# One Weird Trick... That actually works? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 16, 2016, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-weird-trick-that-actually-works/762996 "2016-08-16T15:57:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2016, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-weird-trick-that-actually-works/762996/61 "2016-09-06T12:50:32Z")
The way I deal with excess shoelace is that I tie them once, and then feed the loose ends through the last set of laceholes (which I probably wasn’t using anyway), and put an overhand knot in each of the loose ends so they won’t pull back through. This has a few effects: It uses up extra length, it prevents most of the common ways shoelace knots get tangled, and it means that the laces always stay half-tied, so I never have to stop and think about which way to make that first overhand knot to make it a square knot (I could adjust the second part to compensate, but that’s more ingrained in muscle memory). ---
**Author:** ![Dragwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dragwyr/32/2855_2.png) [@Dragwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragwyr)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2016, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-weird-trick-that-actually-works/762996/62 "2016-09-06T14:00:21Z")
I’ve started tying my shoelaces with a [Shoelace Surgeon’s Knot](http://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/surgeonknot.htm) rather than a regular shoelace knot and I’ve never had them come untied since. ---
**Author:** ![Whiskey\_Dickens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9fc348/32.png) [@Whiskey\_Dickens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whiskey_Dickens)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2016, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-weird-trick-that-actually-works/762996/63 "2016-09-06T14:14:07Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > I didn’t think people were still keeping it around the house after the aspiration dangers became known. I was about to jump in to say “what aspiration dangers? Are you thinking of baby POWDER instead?” I googled baby oil aspiration before posting just to be sure, and all I have to say is holy _shit_! Never would have guessed! Ignorance fought! ---
**Author:** ![betterlifethroughchemistry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/betterlifethroughchemistry/32/3094_2.png) [@betterlifethroughchemistry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betterlifethroughchemistry)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2016, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-weird-trick-that-actually-works/762996/64 "2016-09-06T16:17:34Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > I’m just amazed that it is always MY town where these brilliant people have figured this stuff out. I must live in the Eureka of the Deep South. > > Heating lemons in a the microwave for a bit does seem to help in getting the juice out. > > I had to work with some epoxy the other day. Invariably I got some on me. My usual go to for getting gunk like that off is mineral spirits or gasoline or acetone or whatever other nasty solvent is handy. Often with on so so results. > > I recently read somewhere that white vinegar worked. Well damn if it didn’t remove that stuff better than most things I’ve used before. And its dirt cheap a gallon at a time too. Will try that from now on for most nasty expoxies, glues, and paints from now on first. We make high-end, OEM adhesives and sealants for energy and electronics applications. There are multiple chemical resistance tests some of our materials have to pass, and one in particular is a UL test which includes resistance to 10% acetic acid, which is essentially vinegar. If not formulated properly, the 10% acetic acid will destroy an epoxy compound in days where strong organic solvents won’t touch them. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2016, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-weird-trick-that-actually-works/762996/65 "2016-09-06T21:41:16Z")
Speaking of vinegar (which I was too, in my other post) I find it is the o-n-l-y thing that gets hardened dog spit off of the dogs’ bowls and bowl holders. Dog spit is only a few molecules away from epoxy. ---
**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:** [September 6, 2016, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-weird-trick-that-actually-works/762996/66 "2016-09-06T21:45:34Z")
I saw this one on America’s Test Kitchen and was dubious, but it worked. Perfect soft-boiled eggs: Bring one-half inch (no more) of water to boil in a saucepan. Put eggs in. Cover pan. Cook exactly six minutes. They come out perfectly every time. Even if they’re ice-cold when they go in the pan, they never crack because they’re mostly cooking in hot steam, which isn’t hot enough to crack a cold egg. ---
**Author:** ![Elemenopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b5e925/32.png) [@Elemenopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elemenopy)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2016, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-weird-trick-that-actually-works/762996/67 "2016-09-06T23:03:16Z")
**Bump** , that’s how I generally cut onions, too. It also makes nicer strips if you skip the cross-cut part. On that note, I recently learned a better way to prep bell peppers. I used to chop off the top, rinse the seeds out, cut it in half, trim off the white spines, and then clumsily go to town. Nope. Instead, hold the stem and just slice around the outside, leaving the spines attached to the top and bottom. Discard. (Slice off the bottom, too, if it’s large enough to bother with) Now you’ve got a nice long rectangle and no seed mess. Slice into batons and if you need dice, crosscut those in two batches. I highly recommend [Henckel’s book](https://www.amazon.com/Zwilling-Henckels-Complete-Knife-Skills/dp/0778802566) on knife technique. I even worked prep in a diner ages ago and still picked up some new tricks. Don’t soak your crusty pans; after dinner, boil them for a bit with some soapy water for about 10 minutes or so. Use a wooden spoon (or a scrubby sponge rubber-banded to the spoon) to scrub right away. Ok, moving on from cooking. Someone mentioned covering wood scratches with a walnut. Crayons or oil pastel (cheaper is better in this case) are even better. You can seal this well enough with a bit of egg white on a paintbrush if you want. Also, a few light coats of cheapo hairspray is a great protectant for pencil or charcoal sketches or even letters you might want to save. This extends beyond kids’ artwork, too. Want to paint over something that you’ve sketched on? For instance, a stencil on your wall or a craft project. If you don’t seal it, your lines will probably smudge and muddy up your paint. Just bust out the Aqua Net. Yes, there are products designed for this purpose, but they cost 10x as much as hairspray and don’t really work any better. Another crafty thing that the less crafty may not have run across. Instead of making stencils or tracing, you can transfer patterns from inkjet printouts onto more durable surfaces like wood with rubbing alcohol or craft glue. Google this because the exact method will depend on what your finished medium will be, but it’s super easy. Magic (melamine) sponges are great for tea or coffee stains/residue. Sharpie markers are fantastic for hiding bleach spots on dark fabric, at least for everyday fabrics OR deep shoe or other leather scuffs (before polishing as normal). They do come in colors other than black, as well. When you get a new gadget with a specific power adapter or other cable (as in, not generic USB), fold a sticky label or length of masking tape in half over the cord and write on it what gadget it is intended for. This has saved a lot of time for us, especially having moved a million times. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2016, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-weird-trick-that-actually-works/762996/68 "2016-09-07T00:01:33Z")
> [@Elemenopy](#): > > . . . When you get a new gadget with a specific power adapter or other cable (as in, not generic USB), fold a sticky label or length of masking tape in half over the cord and write on it what gadget it is intended for. This has saved a lot of time for us, especially having moved a million times. There are lots of us who are labelling fanatics. I label all sorts of things. (Poor memory!) ---
**Author:** ![Personal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Personal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Personal)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2016, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-weird-trick-that-actually-works/762996/69 "2016-09-07T00:14:13Z")
I’d add to the Sharpie marker trick to hide bleach spots in dark clothing, liquid white out works great at the office to cover that pen mark that appears on your chest or collar in the morning when you’re wearing a white shirt. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2016, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-weird-trick-that-actually-works/762996/70 "2016-09-07T18:35:55Z")
> [@teela\_brown](#): > > I saw this one on America’s Test Kitchen and was dubious, but it worked. > > Perfect soft-boiled eggs: > > Bring one-half inch (no more) of water to boil in a saucepan. Put eggs in. Cover pan. Cook exactly six minutes. > > They come out perfectly every time. Even if they’re ice-cold when they go in the pan, they never crack because they’re mostly cooking in hot steam, which isn’t hot enough to crack a cold egg. The easiest way ever for hard “boiled” eggs - Place eggs in a muffin/cupcake pan. Put in a preheated 350 degree oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Immerse in cold water after baking. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2016, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-weird-trick-that-actually-works/762996/71 "2016-09-07T20:26:29Z")
> [@TRC4941](#): > > The easiest way ever for hard “boiled” eggs - Place eggs in a muffin/cupcake pan. Put in a preheated 350 degree oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Immerse in cold water after baking. Um… I have to assume you’re joking… What really would happen? Wouldn’t they burst open and then burn to little ugly crisps? ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2016, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-weird-trick-that-actually-works/762996/72 "2016-09-07T21:39:53Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > Um… I have to assume you’re joking… What really would happen? Wouldn’t they burst open and then burn to little ugly crisps? No, I just heard this too and my co-worker swears by it. > [@Trinopus](#): > > So what works to take off the residue of sticky-gum when you’ve peeled the price-tag off the front of a paperback book? Olive oil. ---
**Author:** ![mistymage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mistymage/32/459_2.png) [@mistymage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mistymage)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2016, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-weird-trick-that-actually-works/762996/73 "2016-09-07T23:21:03Z")
If your hands stink after cutting up onions you can just rub your hands on the stainless steel faucet (use some water to get your hands wet beforehand). They sell stainless steel bars that do the same thing but I prefer stuff already on hand. The odor goes away almost instantly. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2016, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-weird-trick-that-actually-works/762996/74 "2016-09-08T13:39:43Z")
> [@Dragwyr](#): > > I’ve started tying my shoelaces with a [Shoelace Surgeon’s Knot](http://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/surgeonknot.htm) rather than a regular shoelace knot and I’ve never had them come untied since. A couple years ago I tried out something I think is called saddle lacing on my sneakers. Works amazing well. More comfortable and they don’t come undone. Can’t find a link to it. (Too many hits for horse saddles or saddle shoes.) Your link doesn’t seem to cover this at all! The idea is at for a string to go thru the last two holes on the same side at the top. The opposite string then threads thru the other string between the two holes and back to tie the knot. Regular lacing of the rest of the shoe and a standard knot. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2016, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-weird-trick-that-actually-works/762996/75 "2016-09-08T17:42:05Z")
> [@Personal](#): > > I watched that a few years ago and implemented it. Previously, my laces would untie fairly often. Since my change per his instruction, it hasn’t happened once. I still haven’t told my parents though. I tie the traditional knot but go around my thumb twice. They never come untied until you pull on a loose end. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2016, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-weird-trick-that-actually-works/762996/76 "2016-09-08T18:42:17Z")
> [@Elemenopy](#): > > Don’t soak your crusty pans; after dinner, boil them for a bit with some soapy water for about 10 minutes or so. Use a wooden spoon (or a scrubby sponge rubber-banded to the spoon) to scrub right away. Based on your suggestion, today I tried this with the steel pot inside my pressure cooker. Worked like a charm. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-weird-trick-that-actually-works/762996/77 "2016-09-09T14:17:57Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > Um… I have to assume you’re joking… What really would happen? Wouldn’t they burst open and then burn to little ugly crisps? Nope!! The eggs come out just like you boiled them! My husband does a dozen like this every week. I don’t think I’ve ever even seen one crack. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-weird-trick-that-actually-works/762996/78 "2016-09-09T20:59:40Z")
Can somebody else help me out here? Is this a king-sized whoosh? I’m really having trouble believing it, but I honestly don’t know enough about baking to know. I am not trying it myself! ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-weird-trick-that-actually-works/762996/79 "2016-09-09T21:22:00Z")
Dog saliva will help prevent the eggs from cracking, just have your dogs pre-lick the eggs before baking. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-weird-trick-that-actually-works/762996/80 "2016-09-09T22:04:19Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > Can somebody else help me out here? Is this a king-sized whoosh? I’m really having trouble believing it, but I honestly don’t know enough about baking to know. > > I am not trying it myself! It got 3.5 stars on [allrecipes](http://allrecipes.com/recipe/232024/hard-boiled-eggs-in-the-oven/) so there must be something to it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-weird-trick-that-actually-works/762996.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-weird-trick-that-actually-works/762996.md?page=5)