Different uses for everyday things.

hedonist

dankind said:

hedonist said:

brianlux said:

Bent open paper clip or bobby pin:  ear wax remover.  (Used cautiously!)

No Qtips?

i use bent clips on our our glass bowl in between true cleanings.

I use buy a new bowl. 

Well pish posh!

We actually have a few extras we use as art, so may have to make do with those until we can physically go to a smoke shop. I like heft and a good fit. 

(that’s what she said)

dankind

hedonist said:

dankind said:

hedonist said:

brianlux said:

Bent open paper clip or bobby pin:  ear wax remover.  (Used cautiously!)

No Qtips?

i use bent clips on our our glass bowl in between true cleanings.

I use buy a new bowl. 

Well pish posh!

We actually have a few extras we use as art, so may have to make do with those until we can physically go to a smoke shop. I like heft and a good fit. 

(that’s what she said)

What's a true cleaning? I've always been under the impression that unless one is willing to don a lab coat, then the best one could do was scrape around the areas you can reach with bent clip, cotton swabs, toothpicks, whathaveyou.

hedonist

dankind said:

hedonist said:

dankind said:

hedonist said:

brianlux said:

Bent open paper clip or bobby pin:  ear wax remover.  (Used cautiously!)

No Qtips?

i use bent clips on our our glass bowl in between true cleanings.

I use buy a new bowl. 

Well pish posh!

We actually have a few extras we use as art, so may have to make do with those until we can physically go to a smoke shop. I like heft and a good fit. 

(that’s what she said)

What's a true cleaning? I've always been under the impression that unless one is willing to don a lab coat, then the best one could do was scrape around the areas you can reach with bent clip, cotton swabs, toothpicks, whathaveyou.

Epsom salt and rubbing alcohol are great for the abrasion and loosening the hardened gunk.  Formula 420 is pretty effective too, as is Agent Orange.  I put it all in a plastic baggie and get the old elbow grease going.

darwinstheory

Yard fertilizer: For those with city sized lawns.

1c. Listerine 
1c. Epsom salt 
1c. Ammonia 
1c. Liquid dish soap
1 can stale beer
1 can coca cola 

Put ingredients on an Ortho 'Dial-A-Spray' and pepper sure Epsom salt has dissolved. Attach to hose. Do this routinely and your lawn will be green. You're welcome.

F Me In The Brain

What about the spots where your dog pees?

dankind

I just tilled and reseeded. 

But the bitch will just scorch more spots. I hear that bitches are worse in this regard. Can anyone verify that? Sounds sexist to me. 

It would be nice if the people who actually wanted this dog would walk her rather than letting her out back to scorch my damn lawn.  

Also, my bed was made earlier. Goddamn it!

darwinstheory

Those spots...especially if your dog is a bitch, should if possible be sprayed with water right after the dog pisses. That will help to dilute it and reduce burning. 

I have also heard there is some kind of rock you can buy that you place in their water bowl. I guess it has something in it that somehow alters their urine and reduces splotches of dead grass. Not sure of its effectiveness nor any potential health issues it could cause.

brianlux

Here's an interesting article about various uses for WD40.  (I'm guessing though that the author is incorrect in saying the main ingredient in WD-40 is fish oil):

Main Ingredient in WD 40...

Before you read to the end, does anybody know what the main ingredient of WD-40 is?  

 You definitely will be wiser after reading this!  

Don't lie and don't cheat. WD-40. Who knew?   

 I had a neighbor who had bought a new pickup. I got up very early one Sunday morning and saw that someone had sprayed painted red all around the sides of this beige truck (for some unknown reason). I went over, woke him up, and told him the bad news. He was very upset and was trying to figure out what to do probably nothing until Monday morning, since nothing was open. Another neighbor came out and told him to get his WD-40 and clean it off. It removed the unwanted paint beautifully and did not harm his paint job that was on the truck. I'm impressed! 

 WD-40 who knew? 'Water Displacement #40' The product began from a search for a rust preventative solvent and degreaser to protect missile parts. WD-40 was created in 1953 by three technicians at the San Diego Rocket Chemical Company. Its name comes from the project that was to find a 'water displacement' compound... They were successful with the fortieth formulation, thus WD-40. The Convair Company bought it in bulk to protect their atlas missile parts. 

 Ken East (one of the original founders) says there is nothing in WD-40 that would hurt you. When you read the ' shower door' part, try it. It's the first thing that has ever cleaned that spotty shower door. If yours is plastic, it works just as well as glass. It's a miracle! Then try it on your stove top .... 

Viola! It's now shinier than it's ever been. You'll be amazed. 

 Here are some other uses: 

1. Protects silver from tarnishing.  

2. Removes road tar and grime from cars.. 

3. Cleans and lubricates guitar strings.. 

4. Gives floors that 'just-waxed' sheen without making them slippery. 

5. Keeps flies off cows. 

6. Restores and cleans chalkboards. 

7. Removes lipstick stains. 

8. Loosens stubborn zippers. 

9. Untangles jewelry chains. 

10. Removes stains from stainless steel sinks. 

11. Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill. 

12. Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing. 

13. Removes tomato stains from clothing.

14. Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots. 

15. Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors. 

16. Keeps scissors working smoothly. 

17. Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes. 

18. It removes black scuff marks from the kitchen floor! Use WD-40 for those nasty tar and scuff Marks on flooring.. It doesn't seem to harm the finish and you won't have to scrub nearly as hard to get them off. Just remember to open some windows if you have a lot of marks. 

19. Bug guts will eat away the finish on your car if not removed quickly! Use WD-40! 

20. Gives a children's playground gym slide a shine for a super fast slide. 

21. Lubricates gear shift and mower deck lever for ease of handling on riding mowers. 

22. Rids kids rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises. 

23. Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open. 

24. Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close. 

25. Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers. 

26. Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles. 

27. Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans 

28. Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for easy handling. 

29. Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly.

30. Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools. 

31. Removes splattered grease on stove. 

32. Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging. 

33. Lubricates prosthetic limbs. 

34. Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell). 

35. Removes all traces of duct tape. 

36. Folks even spray it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain. 

37. Florida's favorite use is: 'cleans and removes love bugs from grills and bumpers..' 

38. The favorite use in the state of New York , WD-40 protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements. 

39. WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a little on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big one in no time. Also, it's a lot cheaper than the chemical attractants that are made for just that purpose. Keep in mind though, using some chemical laced baits or lures for fishing are not allowed in some locations.

40. Use it for fire ant bites. It takes the sting away immediately and stops the itch.

41. WD-40 is great for removing crayon from walls. Spray on the mark and wipe with a clean rag. 

42. Also, if you've discovered that your teenage daughter has washed and dried a tube of lipstick with a load of laundry, saturate the lipstick spots with WD-40 and rewash. Presto! The lipstick is gone! 

43. If you sprayed WD-40 on the distributor cap, it would displace the moisture and allow the car to start.

 

P. S. The basic ingredient is FISH OIL.

deadendp

Ignore the weeds, but seedling guards to keep the asshole chipmunk from eating my lil plants. 

darwinstheory

Ignore the weeds??? I simply cannot do that. Those bad boys are ripe for the picking! 

deadendp

darwinstheory said:

Ignore the weeds??? I simply cannot do that. Those bad boys are ripe for the picking! 

Agreed. Went back to work. Was exhausted. If I bent down to pick them, I would have probably just curled up and slept with them. 

I promise. Weed pickin' this weekend. 

darwinstheory

deadendp said:

darwinstheory said:

Ignore the weeds??? I simply cannot do that. Those bad boys are ripe for the picking! 

Agreed. Went back to work. Was exhausted. If I bent down to pick them, I would have probably just curled up and slept with them. 

I promise. Weed pickin' this weekend. 

One of the worst things to do is pull weeds. The past couple years, I've started doing it a bit differently. I try to do small sections at a time. Get home from work, spend 3-5 minutes pulling them from the area between the driveway and house. The next day, run through the east and west sides of the house (usually a minimal amount). Then the north. Then, when I go check the pool chemicals and debris catcher, I look for any to pick while I'm going out there. 

When done consistently, it really does only take a few minutes to prevent the weeds from becoming overbearing. And when you do your own landscaping, the worst thing to see are weeds. I think of it as the same approach as parking further away at the grocery store. Or taking the stairs rather than an elevator. Every little bit helps.

Spending 2 hours on your hands and knees pulling weeds on a hot and humid Saturday just flat out sucks. 

Maybe I  should have put this in the "what's growing" thread. 

tempo_n_groove

darwinstheory said:

deadendp said:

darwinstheory said:

Ignore the weeds??? I simply cannot do that. Those bad boys are ripe for the picking! 

Agreed. Went back to work. Was exhausted. If I bent down to pick them, I would have probably just curled up and slept with them. 

I promise. Weed pickin' this weekend. 

One of the worst things to do is pull weeds. The past couple years, I've started doing it a bit differently. I try to do small sections at a time. Get home from work, spend 3-5 minutes pulling them from the area between the driveway and house. The next day, run through the east and west sides of the house (usually a minimal amount). Then the north. Then, when I go check the pool chemicals and debris catcher, I look for any to pick while I'm going out there. 

When done consistently, it really does only take a few minutes to prevent the weeds from becoming overbearing. And when you do your own landscaping, the worst thing to see are weeds. I think of it as the same approach as parking further away at the grocery store. Or taking the stairs rather than an elevator. Every little bit helps.

Spending 2 hours on your hands and knees pulling weeds on a hot and humid Saturday just flat out sucks. 

Maybe I  should have put this in the "what's growing" thread. 

I did landscaping for a few summers and my job was deweeding the beds and pushing the little mower.

Let me tell you that I hated, hated, hated new houses as they were full of ignored beds just overflowing w weeds...  But like you said, keep on it and a cultivators and a few plucks will clear them out really quick.

dankind

I can't tell the difference between weeds and notweeds. IMO, if it's green, that's better than dirt that will just turn to mud.

deadendp

My husband told me that he realizes that our decision to skip mulch this year was probably a big miss on our end because holy hell the weeds.  I need a load of gravel brought in too for partially the same reason.  We'll suffer through this year and hope for things not to be shut down again next spring.  

tempo_n_groove

deadendp said:

My husband told me that he realizes that our decision to skip mulch this year was probably a big miss on our end because holy hell the weeds.  I need a load of gravel brought in too for partially the same reason.  We'll suffer through this year and hope for things not to be shut down again next spring.  

Once there is some sediment in the gravel and weeds can grow, it's the ultimate pain in the ass for pulling weeds in the rocks.

deadendp

tempo_n_groove said:

deadendp said:

My husband told me that he realizes that our decision to skip mulch this year was probably a big miss on our end because holy hell the weeds.  I need a load of gravel brought in too for partially the same reason.  We'll suffer through this year and hope for things not to be shut down again next spring.  

Once there is some sediment in the gravel and weeds can grow, it's the ultimate pain in the ass for pulling weeds in the rocks.

My daughter and I pull driveway weeds weekly.  It is a giant pain in the ass.  Looks great one day, it rains and looks like we haven't touched it in a month of Sundays.  Grandpa used to treat driveway weeds with salt.  I've also read that boiling water will kill them.  I used to use a combination of epsom salts, vinegar and I think Murphy's as an organic/less chemical method of killing weeds.  Eh.  It did okay.  I am not going the chemical route.  I would rather mow my driveway first. 

HesCalledDyer

brianlux said:

Bent open paper clip or bobby pin:  ear wax remover.  (Used cautiously!)

Oh thank goodness I'm not the only one!

HesCalledDyer

hedonist said:

dankind said:

hedonist said:

dankind said:

hedonist said:

brianlux said:

Bent open paper clip or bobby pin:  ear wax remover.  (Used cautiously!)

No Qtips?

i use bent clips on our our glass bowl in between true cleanings.

I use buy a new bowl. 

Well pish posh!

We actually have a few extras we use as art, so may have to make do with those until we can physically go to a smoke shop. I like heft and a good fit. 

(that’s what she said)

What's a true cleaning? I've always been under the impression that unless one is willing to don a lab coat, then the best one could do was scrape around the areas you can reach with bent clip, cotton swabs, toothpicks, whathaveyou.

Epsom salt and rubbing alcohol are great for the abrasion and loosening the hardened gunk.  Formula 420 is pretty effective too, as is Agent Orange.  I put it all in a plastic baggie and get the old elbow grease going.

Alcohol & salt are the way to go. I usually soak mine in a jar of iso-91, rinse, then add the salt & a few drops of water and shake it up.  Sometimes takes 2 or 3 salt applications but it always comes out looking like the day I bought it.  Acetone works great, too, but I don't recommend it because of the odor.

dankind

HesCalledDyer said:

hedonist said:

dankind said:

hedonist said:

dankind said:

hedonist said:

brianlux said:

Bent open paper clip or bobby pin:  ear wax remover.  (Used cautiously!)

No Qtips?

i use bent clips on our our glass bowl in between true cleanings.

I use buy a new bowl. 

Well pish posh!

We actually have a few extras we use as art, so may have to make do with those until we can physically go to a smoke shop. I like heft and a good fit. 

(that’s what she said)

What's a true cleaning? I've always been under the impression that unless one is willing to don a lab coat, then the best one could do was scrape around the areas you can reach with bent clip, cotton swabs, toothpicks, whathaveyou.

Epsom salt and rubbing alcohol are great for the abrasion and loosening the hardened gunk.  Formula 420 is pretty effective too, as is Agent Orange.  I put it all in a plastic baggie and get the old elbow grease going.

Alcohol & salt are the way to go. I usually soak mine in a jar of iso-91, rinse, then add the salt & a few drops of water and shake it up.  Sometimes takes 2 or 3 salt applications but it always comes out looking like the day I bought it.  Acetone works great, too, but I don't recommend it because of the odor.

Hmm.... I wonder if Goo Gone would be safe to use. I’m pretty sure it would work.