Caroline Mullen

New York

Staff Writer at Wirecutter

Twitter terrifies me. Writer, editor, shitposter. @ForbesVetted @AptTherapy @dominomag @strategist @Food52 ETC!!

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Articles

The Best Blackout Curtains in the World Won’t Block Light Unless You Follow These Tips

2 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Caroline Mullen

Whether you’d like your child to sleep through nap time, your work necessitates sleep during daylight hours, or you just want to block bright light on weekend mornings, blackout curtains are here to help. Staff writer Dorie Chevlen put 11 sets of curtains through their paces for our guide to the best blackout curtains and found the ones that blocked light best.
How to Install (or Remove) Those Renter-Friendly Peel-and-Stick Tiles

2 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Caroline Mullen

So you have an unsightly bathroom floor, but you don’t have the budget for a full reno. Or maybe your rental’s kitchen backsplash is screaming “We did the Tuscan thing in the ’90s.” You’ve been eyeing peel-and-stick tiles as a solution, but you’re afraid to take the plunge. I can relate.
Scrubbing Grout Is Annoying. This Tiny $2 Brush Makes It Easy.

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Caroline Mullen

Give me an hour, and I could fill it with all the ways I love Muji, a store that sells Japanese-designed basics. Over the years, I’ve stocked up on my favorite 0.5 mm gel pens, colorful cotton socks, and little spiral-bound notebooks. But one of my best Muji purchases is also one of the most unassuming: a tiny little cleaning brush that I end up reaching for more times than I can count.
The Best Deals for All Your Spring Cleaning

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Caroline Mullen

Surprise, surprise: Just in time for spring cleaning, many of our expert-approved cleaning, organizing, and appliance picks are on sale. Over the years, we’ve made lots of messes to put these products to the test. We’ve mopped up colored chalk and New York City street slush with our mop picks, burned countless matches to measure air purifier effectiveness, and measured vacuum airflow and suction with an anemometer and a specialized suction gauge, to name just a few.
How to Clean a Shower

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Caroline Mullen

Showers are damp, humid areas that don’t always have the chance to dry out completely between uses, so they’re especially prone to mold and mildew growth—not to mention a filmy, grungy layer of soap scum. The best way to tackle those pesky accumulations is to perform regular maintenance. And we hate to break it to you, but a quick squeegee every time you use the shower (yep, every time) will significantly reduce the need for deep cleans to just about once a quarter.
What Is Dust Even Made Of? (And How to Manage It)

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Caroline Mullen

By Caroline MullenCaroline Mullen is a writer focused on cleaning and organizing. Every rug in her apartment is machine-washable, but you can blame her dog for that. If you ask me, the most annoying cleaning task is dusting. No matter how frequently I wipe down surfaces and vacuum nooks and crannies, dust just keeps coming back. It never seems to end. And I can’t be the only one who feels like I’m always at war with dust buildup.
How to Clean a Bathtub and Sink

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Caroline Mullen

We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more›Caroline Mullen/NYT WirecutterBy Caroline MullenCaroline Mullen is a writer focused on cleaning and organizing. Every rug in her apartment is machine-washable, but you can blame her dog for that. Sure, you could clean the entirety of your bathroom in one go, but if you’re overwhelmed by the task, try breaking it down into smaller chunks over the course of a few days.
18 Wirecutter-Approved Cleaning Supplies to Tackle Almost Any Mess

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Caroline Mullen

Thanks to the barrage of cleaning advice on the internet, you might be wondering what you actually need to have in your home to keep it glistening, or at least not dirty. No, you don’t need a viral spin brush to scrub bathroom tile, and you don’t need an automatic dustpan (a regular vacuum will do the trick). But you do need a laundry detergent that gets smells and stains out of clothes, and you should have a few scrub brushes on hand for tackling stains and spots.
How a Cleaning Expert Organizes Her Cleaning Supplies

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Caroline Mullen

I’ve tested a lot of cleaning products in the past seven years, and most of them haven’t earned a spot in my everyday rotation. Instead of favoring a specialized product for every job, I firmly believe that a small arsenal of cleaning items will get almost anything clean. That said, there are a number of winners I still need to house in my small apartment because I like to be prepared for whenever a mess strikes.
I Live in a 750-Square-Foot Apartment But Have 3 Power Saws. Here’s How I Store My DIY Supplies.

2 months ago | nytimes.com | Caroline Mullen

Some people have garages, and even luckier people have workshops. Me? I have a one-bedroom apartment in a major city. Even so, I’m unwilling to scale back on all of the tools and supplies I’ve collected over the years. Given that I’m incredibly likely to respond “I could make that” or “I’ll just fix it myself” when faced with a project or repair, I’ve acquired more home-improvement gear than the average city dweller. So what’s a city rat with a passion for DIY to do?