# Neat useful tricks that you think most people are not aware of **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 31, 2013, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959 "2013-01-31T21:35:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![GreenElf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@GreenElf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenElf)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/241 "2013-02-20T07:32:16Z")
When purchasing a sponge mop, be sure to buy some extra sponges so that when the time comes for replacing the sponge, you don’t have to drive to the store just to find that they no longer carry that model. They seem to go obsolete about every year. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/242 "2013-02-20T07:47:40Z")
> [@Napier](#): > > Remember this sequence: > 1, 1.25, 1.6, 2, 2.5, 3.2, 4, 5, 6.4, 8. > This should be easy if you notice the first series of every third number is 1, 2, 4, 8 and the second series is 1.25, 2.5, 5 and the third series (starting at the end and wrapping back around) is 8, 16, 32, 64 (if we cheat on the decimal point). > > Now, if you want the common (base 10) log of a number, divide it by ten again and again until it is in the range between 1 and 10, and the number of times you had to do that is the part of your log before the decimal point. For example if your number is 365, you have to divide it by ten twice, so your log starts with 2. > Now check where your divided number fits into this sequence. For example, I wound up with 3.65, and that is about halfway between the 3.2 and the 4. Consider the 1 as the starting point at 0, and the 1.25 is worth 0.1, the 1.6 is worth 0.2, and so forth, so my 3.65 is worth about 0.55. > > So, log10(365) must be about 2.55. Now I check it with a calculator, and find it’s 2.5623. That’s not bad, for calculating a log in your head. If you need ln (that is, natural log), just multiply this result by 2.3. And there’s this year’s contender for the All-Time Username/Post Combo Award. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/243 "2013-02-20T13:56:23Z")
If you can remember the integer sequence 1 1 3 3 5 5 you have an excellent approximation of pi: 355/113 = 3.1415929… - this differs from pi by less than one part in a million. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/244 "2013-02-20T15:16:48Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > If you can remember the integer sequence 1 1 3 3 5 5 you have an excellent approximation of pi: > > 355/113 = 3.1415929… - this differs from pi by less than one part in a million. If you can remember the integer 3 then you have the engineer’s approximation: π ≈ 3. If you need more precision then π ≈ √10. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/245 "2013-02-20T16:09:03Z")
more tape roll ideas. peel back 1/2 inch of tape and place a paper clip partially sticking out the side or a wire twist-tie across and stick the tape back down; gives you something to grab without having to discard any tape or have a flopping end to snag and unroll. on the inside of the roll draw arrows in the direction the tape is placed in the roll. if the tape is stuck down tight, especially for thin transparent tape, then you know what direction to snag the end from. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/246 "2013-02-20T16:23:00Z")
If you squirt too much stuff out of a squeeze bottle, you may be able to suck it back it. Hold the bottle up and squeeze some air out. While keeping the bottle squeezed, put the opening into the blob of stuff. Slowly unsqueeze the bottle and it will suck up the stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/247 "2013-02-20T18:14:20Z")
in summer there is a fast way to remove all the hot air in your car that doesn’t require keeping the windows rolled down all day which could invite theft. park your car with windows rolled up and doors locked like usual. When you are ready to use it again open the drivers side door as wide as possible, start the engine and use the power windows to roll the back windows down as much as you can. While still standing outside the car with the drivers side door still wide open and the rear windows down turn the ac on full blast. After 5-10 seconds all the hot air will have been blown out and the car will be relatively cool. at that point get in, close the door and roll the windows back up. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/248 "2013-02-20T19:24:31Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > in summer there is a fast way to remove all the hot air in your car that doesn’t require keeping the windows rolled down all day which could invite theft. If possible, try to park in shade. For optimum parking, anticipate where the shade will be while you are away from your vehicle. Shadows rotate clockwise (counterclockwise in the southern hemisphere) about the object casting the shadow. If you can’t remember which way is clockwise (and you lack an analog watch), just remember that clockwise is the direction one turns the steering wheel in order to turn right! If you can’t remember which direction is _right_, there’s probably an app for your phone that will tell you. ---
**Author:** ![Gymnopithys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@Gymnopithys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gymnopithys)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/249 "2013-02-20T20:02:26Z")
Use discarded toothbrushes to clean your combs. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/250 "2013-02-20T20:06:38Z")
If you have to get dressed in the dark, it may be difficult to tell whether you’re putting on your T-shirt backwards or not (especially if there’s no tag). A couple of years ago, I discovered a way to tell instantly whether you’re putting it on right. Feel the collar of the shirt (right at the seam where the collar is sewn to the rest of the shirt). The back of the collar is thicker and almost feels like it has a drawstring inside it. The front of the collar is much thinner. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/251 "2013-02-20T20:21:03Z")
> [@Gymnopithys](#): > > Use discarded toothbrushes to clean your combs. And use discarded combs to clean your toothbrush! ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/252 "2013-02-20T20:30:26Z")
And brush your teeth with a bottle of Jack. > [@standingwave](#): > > If possible, try to park in shade. For optimum parking, anticipate where the shade will be while you are away from your vehicle. Shadows rotate clockwise (counterclockwise in the southern hemisphere) about the object casting the shadow. If you can’t remember which way is clockwise (and you lack an analog watch), just remember that clockwise is the direction one turns the steering wheel in order to turn right! If you can’t remember which direction is _right_, there’s probably an app for your phone that will tell you. If you park near shady trees, be sure to balance the need to keep your car cool with the need to keep your car free of bird poop. For me, the coolness starts to outweigh the poop at about 90 degrees or warmer. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/253 "2013-02-20T21:51:41Z")
> [@standingwave](#): > > If you can remember the integer 3 then you have the engineer’s approximation: π ≈ 3. > If you need more precision then π ≈ √10. Both of these are much worse than the old standby: 22/7 ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/254 "2013-02-20T22:29:25Z")
I saw this on an old episode of [Shadetree Mechanic](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadetree_Mechanic): Use [Barkeepers Friend](http://www.barkeepersfriend.com/) to clean the road grime off your car’s windshield. Works great!! ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/255 "2013-02-20T22:40:36Z")
```auto 1. Keep a bottle of water/soda in the freezer When running prolonged errands on a hot day, take 2 bottles: 1 cold 1 frozen Drink the cold one on the way out, while the frozen is thawing. Drink the (thawed) frozen one on the way back. Beats paying a buck fifty for a drink at the 7-11 2. Use foil to cover windows (esp south-facing) in the summer - poor man's air-conditioning. It also solves the problem of blacking out the bedroom for us nocturnals. With luck, a tiny hole in the foil may turn the room into a pinhole camera/camera obscura. 3. If you have indoor cat(s): the tubs that lunchmeats come in make perfect pots for transplanting kitty's favorite grass. Keep it watered, and it will last a couple of weeks even if you have my brown thumb ``` ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/256 "2013-02-20T22:59:06Z")
Wouldn’t a thawed bottle of soda water be flat? ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/257 "2013-02-20T23:12:21Z")
If your hands get really dry and sore (plaster/concrete, et al): Slather your hands with hand lotion - as is dripping off. Then put on vinyl or nitrile “exam” gloves (nowadays drugstores there presence is an indication of a real hardware store (only if sold in boxes of 100)). After 4-6 hours, your hands will be like those of a baby. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/258 "2013-02-20T23:15:31Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > Wouldn’t a thawed bottle of soda water be flat? I haven’t noticed - anytime you decant, you lose some carbon dioxide - but once the bottle is capped, where would the carbonation go? I’ll leave it to the chemists to answer that one. If your bubbles are worth a buck fifty and an otherwise unneeded stop, go wild ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/259 "2013-02-20T23:15:56Z")
I haven’t read this whole thread, so sorry if this has been described already. I use the “autocorrect” tool in Microsoft Word to create super-easy macro-like devices. Be sure to choose a brief few letters to represent the “misspelling”. Example: go into autocorrect, and tell it that the misspelling “LL” should be corrected to read “Landlord”. I type a lot of real estate documents, and use the word Landlord frequently. You can use it for larger blocks of text, as well. I prepare loan documents, and the dollar figure for the loan will appear over and over. I can tell autocorrect that the misspelling “bux” should be corrected to the phrase “Six Million Four Hundred Thousand Thirty-five Dollars ($6,435,000)”. You can even use it for a whole page of text. Legal descriptions (like several paragraphs of surveyor’s gobbledegook) can be blocked before turning on the autocorrect, and the misspelling “LGL” assigned to it. However, big blocks of text like this never survive overnight in the autocorrect tool, for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/260 "2013-02-20T23:19:09Z")
You will never lock your keys in the car if you _ **use the key to lock the door** _ from the outside [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959.md?page=14)