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Which over-the-counter medicine is most effective for stopping a headache?

TWO OF THE most common over-the-counter drugs you can take if you su er from occasional tension headaches are acetaminophen (usually known by brand name Tylenol) and ibuprofen (sold under the brand names Advil and Motrin). While both will help ease a headache, a few studies show that ibuprofen may be more e ective in treating tension-type headaches, says Lauren Natbony, MD, at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. In one 1996 study, patients who took 400 mg of ibuprofen experienced more (and quicker) pain relief than those who took 1,000 mg of acetaminophen.

And because it has an antiin ammatory e ect, ibuprofen may also be more e ective for those experiencing neck pain.

People who have cardiovascular disease may want to avoid ibuprofen because it can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke—especially when taken long-term. (That risk is possibly somewhat lower with naproxen, known by the brand name Aleve, another anti-in ammatory drug that can provide relief for aches and pains.)

For all painkillers, it’s important to follow the dosage limits on the label because taking too much ibuprofen or naproxen puts you at risk of gastrointestinal bleeding, and taking too much acetaminophen can put you at risk of liver damage. (Aspirin, by the way, can also provide pain relief, but it’s not considered as e ective as acetaminophen and ibuprofen and can cause gastrointestinal bleeding even at a low daily dosage.) If you’re unsure which pain relief medication is right for you, talk with your doctor.

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… and watch for the answers. My garbage disposal smells bad. How can I clean it?

DISPOSALS CAN MAKE food scraps disappear with the ick of a switch—but over time food debris can build up inside and start to stink up your sink. If you use your disposal daily, we recommend cleaning it once a week with a few simple ingredients. Put a handful of ice (about six cubes) into the disposal and run it: This should help break up bits of food that may be stuck down there. Once the ice is gone, mix 1 teaspoon of bleach with a cup of water and pour it into the garbage disposal, says Larry Ciufo, who oversees CR’s garbage disposal lab testing. “Use a cap or cover over the opening to keep bleach from splashing back up at you—and then run it for a few seconds,” he says. If you still smell something, it’s probably caused by food buildup on the splash guard—the black rubber panel that sits atop your sink’s drain hole. You can scrub it with warm water and baking soda or toss it into the dishwasher.

And to keep odors to a minimum in the future, always run your disposal with water before, during, and after grinding food. (Use hot water when grinding foods with fats or oils, and cold for anything else.) We

suggest running the water for about 7 seconds after you hear the grinder stop, to help ush away any remaining particles.

How can I keep my wipers from freezing to my windshield?

RUBBER WIPER BLADES tend to freeze to the glass of your windshield when a car is parked outside in the cold. The simplest x? On many vehicles you can pull the wiper arms up and o the windshield and leave them that way—and it’s especially important to do so when snow or freezing temperatures are expected.

When you come back to your car, don’t try to turn the wipers on before de-icing; doing so can wear out the blades, or even snap the wipers if they’re stuck to the glass. (If you usually leave your wipers on the Auto setting, turn the wipers to O when you park the car to prevent them from turning on automatically when you start the car later.) And never use hot water to de-ice your windshield: The extreme temperature change can crack the glass. Instead, start your car and turn on the defroster with the fans on high speed to melt the exterior ice before using a plastic scraper. And it’s a good idea to inspect your wipers regularly: They should be replaced about every six months.