# is it safe? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 19, 2008, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe/468621 "2008-10-19T06:23:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe/468621/21 "2008-10-19T20:07:11Z")
I suggest you steam-clean your gnu. If it is an old gnu, dry cleaning is indicated. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe/468621/22 "2008-10-19T21:44:17Z")
[Woody Allen] Now that we’ve covered cleaning gnus, what’s the best way to clean my gub? [/WA] ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe/468621/23 "2008-10-19T21:56:25Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > No gnus are good gnus. > Before you even start to clean one, make sure you spread a lot of newspaper around on the floor. It can be quite messy. I would suggest having on hand at least 500 copies of the Sunday New York times to begin with. And I thought they smelled bad…on the outside. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe/468621/24 "2008-10-19T23:33:40Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > And I thought they smelled bad…on the outside. Well, that’s why you’ve got to clean it! A gnu is just like your pet dog; if you don’t give it regular baths you’ve got a stinky gnu. ---
**Author:** ![Satellite\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Satellite\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satellite_Guy)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe/468621/25 "2008-10-20T01:53:16Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > No gnus are good gnus. > Before you even start to clean one, make sure you spread a lot of newspaper around on the floor. It can be quite messy. I would suggest having on hand at least 500 copies of the Sunday New York times to begin with. Don’t you mean **gnuspaper**? S^G ---
**Author:** ![Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe/468621/26 "2008-10-20T01:59:32Z")
Be sure to switch of compiler warnings before you clean your gnu. Make sure to check clear and discharge any spent compiler errors before dismantling your gnu. Depending on the version, switch to the gnu to safety lest there’s any accidental mis-compile. Do not, at any time, attempt to dismantle parts of the gnu with warning labels that advice you otherwise. Assembly code is best left for the experts. PS. Accidents during gnu cleaning is responsible for 1% of programmer’s burn-out each year. Don’t be one of them! ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe/468621/27 "2008-10-20T02:07:28Z")
Be sure to use an AZA-approved gnu care product, and read the instructions carefully. I recommend Gnu Finish. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe/468621/28 "2008-10-20T02:16:49Z")
I had a gnu lay down a tile floor in my kitchen. That ability was the only thing special about him. He was a typical gnu and tiler too. ---
**Author:** ![laughingboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9f8e36/32.png) [@laughingboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/laughingboy)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe/468621/29 "2008-10-20T02:23:18Z")
You can keep as many gnus as you can swallow. Essen!! ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe/468621/30 "2008-10-20T03:27:29Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I had a gnu lay down a tile floor in my kitchen. That ability was the only thing special about him. He was a typical gnu and tiler too. :groan: 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe/468621/31 "2008-10-20T04:43:31Z")
I recall once taking a ca-gnu out on a river. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe/468621/32 "2008-10-20T05:44:47Z")
You can have my gnu when you pry it from my cold dead hands. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe/468621/33 "2008-10-20T06:07:28Z")
> [@faithfool](#): > > You can have my gnu when you pry it from my cold dead hands. Ahh, you must be a member of the NRA\*. \*National Ruminant Association ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe/468621/34 "2008-10-20T08:29:39Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > I recall once taking a ca-gnu out on a river. Ah, but I think the more important question is: are you, or have you ever associated with, a gnu-dist? An entirely unrelated coincidence, of course, is that one of my friends calls me Gnu, for various reasons not entirely unrelated to my name. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe/468621/35 "2008-10-20T08:39:16Z")
So, um. How do you holster a gnu? ---
**Author:** ![nd\_n8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/439d5e/32.png) [@nd\_n8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nd_n8)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe/468621/36 "2008-10-20T12:45:04Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > Rule #4: Know what the gnu’s target is and what is behind it. > > Stranger Isn’t that a little redundant? Oh, you mean what’s behind the _target_. I thought you meant what’s behind the _gnu_. Nevermind. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe/468621/37 "2008-10-20T12:57:31Z")
Tips? Here’s a tip, “Don’t take any wooden nickels!” But seriously, for the best information on gnucare I recommend The Good Gnus Bible. I am so disappointed \*\*samarm \*\*started this thread before I did! ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe/468621/38 "2008-10-20T15:55:07Z")
“Look, I just want to get some smokes!” ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe/468621/39 "2008-10-20T16:09:06Z")
I once had an ordinary gnu, and kept it in a not-quite-finished pen. One morning, I came out to find the gnu in the pen, and the bare concrete was now covered with terra cotta. Apparently, I had a typical gnu and tiler, too. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe/468621/40 "2008-10-20T16:11:53Z")
> [@VunderBob](#): > > I once had an ordinary gnu, and kept it in a not-quite-finished pen. One morning, I came out to find the gnu in the pen, and the bare concrete was now covered with terra cotta. > > Apparently, I had a typical gnu and tiler, too. Post #28 was funnier. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe/468621.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe/468621.md?page=3)