07-17-2009, 11:57 AM | #1 (permalink) |
Sitting in a tree
Location: Atlanta
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Completely random tips for the home and what not
k u go |
07-17-2009, 12:09 PM | #2 (permalink) |
... a sort of licensed troubleshooter.
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• Remember that insulation may seem expensive at first but if you're a homeowner it's going to save you a boatload of money in the long run and increase the value of your home.
• Having a clean and uncluttered attic means that the air can flow more easily which will also reduce the cost of cooling during the summer. • Want to cut the cost of refrigerating your food? Consider thinking of refrigeration through the lens of thermodynamics. Chest fridges that open from the top let out very little cold air when you open them because cold air drops and warm air rises. Every time you open an upright fridge, you're letting out all that cold air you paid via your electrical bill to make. Check this out: Chest fridge • Instead of spending lots of money on an air freshener or filter, consider buying a few houseplants. A few strategically placed Feston Rose plants or some Devil's Ivy can serve to remove common pollutants and will leave your house smelling fresh and clean without having to spray chemicals everywhere or replace hepa filters every year. • If you're having trouble with pests invading your garden and aren't interested in using chemicals, consider trying to attract local predators to deal with them. Cats deal with mice and small rodents, and many kinds of birds deal with insects. All you really need is to put out milk now and again or put in a bird bath and feeder. |
07-17-2009, 12:19 PM | #3 (permalink) | |
Darth Papa
Location: Yonder
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The Straight Dope: Which freezes faster, hot water or cold water? I know debunking household mythology isn't the point of the thread, so sorry about that. I'll come up with some random tips and post them as quick as I can. |
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07-17-2009, 12:27 PM | #4 (permalink) |
Kick Ass Kunoichi
Location: Oregon
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A fruit fly trap that's more sanitary than just a glass of wine: Put some balsamic vinegar in a jar with a bit of water. Cover the jar with a piece of plastic wrap. Poke holes large enough for fruit flies to get in but not get out. Voila.
Stinky shoes? Put a 1/4 cup or so of baking soda in the center of a washcloth. Add tea tree or eucalyptus essential oil to the baking soda. Twist the washcloth so the baking soda won't get out, and tuck inside your stinky shoe. Alternately, using a clean sock and knotting it off works. Most of my household hints come from How Clean is Your House? Thanks, Kim and Aggie! And will, cats will also hunt spiders and flies (in addition to the usual rodents), if you have a feisty enough cat. One of ours will jump 4 feet in the air to catch a fly. Very cool to see!
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If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau |
07-17-2009, 12:43 PM | #5 (permalink) | |
Darth Papa
Location: Yonder
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Sorry. I mean, I know I'm now officially the Grinch who Stole This Thread, but... What?? Do the fruit flies expand while in the jar? I'm interested in this, because I've got fruit flies like crazy in my house, but I'm having a hard time visualizing one-way fruit fly holes. |
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07-17-2009, 12:52 PM | #6 (permalink) | |
Kick Ass Kunoichi
Location: Oregon
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Does that make sense? It's hot here, and I'm afraid my brain is fried. Seriously, though, this works like a charm.
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If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau |
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07-17-2009, 02:56 PM | #7 (permalink) | ||
Junkie
Location: Greater Harrisburg Area
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-Most caulking and tar (say on your roof) needs to be replaced every 5-10 years. This can be done cheaply and easily by anyone and will go a long way to preventing 'hidden' leaks. -Plant a Garden. This is a biggie, take some of your perfectly manicured lawn or even a window flower box and plant a tomato plant, & keep adding every year till you figure out what you can use and manage. The plants cost pennies compared to what you would pay for fruit/veggies at the store and are surprising easy to grow.
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The advantage law is the best law in rugby, because it lets you ignore all the others for the good of the game. Last edited by Hektore; 07-17-2009 at 04:50 PM.. |
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07-17-2009, 04:01 PM | #8 (permalink) | |
... a sort of licensed troubleshooter.
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07-17-2009, 04:56 PM | #9 (permalink) |
Junkie
Location: Greater Harrisburg Area
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Sorry, that wasn't directed at you, I just get a little angry with people who have 'outdoor' cats, particularly in crowded neighborhoods like mine. It's like they don't realize their neighbors may not want a cat pissing all over everything and shredding their patio furniture.
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The advantage law is the best law in rugby, because it lets you ignore all the others for the good of the game. |
07-17-2009, 07:05 PM | #10 (permalink) |
Upright
Location: Alabama
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For the kitchen: Print common conversions and substitutions for recipes, and tape the page to the inside of a cabinet door. We have two pages, one with substitutions and conversions, and another that's a quick reference of recipes we cook often but not often enough to memorize.
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07-17-2009, 07:10 PM | #11 (permalink) | |
... a sort of licensed troubleshooter.
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Buy a rottweiler. |
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07-17-2009, 07:31 PM | #12 (permalink) | |
Darth Papa
Location: Yonder
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For sure I see houseflies bumping their stupid heads against my windows all day when there's a door open right next to it. Maybe "go in" is an easy concept for an insect, while "go out" is hard? |
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07-17-2009, 07:49 PM | #13 (permalink) |
part of the problem
Location: hic et ubique
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- if you have ants, find out where they are getting in and put garlic powder there to stop them, ants hate it and it's safe and non toxic.
- put your used tea bags and used coffee grounds into your plant soil.
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onward to mayhem! |
07-18-2009, 03:33 AM | #15 (permalink) | ||||
Sitting in a tree
Location: Atlanta
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I recently dropped a bit of cash on about 6 large houseplants for this reason. Snake plants are supposed to be good for this, from what I understand. So I have one near an intake vent. Not sure if I see any difference but I gotta say the house looks great with some outdoorziness indoors. Quote:
lol Actually I'm one of those people with a poor white folk refrigerator - no ice maker. I've truly seen a difference using hot water in place of cold water. I'll admit, I am a bit crazy but I swear my ice freezes faster with hot lol. Quote:
I learned the wine glass trick by accident, if you wanna know the truth lol. Had some friends over one night and left out a glass of wine overnight in the kitchen. The next morning, the glass was full o' flies. I have a dog and 2 cats so I prefer not to use chemical sprays. I keep a strip of fly paper in the master bath all the time as I don't do this wine dealie often unless I have swarms of the fuckers which does happen every so often. Plus I have to admit, there's this horribly, evil part of me that enjoys watching them struggle in the glue of the trap. But because of the animals, I don't want fly paper all over the house fearing one falls down and gets tangled up in their fur lol. Quote:
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07-18-2009, 07:05 AM | #16 (permalink) | ||
Invisible
Location: tentative, at best
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Now, leaving the house with a bottle of water makes sense. But I've found that I save a ton of money by buying a Brita faucet filter. I bought one for $18 on sale at Target 8 months ago, and replace the filters every 3 months - they're very inexpensive buying by the 2-pack ($16) at Amazon.com. I just re-use Gatorade bottles to carry it around, or chill in the fridge. Compare that to buying 6 cases of water a month at $5 per case. Quote:
If you're having a problem with bees or wasps, a 1/4-full bottle of cola will act as a good trap - they come in for the sweet smell, and drown. And it's cheaper than wine! To keep lint and dust off glass top tables, wash them in a solution of warm water and fabric softener (one tablespoon of fabric softener to one quart of warm water). The fabric softener will clean the glass and will help keep dust from gathering on the glass. Also great for older glass TV and computer screens. For cleaning your garbage disposal, use ice cubes. Grease will stick to the ice and wash away. Follow up with a few lemon peels if you have any. Got a lot of nail holes in your walls? Fill them with toothpaste and wipe smooth with a damp rag or sponge. I learned this one when I lived in Houston, where it seems that rain on weekends is mandatory - if you absolutely, positively have to mow your lawn when the grass is wet, spray the blades and insides with a vegetable oil spray. It'll keep the grass from clumping on the blades and mower. Got a bee sting? Mix the contents of a couple Benadryl capsules and the same amount of baking soda. Add just enough water to make a thick paste, and apply. The baking soda will neutralize the formic acid in the venom; the Benadryl will slow the allergic reaction and swelling. This one is specific to desert-dwellers - ever bump into a cactus and get dozens (or hundreds) of tiny hair-like needles in your skin? Don't waste your time with tweezers - Apply a generous amount of Elmer's Glue to the area. Let it dry, then peel it away.
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If you want to avoid 95% of internet spelling errors: "If your ridiculous pants are too loose, you're definitely going to lose them. Tell your two loser friends over there that they're going to lose theirs, too." It won't hurt your fashion sense, either. |
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07-18-2009, 07:30 AM | #17 (permalink) |
Sitting in a tree
Location: Atlanta
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^^GOOD ones!
I'm so damn proud of myself with this one... Someone on the forum mentioned Lush girly products, which reminded me I've been meaning to try them. Months ago, another girl on a different forum told me she orders from the UK to save $. Didn't make sense to me until now --- USA total w/shipping = $69.58 UK total w/shipping = $30.81 So I'll have to wait longer to receive my products but fuck me! Talk about savings w00t! I'm thinking this little method should apply to various other items as well? |
07-18-2009, 07:38 AM | #18 (permalink) |
Alien Anthropologist
Location: Between Boredom and Nirvana
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Not only do I re-use water bottles, I mix Crystal Light of different flavors and sometimes add a bit of OJ to the lemon ones - for a great low cal drink that I take everywhere.
It cuts down on recycling soda pop bottles (and saves lots of $). Plus these taste good!
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"I need compassion, understanding and chocolate." - NJB |
07-18-2009, 10:17 AM | #19 (permalink) |
Insane
Location: The Great NorthWet
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Good tips, here are some more and some alternates to some posted.
For cactus, fiber glass or any other prickly situation use tape to extract the irritants. I start with masking tape and if that doesn't do the trick, move to duct tape. For bee stings, pack mud on the wound (the more clay the better) it'll extract the venom and the stinger. Tampons! Oh the many uses, my fav is for sealing gun shot wounds after those late night trips to the hood. (really, I have a friend who's a former Marshall that keeps a box in his ready kit in the truck of his car). Water bottles leach all kinds of nasty chemicals into the water when re-used. Instead buy a filter for your faucet and some Nalgene water bottles. Nalgene doesn't leach and most counter top filter will give you cleaner water than what you can buy pre-bottled (and far cheaper .03 cents a gallon vs over a dollar). Read the label on the next bottle of water you buy. Most are bottled in major US cities where what was flushed down the toilet last week is coming out of the faucet today. Coffee, who can live without it? Try cold brewing coffee. You can store it in the fridge for up to a week and mix a cup to your taste, from high test caffeine nirvana to a nice light brew. Unless you drink the whole pot every time you brew, this will save you a lot of coffee too. Oh and it's far less bitter and acidic than hot brewed coffee. Here's my method: 6 cups of coffee grounds (approx 1 lb use a coarse grind for a drip brew or french press) and 9 cups of water in a gallon jug (I cut 1/4 of the top off of a Costco milk jug, the square ones, for easy access). I alternate water and coffee a cup at a time going in so it's well mixed, then top off with the remainder of the water and push down with a spoon so all the grounds are soaked. Cover with a towel and let sit 12-24hrs at room temp. Then pour through a gold filter (the washable kind, doesn't have to be gold) into a 1 gallon sun tea jar (I like the ones with the spout on the bottom for easy dispensing) and store in the fridge. To make a cup adjust the ratio to you liking, but start with 4 parts water to 1 part coffee concentrate. Heated water for hot coffee, cold water for iced coffee. (Works for tea too) No more wasted coffee and if you have an electric kettle, coffee is never more than 5 minutes away. WOOHOO! Super glue, hands down the best way to seal a cut or a wound short of requiring stitches. Just apply a small amount of super glue to the wound and hold shut for several seconds. Seals instantly and usually heals with no scare. B
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Methods, application and intensity of application vary by the individual. All legal wavers must be signed before 'treatment' begins. Self 'Medicating' is not recommend. However, if necessary, it is best to have an 'assistant' or 'soft landing zone' nearby. Any and all legal issues resulting from improperly applied techniques should be forwarded to: Dewy, Cheatum & Howe, Intercourse, PA 17534. Attn: Anonymous. |
07-18-2009, 02:12 PM | #20 (permalink) |
Invisible
Location: tentative, at best
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Good point about reusing plastic bottles because of BPA - I limit my refills to about 5 per bottle, then they go into the recycling bin. But I buy a couple bottles of Gatorade a week anyway, so that keeps me in pretty constant supply. My wife drinks a lot of water because she takes a lot of medications, so even with the filter, we buy a case of water every other month to keep up a fresh bottle supply.
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If you want to avoid 95% of internet spelling errors: "If your ridiculous pants are too loose, you're definitely going to lose them. Tell your two loser friends over there that they're going to lose theirs, too." It won't hurt your fashion sense, either. |
07-18-2009, 02:21 PM | #21 (permalink) |
Alien Anthropologist
Location: Between Boredom and Nirvana
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I used to get tired of always running the dishwasher (I hate to waste water!!) every other day -- until I started using a full second set of dishes during in my household.
We are just two people, both working & using the extra dish set cuts back on unfull loads and my time putting them all back on the shelves. Makes life so much easeir.
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"I need compassion, understanding and chocolate." - NJB |
07-18-2009, 04:18 PM | #22 (permalink) | |
part of the problem
Location: hic et ubique
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---------- Post added at 06:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:11 PM ---------- i don't know how often you kill people in your living room, but meat tenderizer gets blood stains out pretty effectively, especially if you put it on a fresh stain. cat litter is great to clean up the oil spills and gas spills in your driveway from your shitty leaking car.
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onward to mayhem! |
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07-18-2009, 09:55 PM | #23 (permalink) |
Addict
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For paper wasps or pretty much any wasps- A teaspoon or two of dishwashing detergent in a gallon of water in a garden pump-up sprayer works as well as the high priced wasp killer. Stops them dead in their tracks. (sorry, their flight)
Same mixture with water works great for fleas on your pets. (use lemon or citrus detergent) Tobacco works well for bee stings. (just rub it on) Saved my best for last. When you leave the gas in your small engine, lawn mower, chain saw, weed eater etc, all winter and it won't start in the spring, try adding 1 cap full of gas treatment in the tank and spraying starting fluid in the air cleaner or carb. When the engine starts the gas treatment (STP etc) will raise the octane, keep it running and usually clean the carb out and save you about 45 bucks. If it doesn't start you probably have no spark and need to clean or replace the spark plug. This has saved me many a trip to the repair shop because of my own negligence. Easy to avoid by running all fuel out of your small engines by running all the gas out in the Fall. Easy to avoid but hard to remember. |
07-18-2009, 10:01 PM | #24 (permalink) | |
Sitting in a tree
Location: Atlanta
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aaaha! That never even dawned on me lol. |
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07-19-2009, 08:45 AM | #25 (permalink) | |
Poo-tee-weet?
Location: The Woodlands, TX
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If you want to keep cats away from something put orange peels by it... cats dont like the citrus smell... I got tired of my cats knocking over my potted plants, so now I put any orange peels next to the pots and the cats leave them alone....
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-=JStrider=- ~Clatto Verata Nicto |
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07-19-2009, 09:27 AM | #26 (permalink) |
Sitting in a tree
Location: Atlanta
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Cool, I never knew this. One of mine has been snacking on my greens. Yes I know certain plants are poisonous, etc.
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08-15-2009, 07:05 AM | #28 (permalink) |
Crazy
Location: Virginia
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One thing nobody mentioned for the don'ts part....
Never mix bleach and ammonia. On the do's, keep a old toothbrush next to the kitchen sink. Never know when there's something small that you just can't get to. Cat litter. You don't have to buy the expensive kind. I've found a bottle of stuff that you can shake into your box that neutralizes the smell and it's lavender. I like lavander lol Lighter fluid is good at removing those stupid stickers they put on the bottom of pots and pans. You're going to be washing the thing anyway, might as well make it easier to get the sticker off. Alcohol will always work. I've heard nail polish remover does, but I don't have nails long enough to polish. If you have room in your car, put a pillow and blanket. Doesn't have to be large ones, but sometimes someone in the car will be too cold from the A/C. And help full if you want a nap when on long trips and stopping at a rest stop on the highway. If your cat will let you, mine won't, latex gloves no powder, will help remove the hair. Also works good on clothes and furniture if you can't find your lint brush. And I've probably mentioned the most silliest things I've come up with.
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Quantum Cat Theory: Upon hearing the sound of a can being opened, it becomes possible for a cat to travel faster than the speed of light. |
08-15-2009, 07:08 AM | #29 (permalink) |
Kick Ass Kunoichi
Location: Oregon
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I have a pair of Playtex gloves just for removing cat hair from my furniture What I like to do is use the gloves then go over it with the lint roller. Makes the roller more efficient.
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If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau |
08-17-2009, 02:26 AM | #30 (permalink) |
Sitting in a tree
Location: Atlanta
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If you use Glade Plug-Ins or what not, make sure you pull them out of the wall when the oil's dried up. Some friends of my parents recently had a fire in their home when one overheated. I couldn't believe it. Never thought something like that could be so dangerous.
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08-18-2009, 02:48 AM | #31 (permalink) |
Crazy
Location: Virginia
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ooh glad i don't use the plug in stuff. i bought one of those misting types. set it for the highest amount of time. was the only one i found a scent that kill me and cause me to close up on breathing.
now if the kid would just stop using perfume. this has been a on going argument for years. but it finally got settled to her putting it on at the downstairs door so it'd not be in the apartment. i like breathing. it helps me live.
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Quantum Cat Theory: Upon hearing the sound of a can being opened, it becomes possible for a cat to travel faster than the speed of light. |
08-18-2009, 08:37 AM | #32 (permalink) | |||
The sky calls to us ...
Super Moderator
Location: CT
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At least take the time to do a quick Google search of '[product name] reviews' before you buy something. Don't let confirmation bias sneak in and convince you to believe the one guy who gave it five stars when 65 gave it one, he's either a troll or someone the manufacturer sent out to give their product good reviews. Multiple identical reviews are marketing people or bots.
College students: If you don't think your dorm room smells funny, you are the smell. Infomercial and As Seen on TV product sales people will not pick up a product and sell it unless they feel they can sell a minimum of 10,000 units, and the typical markup is over 500%. You can get something just as good as most of them for a lot cheaper, and the ones that you can't are probably so crappy that nobody bothered to copy them. Billy Mays would never sell you a product he wouldn't buy himself, but you can get cheap versions of stuff like Oxy Clean at any discount store. The Sham Wow is just a chamois. You can get the same thing at Wal Mart for $7 because you're not paying for Vince's meth addiction. Yes, it does work, the reason yours didn't is because you didn't wet it and wring it out first. Also, don't put it in the dryer. Hydrogen peroxide gets wet or dry blood stains out. Test it on an inconspicuous area first. No, under the couch is not an inconspicuous area, your wife will eventually rearrange the furniture. When you get new carpeting installed, ask the installer for a few remnant scraps so you can have an inconspicuous area to test cleaners on when someone spills something. To clean your microwave, put half a cup of baking soda in a cup of water, microwave it until it boils over, and sue the hot gritty residue to scrub off all the hardened on food. Then use the rest to clean laminate countertops. Do not use it to clean stone countertops. When baking soda just doesn't take care of the stench coming from your shoes, fill a spray bottle with rubbing alcohol and soak the insides. Let them air dry and the bacteria will all be dead. Your feet will smell a lot better if you use the hairdryer on them for a minute after you towel dry them. If you are out of college, don't hang posters on your walls unless they're autographed originals or you worked on the movie and have them in your office. In that case, they should be in a tasteful frame. Quote:
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Speaking of Brita pitchers, put it under the faucet and set it to a trickle while you do something else. Come back in 5 minutes and it will be full instead of filling the top, letting it fill halfway, refilling the top, waiting again, and refilling the top once more before putting it in the fridge. Don't touch your face or genitals for at least an hour after cutting peppers. Don't touch anyone else's either. More general than that, just don't mix any household cleaners. Even if it's safe, if they didn't work, people wouldn't buy them, and if a combination product worked better, their teams of industrial chemists and professional testers would have figured it out and sold it to you in a new and improved form that costs more. |
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08-18-2009, 09:22 AM | #33 (permalink) |
Master Thief. Master Criminal. Masturbator.
Location: Windiwana
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First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for the communists and I did not speak out because I was not a communist. Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist Then they came for me And there was no one left to speak out for me. -Pastor Martin Niemoller |
08-19-2009, 02:23 AM | #35 (permalink) |
Crazy
Location: Virginia
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oh my dear god.... it is not good to almost die of laughter with the household asleep at 6am. that strip just .... it's just one those "how many times did mother say this .. or that?" i told my daughter for years she was going break something.. a arm.. leg.. well... i shut up and quit saying stop doing that you're gonna break something. she falls rollerskating and breaks her arm *rolleyes*
back to op, did anyone mention using newspapers to clean car windows?
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Quantum Cat Theory: Upon hearing the sound of a can being opened, it becomes possible for a cat to travel faster than the speed of light. |
08-19-2009, 11:44 AM | #37 (permalink) | |
Evil Priest: The Devil Made Me Do It!
Location: Southern England
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Here you go:
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Overhead, the Albatross hangs motionless upon the air, And deep beneath the rolling waves, In labyrinths of Coral Caves, The Echo of a distant time Comes willowing across the sand; And everthing is Green and Submarine ╚═════════════════════════════════════════╝ |
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08-19-2009, 05:51 PM | #38 (permalink) |
Mine is an evil laugh
Location: Sydney, Australia
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and pretty much anything else organise that comes out of the kitchen (potato peels, etc.). All this can/should be composted and shouldn't go into the garbage.
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who hid my keyboard's PANIC button? Last edited by spindles; 08-19-2009 at 05:58 PM.. |
08-19-2009, 08:46 PM | #39 (permalink) |
Mulletproof
Location: Some nucking fut house.
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Your dishwasher is great for sanitizing beer bottles. And if you put your bottling bucket on the cabinet above the dishwasher, you can fill the bottles on the lid making cleanup easier.
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Don't always trust the opinions of experts. |
08-29-2009, 04:24 AM | #40 (permalink) |
Sitting in a tree
Location: Atlanta
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Never let a single dish / bowl / spoon collect in your sink. Just put it right in the dishwasher. I'll never understand how people always end up with a sink full of dishes at the day's end (unless there was a party or something.)
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completely, home, random, tips |
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