# Adding vanilla extract to paint (and this week's list of UNhelpful hints) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 20, 2003, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-vanilla-extract-to-paint-and-this-weeks-list-of-unhelpful-hints/149814 "2003-01-20T16:27:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@Lure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lure)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-vanilla-extract-to-paint-and-this-weeks-list-of-unhelpful-hints/149814/21 "2003-01-20T23:45:28Z")
I don’t know about the tea,but coffee,or it’s grounds,are beneficial for most houseplants/flowering plants. The acidity of the coffee makes a more acidic soil PH,something most flowering plants thrive on.It has no nutritional benefits AFAIK,but provides a better environment so the plants can absorb more of the nitrogen/phosphates in the soil. You’ll still need to provide those nutrients as recommended by the nursery/sticker on the plant from HD. These tips were gleaned from numerous gardening sites. ---
**Author:** ![Myrr21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Myrr21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myrr21)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-vanilla-extract-to-paint-and-this-weeks-list-of-unhelpful-hints/149814/22 "2003-01-20T23:55:30Z")
> [@](#): > > With regard to fingernail polish, I would think the very dry environment of the refrigerator would cancel out the coolness aspect. Anyway, the cap is on whether it’s stored on the vanity or the fridge, so why should it matter? Well, presumably the vapor pressure of the solvent would be less at the lower temperature, and therfore you would lose less when you had it open–assuming you didn’t keep it open for too long. This doesn’t seem like it would be that noticable an effect, though. Or at least not worth the effort. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-vanilla-extract-to-paint-and-this-weeks-list-of-unhelpful-hints/149814/23 "2003-01-21T00:27:25Z")
" Help save on window cleaners by using car washer fluid." Except that it’s often got a blue tint that may stain fabrics or other things? A half cup of vinegar in a gallon of water has the same window cleaning power though & no stains 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-vanilla-extract-to-paint-and-this-weeks-list-of-unhelpful-hints/149814/24 "2003-01-21T01:36:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lure \* > \*\*I don’t know about the tea,but coffee,or it’s grounds,are beneficial for most houseplants/flowering plants. > > The acidity of the coffee makes a more acidic soil PH,something most flowering plants thrive on.It has no nutritional benefits AFAIK,but provides a better environment so the plants can absorb more of the nitrogen/phosphates in the soil. > \*\* My grandmother puts just about any left over drinks in her houseplants: coffee, tea, milk, soda, juice-- you name it. Her plants are huge and healthy, so there must be something to it. ---
**Author:** ![Bob\_Scene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Bob\_Scene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_Scene)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-vanilla-extract-to-paint-and-this-weeks-list-of-unhelpful-hints/149814/25 "2003-01-21T06:45:48Z")
As a former paint formulator I can vouch for the harmlessness of adding a tablespoon-of-vanilla-extract’s-worth of alcohol to a gallon of latex paint. I mostly worked with traffic paint, which is pretty similar chemically to house paint, and methanol was one of the ingredients in it. When you add pure alcohol to paint you have to be careful to keep stirring the whole time and not let the alcohol puddle up on top of the paint (pure alcohol will precipitate the resin if you aren’t careful), but it doesn’t hurt the adhesion or film-forming properties if it’s done right. Vanilla extract, according to a post above, is only about 30% alcohol, so you probably don’t have to be as careful with it as you do with the pure stuff. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-vanilla-extract-to-paint-and-this-weeks-list-of-unhelpful-hints/149814.md?page=1)