My accidental, somewhat useful discovery of the day is how to increase the life of a dry erase marker. In the past when a dry erase marker’s ink started to fade, I would toss it out and get another one.
Today, I was writing some stuff for my employees on our board. I had flipped the cap over and put it into that hole on the end that it fits into. When I was done I went to re-cap the marker but it brought the little end piece out with it when I tried to pull the cap off the end. I did not know that piece was removable. I peered inside and found a little tube of ink-saturated cloth encased in clear plastic on the sides and open on the ends. The end making contact with the tip on the inside of the pen had a dimple in it and it was clear that the tip (also being a dense cloth material) was soaking up the ink from the tube.
I thought “hey, why don’t I flip this tube over?”…and the ink coming from the marker was instantly darker! I fished an older marker out of my desk who’s ink was very faded, I did the same thing, and while not as dramatic of a result, it was still legible.
I don’t know how long this little trick will keep an older marker revived, but it works at least temporarily.
So, teeming millions, what are YOUR useful discoveries you’ve stumbled upon by accident?