# Products That Really Work **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 1, 2003, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-really-work/165619 "2003-04-01T02:54:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![mojave66](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@mojave66](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mojave66)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-really-work/165619/161 "2003-04-10T23:48:39Z")
Dunno about the carpet + OxyClean, but guessing that it may have a problem with older stains. My 2-bit raves: **Oxo Good Grips** fits into my hand nicely, looks great, virtually indestructable. **Kuhn Rikon Pressure Cooker** Definitely NOT the kind that blew up in your grandma’s house. This one works pretty damn well even when I zone out and the thing’s running full blast. No-stir risotto, beans in less than an hour, fall-off-the-bone pot roast-- they can take my Kitchen-Aide, they can take my Calphalon, but they will have to pry my Kuhn Rikon out of my cold, dead hands. **Ardbeg Scotch Whisky** Smoke, smoke, smoke, smoke, smoke, complex flavor, smoke, smoke, smoke, smoke, smoke. This is a very good thing. ---
**Author:** ![HelloKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecccb3/32.png) [@HelloKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelloKitty)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2003, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-really-work/165619/162 "2003-04-11T01:31:43Z")
I was surprised to find out that **Downy Wrinkle Releaser** does a great job getting rid of wrinkles. It’s a great thing to pack in a suit case to freshen up things after unpacking. Also, **Infusium 23 Leave-In Conditioner** works wonders. Not nearly as heavy as conditioners you apply and wash out. I have used it for years and haven’t found anything better. Lastly, nothing beats your standard **iron skillet**. You can cook breakfast in it, put it in the oven and roast a chicken, or set it in the campfire and fry up some pork chops. And they last forever!! ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2003, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-really-work/165619/163 "2003-04-11T02:33:42Z")
[hijack] > [@](#): > > However, my girlfriend bought some to get wine out of her beige carpet … **TMI ALERT** Having just had my entire living room turned into wood, as we destroyed the carpet, here are some suggestions: 1. keep the stain moist. If it drys, it is harder to clean. 2. Treat as soon as possible. Ten hours is too long to treat a stain. 3)Call a professional rug cleaner. Ask them what they use. It might be worth it to have said rug company come out and try to clean. This is/was ( I hope) my cure for really bad stains ( except Coca Cola, nothing gets that out.) Vomit. No, really. Due to my (now 5 year old) son having a very light gag reflex, I’ve caught loads of gack in my hands to save myself from scrubbing the carpet(s). After awhile you just become enured the whole process. However, vomit ( no wine, grape/tomato juice involved) has acid in it that bleaches the carpet lightly. Not as damaging as regular household bleach. ( though if you look closely, you can see splay patterns in my son’s bedroom carpet.) I applied a handful of it one night on a rather persistant and resistant stain ( dog vomit…mostly grass…I was dog sitting. My dog hurls on the tile, TYVM) and figgered _well, it couldn’t hurt_ and covered it with a wet cloth. In the morning, I cleaned it up and scrubbed the rug as usual (Hoover Deep Cleaner…or something like that…I should _know these things_ Its only paid for itself 1000 times over. and the stain was nearly gone. (Dog vomit grass stains and coke are the two most terrible stains I’ve had to work with and failed.) I applied this method to every remaining stain afterwards and it did make a difference. YMMV and a barfing child is needed. However, option 4 is not for the feint of heart. If all else fails and the cleaning ( pro) doesn’t work, you can always have the carpet dyed. It is, I think, cheaper than new stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2003, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-really-work/165619/164 "2003-04-11T02:35:25Z")
You don’t see Martha Stewart giving hints like this do you? ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2003, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-really-work/165619/165 "2003-04-11T03:56:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shirley Ujest \* > \*\* You don’t see Martha Stewart giving hints like this do you? \*\* ::sits abruptly, head between knees:: Vomit for carpet stains. Complete with application tips. **Shirley** , I bow. Or I will as soon as I can stand up again. This, _this_, Dopers, is a WOMAN. See her. Fear her. Veb ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2003, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-really-work/165619/166 "2003-04-11T04:24:33Z")
I’ll just pretend I didn’t see that, and change the subject. I love love love my **Logitech TrackMan Marble** tracking ball thingie. It took me awhile to get used to it, but now I can’t imagine how I ever did anything with a mouse! The difference in the fine control is amazing. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2003, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-really-work/165619/167 "2003-04-11T04:55:24Z")
I am _so_ with you on this one, **Life**. Trackballs kick major hiney, take up less space and contribute even less to carpal tunnel syndrome. You’ll have to pry mine out of my cold dead fingers. I’d also like to thank **Shirley** for yet one more really good reason to get drunk before cleaning house. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2003, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-really-work/165619/168 "2003-04-11T10:57:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by YMwife \* > \*\*Oops, guess I can’t use HTML… > > [The Keeper.](http://www.keeper.com/) > > While the Keeper is inserted and is in the same position as a cervical cap it cannot be used a birth control. \*\* The spouse and I have seen ads for these, and her reaction has uniformly been “Ewwwwwwyuckyuckyuckyuck…”. IANA expert on such things (for which I am _extremely_ grateful), but this strikes me as somewhat unhygienic. Yes? No? ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2003, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-really-work/165619/169 "2003-04-11T12:38:20Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by jr8_ > this strikes me as somewhat unhygienic. Yes? No? No more unhygienic than any of the other methods, which are all gross and disgusting. The only thing I’ve wondered about regarding the Keeper is in public restrooms, where you have to leave the privacy of your stall and go out amidst others to rinse it before re-inserting. I’m afraid the whole deal would be a little much for me! ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2003, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-really-work/165619/170 "2003-04-11T12:50:24Z")
**SilkyThreat** - if you didn’t use salt before, try it now. Get the red wine stain as wet as possible with water (though I have heard white wine recommended for this purpose), and then cover it with a big heap of salt. Hopefully you should see the salt going purple. When it’s entirely absorbed the moisture, sweep it up and repeat the wetting and salting. It won’t get the stain out completely, but it will diminish it dramatically, and maybe allow another product to work. And if you spill red wine again, put a heap of salt on it immediately, and it shouldn’t stain. ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2003, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-really-work/165619/171 "2003-04-11T13:35:53Z")
**Stuff That Works** **Sprint PCS** cellular phone service gets my vote in the mobile phone provider category. I have travelled up and down the eastern half of this country and only lost service in two places: one obscure hollow in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Tennessee, and in the back aisles of Walmart here in town. My friends with other carriers will complain about not having service in the valleys around here, while my signal is still strong. If you do a lot of travelling and consistent service is your priority, I would recommend Sprint PCS. (If you shop for your cell phone provider with other priorities, of course, YMMV. ) **3m** manufactures a double-stick foam mounting tape that withstands a great deal of weight and changes in temperatures without loosening its grip. It can also be removed without ruining the surfaces it was applied to. **Stuff That Doesn’t** Others in this thread sing the praises of **Feria** hair coloring. Thanks for that information! I really need to switch my brand, because **Clairol Herbal Essence** hair color is _the crap_. I have hair that reaches merely an inch past my shoulders - not long at all - and the bottle of colorant barely manages to cover all of my hair. The color also fades extremely quickly - even the permanent level of coloring had faded from the red of a Dr Pepper label to something merely one step brighter than my natural dunnish blonde within a month. Please avoid this hair color, it is not worth the money. ---
**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:** [April 11, 2003, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-really-work/165619/172 "2003-04-11T13:53:23Z")
Washing soda. Arm & Hammer puts it out, as well as the cheaper Shop Rite store brand. This stuff is murder on grease, oil and wax. Apply a paste to your clothes, pans, carpets, floors or whatever, let it sit and rinse. I use it for all stain removal. It is really cheap and doesn’t harm the environment. Oyxclean is basically washing soda (sodium carbonate) and hydrogen peroxide. Washing soda is also a water softener, good for doing laundry. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2003, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-really-work/165619/173 "2003-04-12T01:18:22Z")
\*\*Regarding the Keeper \*\* In a public restroom I usually take in a wet paper towel to wipe it down before re-inserting it. There is a :::ahem::::great thread on this (mine 🙂 ) that I will be damned if I could find it during a search. I thought it was entitled Menstrual Cup or the Keeper or something. FIIK. The thread is highly informative, which is something you rarely find with my name attached to it. :::::::It’s my horn and I’ll blow it if I want too:::::: ::;toot::: I would like to give props to a local salsa called: **Garden Fresh Salsa** from Ferndale Michigan. Many excellent tasty flavors to tantalize your taste buds with. I just wuv it. Their nachos are outstanding as well. For Midwest Dopers, its availabe at Meijers, in the veggie section in a refrig case. ---
**Author:** ![Simple\_Dreamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Simple\_Dreamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simple_Dreamer)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2003, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-really-work/165619/174 "2003-04-12T01:29:39Z")
**Shirley Ujest** ,[this thread?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=14198&highlight=Keeper) ---
**Author:** ![OxyMoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9a140/32.png) [@OxyMoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OxyMoron)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2003, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-really-work/165619/175 "2003-04-12T04:34:12Z")
\*\*Electrasol Dual Tabs \*\* (or 2-in-1 with Jet Dry Power Ball) dishwasher detergent. These little cakes are fantastic, far better than any powder or liquid I’ve used, and they take up much less space in the cabinet. **Le Creuset** Dutch oven. Expensive, weighs a _ton_ but will last forever and heats beautifully. Cleans up well, too. **Soft Scrub with Bleach** cleanser. Nothing works better in getting burnt-on stains off my white cooktop. **Braun/Oral B electric toothbrush**. Great results - no cavities in years; available for about $15.00 at Costco so it’s much cheaper than Sonicare. **Neutrogena Skin Clearing Shave Cream**. I’ve been looking for a non-aerosol shave cream - aerosol cans leave rust rings, get tippy as they empty, and may leak on airplanes. Neutrogena’s fantastic - takes very little, gives a close shave, and although it’s a bit more expensive I think it lasts me longer. **GE Reveal** light bulbs. These are full-spectrum, neodymium glass bulbs. I used to by Varilux at $8 a pop for their wonderful light - much more natural and tolerable than regular yellowy or pinky soft-whites. GE Reveals cost a fraction of that and I can’t tell a difference. Admittedly, they’re still more expensive than regular bulbs, but the nicer light is worth it. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Mook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Mr.Mook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Mook)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2003, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-really-work/165619/176 "2003-04-12T06:45:42Z")
Excedrin P.M. - No Nyquil grogginess. Those little swiss army knives with the scissors and file/screwdriver. I use mine at least twice a day for all kinds of things. Motorola cell phones. Breitling watches - Tha Bomb. Jameson’s Irish Whiskey - Works EVERY time! ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2003, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-really-work/165619/177 "2003-04-12T15:31:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mr. Mook \* > **Excedrin P.M. - No Nyquil grogginess.** But that’s why I _buy_ Nyquil. The grogginess is the fun part! Guaranteed unconsciousness almost immediately. \*\* > [@](#): > > Jameson’s Irish Whiskey - Works EVERY time! \*\* How, exactly, does whiskey “work”? ---
**Author:** ![Tamex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Tamex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamex)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2003, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-really-work/165619/178 "2003-04-12T21:57:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by OxyMoron \* > \*\***Electrasol Dual Tabs \*\* (or 2-in-1 with Jet Dry Power Ball) dishwasher detergent. These little cakes are fantastic, far better than any powder or liquid I’ve used, and they take up much less space in the cabinet.** I didn’t like these. They “work” so well that they bleached and faded the printing on my favorite coffee cup and my Winnie-the-Pooh drinking glasses. The little wrapped tabs also look a little too close to those Halloween fun-size candy bars for my taste (I do have little kids around here.) I’ll stick to the gel, thanks. I don’t like Nyquil, either. Sometimes, it works for me–gradual sleepiness and eight good hours’ sleep. Other times, it doesn’t–I’ll fall asleep for a while, only to be wide awake at 2 a.m., or I’ll toss and turn all night with these bizarre, vivid dreams that I can’t quite remember in the morning. ---
**Author:** ![OxyMoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9a140/32.png) [@OxyMoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OxyMoron)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2003, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-really-work/165619/179 "2003-04-13T00:53:44Z")
Hum, I haven’t noticed that problem, but it might be because here in NYC the water is very soft. Thanks for the warning, though. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2003, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-really-work/165619/180 "2003-04-13T01:09:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jr8 \* > … How, exactly, does whiskey “work”? It works wonders. Exercises your lips, occupies your taste buds, keeps your liver entertained and gives your brain cells a run for their money. A complete full-body workout in a shot glass. Any questions? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-really-work/165619.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-really-work/165619.md?page=10)