# What is your favorite household tip or technique? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 27, 2020, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-household-tip-or-technique/847041 "2020-01-27T09:22:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-household-tip-or-technique/847041/81 "2020-02-12T19:45:52Z")
> [@jerez](#): > > Well, I’m not going to keep insisting. Look at any recipe for white sauce, bechamel, roux, etc. All I’ve seen say to **cook the flour in the butter first**. I think we’re talking about two different, but related, things here. There are a few ways to thicken a gravy. One method is the roux method. You add the flour to the fat (doesn’t have to be butter), cook it out for a bit (anywhere from blonde to chocolate) and add liquid to that. (Or, actually, I suppose you can add it to the liquid, too, but typically when I make a roux-thickened sauce I start with the fat & flour in a pot and then add liquid to it.) A slurry is a thickening agent such as flour, cornstarch, arrowroot, etc., dissolved in a liquid (often cold water), which is then added to the liquid being thickened and cooked for bit until the raw taste cooks out. ---
**Author:** ![jerez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c68b51/32.png) [@jerez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerez)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-household-tip-or-technique/847041/82 "2020-02-12T19:51:51Z")
Yeah, I’m talking about sauce and I didn’t notice that last post said gravy. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2020, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-household-tip-or-technique/847041/83 "2020-02-13T11:29:23Z")
> [@AllShookDown](#): > > If you drop an egg or something similarly goopy on the floor, herd the goop into a dustpan with a sponge or something. Easier than trying to wipe it up from the floor. Easy to pick out the non-dog-owners in the thread. I have three. The only thing we ever clean from the floor is dog saliva. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2020, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-household-tip-or-technique/847041/84 "2020-02-13T16:00:36Z")
> [@jerez](#): > > Yeah, I’m talking about sauce and I didn’t notice that last post said gravy. Gravy is sauce by another name. ---
**Author:** ![jerez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c68b51/32.png) [@jerez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerez)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2020, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-household-tip-or-technique/847041/85 "2020-02-13T16:21:54Z")
_You’re_ sauce by another name! ---
**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:** [February 13, 2020, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-household-tip-or-technique/847041/86 "2020-02-13T16:29:55Z")
> [@pullin](#): > > Easy to pick out the non-dog-owners in the thread. I have three. The only thing we ever clean from the floor is dog saliva. HA! Ain’t that the truth! I just mopped my kitchen tile this morning. It was covered in slobber splotches. If someone is preparing ANY type of food in the kitchen, Romeo the boxer, sits, stares and drools. The other day the tops of my socks actually got wet as I was making a sandwich. Also, I’ve walked into the kitchen more than once and skidded in slobber. Very slimy. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2020, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-household-tip-or-technique/847041/87 "2020-02-13T18:08:29Z")
> [@pullin](#): > > Easy to pick out the non-dog-owners in the thread. I have three. The only thing we ever clean from the floor is dog saliva. None of mine have ever been any good at vaccuuming up dog hair. Or even cat hair. ---
**Author:** ![BeeGee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@BeeGee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeeGee)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2020, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-household-tip-or-technique/847041/88 "2020-02-13T18:50:09Z")
Denture tablets. I buy them from the dollar store and use them to clean things that get hidden or trapped food (kinder like teeth, if you follow): toothbrushes, can openers (look at those gears sometime), tongs or scissors or other things with screws that are used in the kitchen, coffee maker baskets, anything with mesh, reusable drinking straws, etc. I put them in a container with warm water and drop in a few tablets. If you have a water bottle or thermos that’s smelling a little musty, fill it up and drop one in. Hair brushes and combs. Manicure tools. All those fiddly things. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2020, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-household-tip-or-technique/847041/89 "2020-02-13T21:02:30Z")
> [@jerez](#): > > _You’re_ sauce by another name! Not since I quit drinking so much. ---
**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:** [February 13, 2020, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-household-tip-or-technique/847041/90 "2020-02-13T21:20:21Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Gravy is sauce by another name. I never heard anyone order mashed potatoes and sauce. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2020, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-household-tip-or-technique/847041/91 "2020-02-13T23:43:31Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > I never heard anyone order mashed potatoes and sauce. Nyuk, nyuk. But when you make gravy, you’re making a sauce; and I’ve heard Italian-Americans order spaghetti with gravy, so there. Neener neener. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2020, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-household-tip-or-technique/847041/92 "2020-02-13T23:58:46Z")
WD-40 and duct tape: if it’s supposed to move and doesn’t: WD-40. If it moves and shouldn’t: duct tape. I will add to that adage bicycle tubes. My cycling hobby ends up producing a few tubes per year that can no longer be used for their intended purpose, but can be re-purposed. These are useful in a lot of ways: if something is loose and duct tape is not practical, cut a piece of rubber to wedge in there. They can be used to tie-off saplings, or hold something tight you don’t want to damage. Pieces can be used for furniture you don’t want to move on hardwood flooring, or for lamps or other objects that sit on tables. Cut them across into strips and you have rubber bands of whatever width you want. Etc. ---
**Author:** ![Fair\_Rarity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fair_rarity/32/153_2.png) [@Fair\_Rarity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fair_Rarity)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2020, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-household-tip-or-technique/847041/93 "2020-02-14T01:28:25Z")
^ It’s not quite household, but I use foam tubes between my car’s seats and the console so when crap falls out of my pockets, it lands on the foam and doesn’t get stuck under the seats where I can’t get it. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2020, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-household-tip-or-technique/847041/94 "2020-02-14T01:43:16Z")
Flannel sheets. All our sheets are flannel (they are in fact cool in summer as well as warm in winter). When they wear out, I tear them into squares. Dish rags, shop rags, dusting rags, stable rags, nose wipes, ink blotters, shoe polishers, wound staunchers, window cleaners . . . When the rags are finally too raggy even for rags, I compost them. The only disposable paper product I buy is toilet paper. ---
**Author:** ![jerez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c68b51/32.png) [@jerez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerez)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2020, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-household-tip-or-technique/847041/95 "2020-02-14T08:11:27Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Nyuk, nyuk. But when you make gravy, you’re making a sauce; and I’ve heard Italian-Americans order spaghetti with gravy, so there. Neener neener. Hey, there you go: Sunday gravy. ---
**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:** [February 14, 2020, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-household-tip-or-technique/847041/96 "2020-02-14T16:09:08Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Nyuk, nyuk. But when you make gravy, you’re making a sauce; and I’ve heard Italian-Americans order spaghetti with gravy, so there. Neener neener. That must be Italians that come from certain regions. My grandparents were born in Calabria, Italy and I never heard the word gravy, it was only called sauce. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2020, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-household-tip-or-technique/847041/97 "2020-02-14T16:19:28Z")
> [@TRC4941](#): > > That must be Italians that come from certain regions. My grandparents were born in Calabria, Italy and I never heard the word gravy, it was only called sauce. Believe it or not members of another board who are culinary professional, including a professional food historian (yes, that’s a thing) did a pretty deep dive on this. IIRC it seems that if your Italian immigrant family spent significant time in New York they ended up calling it gravy because of the influence of other ethnic groups (German for one I believe), but of your family left New York shortly after arriving, like mine did for Chicago, they adopted sauce as the appropriate replacement term for sugo. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2020, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-household-tip-or-technique/847041/98 "2020-02-14T16:29:58Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > Believe it or not members of another board who are culinary professional, including a professional food historian (yes, that’s a thing) did a pretty deep dive on this. > IIRC it seems that if your Italian immigrant family spent significant time in New York they ended up calling it gravy because of the influence of other ethnic groups (German for one I believe), but of your family left New York shortly after arriving, like mine did for Chicago, they adopted sauce as the appropriate replacement term for sugo. I’ve heard “gravy” here in Chicago among some Italian-Americans as well (usually as “red gravy”). My understanding is that the word comes from the translation of the word _sugo_, as opposed to _salsa_ (which I see you’ve mentioned.) ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2020, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-household-tip-or-technique/847041/99 "2020-02-14T16:35:53Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I’ve heard “gravy” here in Chicago among some Italian-Americans as well (usually as “red gravy”). My understanding is that the word comes from the translation of the word _sugo_, as opposed to _salsa_ (which I see you’ve mentioned.) I have as well but upon inquiring I found out their family spent a few generations in New York and subsequently moved to Chicago. I’m sure it’s not universal but it’s interesting. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2020, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-household-tip-or-technique/847041/100 "2020-02-15T16:33:28Z")
Instead of buying woolite to wash delicate items, I rinse out the almost empty shampoo bottles into the sink. I get some good smelling suds to hand wash lingerie and the bottle is rinsed clean ready for recycling. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-household-tip-or-technique/847041.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-household-tip-or-technique/847041.md?page=6)