# The "I'll be damned, it actually works" helpful tip thread **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 30, 2010, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ill-be-damned-it-actually-works-helpful-tip-thread/562425 "2010-11-30T16:59:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Rack-a-Bones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rack-a-Bones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rack-a-Bones)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2010, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ill-be-damned-it-actually-works-helpful-tip-thread/562425/101 "2010-12-04T21:26:44Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > If you have a poison ivy rash, put Icy Hot next to the rashy area. It will short-circuit your brain from the itchiness. This also works if you get “the creeps.” That feeling of ants crawling on your skin. > > \ > > Sock clips are lovely. You can use them for more than just socks. You can also use them rather like the old Garanimals by fastening a particular pair of pants to a specific shirt, etc. You know what else works for poison oak/ivy? Toothpaste! What, pray tell, are sock clips? ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2010, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ill-be-damned-it-actually-works-helpful-tip-thread/562425/102 "2010-12-04T21:52:37Z")
Correction: Caffeine is indeed a vasoconstrictor. ---
**Author:** ![janis\_and\_c0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janis_and_c0/32/21_2.png) [@janis\_and\_c0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janis_and_c0)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2010, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ill-be-damned-it-actually-works-helpful-tip-thread/562425/103 "2010-12-04T22:07:16Z")
> [@Rack-a-Bones](#): > > Toothpaste is amazing. Sunburn? Put toothpaste on it. Bug bite, burn, pimple, etc, put toothpaste on it. It also cleans silver pretty well. > > This thread is awesome keep 'em coming. Anyone got a remedy for itchy scalp? You can also use it to fix scratched/dirty CD’s Toothpaste? Is there anything you **can’t** do?! ---
**Author:** ![El\_Presidente](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c2a13f/32.png) [@El\_Presidente](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Presidente)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2010, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ill-be-damned-it-actually-works-helpful-tip-thread/562425/104 "2010-12-04T22:26:21Z")
Aqua Net hairspray will remove ink stains off of furniture. Pledge Pet Hair lifters do a great job of taking pet hair off furniture, electricity free. However, they cost about $5 each, and fill with pet hair quickly, after which they become almost unusable. Instead of throwing it away, take a knife, cut open the plastic on the top in both directions to create 4 corners, (a “+”), stick your fingers in the “plus sign”, pull the pet hair out, and cover the slits with scotch tape, voila, you can reuse the pet lifter over and over and over again. Itchy scalp: Nizerol is also great for treating athletes foot. Dehydrated on a hot, humid day? Eat a dill pickle. Instead of overpaying for expensive eyeglass cleaner, cheap rubbing alcohol and a tissue should do the trick (dont use on special coated lenses) Use a leaf blower to clean out your garage and your gutters. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2010, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ill-be-damned-it-actually-works-helpful-tip-thread/562425/105 "2010-12-04T23:18:02Z")
> [@El\_Presidente](#): > > Aqua Net hairspray will remove ink stains off of furniture. Works with any alcohol-based hairspray. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2010, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ill-be-damned-it-actually-works-helpful-tip-thread/562425/106 "2010-12-04T23:20:06Z")
Perfect 10 Hair Coloring- purports to dye hair in only 10 minutes - it works very well indeed, in only 10 minutes as promised. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2010, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ill-be-damned-it-actually-works-helpful-tip-thread/562425/107 "2010-12-04T23:37:57Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > I think it’s fair to say that most people have looked at a problem, thought of a doubtful solution, and figured, what the hell, I might as well try it, and been surprised to learn that it **actually worked**. > > Let’s share those tips, shall we? Household hints, child rearing pointers, car/other mechanical maintenance tips, solutions found at work etc. > > To start: > New England is pretty dry during the winter. Not like out west, but below 30% humidity is between a half and a third as humid as our summers. A lot of people’s skin doesn’t like the drier weather (how do people out west avoid desiccation during the winter? Does your skin grow used to it?) and that can lead to dry skin all over your body. When moisturizing bodywashes don’t help, your only option is to rub lotion all over, and that’s a pain in the ass. So I thought about looking for a spray-on lotion to help speed this up. And…all I could find was Skin So Soft, which I hate the smell of. ☹ > > So I gave it some thought, and decided that it was remotely possible that lotion put into a spray bottle might spray despite being thick. I bought a tiny spray bottle (called a “fingertip” bottle. it holds 2 or 3 oz - it’s the kind you push down rather than pull a trigger) and filled it with Yardley’s Oatmeal lotion. And guess what, it works perfectly. > > I don’t know why no one puts lotion in spray bottles, but…I’m glad it works. This way takes about half the time and there’s less risk of squirting out too much and leaving your legs feeling greasy. > So, what helpful tip are you sitting on? Come on, share with the class! OMG, I did exactly this, just today! I didn’t know if it would work, but it works fine. I like L’Oreal active daily moisturizer - in fact, the whole family uses it, but it doesn’t come in a pump and I don’t like the idea of fingers stuck into the wide opening of the bottle. My helpful hint is Christmas-related. I save cereal boxes, cracker boxes, that kind of thing and save them to use for boxing up Christmas presents. If you don’t want to give someone a pair of gloves in a Cheezits box, they can be cunningly taken apart, refolded so the blank side is outside, and glued or taped shut. Because I’m always running short of just a couple more small boxes. ---
**Author:** ![Pullet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Pullet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pullet)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ill-be-damned-it-actually-works-helpful-tip-thread/562425/108 "2010-12-05T01:55:47Z")
> [@phouka](#): > > - cat without an appetite. When my last kitty, Raven, was going downhill, she stopped eating very much. Her coat was dull, and she had no energy. So I mixed peanut butter and full fat yogurt at a 1:1 ratio and got it down her throat with a pet syringe. Five cc’s twice a day was all it took to bring her back from the brink. I got another three months with her. > [@jsgoddess](#): > > If your cat or small dog has an injury they keep aggravating my licking, if it’s on the body you can use control panty hose to fashion a little leotard that will prevent them from being able to reach it. For our itty-bitty Cosmo who had a deep puncture wound between her shoulder blades, I took a small pair of control pantyhose, cut off the toe, put two slits in the bottom then put it on her like a t-shirt. It was snug enough that she couldn’t get it off and it protected the wound from licking or irritation. Bigger pets need bigger sizes of tights. She did look a bit like a partially-furred sausage, though. Please consult a veterinarian before home treating sick/injured pets. I’ve seen far to many cases of people thinking they know what they are doing leading to much, much bigger problems for their pet. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ill-be-damned-it-actually-works-helpful-tip-thread/562425/109 "2010-12-05T02:15:30Z")
> [@Pullet](#): > > Please consult a veterinarian before home treating sick/injured pets. I’ve seen far to many cases of people thinking they know what they are doing leading to much, much bigger problems for their pet. I have not advocated home treating pets. ---
**Author:** ![Pullet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Pullet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pullet)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ill-be-damned-it-actually-works-helpful-tip-thread/562425/110 "2010-12-05T02:34:27Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > I have not advocated home treating pets. So, for brevity, you skipped over the part where you took Cosmo for evaluation at the vet for that deep puncture wound between her shoulder blades? That putting a pantyhose t-shirt on Cosmo happened after the wound was professionally evaluated, clipped, cleaned, and the pet started on prescription antibiotics? Side question: How did tiny Cosmo get a puncture wound between her shoulder blades? ---
**Author:** ![heavyarms553](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/779978/32.png) [@heavyarms553](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heavyarms553)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ill-be-damned-it-actually-works-helpful-tip-thread/562425/111 "2010-12-05T02:34:55Z")
Spring onions actually work really well on bee stings, I’ve found. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ill-be-damned-it-actually-works-helpful-tip-thread/562425/112 "2010-12-05T02:39:09Z")
> [@Pullet](#): > > So, for brevity, you skipped over the part where you took Cosmo for evaluation at the vet for that deep puncture wound between her shoulder blades? That putting a pantyhose t-shirt on Cosmo happened after the wound was professionally evaluated, clipped, cleaned, and the pet started on prescription antibiotics? Yes, except she wasn’t put on antibiotics and they gave her an Elizabethan collar that caused her to freak out and get stuck behind the sofa. I’m sure everyone finds this all extremely important to the topic of the thread. > [@](#): > > Side question: How did tiny Cosmo get a puncture wound between her shoulder blades? We were unable to ascertain. It was an odd injury. Would you like my vet’s phone number? ---
**Author:** ![Pullet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Pullet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pullet)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ill-be-damned-it-actually-works-helpful-tip-thread/562425/113 "2010-12-05T02:44:53Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Yes, except she wasn’t put on antibiotics and they gave her an Elizabethan collar that caused her to freak out and get stuck behind the sofa. I’m sure everyone finds this all extremely important to the topic of the thread. Heavens forbid we should get slightly off topic in a Straight Dope thread. I am glad your pet was evaluated. I am worried about people who are less cautionary with their pets attempting home remedies based on reasonable advice that left out a key detail. By all means, let’s get into a huff fight on the internet. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ill-be-damned-it-actually-works-helpful-tip-thread/562425/114 "2010-12-05T03:30:04Z")
I recommend epsom salts for hair and skin treatment. The stuff is super cheap and they sell at any pharmacy and many supermarkets in bags. It is magnesium sulfate and can fix most common skin and hair conditions quickly. You just slather it on in the shower, soak in it in a bath solution, or make a facial mask and let it dry and then wash it off. It turns your skin oddly smooth and silky instantly and will fix dry scalp and add volume if you use it in your hair before shampooing. It is also a mild muscle relaxer so you can feel completely relaxed. You can also use it to treat sprains and sore muscles. It is a near miracle cheap product. ---
**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ill-be-damned-it-actually-works-helpful-tip-thread/562425/115 "2010-12-05T03:44:51Z")
Arnica gel for sprains/bruises. The trick is buying a big tube for sufficient slathering. When I was first exposed to the hippy homeopathic remedy, my friend had an itty bitty tube of it which was supposed to help speed the healing of a nasty bruise. The amount I tried that first time was tiny. Now I use about as much as she had in that tube every time I use it. It works great on ankles, knees, and asses (my better half fell off a chair hanging a picture and walloped her right glute). ---
**Author:** ![bibliophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@bibliophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophile)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ill-be-damned-it-actually-works-helpful-tip-thread/562425/116 "2010-12-05T04:06:48Z")
To relieve the pain of a bee sting, Break up a cigarette, shake the tobacco into a cup of water and dab the mixture onto the sting. I stepped on a bee at a family picnic when I was a kid and my mom whipped together this little wonder. Worked like a charm, once I realized she wasn’t expecting me to drink it. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ill-be-damned-it-actually-works-helpful-tip-thread/562425/117 "2010-12-05T14:21:05Z")
When you go to buy bananas, pears, tomatoes, or other soft fruits, take a piece of bubble wrap with you, wrap the fruits in this, put in the thin produce baggies provided by the store, and you will get them home unbruised. The hard part is remembering to take along the bubble wrap. (I recycle the produce bags and regular plastic store bags, save them up and stuff in the recycle bin set up at the entrance to the store. Though I’m trying to remember to bring my woven reusable grocery bags with me when I go shopping.) ---
**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ill-be-damned-it-actually-works-helpful-tip-thread/562425/118 "2010-12-05T23:09:50Z")
Another thing about warts… When I was a kid I had a small one on a toe, which vanished after a day of swimming at a chlorinated community pool. I have no idea if it worked that well for me because it was a novelty for me to be in a chlorine pool (we lived out in the sticks and I usually swam in the river), but there are lots of articles advocating home treatment with chlorine bleach. The best part was that it was not a ‘treatment’, (I’d already tried and failed with Compound W) it was just a couple of hours playing Marco Polo with my friends. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ill-be-damned-it-actually-works-helpful-tip-thread/562425/119 "2010-12-06T00:28:21Z")
**Stinky Sandals, Shoes, Sneakers** : Go to a feed and seed store and buy a can of **roach prufe** , aka boric acid ($6.99 here in GA.). Put shoes into a tall kitchen trash bag along with the open can (don’ t pour the boric acid out - it isn’t necessary), tie the bag up and very carefully set the whole thing in an out of the way place for 4-5 days. Smell will be gone and you won’t have to throw away your shoes. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ill-be-damned-it-actually-works-helpful-tip-thread/562425/120 "2010-12-06T00:56:30Z")
> [@InterestedObserver](#): > > Tea tree oil for toenail fungus. Got rid of some on a big toe nail I’d had for a few years in a matter of a few weeks. I recalled hearing someone tell how a Vietnam veteran they knew had picked up some god-awful foot fungus and tried all sort of medical treatments for it for over a decade to no avail before trying tea tree oil. Figured it was worth a shot. > > I just poured a bit on twice a day and the nail is currently perfectly clear and healthy. This was last year, ftr. > > Creative visualization to clear warts. About 10 yrs ago I had one that kept recurring on the ball of my hand. I used the OTC treatments twice to get rid of it, but it kept coming back in the exact same spot. > > I decided to try WILLING the damn thing away, spending about 5 minutes every morning before getting out of bed and another 5 every night before going to sleep, visualizing it shrinking and gone. > > Within 4 days, it was completely gone and has never returned. > > Might sound wonky, but studies have shown that hypnosis works, and this is basically just a form of self hypnosis. It sounds wonky as hell, but it does work. I was 11 with a wort on my middle finger and decided to give this a go (heard about it on some news show). Within days the wort was gone. I also had a wart on my knee for years and would tear it off each summer after hours of swimming. But, it always came back. So, I willed that little bastard away, too, just like the one on my finger. Within days, gone! It seems impossible, but really has worked. No idea why. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ill-be-damned-it-actually-works-helpful-tip-thread/562425.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ill-be-damned-it-actually-works-helpful-tip-thread/562425.md?page=7)