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How can I fix a small area of peeling paint in my bathroom?

Will buying a car with lighter-colored seats keep my car’s interior cooler?

IF YOU HAVE leftover paint in the original color, check to see if it’s still usable, says Rich Handel, who oversees paint ratings at CR. You’ll know the paint is too old to use if you nd a thick, rubberlike layer sitting on top of the paint, or the paint doesn’t mix well when stirred. (Paint that’s still usable should stay blended for 10 to 15 minutes after mixing.) To test it, try painting a small area on a piece of cardboard: The paint should go onto the surface smoothly, and the color should be uniform. If you determine that the paint isn’t usable, take the can to a paint or home improvement store and ask whether it can match the color for you.

Before applying fresh paint to the wall, use a metal putty knife to scrape away the cracked or peeling paint, smoothing any bumps and edges around nail holes. Taper sharp edges where old paint remains by sanding lightly with very ne sandpaper. Then mix ¼ cup of a low-suds household detergent (such as Spic and Span powder cleanser) into 1 gallon of warm water. Dip a dualsided scrub sponge into the bucket and lightly rough up the surface for better paint adhesion. Then wipe down the wall with clean water and a cloth to remove any residual detergent. Once the area is dry, use a spackling compound to ll in any depressions and sand them, so the surface is smooth.

To apply the paint, use a roller or brush (our experts suggest using synthetic brushes for water-based paints and natural brushes for oil-based ones), going a little beyond the spot you’re touching up to blend any edges. If the touched-up spot is noticeable when it’s dry, you may need to repaint a larger area or the entire wall.

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… and watch for the answers. IT WILL, but not by much. CR test engineers decided to investigate this long-held theory using two cars—one with a light-colored exterior and interior and the other with a dark exterior and interior. The testers parked the cars in the sun. According to Mike Monticello, CR’s roadtest manager, “The initial temperature inside both cars was 78° F. Within an hour, the temperature for both was over 100° F. The dark-colored car registered 109° F, while the light-colored one was at 104° F.” So although the vehicle with the light-colored interior was slightly less hot, it was still far from cool inside.

A better way to stay comfortable while driving on hot days is to consider buying a vehicle with cooled or ventilated seats, which blow cool air on you through perforated upholstery. It’s a feature that’s becoming more widely available: For example, you can nd it o ered in some midpriced Ford and Kia models. By the way, there is a good reason to opt for a dark interior: It will hide dirt and stains more easily than a light interior. I’m tired of finding wilted lettuce in my fridge. How can I make it last longer?

THERE ARE a few things you can do. First, buy hardier types of lettuce. Delicate leaf lettuces, such as arugula and baby lettuce mixes, stay fresh for only a few days in the fridge, while romaine and iceberg last about a week. Also, buy whole lettuce, which you wash at home, rather than prewashed, cut, and packaged lettuce, which tends to spoil more quickly. If you do opt for packaged lettuce, check for moisture inside the container—that’s a sign that the lettuce might not last as long.

You can also do a few things to keep lettuce fresher in your fridge. First, remove any slimy or damaged leaves. Place the remaining lettuce in an airtight container, along with a clean, damp cloth or paper towel to help absorb excess moisture. Then store it in your fridge’s crisper drawer. In many fridges, the humidity of each crisper drawer can be adjusted separately. Set the drawer to high for veggies prone to spoiling quickly, such as leafy greens and broccoli. Keep produce that ripens over time, including apples, avocados, and pears, in a di erent drawer, away from lettuce. (The ethylene gas they emit can hasten spoilage in other nearby produce.)