# 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:** 15
**Author:** ![Section\_Maker\_Jupe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/section_maker_jupe/32/1424_2.png) [@Section\_Maker\_Jupe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Section_Maker_Jupe)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/281 "2013-02-22T04:15:05Z")
great tip about the foil box ends…sheesh…the things ya learn!:D:D To avoid tangled garden hoses, coil in a sequential flat figure 8, stacking smaller figure 8"s into larger ones, the end of the hose ends up in the middle. Hoses must be straightened first, by leaving in the hot sun in a straight line, and rotated until there is no twist to them. They often have a strip down one side, so you can follow that. Then start at the faucet end. For other tangling type items, like string or small rope, feed sequentially into appropriate sized bucket, this avoids the tendency for material to form loops, then knots. Tree climbers often use a small bag for their throwing ropes, using this method. It very rarely tangles. Larger ropes and/or wire can be coiled with the “over/under” loops, each loop opposite to the one preceding it. Sailors use this for on deck ropes, as the figure eights take up too much space. (they are the same method) Wire or super stiff hose should be rolled onto a spool,( like a hose reel) with no twists, and should be taken off in a linear way. NOT off the end, which introduces loops. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/282 "2013-02-22T04:53:20Z")
> [@swampspruce](#): > > Depending on the season, the tree thing might also have your car’s paint covered in sap. Not fun to remove, even with wd-40, which takes almost anything off paint and doesn’t seem to mar it. Put a spray thingy in a bottle of peroxide for that. Bugs and sap will melt right off. If you spend more time riding than washing, you might need to spray it a couple of times, but it works, its cheap and its green. Do not pour peroxide into a spray bottle, its probably clear and the peroxide will turn into water in no time at all. ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/283 "2013-02-22T06:47:31Z")
We’re having an old-fashioned, pre-climate-change winter here this year — when it isn’t a million below zero in any temperature scale, it’s snow, snow, snow, snow, snow. . . . Brushing it off the car every day — sometimes multiple times — is a colossal pain. I was so sick of it that three months ago I decided to do what car dealerships/used-car lots do: use a leaf blower. But not a gas-engine blower. I bought an electric Toro leaf-sucker-upper/blower and a long, grounded, properly rated extension cord (most of the block-heater cord is buried under tons of snow and the block-heater-cord’s multiple plug recepticle won’t fit in the blower’s extension-plug housing). Now the job takes seconds, and unless it’s snowing when I’m blowing it away, not a flake remains on the car. Best of all, it’s fun. (Toro says not to store the thing in an unheated area, so it sleeps in the house.) ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/284 "2013-02-22T18:56:29Z")
> [@Section\_Maker\_Jupe](#): > > great tip about the foil box ends…sheesh..the things ya learn!:D:D > > To avoid tangled garden hoses, coil in a sequential flat figure 8, stacking smaller > > figure 8"s into larger ones, the end of the hose ends up in the middle. Hoses must be straightened first, by leaving in the hot sun in a straight line, and rotated until there is no twist to them. They often have a strip down one side, so you can follow that. Then start at the faucet end. > > For other tangling type items, like string or small rope, feed sequentially into appropriate sized bucket, this avoids the tendency for material to form loops, then knots. > Tree climbers often use a small bag for their throwing ropes, using this method. It very rarely tangles. > > Larger ropes and/or wire can be coiled with the “over/under” loops, each loop opposite to the one preceding it. Sailors use this for on deck ropes, as the figure eights take up too much space. (they are the same method) > > Wire or super stiff hose should be rolled onto a spool,( like a hose reel) with no twists, and should be taken off in a linear way. NOT off the end, which introduces loops. When I did this learn-to-sail-a-schooner vacation obviously we did a lot with rope - I’ve found that ballentining, as you do with big thick halyards you can’t hang on a pin, is very useful for long, unwieldy things like (obviously) long ropes or long hoses that might get hung up. I can’t explain it very well, but I’m sure that YouTube can. Essentially you’re making loops made out of three loops. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/285 "2013-02-22T20:47:54Z")
> [@Scarlett67](#): > > Sunburn remedy: several glugs of white vinegar in a cool bath. You’ll smell funky but the burn won’t sting. I don’t know – drinking vinegar straight doesn’t appeal to me. On the other hand, it’s supposed to be a natural diuretic. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2013, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/286 "2013-02-24T18:53:29Z")
**Leaf Mulcher** Rather than bagging all your leaves, create your own mulch. Rake the leaves into a trash can and use your weed eater to shred them into tiny pieces. They’ll reduce to about 1/10th the size and you can spread it around for mulch or add it to your compost pile. ---
**Author:** ![HipGnosis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/76d3ee/32.png) [@HipGnosis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HipGnosis)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2013, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/287 "2013-02-24T21:36:23Z")
A few yrs ago I got a remote controlled on/off switch when buying some Xmas lights. It works really nice, so I didn’t just put it away with the Xmas lights. Now I use it for a small fan in my bedroom, with the remote on my head board. The next year I got another one, and now use that one for a reading lamp on top of a tall bookshelf. I keep finding more uses for neon-orange duct-tape. I’ve got a small strip of it on top of multiple remotes so I can immediately tell which is the ‘top’ - either by look or feel. I’ve also got a strip on the top of my cell-phone (bar type). Small pieces next to or on a button on a remote &/or alarm clock makes them very easy to find w/o having to find my glasses (or even open my eyes, actually…) Small pieces ind which side of a connector (like the charger for my cell phone) is ‘up’ when connecting it to the phone. A small strip around the charging cable at an angle (like a screw thread) near the end makes it very easy to find the end of the cable. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2013, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/288 "2013-02-24T22:37:17Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > You can take out a seltzer stain with a little red wine. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2013, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/289 "2013-02-24T23:00:53Z")
> [@HipGnosis](#): > > A few yrs ago I got a remote controlled on/off switch when buying some Xmas lights. It works really nice, so I didn’t just put it away with the Xmas lights. > Now I use it for a small fan in my bedroom, with the remote on my head board. > The next year I got another one, and now use that one for a reading lamp on top of a tall bookshelf. > > I keep finding more uses for neon-orange duct-tape. > I’ve got a small strip of it on top of multiple remotes so I can immediately tell which is the ‘top’ - either by look or feel. I’ve also got a strip on the top of my cell-phone (bar type). > Small pieces next to or on a button on a remote &/or alarm clock makes them very easy to find w/o having to find my glasses (or even open my eyes, actually…) > Small pieces ind which side of a connector (like the charger for my cell phone) is ‘up’ when connecting it to the phone. > A small strip around the charging cable at an angle (like a screw thread) near the end makes it very easy to find the end of the cable. You’ve reminding me of another one - I’ve started adding label tags to the three billion black charger cables we have lying around our house (“Tracey’s Cellphone” “Jim’s Cellphone” “Camera” “MP3 PLayer” etc.). > [@lorene](#): > > 😕 I think the joke is that seltzer is always recommended to take out red wine stains. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Svejk\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@Svejk\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Svejk_1)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2013, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/290 "2013-02-24T23:04:43Z")
Telling apart cider and apple juice: if it’s clear and yellow, you got juice there, fellow; if it’s tangy and brown, you’re in cider town. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2013, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/291 "2013-02-24T23:08:41Z")
And if your fruit juice is tangy, it’s probably turned and you might want to consider not drinking it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/292 "2013-02-25T02:52:03Z")
I just discovered a new one, and being quite pleased with myself, I just had to share… So you’ve slacked a bit (a lot) on the regular tub/shower cleaning duty and the surfaces of your bathing area have taken on a cave-like appearance from all the soap-scum buildup. Resolved to finally confront this issue, you dutifully get yourself some of the most noxious chemicals you can find and set aside a whole day that it’s probably going to take you most of to return your bathing area to its former glistening self. Step 1) Soak/moisten all surfaces with HOT water to help soften the offending buildup. Step 2) Get out your noxious chemical of choice and apply generously to all surfaces. If your chemical came in an aerosol-can (Scrubbling Bubbles, etc.), congrats, you’re ahead of the game - keep the cap to the can, DON’T throw it away. If your chemical wasn’t in an aerosol can, you surely have some other aerosol-can around the house that can donate its cap to this righteous cause. Step 3) You may have guessed it, but this aerosol-can cap is a surprisingly powerful soap-scum busting ally! Just hold the top of the cap against the palm of your hand and use the bottom edges as a scraper. It’s just hard enough to easily and quickly bust through any soap-scum, but not hard enough to scratch or damage any surfaces. Step 4) Once you’ve removed the bulk of the buildup, you can now use whatever conventional means you would have used in the first place to finish up (scouring pad, sponge, Magic Eraser, etc.), and it will be MUCH easier now that you’ve easily scraped off most of it. (If someone uses this technique, I’d love to hear how it went. Help spread the word! :p) ---
**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 25, 2013, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/293 "2013-02-25T02:56:33Z")
> [@Svejk\_1](#): > > Telling apart cider and apple juice: if it’s clear and yellow, you got juice there, fellow; if it’s tangy and brown, you’re in cider town. Of course in Canada, the whole thing’s flip-flopped. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/294 "2013-02-25T03:02:52Z")
> [@Svejk\_1](#): > > if it’s clear and yellow, you got juice there, fellow; if it’s tangy and brown, you’re in cider town. If it’s foamy and sweet, check your glucose _tout suite_. Wait, what were we talking about again? ---
**Author:** ![urban1a](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47c2d/32.png) [@urban1a](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/urban1a)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/295 "2013-02-25T03:19:33Z")
Whenever I would open a soda bottle which had been shaken a bit much and which started to squirt out, I’d make a run for the sink. But, you can also just re tighten the lid which accomplishes the same thing. This tip took me only about 55 years to learn. It is yours free. Bob ---
**Author:** ![HipGnosis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/76d3ee/32.png) [@HipGnosis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HipGnosis)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/296 "2013-02-25T16:25:31Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > You’ve reminding me of another one - I’ve started adding label tags to the three billion black charger cables we have lying around our house (“Tracey’s Cellphone” “Jim’s Cellphone” “Camera” “MP3 PLayer” etc.). I’ve found that silver sharpie (permanent marker) is GREAT for ID’g charger transformers (aka wall warts). ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/297 "2013-02-25T16:40:54Z")
> [@HipGnosis](#): > > I’ve found that silver sharpie (permanent marker) is GREAT for ID’g charger transformers (aka wall warts). or paint pens to write on the wart, mailing labels taped (transparent tape) over on the plugs. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2013, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/298 "2013-03-04T14:13:21Z")
If your cookies brown too much on the bottom, stack the cookie sheet in another one. It will act like a heat shield and the bottoms won’t cook so fast. ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2013, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/299 "2013-03-04T15:48:04Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > If your cookies brown too much on the bottom, stack the cookie sheet in another one. It will act like a heat shield and the bottoms won’t cook so fast. Also, raise the rack you’re using so it is in the upper third of your oven. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2013, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959/300 "2013-03-04T16:38:42Z")
I just remembered one of my favourites: if you’ve forgotten someone’s name, and are too embarrassed to ask them again, ask them how to spell it. Tip: it doesn’t work so well if their name is Joe, though. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-useful-tricks-that-you-think-most-people-are-not-aware-of/648959.md?page=16)