everyone’s skin reacts differently (if at all). “It depends on the type of jewelry, the size, and the individual’s skin sensitivities,” she says. Even if you find it’s fine to sleep with your baubles on, remove them before showering, since soap can dull metal and stone. pretty bad!

…to wash your dish towels with your clothes?

Since kitchen towels touch bacteria-laden surfaces—the sink, messy countertops, food-covered hands—they should get a hot wash, says Mary Gagliardi, Clorox’s Dr. Laundry. In order to kill certain germs, you’ll also need to add bleach since most household water isn’t typically hot enough (it needs to be at least 140˚F) to disinfect on its own. It’s fine to toss white towels (even ones with stripes are usually OK) in a hot cycle with your white clothes plus detergent and bleach. As for colored towels, Gagliardi recommends hot water for them, too, along with colorsafe bleach and detergent, to get them clean. But keep them separate from your colored clothes, which likely call for warm or cold water on their care labels. not bad at all!

(if the towels are white) pretty bad!

(if they’re colored)

…to not weatherproof your leather boots?

It’s actually better to leave leather just as you bought it. “Applying products with weatherproofing properties will change the way the leather looks and breathes,” says Nick Horween, vice president of Horween Leather Company. “Don’t do it.” Here’s why: Besides the fact that weatherproofing makes leather considerably less breathable—and breathability is one of the reasons it’s so comfortable—it also can darken leather and add shine. Plus, your boots’ soles may not have been constructed to stand up to snow and rain, no matter how much weatherproofing spray you apply. Goodquality leather has some built in water-resistance anyway, so the smarter option is to clean and condition it when it starts looking dry to restore its luster and help it maintain its wicking properties. not bad at all!

…to prune flowering shrubs and trees in the fall?

Put away the pruners. Fall isn’t the ideal time to prune anything, says Pete Smith, urban forestry program manager at the Arbor Day Foundation. While there’s nothing wrong with removing a diseased or dead branch any time of year, the best time to prune most flowering shrubs and trees is in the winter, when they’re dormant—that is, when their leaves, which they need for energy, have fallen off. The exceptions, says Smith, are firstblooming spring bushes and trees like magnolias, dogwoods, forsythias, and azaleas, which “set their flower buds for next year in the fall, so if you prune them in fall or winter, you risk snipping off next year’s flowers.” Prune these guys immediately after they’ve finished blooming, usually in late spring. really bad!