Consumer News: Home Depot's return policy explained: Insider tips, hidden rules, and smart ways to make returns easier

Consumers warned not to eat sprouts sold under the Calco and Everything Sprouts brands

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Federal health officials say 55 people in 15 states have been infected with E. coli, Salmonella or both after eating alfalfa sprouts.

• The outbreak is linked to sprouts grown by Everything Sprouts and sold under the Calco and Everything Sprouts brands.

• Consumers should not eat the affected sprouts and should wash and sanitize refrigerators, containers and other surfaces they touched.

Federal health officials are investigating an unusual multistate outbreak involving several strains of E. coli and a strain of Salmonella, all linked to alfalfa sprouts.

As of Aug. 21, 55 illnesses had been reported across 15 states. Four people were hospitalized, but no deaths had been reported, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

The FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are telling consumers not to eat alfalfa sprouts grown by Everything Sprouts LLC of Minneapolis. The sprouts were distributed under the Calco and Everything Sprouts brand names to grocery stores, restaurants and other food-service customers.

The FDA said it is still working to determine the full distribution of the products.

Of the reported patients, 46 were infected with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, seven were infected with Salmonella Agona and two were infected with both pathogens. The E. coli illnesses involve three serotypes: O26:H11, O103:H25 and O168:H8.

Illnesses began between May 31 and Aug. 8. Cases have been reported in Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Washington and Wisconsin.

Public health officials interviewed 34 patients about what they ate before becoming ill. Twenty-six of them, or 76%, reported eating alfalfa sprouts.

Traceback investigations at restaurants and grocery stores identified sprouts distributed by Everything Sprouts as a source of the illnesses, the FDA said.

FDA recommends a recall

The FDA began inspecting the Everything Sprouts facility and collecting samples on Aug. 19. The agency said it has recommended that the company recall the affected products, which it has.

In the meantime, consumers should check refrigerators and freezers for Calco and Everything Sprouts-brand alfalfa sprouts. The products should be thrown away or returned to the store where they were purchased.

Consumers who froze sprouts without their original packaging and cannot determine the brand should discard them, the agency said.

Restaurants, retailers and food-service operators should stop selling or serving the affected products. Any containers, shelves or other surfaces that came in contact with the sprouts should be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized to prevent cross-contamination.

Symptoms to watch for

Shiga toxin-producing E. coli can cause severe stomach cramps, diarrhea that may be bloody, nausea, vomiting and fever. Symptoms can begin within a few days of eating contaminated food but may take as long as nine days to appear.

Some patients can develop hemolytic uremic syndrome, a potentially life-threatening form of kidney failure. The infection may also lead to high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease or neurological problems.

Salmonella typically causes diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps. Symptoms generally begin 12 to 72 hours after exposure and usually last four to seven days.

Children younger than 5, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems face a greater risk of serious Salmonella illness.

The CDC advises consumers to contact a healthcare provider promptly if they develop bloody diarrhea, diarrhea lasting more than two days, fever above 102 degrees, vomiting that prevents them from keeping liquids down or signs of dehydration.

The experimental mRNA treatment helped keep melanoma from returning

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Moderna and Merck say their personalized mRNA cancer vaccine helped delay the return and spread of melanoma in a large Phase 3 clinical trial.

• Unlike traditional vaccines, the treatment is created individually from each patients tumor and is given after surgery to prevent the cancer from returning.

• The companies have not released detailed Phase 3 results, and the vaccine still requires regulatory review before it can be offered to patients.

Modernas effort to turn its mRNA technology into a cancer treatment has reached a major milestone, with the company reporting positive results from a late-stage clinical trial involving people with high-risk melanoma.

Moderna and its development partner Merck said the experimental treatment, known as intismeran autogene, met the primary and a key secondary goal of a Phase 3 trial. Patients who received the personalized vaccine with Mercks immunotherapy drug Keytruda went longer without their cancer returning or spreading to another part of the body than patients who received Keytruda alone.

The companies described the improvements as statistically significant and clinically meaningful. However, they have not yet released the detailed Phase 3 data, including the size of the reduction in risk.

The study will continue to determine whether the treatment helps patients live longer. Moderna and Merck plan to present the complete findings at an international medical conference and discuss potential approval applications with regulators. The vaccine remains experimental and is not currently available outside clinical trials.

A vaccine made for one patient

Intismeran is not a preventive vaccine like those used against COVID-19 or influenza. It is a therapeutic vaccine intended to help the immune system attack cancer that may remain in the body after a tumor is surgically removed.

Doctors first collect a sample of the patients tumor and sequence it to identify mutations unique to that cancer. Moderna then manufactures an individualized vaccine containing instructions for as many as 34 tumor markers, known as neoantigens.

Once injected, the mRNA directs cells to produce those markers temporarily. That is designed to teach immune-system T cells what the patients cancer looks like so they can recognize and attack remaining cancer cells.

Keytruda, also known as pembrolizumab, works differently. It blocks the PD-1 pathway, which cancer cells can use to hide from the immune system. Researchers hope the combination both identifies the cancer for immune cells and removes one of the cancers defenses.

More than 1,100 patients took part

The INTerpath-001 trial enrolled 1,137 patients whose stage IIB through stage IV melanoma had been completely removed by surgery. The patients had not previously received systemic drug treatment for their cancer.

Participants were randomly assigned to receive either Keytruda alone or Keytruda with intismeran. Patients in the combination group received as many as nine vaccine doses, while Keytruda treatment continued for approximately one year.

The trial found that the combination improved both recurrence-free survival and distant metastasis-free survival. The latter measures how long patients remain alive without the cancer appearing in a distant organ.

No new safety concerns were identified, the companies said, although detailed information about side effects has not yet been released. Keytruda itself can cause serious immune-related reactions because it stimulates the immune system.

Earlier Phase 2 findings provided the basis for the larger trial. After five years of follow-up, the smaller study found that the combination reduced the risk of recurrence or death by 49% and the risk of distant metastasis or death by 59%, compared with Keytruda alone. Those percentages should not be assumed to represent the still-undisclosed Phase 3 results.

Other cancers are being studied

The development program includes nine Phase 2 and Phase 3 trials testing intismeran in melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, bladder cancer and kidney cancer. Early research is also examining its potential in pancreatic and gastric cancers.

The melanoma result is significant because it is the first positive Phase 3 trial reported for an individualized mRNA cancer treatment. Still, several questions remain, including whether the treatment extends overall survival, how quickly each personalized vaccine can be manufactured and what it would cost.

For patients, the immediate takeaway is encouraging but limited: the results may eventually lead to a new treatment for preventing melanoma recurrence, but regulatory approval and publication of the full clinical data must come first.

Overheated batteries are not uncommon

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• A passengers laptop caught fire aboard an American Airlines flight from Atlanta to Dallas-Fort Worth.

• Flight attendants contained the burning device in a thermal containment bag before the plane landed safely.

• One passenger was treated and released, although the pilot initially reported that as many as five people might have suffered burns.

A laptop computer caught fire inside the cabin of an American Airlines jet shortly before it landed at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, prompting flight attendants to battle the blaze as smoke spread through the aircraft. Its the latest example of the risks posed by lithium-ion batteries in a confined space.

American Airlines Flight 2398 was traveling from Atlanta to Dallas on Friday, Aug. 21, with 133 people aboard. The fire reportedly began about 30 minutes before the end of the flight.

Cabin fire in the back of the airplane, the pilot told air traffic controllers, according to audio obtained by CBS News. The flight attendants are trying to put it out now.

The crew placed the laptop in a thermal containment bag designed to isolate an overheating or burning electronic device. The Federal Aviation Administration said the plane landed safely at about 6:55 p.m. local time. The agency is investigating the incident.

Minor injuries

One passenger was treated at the airport and released, according to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. However, the pilot told air traffic controllers that four or five passengers might have been burned.

A passenger seated near the fire told CBS News that one or two people appeared to burn their hands while trying to help. The differing accounts suggest the pilots initial estimate may have been made before the extent of the injuries was known.

American Airlines said the fire involved a customers electronic device and occurred during landing.

We thank our crew for their professionalism and swift response to quickly contain the device, the airline said.

Why laptop batteries can catch fire

The exact cause of the laptop fire has not been determined. However, most laptops use rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, which can overheat and enter a dangerous process called thermal runaway.

During thermal runaway, a batterys temperature rises rapidly, potentially producing smoke, flammable gases and fire. The process can be triggered by physical damage, overheating, overcharging, exposure to water, improper packing or a manufacturing defect. It can sometimes begin without an obvious warning.

Lithium-battery problems aboard aircraft are not rare. FAA data showed at least 56 aviation incidents involving battery-related smoke, fire or extreme heat during 2026 before the American Airlines episode. The agency cautions that its list may not include every incident reported to airlines.

What travelers should know

The FAA recommends that passengers keep laptops and other lithium-battery devices in their carry-on baggage, where flight crews can respond quickly if a problem develops. A laptop may be placed in checked luggage under federal rules, but it must be completely turned off and protected against damage and accidental activation.

Spare lithium batteries and power banks are prohibited in checked baggage and must remain in the cabin. Most consumer batteries rated at no more than 100 watt-hours are permitted, while batteries rated between 101 and 160 watt-hours generally require airline approval. Larger batteries are prohibited on passenger aircraft.

Travelers should not bring a damaged, swollen or recalled battery aboard a plane. Warning signs can include unusual heat, an expanding case, a chemical smell, hissing noises or smoke.

If a laptop or other device begins overheating during a flight, passengers should alert a flight attendant immediately and avoid handling the device unless instructed. FAA guidance emphasizes that flight crews are specifically trained to respond to lithium-battery fires.

SHEIN makes shopping easy but returns have some major gotchas

• SHEIN gives shoppers 30 days from delivery to make most eligible returns. Final-sale items and several product categories can be excluded.

• Bundle your returns whenever possible. The first USPS return from an order is free, while additional returns from that same order can cost $7.99 each.

• Keep the tags and packaging until you're sure. Items generally need to be unworn and undamaged, and SHEIN may occasionally issue a return-less refund.

Did you know that in terms of U.S. online fashion and apparel sales, only Amazon and Walmart rank ahead of SHEIN? Pretty impressive. And the reason theyre an obvious choice to be included in our return policy breakdown series.

From SHIENs one-free-return trick, to missing tags, to final-sale surprises, and refunds without returns, here's what shoppers need to know.

SHEIN makes it incredibly easy to fill a virtual shopping cart with $8 tops, $12 dresses, and enough accessories to make your mail carrier question your life choices. But when it comes to returning that haul, that's when things can get a little more complicated.

Here's what you should know before starting a SHEIN return.

1. Your 30 days start when the package arrives

In the U.S., SHEIN allows returns within 30 days of delivery, not 30 days from when you placed the order. Thats an important distinction.

That's also good news considering SHEIN orders can take time to reach you since they typically originate in China.

There's one wrinkle: SHEIN now sells some merchandise from third-party sellers, and those products can have different return windows. Be sure to check the product page, or your order history, rather than automatically assuming you have 30 days.

Pro tip: The day your order arrives, put a reminder in your phone for about a week before the return deadline. That prevents an unwanted $14 sweater from becoming a permanent member of your wardrobe because you forgot about it.

2. Don't make two returns when one will do

This may be the single most important SHEIN return trick.

SHEIN currently gives you FREE return shipping (via USPS) on the first return from each order, and that return can contain multiple eligible items. Make another return from that same order, however, and SHEIN deducts $7.99 from your refund for each additional return.

So don't immediately mail back the first thing that doesn't fit. Instead, take your time and try on everything first.

If six items need to go back, initiate one return and send them all together.

Pro tip: Create a temporary "SHEIN return pile" after opening a large order. Give yourself a few days to try everything on, then make one return. Otherwise, returning a $9 shirt later could potentially cost you almost as much as the shirt itself.

3. Don't assume clearance merchandise is returnable

This is an area where older advice about SHEIN can get you in trouble.

SHEIN's current U.S. policy lists clearance items and other merchandise identified as final sale/non-returnable among products that aren't eligible for returns.

So before buying something because the price seems ridiculously low, check the product page and check if its final sale.

That $6 dress isn't much of a bargain if it doesn't fit and you can't send it back.

4. Some categories are return-policy landmines

SHEIN's non-returnable list currently includes the following categories:

• Bodysuits

• Lingerie

• Underwear

• Jewelry and accessories

• Cosmetics

• Pet products

• Free gifts

• Customized products

• Some clearance and final-sale merchandise

Of this list, customized merchandise deserves some special attention.

Always make it a habit to double-check names, spelling, and other personalization before ordering because customized products generally can't be returned.

In other words, proofread before turning an inexpensive backpack into a permanent monument to your typo.

5. Don't rip the tags off too quickly

This is another reason to hold off on wearing your SHEIN haul immediately.

SHEIN's official policy says clothing should be returned new, unworn, unwashed, undamaged, and unaltered, with the original tags attached. Hygiene stickers, when applicable, also need to remain intact.

Some shoppers have reported being able to return items when a detached tag was included with the item, but that's not SHEIN's official policy and isn't something I'd count on.

Your safest move is simple to try it on before removing anything.

6. Be careful where you try on shoes

SHEIN says shoes, bags, and luggage need to come back new and undamaged, with original branded boxes and accessories. Shoes should only be tried on a soft, clean surface.

So don't walk outside to see how your new shoes feel and get the bottoms scuffed up.

If possible, try them on indoors on carpet. Otherwise, a few scuffs on the soles could turn a perfectly legitimate return into a dispute.

7. Keep those little SHEIN bags at least temporarily

Those transparent plastic bags scattered across your bedroom after opening a big SHEIN order aren't necessarily trash.

SHEIN asks shoppers to return merchandise in the original transparent bag containing the product's SKC and barcode if possible. If you've lost or damaged the outer packaging, however, SHEIN says you can use your own packaging (like a Ziploc bag) and write the SKC on the bag.

My rule would be simple: Don't throw away packaging until you know what you're keeping.

8. Exchanges aren't really exchanges anymore

Need the exact same shirt one size larger? Don't expect a traditional exchange.

SHEIN's current FAQ says it doesn't provide an exchange service. Instead, you're instructed to return the unwanted item for a refund and place a new order for the correct size.

That creates an interesting decision.

If the replacement size is running low, you may want to order it immediately rather than waiting for your refund and risking it selling out.

Just remember you'll temporarily have money tied up in both purchases.

9. SHEIN may tell you to keep the item

Here's one of the strangest quirks in the policy.

SHEIN shoppers have reported situations in which SHEIN issued refunds and told them they didn't need to return the merchandise.

And SHEIN's current official policy confirms that this can happen: the company says that, in certain cases, it may issue a refund without requiring the product to be returned.

Don't expect it, and certainly don't try to game the system.

But if SHEIN explicitly tells you to keep an item during the return process, follow the instructions you're given rather than mailing it back anyway.

10. Don't send your return back to the address on the original package

This is an easy mistake that could create a big headache.

SHEIN specifically warns shoppers not to mail returns to the sender address printed on the original package. That's not necessarily the company's designated return address and doing so can interfere with your refund.

Always initiate the return through your account and use the QR code or shipping label SHEIN provides.

For U.S. returns, SHEIN currently offers options including Happy Returns and USPS, although availability can depend on the merchandise and carrier restrictions.

11. Check your return before sealing the package

When you're returning eight inexpensive items at once, it's surprisingly easy to forget one or accidentally include something that doesn't belong.

SHEIN says returned merchandise must match what's listed on your return request. Discrepancies can delay or prevent a refund. The company also warns customers not to accidentally include merchandise that wasn't purchased through SHEIN because it won't be responsible for returning those items to you.

Pro tip: Lay everything you're returning on the floor and take one photo before packing the box. Then take another picture of the sealed package and shipping label.

If eight items go into the box and your refund only includes seven, you've got documentation of what you sent.

12. Your refund isn't necessarily immediate

Don't expect the money to hit your credit card the moment the tracking on your return says "delivered."

SHEIN says returned merchandise goes through a quality check before the refund is issued. Once SHEIN issues the refund, your financial institution can take one to 10 business days to process it. Refunds can generally go back to your original payment method or your SHEIN Wallet.

Its also worth noting that your original shipping charges will not be refunded.

We apologize in advance, but your bare feet need to hear this

• Hotel carpets can trap some nasty stuff. That includes dirt, food particles, dead skin, mold, allergens, and bacteria tracked in on shoes.

• Vacuumed doesnt necessarily mean clean. Germs and debris can remain deep in carpet fibers, and vacuuming may even stir particles into the air.

• Keep your bare feet off the floor. Pack slippers or flip-flops, especially if you have cuts or blisters, and keep luggage off the carpet.

You check into your hotel, kick off your shoes, and start walking around barefoot.

After reading this article, you may want to keep your socks on.

Hotel guests tend to worry about dirty TV remotes, bathroom surfaces, and whether those decorative pillows ever actually get washed. But one of the grimiest surfaces in the room may be directly under your feet.

A longtime AAA hotel inspector tells the whole story: Hotel carpeting can essentially become reservoirs for whatever guests and their shoes drag into a room.

And some of it is pretty gross.

Your shoes bring the outside world inside

Think about everywhere the bottom of your shoes goes during a typical travel day. Places like airport bathrooms, sidewalks, restaurants, gas stations and maybe a dog-friendly park.

Then you walk across the hotel carpet.

University of Arizona microbiologist Charles Gerba has studied bacteria found on shoes and says they can carry potentially harmful pathogens, including E. coli and other bacteria associated with fecal matter.

Carpets can also accumulate food particles, dust, dead skin cells, mold, and allergens. Walking across the carpet, or even vacuuming it, can disturb some of those particles and send them back up into the air.

Does that mean you're going to get sick because you walked barefoot from the bed to the bathroom? Probably not.

For most healthy adults, experts say the risk of becoming ill specifically from hotel carpeting is relatively low. But there's still a pretty compelling ick factor.

Definitely cover up cuts and blisters

There are situations where you should be more careful.

If you have a blister, cut, or other open wound on your foot, wearing socks or slippers makes even more sense because broken skin can provide an entry point for bacteria.

Also, according to S. Wesley Long, medical director of diagnostic microbiology at Houston Methodist Hospital, young children are another consideration.

Kids have a habit of sitting and crawling on floors and then putting their fingers in their mouths. If you're traveling with a toddler, the hotel carpet probably isn't the best place to spread out the toys and snacks.

People with asthma or respiratory sensitivities may also want to consider hotel rooms with hardwood or laminate flooring, since carpeting can hold dust, pollen, mold spores, and other allergens.

Pro tip: Pack a cheap pair of lightweight slippers or flip-flops specifically for your hotel room. They take up almost no suitcase space and eliminate the temptation to walk barefoot.

Vacuumed doesn't necessarily mean clean

Here's the part that might change how you look at housekeeping: A carpet can be freshly vacuumed and still contain plenty of unwanted material.

Vacuuming primarily removes loose debris near the surface. Deep cleaning or steam cleaning is much better at removing material embedded in carpet fibers, but hotels obviously aren't steam-cleaning every room between every guest.

There's another potential issue: the vacuum itself.

Research has found that microorganisms can collect on vacuum brushes and inside bags. Vacuuming can also kick tiny particles back into the air.

So if housekeeping is actively vacuuming your room or hallway, giving the dust a few minutes to settle isn't a bad idea.

Pro tip: Don't put your suitcase, clothes, or travel pillow directly on the carpet. Use the luggage rack, desk, chair, or another elevated surface instead.

Want a cleaner option? Look down before you book

More hotels are now using hard flooring such as luxury vinyl planks, porcelain tile, and engineered wood. Those surfaces aren't germ-free, of course, but they're generally easier to thoroughly clean and don't trap debris the way carpet fibers can.

You may even be able to spot the difference before booking. Be sure to scroll through the hotel's room photos and look at the floors.

It's one of those tiny details you probably never thought to check until now.