# Necessity is the mother of invention. Especially when you're a swingin' hip bachelor. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 22, 2005, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/necessity-is-the-mother-of-invention-especially-when-youre-a-swingin-hip-bachelor/300596 "2005-04-22T14:27:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/necessity-is-the-mother-of-invention-especially-when-youre-a-swingin-hip-bachelor/300596/1 "2005-04-22T14:27:37Z")
So I needed a clean shirt today, but was feeling too lazy to go to the laundry. So I decided I’d do the ol’ sink-and-hang. Shirt goes into the sink with some detergent, smoosh it around a bit, rinse it out, then toss it on the fire escape to dry. Only there was a problem. It turned out that it is rather chilly today instead of the bright and sunny spring day I was expecting. Alas, my shirt will not be dry in time! So I took it in from the fire escape and said, “Shirt, I’m gonna light a fire under your ass.” Thereupon, I plopped my soggy shirt in a frying pan and turned on the gas. After spatching[sup]1[/sup] it around for a few minutes, I was the proud owner of a clean, dry shirt than only smelled a _little_ like tomato sauce! This was truly one of the best ideas I’ve ever had. [sub]1. That’s what you do with a spatula.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/necessity-is-the-mother-of-invention-especially-when-youre-a-swingin-hip-bachelor/300596/2 "2005-04-22T14:43:26Z")
Want a tip from a swingin’ hip single gal? Next time, put it in the oven. Tumble every couple minutes. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/necessity-is-the-mother-of-invention-especially-when-youre-a-swingin-hip-bachelor/300596/3 "2005-04-22T14:52:14Z")
**friedo** is in Queens. **Draelin** is in northern NJ. If the two of them got together and did laundry, the greater New York Metropolitan area would be in ashes inside of two hours. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/necessity-is-the-mother-of-invention-especially-when-youre-a-swingin-hip-bachelor/300596/4 "2005-04-22T14:53:51Z")
Oh, and I should admit something–I’m really neither swingin’ nor hip. I’m so ashamed. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/necessity-is-the-mother-of-invention-especially-when-youre-a-swingin-hip-bachelor/300596/5 "2005-04-22T14:59:42Z")
I don’t think I’ve ever used my oven for anything. I’m afraid I’ll burn down the neighborhood. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/necessity-is-the-mother-of-invention-especially-when-youre-a-swingin-hip-bachelor/300596/6 "2005-04-22T15:02:12Z")
I have microwaved underware and socks to dry them. ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/necessity-is-the-mother-of-invention-especially-when-youre-a-swingin-hip-bachelor/300596/7 "2005-04-22T15:03:56Z")
> [@Draelin](#): > > Want a tip from a swingin’ hip single gal? Next time, put it in the oven. Tumble every couple minutes. 🙂 Brilliant! ---
**Author:** ![wonderwench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/35a633/32.png) [@wonderwench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonderwench)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/necessity-is-the-mother-of-invention-especially-when-youre-a-swingin-hip-bachelor/300596/8 "2005-04-22T15:05:47Z")
A blowdryer also works well - and helps to get out some of the wrinkles to boot. ---
**Author:** ![Caricci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Caricci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caricci)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/necessity-is-the-mother-of-invention-especially-when-youre-a-swingin-hip-bachelor/300596/9 "2005-04-22T15:09:07Z")
Also, if the item is damp rather than dripping, you can iron it dry enough to wear. Back in my single bachelorette studio apartment days I did that all the time. Sometimes the seams were still a little “cold” when I put the garment on, but body heat takes care of that quick enough. I’m going to go hug my husband and clean my house now. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/necessity-is-the-mother-of-invention-especially-when-youre-a-swingin-hip-bachelor/300596/10 "2005-04-22T15:09:50Z")
For more bachelor homemaking tips in a similar vein, check out [The Bachelor Home Companion](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0871136864/qid=1114182660/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/104-3873302-0563938?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) by the one and only P.J. O’Roarke. Very funny, and some of it actually useful. (A not so useful tip: Put a spoonful of instant coffee in your bathroom glass before you go to bed. In the morning, take the glass into the shower with you. Voila! Hot coffee in the morning!) ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Bird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Little\_Bird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Bird)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/necessity-is-the-mother-of-invention-especially-when-youre-a-swingin-hip-bachelor/300596/11 "2005-04-22T15:09:58Z")
Hey **friedo** , you should really get that hip looked at. IANADoctor, but I don’t think they’re supposed to swing like that. ---
**Author:** ![ErinPuff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dbc845/32.png) [@ErinPuff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ErinPuff)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/necessity-is-the-mother-of-invention-especially-when-youre-a-swingin-hip-bachelor/300596/12 "2005-04-22T16:29:41Z")
Just use a cat. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/necessity-is-the-mother-of-invention-especially-when-youre-a-swingin-hip-bachelor/300596/13 "2005-04-22T16:47:30Z")
Thank you for not drying the shirt by ironing it whilst wearing it. That never ends well. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/necessity-is-the-mother-of-invention-especially-when-youre-a-swingin-hip-bachelor/300596/14 "2005-04-22T17:44:19Z")
Nice one **Friedo**! I always “ironed” my pants by tossing them in the bathroom, and steaming the whole thing up like a sauna. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/necessity-is-the-mother-of-invention-especially-when-youre-a-swingin-hip-bachelor/300596/15 "2005-04-22T21:21:02Z")
This is kind of the reverse of using culinary implements for laundry, but I knew a guy in college who’d use his steam iron to make grilled cheese sandwiches. I didn’t recognize the weird toast pattern at first… then I was kind of stunned. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/necessity-is-the-mother-of-invention-especially-when-youre-a-swingin-hip-bachelor/300596/16 "2005-04-22T21:26:55Z")
> [@adam yax](#): > > I have microwaved underware and socks to dry them. I have faith in the intelligence of dopers, but I think this needs saying anyway: Do not put a bra with an underwire in the microwave! If it is plastic it will melt, if it’s metal you get that not-so-cool sparking effect. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/necessity-is-the-mother-of-invention-especially-when-youre-a-swingin-hip-bachelor/300596/17 "2005-04-22T21:29:02Z")
> [@adam yax](#): > > I have microwaved underware and socks to dry them. Just FYI, that doesn’t work with leather. The smell… ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/necessity-is-the-mother-of-invention-especially-when-youre-a-swingin-hip-bachelor/300596/18 "2005-04-22T22:15:12Z")
> [@The Devil's Grandmother](#): > > I have faith in the intelligence of dopers, but I think this needs saying anyway: Do not put a bra with an underwire in the microwave! If it is plastic it will melt, if it’s metal you get that not-so-cool sparking effect. Is this the voice of experience we hear? ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/necessity-is-the-mother-of-invention-especially-when-youre-a-swingin-hip-bachelor/300596/19 "2005-04-22T23:09:28Z")
> [@Draelin](#): > > Want a tip from a swingin’ hip single gal? Next time, put it in the oven. Tumble every couple minutes. 🙂 Tip: never do that with spandex bicycle shorts – they _will_ catch fire. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/necessity-is-the-mother-of-invention-especially-when-youre-a-swingin-hip-bachelor/300596/20 "2005-04-22T23:18:19Z")
Psh. The only appliances you really need are a 3-cubic foot fridge, a clothes iron, and a hairdryer. Everything else is for those who simply aren’t all that creative. Every have that problem where you toss a sock still all crumpled up on itself in the laundry, and it doesn’t un-crumple in the dryer, so it’s still all wet? You can dry it with a hairdryer. You cannot, however, put it on the hairdyer as if the appliance were your foot. That will either A) cause the hairdryer to overheat and do Bad Things to your dorm’s electrical system, or B) automatically shut of your hairdryer and cause it to stop working for the next half-hour. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/necessity-is-the-mother-of-invention-especially-when-youre-a-swingin-hip-bachelor/300596.md?page=2)