Since I am not to keen on licking ballpoint pens; if you have shoes on with rubber soles, draw a few lines on the bottom of your shoe...

After that, go to the paper and it will almost instantly write again.

Since the ball in the pen get clogged up, the rubber pushes the ball loose from the clogged up ink.

The drawing of the lines makes sure the small cloggs are transferred to your sole instead of your tongue.

Lick them vigorously.

Ideally, just the point - but if you get too enthusiastic, no harm done.

Ballpoint pens work by using a small rotating metal ball to transfer ink from the internal reservoir to the paper, and over time ink can gum up the ball preventing it from rolling.

All you need to do is soften the ink and your pen will work again!

If the ink in the reservoir has dried, you'll have to replace it entirely though.

Heat will help the ink flow.

hold the tip of the pen under running warm water, or place the pen in sunlight for some time, or hold the tip of the pen near a candle flame for 2-3 seconds and quickly remove it from the flame.

After that, scribble on a piece of paper, it will start working.

The idea is that the tip is clogged.

And you want to allow it to flow again.

You may try to dilate the tip (and slim the ink) with heat to allow the ink to flow.

Other answers have already pointed to heat based solutions, such as using a candle.

Another option for the heat idea is to use pen against glass very fast.

Glass won't get a permanent mark, and it will be hard for the ballpoint pen to scratch it.

The fast motion is meant to heat the point of the pen by friction.

You may also try to use gravity (leaving the pen in a verticall position) to try to force the ink to flow.

Other options are to use centrifugal force (that is a virtual force, it exists), or - in the case of cheap rollerball pens - dismantle the pen and blow the ink to the tip from the opposite side - beware of excess flow, do it against something that can absorb the ink.

On the other hand the ink may be dry.

If it is not totally dry, you may try to mix it.

What kind of ink is it?

Ink is usally a suspension in water, oil or alcohol.

Rollerball pen usually are water based, others may use oil.

Alcohol is only common in markers.

Whatever it is... add that to the ink - or the tip, if you don't have access to the ink.

Water (Saliva from licking has been also suggested), Mineral Oil (Johnson's Baby Oil will do) or Alcohol (Isopropyl or in its defect, Methanol), depending the case.

Usually shaking the pens or leaving them upside down will do the trick.

I also have a few pens that I really like, but I'm having problems with the ink

so I find a working pen with the same or similar ink reservoir

and I will switch the two.

There's one solution /

it works all the time!

Wet a napkin and take the ink cartridge and roll it up in the napkin/ place in mic for 20 sec !

Seconding user19 's point about heat , but if neither running water, sunlight or flame is available try the following:

For most cheap ballpoint pens, the bit that actually holds the ink is a narrow piece of plastic tubing with a nib on the end.

You can usually remove this part from the outer casing by taking off the end cap at the back of the pen and tipping it out.

Gently flex the tube with your fingers a few times.

The motion plus the heat from your fingers frees up the ink flow.

This is assuming that the pen is broadly similar to the "Bic" brand.

I've included that link for illustrative purposes only and not at all because some of the reviews are hilarious.

Try shaking your pen, placing gas at the top of the pen with a lighter for at max 7 seconds minimum 3 seconds as the ink may turn red or the plastic will burn.

Or how about rubbing your pen at the bottom sole of your shoe, that often does not work for me though.

The easiest way for me is to draw plenty of swirls on a piece of paper lightly to begin with then with more pressure as it help build up the surface area strength.

You can also just buy a new pen.

Actually I had these great pens which I seriously loved and used them

but after around the first or second time I used them they stopped working.

So I saw this post and tried various methods but what worked for me is that I removed the refill and separated the metal nib part from the plastic part and then put a very tiny amount of nail polish remover into both parts

then I shook them for a minute and rubbed the big forcefully on to an eraser because the ball wasn't moving

so I did this to the other pen too and it worked.

Also keep some nail polish remover handy in

case you got some ink on your hands.:)

Question: I found a box of several old ballpoint pens. When I open them up, I can see each has a significant amount of ink in it. However, when I try to write with one, no ink is transferred to the paper.  I've tried running them under water, but this doesn't work very often. (< 25%) Is there any way to revive the pens?

How to revive dried up pens

There are many different ways to solve this problem. You could draw some lines on your shoes or lick the nib of the pen. Alternatively, you could consider shaking the pen or applying heat to it, such as warm tap water.

Solutions include running the pen over rubber shoe soles, licking vigourously, holding under warm water or over a lighter for a few seconds, heating with a candle, shaking the pen or leaving it upside down or wrapping in a wet napkin and microwaving for 20 seconds. If the ink has gone dry you will have to replace the missing solvent.

Run the pen over the rubber of a rubber soled shoe.

Heat up under warm running water for 2-3 second to loosen the ink.

Heat the tip using for example a candle or run it quickly over glass and if the ink has gone dry replenish it with the appropriate solvent.

Shaking the pen or leaving it upside down usually works.

Roll up in wet napkin and microwave for 20 seconds.

Remove the nib and flex the tube between your fingers to loosen the ink.

Warm the pen with a light for 3 - 7 seconds or swirl over paper pressing down with different amounts of force.


You could try to fill it with paper (e.g. newspaper), then you could put them in front of blower.

If the paper gets wet, replace it (or use the fan if you have one).

Whenever I attend music festivals I end up using the hair dryer in the hotel room.

Not as easy as a clothes dryer, but it works :)

Note: do not leave the hair dryer in the shoes or they'll light on fire.

Throwing them in the dryer is obviously the quickest and easiest way (assuming you have one), but as you ruled that out due to the fact that you don't want to dirty your drier up, you'll just have to simulate the experience.

First off, loosen the laces a bit and pull the tongue out to expose the interior of the shoe as best you can.

From there, you have a few options, but they pretty much all boil down to "apply air and/or heat".

If it's winter and you have the heater running, or its summer

and you have the air conditioning blowing, place them upside down on top of the heating/cooling vent.

If it's a particularly sunny day, put them out on some concrete or blacktop.

If all else fails, put them in front of a fan.

Even if you would rather not put your dirty sneakers in the dryer directly, you can still use the dryer to dry them... Locate your exterior dryer vent and place your shoes under the vent.

The hot air blowing from the vent will speed up the drying process.

Or if your dryer vent is on the roof or otherwise inconveniently located... Place your shoes inside an old pillow case and tie the pillow case shut.

Then toss the bundle in your dryer and tumble dry on the lowest setting.

Provided that your not trying to dry huge heavy boots

the dryer should be not damaged by the shoes bouncing around inside and the pillowcase should contain any dirt

the comes loose from the shoes.

I use option 1 for my combats and option 2 for my chucks , both work pretty well.

You can use a hair dryer but only leave it in the shoes for a couple minutes because it may warp the shoes, also if the dryer has a cold setting that works best!

A high volume leaf blower works well.

Just stick the output nozzle inside the shoe and turn the machine on high.

I have used this method on soaked work boots and it works great!

If they are really wet then cat litter or rice absorbs moisture quickly, but then you have to clean that up too.

In Japan several electrical manufacturers make portable dryers, with attachments for shoes.

Many also have an ion generator function to remove odours.

For some reason they only seem to be sold in Japan.

If you're able to get the shoes 95% dry (following the suggestions in other answers), you can get them the rest of the way dry by spraying the shoes with a drying agent like 99% isopropyl alcohol.

They'll be wet, but the alcohol and water form a mixture which will evaporate more easily than water alone.

(It will work whether or not an azeotrope is formed.)

A small fan blowing on the shoes will aid the effect.

It doesn't need high airflow.

Edit: A previous version of this answer indicated acetone could be an effective drying agent (if you're sure it won't weaken the rubber or fabric), but wikipedia indicates that doesn't work: Despite its common use as a supposed drying agent, it is not effective except by bulk displacement and dilution.

Secure the sneakers to the lid of your car's trunk (boot for you English speakers).

Duct tape works well for this purpose.

Drive down the road at highway speeds.

As long as it isn't raining or snowing, the air flow off the roof of your vehicle will remove the moisture very quickly.

Note: the more humid the air, the longer this process can take.

Note: using a non-paved road will definitely kick up dust which may make the sneakers muddy.

You may need to look at after using this procedure:

Removing duct tape from my car without paint damage?

If you have an electric water heater, you can sit them on top of it overnight and they will be dry in the morning.

Use a dry dry off towel put the dry towel in the shoes and it will soak some of the water out of the shoes

Question: I stepped in a deep puddle and now both of my sneakers are thoroughly wet. I've tried opening them up to let them air dry, but this takes far too long. I'm also afraid to put them into the clothes dryer (for the sake of both the pair of shoes and the dryer itself)  How can I dry them out quickly to wear again?  (Sneakers = trainers for you English)

How to quickly dry wet sneakers?

One effective way to dry wet sneakers is to fill them with paper and place them in front of a blower. Another trick would be to use a hairdryer or simply leave them outside on a sunny day. Other possible methods include blowing them with a leaf blower or using rice or kitty litter to absorb the moisture.

The options include stuffing with paper and placing in front of a blower, using a hair dryer, loosening the laces and putting outdoors on a sunny day, placing next to the exit vent on the dryer, using a leaf blower and duct taping to the trunk of a car and driving at speed.

Stuff them with paper and place in front of a blower.

Use a hair dryer, but do not put in the shoes or they'll catch fire.

Loosen the laces, pull out the tongue, apply air and/or heat, e.g. outdoors on a sunny day.

Put the shoes next to the exit vent of the dryer where the warm air comes out, or put them in a pillow case and then in the dryer at lowest setting.

Use a leaf blower - place the nozzle in the shoe and switch on.

You can use cat litter or rice to absorb the moisture - altho you then have to clean it up. If in Japan you can buy a shoe dryer.

You can spray a drying agent like alcohol onto the shoes to speed up the drying at the end.

Stick the sneakers to your car boot using duct tape and drive down the road at high speed.

If you have an electric water heater place them on this overnight.

Put a dry towel into the shoes to absorb the moisture.


Take two large bowls.

Put the garlic cloves into one of the bowls.

Place the second bowl upside down on top of the bowl with the cloves.

Shake the hell out of it.

In about 10 seconds, all cloves are peeled and you can fish them out of the bowls.

For a more visual explanation; Youtube - How To Peel a Head of Garlic in Less Than 10 Seconds

Instead of using the two bowls, @KellyThomas suggests using a plastic container like a lunchbox (or the 1L plastic container used by @KellyThomas).

Placing the whole clove of garlic in the microwave for ten to fifteen seconds will make the skin almost fall off a garlic clove.

Very easy to peel without the use of a knife to smash it or any other peeling tool.

The only downside is that it does cook the garlic slightly.

Smash the garlic with a bowl Put it into a container, close the lid and shake them well.

Take out the garlic skins from the garlic easily.

source

Here is a popular method that is also explained on WikiHow: Soak the garlic cloves in a bowl of water for 5 minutes before peeling, the WikiHow article says that it is advisable to have the whole garlic clove underwater.

After soaking for the allotted time remove the garlic, cut both ends off and then peel the Garlic.

The Garlic should be easier to peel because the water loosened the seal between the garlic and the peels.

Use a sharp paring knife and slice down the back side of the clove (the convex part).

With the tip of the knife, push it under the skin and that should let you peel it off the rest of the way.

Take an empty clean glass jar (I find that a 1 litre empty honey jar works best, but you may prefer smaller jars).

Place the garlic

clove(s) in the jar, and close the lid tightly.

Employing vigorous up/down movements on the jar, let the cloves bounce off its lid/bottom.

After a few repetitions of step (3), the clove(s) will be peeled (either completely or to a degree that you can peel them like you'd peel a banana).

That's it.

Question: I have tried smashing the garlic with a knife and even bought a fancy garlic peeler once. Smashing with a knife has the downside of deforming the garlic which is not always desirable. The garlic peeler was still slower then smashing with the knife and had the down side of shooting the garlic across the table if one was not careful. Is there anything else I can do?

Any hacks for peeling garlic?

There are a few different ways to easily peel garlic. One method involves enclosing the cloves in a container and shaking them vigorously. Another method involves soaking them in water for 5 minutes or placing them in the microwave for a few seconds before peeling. Finally, if you cut down the convex side of the garlic, this could help to simply slip the skin off.

The options include placing in a bowl putting another bowl on top and shaping for 10 seconds, microwaving for 10 to 15 seconds, smashing with a bowl then placing in a container and shaking, soaking for 5 minutes and slicing first down the convex side.

Place the garlic in a large bowl then put another bowl on top of it and shake for 10 seconds.

Place the garlic in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds and the peel will come off easily.

Smash the garlic with a bowl then place in a container and shake well.

Soak the garlic for 5 minutes before peeling and the skins will come off easily.

Slice down the convex part of the garlic with a sharp knife and then push the tip of the knife under the skin and it will come off easily.


Get an old blanket and lay it over the pizza boxes on the seat, covering the sides of the boxes if possible.

If the blanket is large enough, fold it first so that you have 2 or 4 layers keeping your pizza hot.

I have found this to be more effective than insulated bags, especially when the blanket is doubled up.

(Old blanket so that if there is sauce/grease on the outside, you're not out your favorite blanket)

I'm a pizza shop owner.

I often sell "half baked" pizzas to customers who want to finish baking it at home.

Ten minutes in the oven

and you have a wonderful pizza shop flavor and the warm pizza you are craving.

Ask your favorite shop to "half bake" your pie for you or come to my shop and I will fix u up;)

You know the insulated bags used to keep groceries cold on the trip home?

They look like this or similar: They also work to keep things warm.

If you have one big enough for pizza, put it in the bag preferably in the shop, get as much air out as possible, and put it in your car (which should be warmed up first in winter) on one of the seats, then put a towel/folded blanket over it.

Eat as soon as possible after arriving at your destination.

If your car has a seat warmer (most modern ones do), turn it on and put the pizza (in the box) on the seat.

If you really want warm pizza, put a jacket/blanket/something over it.

I suggest couple of more hacks to keep the pizza warm on the way home: Hot water bottle - Works if you happen to be travelling from home or somewhere with a kettle to fill it up.

Picnic cool box if you have one, as it also keep the warmth inside.

Question: Many of you know that problem, after work you go and get some "Pizza to go" from the Italian restaurant. When you arrive at home it is not really warm anymore no matter whether you put it in a bag or not. Does anyone know a lifehack which could help me keeping it warmer?

How can I keep pizza warm on the trip home?

There are many different ways to keep your pizza warm on the way home. You could cover it using some blankets, use an insulated grocery bag, a hot water bottle or turn on the seat warmers if you have them. Alternatively, you could ask your pizza shop to "half bake" your pizza so that you can finish it off yourself at home in the oven.

Options include wrapping up in an old blanket, taking the pizza half baked and finishing the baking at home, using insulated grocery bags and using the car's seat heater plus a jacket.

Use an old blanket and wrap around the pizza box as many times as possible.

Ask the restaurant to half bake it and then finish off baking at home.

Use insulated grocery bags - ideally with a blanket as well.

Use the car's seat warmer - ideally with a jacket over the top too.

Use a hot water bottle and a picnic cool box.


You're doing it wrong.

Most artists I know use a pen knife to sharpen pencils.

The trick is to only bear down on the wooden part and cut along a shallow angle.

To finish the graphite point, use extremely light pressure.

How to sharpen a pencil with a knife

I don't carry a knife.

I have often been drawing/sketching while in a park or on a city bench near a curbside

and I have found the rough pavement and/or concrete on the ground works well in a pinch (on those occasions when I don't have my sharpener with me).

You're not going to get a perfect sharp tip, but it will remove the wood enough to get more of the graphite out and available for continued use.

Similar, if you are near a brick building, you can use the mortar in the joints between the bricks as it provides a nice channel for the pencil to shimmy through.

I like to use an emory board to sharpen or shape a drawing pencil.

I don't expect it would work well for starting from scratch ; ) with a new pencil, but works well otherwise.

It is actually easier to sharpen a pencil with a box-cutter than a pocket knife (it is sharper, so you need to apply less pressure, which allows you to have more control over what and how you are cutting).

Because using a knife for sharpening takes some practice, it may be a good idea to use a box-cutter until you get used to it.

Another option is to use a mechanical pencil instead - no need for sharpening.

A rough grit sandpaper works in a pinch, as do nail files and other wood or steel files.

Question: There have been times when I was without a sharpener, and a pencil I was using became dull. I tried using my knife, but that seems to break the point. Am I doing it wrong, or is there a better way to get out of the problem? I was using pencils specifically because they're erasable.

How can I sharpen pencils without a dedicated sharpener?

It is generally considered that a knife is a very effective way of sharpening a pencil. Another potentially effective tool could be an emery board or sandpaper.

The options include a pen knife with the blade held at a shallow angle and under light pressure, an emory board, a box cutter or rough sandpaper.

Use a pen knife but be careful to keep the blade at a shallow angle and apply light pressure.

Use an emory board to sharpen or shape a drawing pencil.

Use a box cutter - they are much sharper than pen knives.

Try rough grit sandpaper, nail files or other wood or steel files.


More than the material used, it is the techniques that determines the tightness of a knot.

One of the safer shoe lace knots is the reef knot (with loops to ease opening).

Unfortunately many people, including myself, only learned how to make a granny knot , which is not as secure and easily gets loose.

Both knots are extremely similar:

Reef knot ( left lace under, then right lace under) Granny knot ( left lace under, then left lace under)

So when lacing our shoes we will easily make one or the other without realizing until it gets loose.

To make a proper reef knot we need the following steps: Bend the left lace over the right and pull it through.

Make the left loop and take the right end around on the front.

Make the loop by pulling it through to the front.

This can correctly be made in different ways, i.e. we may start by bending the right over the left, and then start with the right loop (see Ian's Shoelace Site for more details and step by step images).

What is essential is that we had learned it the wrong way.

To overcome this we need to change the directions once different to what we were used to.

What I do is I start by not putting the right end over the left

(this is how I erroneously got used to do it), but just start with the left end over the right.

Just this alone made my knots almost always tight.

@Takkat

shows one way to tie a secure knot which is very good.

A friend in meatspace has shown me an easy to teach variant of this.

When you tie your shoe you: Cross the ends over each other

Make a loop Wind

the loose end around the loop once and push the middle into the winding part to make the second loop Pull on the loops to tighten In my friend's method,

you: Cross the ends over each other Cross

the ends over each other again Make a loop Wind

the loose end around the loop twice and push the middle into the winding part to make the second loop Pull on the loops to tighten

My friend told me that this is a variant of the Surgeon's knot.

You can see a video for it (minus the extra first step) here: http://youtu.be/9YVQ79slKzY

Rub a candle along your shoelaces.

The wax will prevent them from untying.

I have been using this technique for a long time with my football boots, which before opened up all few minutes.

Now the laces stick together until I choose to open them up again.

The cool thing about this lifehack is, that it will work with almost any shoelaces, no matter if they're round or flat, if they're made out of leather or cloth.

A solution that's worked for me is to tie your shoes in the typical fashion.

When you get to the point where you run the lace around the loop, go in the opposite direction.

For instance, when I run the lace around the loop, I run it around the back of the loop then around to the front.

Instead, go the opposite direction, running the lace around the front of the loop and around to the back.

It's a little trickier, but apparently creates a stronger version of the typical tying method you were most likely taught as a child.

I use what Ian Fieggen calls the surgeans knot .

Which is the same knot but a different method of tying as the secure knot of the same site .

Basically, you tie your shoelaces the same way you usually do, checking that you do make a reef knot, not a granny, and when you bring your loop through, you do it twice.

It is rather simple, slightly bigger than a usual bow but way more secure.

New laces in my work boots would come undone in half an hour with the normal knot, not at all in 8 hours with this knot.

If you can not get the bow to sit side ways on the foot, (so you are unable to use the reef knot,) try this method of tying the second half, single knot .

Or learn to tie the first half of the knot in the other direction.

That same site has loads more about shoe laces and their knots.

I saw something on TV about this (nothing to do with the type of laces).

The space scientist Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock said that most people tie their shoe laces the wrong way.

The right way will make the laces tighter and more secure while also looking better.

Basically, she said that instead of going clockwise with the non-looped lace, you go anti-clockwise [?].

You know you've done it correctly when the 'ears' sit right.

You could probably find the episode of the show, it's called "Duck Quacks Don't Echo".

It was the episode with the welsh comedian, Rhod Gilbert.

As for me, my mother taught me to do laces differently to everyone else.

I didn't even notice until years later.

My mother taught me to just make two hoops and tie them together, so that is what I have always done.

Question: When I tie my shoes, which have  round cord laces , they very frequently become untied, even if I knot the loops. How can I tie them more securely?

How do I securely tie my shoes?

The answer to this question will be subjective, but two of the safest knots for shoes are the reef knot and the surgeon's knot. However, if you want to consider other methods, you could rub a candle on your shoelaces and the wax will prevent them from coming untied.

The options include using a reef knot, rubbing candle wax on the laces, looping the knot in the opposite direction and using a surgeon's knot.

Use a reef knot rather than a granny knot.

When you are tying and about to run the lace round the loop go in the opposite direction to create a stronger knot.

Instead of going clockwise with the non-looped lace, go anti-clockwise.


You are under the sink, so the following things should be readily available: bucket or large container towels pieces of plastic (old wrappers, garbage-bag, etc.)

Let me first say; do this as quickly as possible.

It doesn't have to be a solid fix, and you are gonna have some spillage.

The main reason for doing this is to make sure the room doesn't have 10cm of water in it before you had the chance to turn of the water: Put the bucket (or other large container) under the broken pipe.

Take the piece of plastic (preferably a garbage-bag) and hold it over the hole in the pipe.

Use the towels to wrap around the plastic around the pipe

(you can tie them in a knot to keep everything in place).

If you have pieces of string available, tie one tightly around the pipe over the towel above the break, and one below the break.

Run like hell for your main shutoff-valve !

If the pipe is completely broken, crimp the end over or bend the pipe.

I put a spade thru an underground water pipe in the garden many years ago

and it shot a fountain of water 30 feet (9 metre) into the air....

so I called the water utility -

a chap turned up and hit the pipe with a hammer until it stopped.

Good lesson

Rather than fix the problem why not prevent it?

Close the main valve while working on such a critical pipe.

You wouldn't want to get the water to come into contact with electrical sockets and the like, would you?

Nobody in your house should miss the water for those 15 minutes you're working on the pipes.

If it's extensive maintenance then you and your family can easily survive a few hours with just a few buckets and/or jerry cans of water and a bit of planning.

You say "pump" so I'm going to assume you've got a well with a submersible pump (or one of the old above ground pumps, but they're rare these days), rather than city water.

If you have city water, find the main shutoff valve (usually near the water meter in the basement, I think).

Find the circuit breaker on your power panel that controls the pump and turn it off before working on the water.

Ideally, there will be markings on each of the breakers describing (cryptically) what they control.

After you're finished, have a helper turn it on and stay by the switch while you inspect for leaks.

If, for some reason, you really don't want to turn it off while you're working on it, at least locate it so you can run and turn it off before it causes expensive flood damage.

If you have city water, find the main shutoff valve (usually near the water meter in the basement, I think), and turn it off and on as with the circuit breaker.

Install an electrical water valve on the water main coming into your home with a remote switch located some were in your living space, preferably centrally located.

If you get a break in line just hit switch and it will shut water off.

Now the benefit of doing this is that you can install water sensors in area of your home that might have a line break and cause serious water damage.

These sensors will detect leak and will cause electrical water valve to shut off.

This comes in handy when you are away.

This is a simple installation and you can use low voltage to operate.

Now the best water valve to use is a electrical latching water valve, that way if you lose your electrical the water valve will stay close.

Better yet use a Hunter Sprinkler NODE100VALVE NODE Single Station Controller with DC Latching Solenoid and

PGV-101G valve operate with a 9 volt battery.

This is a water sprinkler valve, can easily be modified for as a water line break shut off if a breaks happens.

Check it out.

good luck

You can't stop the flow.

Every second you spend fiddling with the pipe is a second the main valve is still open.

Ok, I kinda exaggerated, but in situations like that it's either obvious what you can do

(eg divert the flow to the nearby bathtub) or there is no other way than running for the valve.

Question: Suppose I completely break a hot or cold water PVC pipe under a sink.  How can I quickly stop/minimize the flow while I go turn off the water flow, at the pump?  Last time something like this happened, I wrapped it in a cloth quickly before running down to the water switch. Lots of water still came out; not a success.

If I break a water pipe, is there a way to stop the flow while I go turn off the water?

It is generally considered that there is no way to stop the flow unless you can crimp or bend the end of the pipe. However, one potential fix could be to put a piece of plastic, such as a garbage bag, over the pipe.

The options are to tie a towel and plastic around the pipe and run to shut-off valve, crimp or bend the pipe to clock the flow or do none of these and just run to the valve. Alternatively you could turn off the main valve before you start working or install an electric valve than can be turned off remotely.

Tie some plastic and a towel around the ruptured pipe and run to the shut-off valve.

If the pipe is completely broken crimp over the end or bend it to stop the flow.

Try turning off the main valve before you start working.

Install an electrical water valve so that you can turn it off instantly if there is a problem.

Just run for the valve - you cannot stop the flow any other way.


You could grab like 1 or more pieces of paper, stacked together, and make your own funnel/backboard like mechanism.

If you have cardboard paper, I'd use that, since it's stronger.

You could use tape to make something very much like the shape of a plastic funnel, or you could just hold it together with your hand.

Then when you're done, just throw the paper in the trash.

You can make a funnel yourself out of a plastic water or soda bottle

you may have sitting in your car.

Using scissors, a knife, or even your teeth, you can rip through the water bottle and make it look like the image below.

Source: wikiHow

Pouring quickly helps, but if you hold the container close to the hole you are pouring it into it should work.

Alternatively Making a Aluminium foil funnel should work.

You may opt out of using foil though and cut the top off a water bottle and pour the oil that way.

Also, the plastic and foil may last longer than a paper or cardboard one.

Modern plastic 1 quart oil bottles have the funnel built in.

In the old days of one quart cans of oil, you either used a spout or opened the can with a can opener and poured into a funnel.

You will note that on a modern oil container the spout is offset to one side.

The design is meant to place close to the oil opening of the engine and once started you simply tilt it up vertical inserting the spout into the opening.

While the use of a funnel may be necessary on some engines because of an awkward oil cap placement, generally speaking using a funnel to add oil is reinventing the wheel, and will cause more mess and problems then it solves.

the other answers are good but also to help reduce the glugging, therefore the increases the accuracy, pour it so half

the pouring hole has oil flowing through it.

this can be done by tipping the bottle slowly or by turning the bottle so that the longest edge of the bottom parralell with the ground.

gluggs-----|

| dosnt glug| | |`````````||_o_| |_o_______|

A gas station will give you a disposable paper funnel (they look like these: https://www.freshwatersystems.com/p-9496-1000-konie-10-oz-disposable-paper-funnels-8-sleeves-of-125.aspx ).

Use the right tool for the job, don't try to create a makeshift funnel unless it's your option of last resort.

Question: Say the oil light turns on in my car, so I check the dipstick and it's low. I have an extra quart in the trunk...  ...but I don't have a funnel to pour the oil through.  I once tried pouring straight from the bottle, but since it was a windy day, oil went where it shouldn't have. How can I pour  all  the oil into the engine?

How can I add oil to a car without a funnel?

You could try making a make-shift funnel using pieces of paper, aluminium foil or a plastic water bottle. Alternatively, some new bottles have a funnel included, and some gas stations will provide you with a disposable funnel.

The options are to try making a funnel out of paper, aluminium foil or a plastic bottle, to get a modern oil container with built-in funnel or to get a disposable paper funnel from a gas station.

Try making a funnel out of pieces of paper.

Try making a funnel out of a plastic bottle.

Try holding the container close to the hole and pouring quickly - or make a funnel out of aluminium foil.

The modern plastic 1 quart bottles have a funnel built in so this should not be a problem.

Get a disposable paper funnel from a gas station - makeshift funnels generally don't work well.


Open the window on the passenger side door for about 2 inches.

Rapidly open and close the drivers side door a few times.

The opening and closing of the doors makes sure the air gets pushed and pulled out of the car.

On a hot day, most of the heat forms by getting trapped inside your car.

So when the cars inside air gets to be the same temperature as the outside air, the temperature has dropped a few degrees.

As to cooling it down even more, dangle icecubes in small bags in front of your blower exhausts.

If the AC is gone and your stuck in traffic there is really no good way to keep the car cooler outside of keeping the windows open.

However the way to have a car as cool as possible is to keep the car cooler when you are parked.

Park in the shade if possible.

Leave windows cracked, or open if your car is in a safe place and use a solar shield in the windshield.

Window tinting also helps to keep the car cooler, however window tinting often has local regulations about how dark it can be.

A couple of options to just cool yourself, and not the whole vehicle: If it's a short journey, wet your hair and ears beforehand with cold water.

Your ears contain a large quantity of blood vessels and are very sensitive to heat.

The best way of cooling yourself is to cool the arteries in your wrists, but that is typically more complicated to do while driving.

Wrapping a cold cloth around them could help, but wet hair and ears is much less obstructive to your ability to drive.

Another alternative is to cool your face with a small personal fan, consider attaching it to the dashboard and point it at your face.

Be sure to keep it far enough away that the air doesn't force you to close your eyes while driving though,

If you have a converter, there's really no need to work around not having an air conditioner in your car, as long as you can run a fan you can make your own air conditioner .

Basically what you want to do is take two different-sized containers (one has to fit inside the other).

In the larger container you want to cut out a hole in the top so that you can set the fan on it and have air blowing into the container.

, and a few small holes in the side so that air can escape.

Then, you take the smaller container, and fill it with ice.

Simply place the container with ice into the larger container, then set the fan on top and turn it on.

The fan will blow air over the ice which cools it, and the air will escape out the sides of the container.

source

Carry a spray bottle of water.

When you first get in, spray it on dash, seats, steering wheel, & other too-hot-to-touch parts.

Then when you get hot while driving, spray it on yourself.

Car shade Rain guards

I've been combining these two techniques for years.

The car shade stops your car from turning into a greenhouse and it keeps UV light from damaging your dashboard.

I use it even in winter.

The rain guards mean you can habitually crack the windows without worrying about the forecast.

They let any heat that does build up vent naturally

and it makes the fact that your windows are cracked less visible.

Makes me feel a little more secure.

Even on the hottest days I've never been uncomfortable getting in the car so long as I remembered to use these.

They certainly beat my old hack of rolling down the windows and driving like a maniac until the AC kicked in.

Best way is to get the powerful 12V electronic Car use Cooling fan.

I have the Abovetek two heads car air fan from https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010CESJTC , it works so well to quickly blow away the hot air from summer parking car.

Two heads are 360 degree rotatable so it helps to cool you down and at the same time cool your pet down, isn't cool.

The cord is long enough

so you can put the fan at the arm rest area to cover both front seat and back seat, FYI.

Question: Assuming your air conditioning doesn't work, how can you get the interior of your car to cool down?  Especially in traffic jams, where the car isn't moving very quickly.   I want to cool the interior of my car.  Ship groceries at a reasonable temperature.  Travel with my pets  Make it more comfortable for me and my passengers   I tried the the usual stuff:   Blowers on cold, but this is irritating my eyes  Windows open, works but in traffic jams it's barely helpfull.

How can you get your car as cool as possible on a hot summer day without air conditioning?

It can be very difficult to keep the interior of a car cool if you don't have air conditioning. However, slightly opening the passenger side window and repeatedly opening and closing the driver's side window can help. Alternatively, you could spray hot parts of the interior with a water spray or buy a car shade or cooling fan.

The options are to change the air by opening the passenger side window 2 inches and then opening and closing the drivers door rapidly, dangling ice cubes in front of the fan outlets, park in the shade to avoid the vehicle heating up, try tinted windows, wet your hair and ears with cold water, place a fan on the dashboard, make your own air conditioner, carry a spray bottle with water and spray yourself as required or use a combination of car shade and rain guards.

Try opening the passenger side window 2 inches then open and close the drivers side door a few times to change the air. You could also dangle ice cubes in front of the fan outlets.

To avoid the car getting hot in the first place park in the shade, and you could also try tinted windows.

Wet your hair and ears with cold water and you could also put a small fan on the dashboard.

You can make your own air conditioner in the car by getting a fan and blow air through a container filled with ice.

Carry a spray bottle of water and keep spraying yourself when hot.

Use a combination of car shade and rain guards.

Buy a car cooling fan which can rotate through 360 degrees and keep everyone cool.


I had the same problem for years, and have opted to buy new bins last year.

There are a lot of bins sporting extra removable buckets in them (has something to do with being able to clean them better).

When the time arrives to clean my bins, I just take the removable bucket outside, tie off my trash bag, throw it away and take the removable bucket back in the house.

An old study-partner of mine always put a real bucket on the bottom of his trashcan, because he always punctured his trash bag at the bottom so it was easier to remove from the trashcan.

The bucket would contain the liquids and he only had to clean that instead of the whole trashcan!

Use two bags per load.

When the bin is full, tie off the top tightly, so that nothing can leak out, and then open another bag over the top, dumping the first bag into the second.

Tie it off, and carry it off.

The first bag should be upside down inside the second.

Pro:

You use up the nasty bags twice as fast! :P

Cover all of the holes with a few big pieces of plastic wrap or aluminum foil.

Use duct tape to secure it.

Alternative Solution Before placing any trash in the trash bag, place a wad of newspaper at the bottom of the bag.

This will help to absorb any juices that are in the bag.

Just tell me, you can predict what could be the cause of the leak?

Then you can just put all the possible leakers (I don't think you would have really many of them) in additinal small cellophane bags.

I, for example, have a big roll of those bags and sometimes use them in the case something I bin would leak.

Double up bags

(more wasteful) Cover each hole with an "X" of duct tape after unfolding the bag and before lining the can.

Instead of walking about with a bin bag, take the indoor bin with you when you need to empty it.

Then, once outside, transfer the bag from the indoor to the outdoor bin in one smooth steady motion.

By limiting the amount of time the bin bag is jostling about, you should reduce the amount of sloshing of the liquid within it.

Another advantage is that you're now outside to tip away any bin juice that may be in the bottom of the bin too.

Question: The bin bags (trash bags) I have just bought in a roll of 100 of have small holes in the bottom, presumably so that they can compress when tied off. The downside of this is that if the bin contains something liquid, or something that has become liquid, it leaks out of the bottom when I take the bin bag out of the bin.  Is there a way of avoiding this very unpleasant situation?

How do I get the bin bag (trash bag) outside without it dripping all over me?

One simple way to avoid this problem is to simply take the entire bin outside when taking the rubbish out. In fact, some bins will have a removable bucket to allow you to do this. However, another simply method involves simply doubling up on bin bags, placing the original bin bag upside down in another bin bag. A slightly less simple method would also be to cover the holes in the bottom of the bag using either plastic wrap or aluminium.

The options are to get a bin with a removable bucket, open another bag over the full bag and tie up both, cover the holes with foil or wrap or place newspaper at the bottom as a sponge, put leaking items into separate plastic bags or just carry the whole bin outside to empty it.

Get a bin with an extra removable bucket in it and take the bags out in the bucket.

When the bag is full tie it and then open another bag over the top of it, tie that bag too and then carry out.

Cover the holes with plastic wrap or aluminium foil or put some newspaper at the bottom to soak up any liquids.

Put any leaking items into separate plastic bags and then into the bin.

Double up the bags or cover the holes with duct tape.

Take the whole bin outside and empty it rather than carrying the bag out.


All you have to do is follow the USB convention!

Every USB plug has (or is supposed to have) one side labeled with the USB symbol.

The pins should be exposed towards the side that is labeled with the USB symbol.

See below for an example: On computers and chargers that have horizontal USB ports, the convention generally has the ports oriented such that, when a USB cable is installed, the USB symbol would point upwards.

For computers and devices that have vertical USB ports, the USB symbol would point leftward as viewed from the front of the device (or, if you rotated device 90 degrees clockwise as viewed from the front, the USB symbol would point upwards).

Some devices may be opposite this, depending on the device's "preferred" horizontal orientation (for example, a PC tower that can lay flat may need to be rotated either CW or CCW, and the USB port orientation should be set based on that horizontal orientation).

As some of the comments have pointed out, this is not always followed by all manufacturers.

But it is in the USB specification.

Referring to the USB 2.0 spec: 6.5.1:

The USB Icon is embossed, in a recessed area, on the topside of the USB plug.

This provides easy user recognition and facilitates alignment during the mating process.

The USB Icon and Manufacturer’s logo should not project beyond the overmold surface.

The USB Icon is required, while the Manufacturer’s logo is recommended, for both Series “A” and “B” plug assemblies.

The USB Icon is also located adjacent to each receptacle.

Receptacles should be oriented to allow the Icon on the plug to be visible during themating process.

Do it correctly one time and then put a bright sticker or a sequin on the side that faves up / towards you.

This way you'll be able to know which side is top and put it in accordingly!

If you're putting it in in the dark, a sequin or something with more body to it would make you able to feel the correct side.

They've recently developed a new usb socket which can go in either way just for your interest!

If you have visual access, just look at the plug end, and note which side has a block of plastic filling it, and then orient the plug so that this side is going into the side of the socket that has a wide space.

If you can't see the socket, it's usually oriented with the space on the bottom.

If you can't see the plug, you can often feel the end and determine the orientation.

Interestingly, the newer USB 3.0 sockets are fairly easy to determine the orientation of by touch, being similar to the plugs.

The older style are harder for me, personally, but it's probably easier for someone with smaller, more sensitive fingertips.

USB ports are usually designed with the "reading" part (the "tongue" inside the port) located more close to the top than bottom so as you have to plug USB in them with the two square deep holes (on the front side) looking at the top.

And if (happens rarely) the "tongue" is located more close to the bottom of the port, insert the USB in it with its bottom side up.

In other words, those big holes on USB must contact with the side of the port, to which the "tongue" inside the port is closer.

By front side I assume this position: image source

Write an "X" with a marker, or place a small piece of masking tape on the side that should be on top.

You can also use a USB extension cable so that you can hold, and look into, both sides when connecting them.

One method that always works for me is looking at the connector itself.

The bottom side of the connector has a "seam" as can be seen in the USB A side in this photo.

Also, notice the 2 holes on either side of the seam are white and blocked, wheras on the other side they are open.

So if you see the seam and holes filled with white, flip it over.

This may seem like a super simple hack: why don't you get a USB extension cord?

This way your connector won't wear out from repeatedly switching the USB device and you can have the "female" part of the cord in a more convenient location

then the back of your computer.

If the vendor does not follow USB specifications, color the top of the plug red, and you'll know that the red side always goes up.

Alternatively, usually for me the side with the holes that are not filled in goes up.

It seems simple enough

but if that were the case then we wouldn't be looking for a hack.

My wife sticks a colorful little jewel from my daughter's BDazzle kit on both the cord and the resepticle.

This works better than a dab of nail polish or a sticker because most of the time I'm reaching around the back side or under something to plug in.

I can feel the jewel under my finger and line it up with its opposite number.

If you're like me, you're usually plugging the same USB plug into the same port again and again.

So just mark the "top" side of the plug with a bit of tape, a marker or a dot of fingernail polish so it is easily identifiable.

Question: In short, how can I avoid this problem depicted below?

How can I make sure I get the USB plug in the right way up?

To make sure you get the USB plug the right way up, simply follow the USB convention. On a horizontal port, the USB symbol on the cable should point upwards whereas for vertical ports, the symbol should point to the left as viewed from the front of the device. Alternatively, you could simply draw a mark or place a sticker on one side of the plug so that you know how it should be orientated. However, despite all this advice, the simplest solution is probably just to look at the plug and the port before plugging in to check that they are orientated correctly.

The options include applying the USB convention, placing a sticker, sequin, cross or other marker on the top side, remembering that the empty hole usually goes on top and identifying the bottom from the seam in the plug or using a USB extension cord.

You can avoid confusion by following the rules in the USB convention.

Place a bright sticker or sequin on the side facing up when plugged in.

Line up the side of the plug with the plastic block and the side of the port with the space.

The ports are usually aligned so that the connecting part is at the top and the plastic at the bottom, so insert that way.

Write an "X" on the side that should go on top.

You can identify the bottom of the plug because it always has a seam in the metal.

Get a USB extension cord and leave it in place all the time so that you only have to connect with the 'female' end which will be more visible.

If the vendor is not following USB specifications colour the top of the plug red. Alternatively the side with the empty hole usually goes up.

You could stick a small jewel from a BDazzle kit - this can also be felt when the port is out of direct sight.

Mark the top of the plug with tape, a marker or nail polish.


Thread a Straw Through the Tab on a Soda Can to Keep It from Rising

It's as simple as turning the tab to the side and sliding the straw through it.

This keeps the straw from rising up and falling out of the can.

Take some tape, wrap it around the straw and tape it to the jar.

This will stop rising and the straw is in a fixed place.

Also, try getting heavier reusable straws; this will make the straw stay down better, but may not work.

If the straw has ridges, take a string, wrap it around the straw and then tie it around the cup.

Getting a lid with a hole in it works too.

Because drinking straws are not 100% smooth, they are perfect nucleation sites for bubbles to attach to.

( Source )

Here's what you can do:

Take it out and lick it off Use ice cubes in your drink to prevent the straw from rising as quickly Use a bigger straw that can't be lifted by a few bubbles of CO 2

As a short term solution, give the glass a quick swizzle with the straw, this will flatten the drink slightly which will help slow the rate of the straw rising as there will be less CO2 bubbles trying to carry the straw away.

You can use a glass straw, like this: original image Or a metal straw: original image

Those straws are simply not light enough to be lifted by CO 2 Also, personally I like the paper cups similar to Coca Cola ones with the cap that you can get at many fast food restaurants: original image Even if you don't want to use the glass anymore, bin it, but leave the cap and try to put it on the one of the glasses you like.

Rubber band, once around the straw, then looped around the rim

to build on the elasctic band idea.

wrap the band round the straw

then arround the glass, either top to bottom or round it.

This would hold the straw and the glass and hold them together.

Question: When drinking a fizzy drink from a glass with a straw the straw often rises and sometimes falls out. What can I do to stop this?   I can hold the straw down with my hand, but some times I need to use it for e.g. Eating.  When I have the option, I can push the straw through a slice of lemon but lemons aren't always available and don't suit every drink

How can I stop my straw rising?

To stop the straw from rising, you could simply take it out of the drink when not using it. However, if you are going to keep the straw in the drink, you could stir the drink quickly to flatten the drink slightly and slow the rate of bubbles rising and pushing the straw up. Another solution would be to use heavier straws or even attach the straw to the rim of the glass using an elastic band.

The options include licking the straw, using ice cubes to hold the straw down, stirring the drink rapidly to get rid of some of the CO2, use glass or metal straws that are too heavy for the bubbles to lift, use a cup cap or loop a rubber band around the straw and the glass.

Try licking the straw, use ice cubes to prevent the straw from rising or use bigger straws.

Stir the drink rapidly to get rid of some of the CO2 so there will be fewer bubbles.

Use glass or metal straws that are too heavy for the bubbles to lift or use the caps placed on drink cups in fast food restaurants.

Loop a rubber band around the straw and then around the rim of the glass.


By putting the pancake batter into a squeeze bottle, you can create any shape you like.

There are products made for this purpose but you can also use any old empty squeeze bottle you have lying around, like so: This method lets you draw cool stuff .

Though I imagine line-art pancakes like those would be pretty hard to flip.

I have a lot of old 60ml syringes lying around.

These make great water guns, but you can also use them to make pancakes.

Just be sure you either get all the lumps out of the batter, or cut part of the end off so it can handle some lumps.

Simply stick the end into the batter, pull the desired amount into the syringe, and push it into the pan.

This is great because: You can make them any shape you want

You have measurements on the sides, you can make them all the same size if you want

It's not messy at all, hardly any cleanup needed, and it doesn't drip

You don't end up with a lot of batter stuck to the edges, like you do with a squeeze bottle And others.

The picture below shows a smaller syringe than I usually use.

Lisa Douglas (played by Eva Gabor) on Green Acres made perfectly round "hotcakes" by pouring all of the batter into a griddle and then using the coffee pot (I think) as a mold to cut out circles.

The remaining batter was used as a head gasket for the tractor.

See

http://www.tvacres.com/food_menus_lisa.htm .

The most inexpensive way to make round pancakes is to pour the batter from a height of at least 12" from the pan.

Perfect, round, pancakes every time.

These things that work for me: Heating up the pan.

If the pan is heated up appropriately the pancakes will cook before they can spill out of order.

Use biscuit tins or a cup or bowl .

This solution keeps them circular and in sizes.

Using a cup, cut the top off and lay the cup or biscuit tin in the pan and pour the batter in.

This keeps the pancakes circular.

Additional Info sheknows.com

I make my perfectly round pancakes by simply using a smaller pan, so the edge of the pan creates the shape of the pancake = round.

Pour the batter into metal cookie cutters on the pan.

You can pull them off after it's cooked one side and ready to flip, will give you a much cleaner outline and clearer shape of whatever you're aiming for (provided you buy a cookie cutter in that shape), just be careful that they're metal

and you don't burn yourself with them.

My wife loves pancakes.

I had to learn how to make them like her grandmother.

Sounds like your skillet isn't level.

Find a level place and pour in the middle.

Also if you like rings around the edge melt some butter on medium high temp.

Pour into the butter.

In addition to the other answers: make sure the pan is not warped.

If the pan doesn't have a flat bottom, the batter will always flow to the lowest part of the pan instead of filling the pan evenly.

If you have a really big pan, and you don't want to make a messy pancake, use the pan's lid to stop the pancake from going all over the place.

It also might cook both sides.

Question: Whenever I make pancakes, I can never make them very circular. My pancakes always end up looking deformed and barely like a circle.   I've tried just pouring the batter (which didn't work) and using a funnel, which worked better but still didn't give me the result I wanted.   Is there any way to make perfectly (or near perfectly) circular pancakes?

How to make neat, round pancakes

There are many different methods that can be used to create perfectly round pancakes. One is to use a squeeze bottle and squeeze from a sufficient height, making sure that there are no lumps in the batter and that the pan is hot. Other methods include using cookie cutters or a biscuit tin as a mould, or using a small enough pan so that the pan creates the shape of the pancake. As a side note, it is a good idea to make sure that your pan is not warped.

The options include squirting the batter in with a squeeze bottle or a syringe, cutting out round shapes after the batter has cooked, pouring the batter from a height of at least 12 inches, ensuring the pan is hot enough, using a biscuit tin with the base removed as a mould inside the pan, using a smaller pan, using cookie cutters to fry the pancake in and making sure your pan is level and not warped.

Put the batter into the pan using a squeeze bottle.

Put the mixture into the pan using a 60ml syringe.

Cut out the round shapes after the batter has cooked using the base of a coffee pot.

Pour the batter from a height of at least 12 inches.

Make sure the pan is hot enough for the pancakes to cook and solidify before they can spill out into non-round shapes, or place a circular object such as an old biscuit tin with the base removed into the frying pan and pour the pancakes into that.

Use a smaller pan so that the pan's edges create the round shape.

Pour the batter into metal cookie cutters in the pan - remove them when ready to flip.

Use the pan's lid to stop the mixture from going all over the place.


You can use hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle to kill the mold and then just wipe it away.

It is probably worth noting that the mold that you can actually see is very likely the tip of the iceberg.

If you can see mold growing on the wall it is pretty likely that there is mold inside of the wall as well.

It is also probably worth checking your roof/plumbing for leaks, molds usually need a pretty damp enviroment.

If you can find the source of the water you may be able to solve the problem for good.

Use white vinegar in a spray bottle.

Not only can it kill 82% of mold species , but it is completely safe to use around children and pets.

ALSO: note that breathing mold spores is dangerous as well.

Mold spots should be cleaned regularly to prevent contamination of air and, since it is in your kitchen, food.

The user Apaul34208 is correct.

But since this is my job I must tell you that it is crucial to find the source of the mould.

The source could be a pipe leak, roof leak or etc.

There could be some serious problems behind the mould that need to be identified before the problem is resolved.

When it comes to just fixing mould problem none of those products cannot be harmful since you are not using it in the whole house or every day.

When and only when you find the source of the problem and fix it

can you remove this using a reputable product, and when it dries you can apply acrylic based paint.

When noticing mold, be sure to get into your attic + check for mold.

Use a flashlight or smell the air.

If your attic smells musty, then you may have mold in your walls.

The easy way to get rid of mold in walls is to place one or more (depending on size of your home)

industrial ozone generators in your attic

+ leave them running for a few days.

You can also do this inside your house too to get places that are difficult to reach with spray bottles, like between walls + built in furniture.

Works well.

In Austin, every few years we have a wet summer, where mold abounds.

Whenever heat + moisture occur together, we flip on ozone generators all over the house now.

We do this before mold occurs, to ensure no mold takes hold.

A great way to help prevent the spreading of further mold is by purchasing a dehumidifier .

I had a very similar issue in my home and found that a dehumidifier helped mould, damp & condensation build-up by controlling the the moisture in the air, which prevents the mold from growing.

There are so many DIY tips available on internet for mould removal.

But let me tell you one thing, sometimes mould can be toxic.

Some mould can produce spores that have mycotoxins that are very harmful if inhaled.

So I would recommend you to hire a professional team who will help you remove mould safely.

Clean Mold with Mixture:1/2 Cup Water1/2 Cup Vinegar1

Teaspoon Tea Tree Oil Cover Area with Tea Tree Oil(Prevention) and let air dry.

For hard spots use baking soda and tooth brush, in addition to the above recipe.

White vinegar and water in a spray bottle can be applied to bathroom walls, shower stalls, and other flat surfaces.

But you’ll be glad to know white vinegar is also effective at getting mold and mildew out. http://www.floodaz.com/how-to-kill-black-mold/

The root cause is damp, artificial drying will prevent re-occurance.

Acid based food stuff such as vinegar, lemon juice etc. will kill it.

Everything is chemicals, including the air you breath, the water you drink and every cell of your body.

Question: I have mold in the corner of my kitchen.    Usually remove it with mold-removing chemical products like bleach spray and it work perfectly. But recently some people told me these chemicals are harmful and I should not use them. It is very dangerous if you inhale the chemical while spraying. That is why I am asking you for an alternative non-toxic solution of this problem

Removing mold from walls without use of harmful chemicals

Some effective options for removing mold from walls may include hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle, white vinegar and water, or another acid-based substance, such as lemon juice.

The options are to use hydrogen peroxide or white wine vinegar but more importantly you should identify the source of the damp that is creating the conditions for mould to grow and deal with that first as mould spores can be very harmful to health.

But you’ll be glad to know white vinegar is also effective at getting mould and mildew out. http://www.floodaz.com/how-to-kill-black-mould/

Try hydrogen peroxide - but also check for a source of damp as mold will not grow without a damp source.

It is crucial to find the source of the mold before treating the problem. The chemicals do not matter as not used every day.

Check your attic for mold and if there is a musty smell use an ozone generator to dispel any mold.

Use a dehumidifier to prevent the spread of mold.

As mould spores can be highly toxic you should hire a professional team to remove the mould.

Spray on white wine vinegar but also address the root cause which is damp.

Try spraying on white wine vinegar and take care as inhaling mold spores can be dangerous.


I know this sounds crazy

but I swear it works: As long as there is no metal on the shoes (tips of shoelaces, ringlets around lace holes,

etc.)

, put the shoes in the microwave for 15-20 seconds.

Then take them out and immediately put them on your feet with thick socks on and tie them as tightly as possible.

Walk around until the shoes completely cool down.

This should really work them in and you can always repeat the process if you would like.

Depending on the type of shoe, you may want to microwave it for longer

but I would suggest trying a short length of time first than slowly add more time until it is a good comfort level for you.

This works because the shoes heat up and, by tying them very tightly while they are still warm, they form to the shape of your foot, making them more comfortable.

Source: years of skateboarding and constantly trying to wear in shoes as quickly as possible.

I speculate that wearing thicker socks will help with both the accelerated "wearing in" by stretching the shoes more and with the reduced discomfort by providing a physical barrier between your skin and the currently ill fitting shoes.

If the shoes are uncomfortable because they are simply too tight (as opposed to "hard" and abrasive around the foot hole), then thicker socks are unlikely to work.

You could get somebody else to wear them for you ;)

A few methods to consider: Get them wet and wear them for a few hours.

Sounds counter intuitiveI know, but most leather shoes/boots are pre-shrunk so wetting andwearing will help to stretch them out and form them to your feet.

I've used this method with combat boots and it seems to work well.

Spraying the inside of leather shoes/boots with equal parts 1:1

waterand alcohol will soften and help to stretch the leather.

This issimilar to the process used by leather workers to form the leather tobegin with so it may be worth a try.

I'm not too sure about this one...

I haven't tried it personally, buta few sites recommend filling a zip-lock bag half way with water andplacing it inside the shoe/boot and putting it in the freezer.

Theidea is that the water will expand as it freezes and will stretch theleather.

The best hack for this is to use heat because heat makes things expand.

All you will need is a hairdryer, a thick pair of socks (or two thinner pairs of socks), and your shoes.

Put the socks on and then put the shoes on.

Now, put the hairdryer on the highest heat.

Blow dry the areas where the shoe needs to form to fit your foot (usually the toe and maybe the sides).

Bend and flex your feet while you are blow drying.

You usually have to do this for 20-30 minutes per shoe.

Make sure to hold the hairdryer at least 2 inches (5 cm) away from the shoe to avoid damage.

This question is being closed as a dupe, and this was my answer on it (slightly modified)

I had some uniform shoes which weren't wide enough, and the shoe-shop lady sold me some wooden shoe stretchers - essentially feet with springs in - and advised me to put wet socks on them and leave them overnight.

This helped, but since they still weren't quite wide enough I wrapped paper around the stretchers, a bit more each day, and repeated the process.

There are these things:

I have no clue how they are called in english, but they are called "Schuhspreizer" in German (could translate into "shoe widener").

You put them into your shoes and they will widen them.

I was told about this hack.

I have heard about it more than once from different sources; but, I have never tried it myself.

To stretch (break-in) new leather shoes so that they are comfortable to wear, carefully line each shoe with plastic such as a thick sheet of plastic or use a heavy gauge plastic freezer bag.

Push the plastic into each shoe as far and as completely as you can.

Lace up and tie the shoelaces securely.

Fill each plastic lined shoe with water up to the brim and freeze it SOLID in a freezer.

The ice inside the bag in the shoe will take the shape of the shoe.

The water will freeze, swell, and stretch the leather proportionately as it increases size.

When the water has frozen solid, the process is finished and the bag and ice can be removed.

The shoes should fit perfectly.

If more stretching is wanted, repeat the process.

Question:
I have a new pair of leather shoes, and "wearing them in" promises to be uncomfortable for a little while. In the past, I've tried to solve this problem by wearing my shoes, which isn't preferable because it's uncomfortable.

How can I wear my shoes in faster, or reduce the discomfort, while still getting the benefit of having shoes that have worn to fit the shape of my feet?

How can I "wear in" my shoes without wearing them?

There are a number of different ways of "wearing in" shoes without wearing them. You could try applying heat, either by putting them in the microwave for 15-20 seconds or by blowing them with a hairdryer. Alternatively, you could fill two freezer bags with water, put them in the shoes and the put the shoes in the freezer. Some shoe shops may sell some form of shoe-stretching tool.

The options include microwaving the shoes for 15-20 seconds, wearing thicker socks for a while to loosen them up, wearing them wet for a few hours, heating them with a hairdryer whilst flexing, using shoe stretchers or freezing bags of water in them.

Microwave the shoes for 15-20 seconds then put them on immediately when still hot and walk around in them. Repeat process until they feel comfortable.

Try wearing thicker socks for a while as long as they are not too tight - or get someone else to wear them in for you.

Get them wet and then wear them for a few hours.

Put the shoes on wearing thick socks and then heat them with a hair dryer for 20-30 minutes in the relevant areas, flexing your feet in the meantime.

Put wooden shoe stretchers with wet socks on into them overnight. Pad the stretchers with paper as required.

Put a plastic bag into each shoe, tie the laces, fill the bags with water and place in freezer until solid.


You can use temperature strips purchased at a hardware store to show you where the oil level is.

These strips change color with temperature, showing you where the cooler (or warmer) fuel oil is my measuring the temperature of the outside of the metal tank.

If the room changes temperature throughout the day (like a garage), the strip will tell you where liquid resides inside the tank by indicating where the tank itself is heating/cooling more slowly than the ambient temperature.

Note that if the temperature of the room remains relatively constant (like a basement), you can pour a bit of hot water over the strip to indicate where the cooling effect of the heating oil is keeping the temperature of the tank from going up.

Propane tanks use this same principle, although the cooling effect of releasing pressurized propane gas doesn't really apply to your oil tank, but you can apply the same principle of temperature differences nonetheless.

If the length of the strip is an issue (i.e. you want to measure more than the "low mark" of the tank), you can always use thermochromc paints or films to create a temperature-sensitive strip over a longer length.

Just be sure the pigments you select are designed to change within the temperature ranges you have in that room.

For a quick work around when the gauge is broken, no shopping trips needed, no tools needed, simply tap on the side of tank starting from the top and going down.

The sound will change when you reach the approximate of the remaining fuel.

Also if you have a cap on top of the tank and enough clearance above the tank, you can use a long stick to determine the level, just like an oil dipstick.

I can't tell if this is possible from the picture but before the time of gauges when you needed to know how much liquid was in the tank you would open the top of it, insert a long stick, pull it out and see how much of it is wet to show the level of liquid.

Like before the user Jon has answered, I would recommend you highly make a new gauge.

I would not play with knocking on the tank nor use this propane toys for this.

I think the big pipe (on the left side) is the input, right the output and in the middle is a cap (with of course i think the broken gauge)

If you have time to fix this problem, you can go to your local Hardware Store and buy a double meter stick made of plastic or better a Swedish model (made of wood).

Also maybe buy a new cap, one that you can turn on simple with one hand.

Then put the meter in the tank, mark it and cut it, so that you just can crap it close by hand at the top (of course the cap must be turn on also).

Then you have a good solution if you use this yearly.

otherwise the effort is not worth.this is also the solution that real tanks must have.

I think this isn't' a good example of a lifehack question.

if you like you can mark the meter stick (calculate 1/4 full, 1/2, ect...)

I have a stick that is marked w full, 1/2, and 1/4 marks.

Gets to that quarter mark

I know it’s time to order more depending on time of year.

Pour boiling water down the side of the tank.

There will be an obvious line where the heat is transferred away from the metal by the remaining fuel in the tank.

The upper part, where there is no fuel, will dry quickly from the hot water heating the metal of the tank and staying hot.

The lower area, where there is fuel, will remain wet longer, since the metal will be cooled by the fuel.

If the visual indicator is not as helpful as you'd like, you can also just feel the metal side of the tank, from the bottom, moving up, looking for the height at which the tank is noticeably warmer.

That will mark the fuel level, as the fuel will cool the metal tank faster than the vapors above will.

Use a long stick or pole - tent poles are awesome.

Insert straight down the fill hole, pull out and measure the length of wet on the stick.

Measure your tank to find out your capacity and then, using your measurements Refer to this chart to determine your oil level: http://www.adamspetro.com/residential-heating-tank-chart

So, using the chart, if I had a 275H tank and I measured 10 inches on my stick then I would have about 96 gallons of fuel remaining.

Question: How to determine how much heating oil is left in a tank like this if the gauge is broken?

How to determine how much heating oil is left in the tank?

There are many different ways to determine how much heating oil is left in the tank. You might want to use temperature strips, which you can purchase at a hardware store,  which change colour with temperature, thereby showing you where the cooler fuel oil is. Alternatively, you could simply tap on the side of the tank starting from the top and going down until you hear the sound change. You could also take a long pole or stick and insert it in the tank, remove it and observe where the oil line is. Finally, an inventive method could be to pour boiling water down the side of the tank and observe where the water does not evaporate quickly due to the cooling effect of the oil.

The options include placing a temperature strip or applying thermo-chromic paint to the side of the tank, tapping on the tank to see where the sound changes, fitting a new gauge, pouring boiling water down the side to spot the line and using a dipstick.

Place temperature strips on the side of the tank or apply strips of thermo-chromic paint.

Tap on the side of the tank and listen for the change in the sound it makes.

Pour boiling water down the side of the tank and you will see a line where the water does not evaporate as quickly.


It happens a lot here in Canada since we have long and cold winters.

I tend to use a plastic card from my wallet .

It can bend to the shape of the window which is concave inside.

It's not very fast and it's pretty annoying

but when you are in a hurry it's better than heating the car and waiting for it to melt.

I suggest using a card you don't use often instead of a credit or debit card because sometime the card can snap or bend and the magnet stripe might be damaged.

If you have excessive condensation inside the car you need to dehumidify your car interior...

You can use those dehumidifying boxes with silica gel crystals or I have seen a suggestion of using kitty-litter gel crystals knotted inside an old sock and sticking it on your back shelf or dashboard.

I presume the dampness arises from wet passengers dripping water on the carpet/upholstery rather than a leak.

You could try sticking the heater on full blast with the windows slightly open to dry it out on a long journey.

My car has an electrically heated rear window so its less of a problem for me.

On previous cars I have used an ice scraper on the inside, but they work less well as the curvature is "wrong" - concave rather than convex.

Take the largest container of the hottest water you can carry.

If the water from your tap doesn't get very hot, consider turning up the max temperature on your hot water heater temporarily.

Otherwise, boiling it on the stove might be your better option.

Take this container and slowly pour the water over your car window, being careful not to get any on yourself of course.

The heat from the water will transfer to the window, melting the ice that's formed on the inside.

Alternatively... Take a hand warmer, or a microwaved rag, and wipe the ice away with it.

The heat will melt away the ice.

I had this issue with my 2006 Tundra and its sunroof.

The sunroof sealing system is designed with passive drainage and the weep holes can get plugged up, which allows water to overflow/seep inside the cab.

Use an air hose to blow out weep/drain holes in corners when sunroof is in open position.

Also, close heater vents to "recirculate" option when weather is both sunny (warm) and rainy/cold, which can cause a condensation situation.

The recirculate setting shuts down the outside airflow into the cab.

If you have frozen water built up on the inside of your car windows, while keeping your heat on, you can run your air conditioner with the setting that lets fresh air come in.

The AC will help dry out the air on the inside of the vehicle and prevent it from fogging up and freezing.

With my precious golf3 I had the same problem, the moist was creeping in and staying there; even though it got away for day or two after driving for hours with AC set on hot (not too pleasant btw.)

it kept getting moist all over again.

Doing something against this may mean replacing the rubber sealings of your doors or similar, but maybe it is just a one time thing for you, in this case one of the things I tried was: Put some bricks into the oven, set to highest temperature, and leave it there for quite a while.

Then quickly put them into some container that withstands the temperature (steel bucket in my case) and put it into the trunk of the car.

Removing anything that blocks the air flow (hat shelf, flip over the rear seats if you can).

Start car, set AC to really hot, and do not completely close the trunk (just so much that you could stick a scredriver through the gap).

If you get the amount of bricks right, it will quickly heat up the back of the car, causing most moist to evaporate.

Hot dehumidified air from the AC will enter at the front and leave at the back, drying out the car pretty well.

The number of bricks depend on your ovens temperature and your cars size.

Do not use too many or you might seriously damage something (a lot of stuff in a car doesn't like anything more than 50°C)

You may need to give the inside of your windows a good clean.

Condensation tends to form around the small particles of dirt on the screen.

If you are prone to wiping away condensation with a cloth/sleeve etc.

, you'll be making the problem worse and worse.

In cold weather, this condensed water will freeze.

So prevention may be better than a cure.

Give your windows a good clean and polish and hopefully this problem will occur less often.

I was thinking of using a hairdryer (like the handheld electrical ones) to just warm up and blow the water away.

However, the water might drip into the car.

Question:
So being so cold as it is. My car doesn't see the sunlight, and therefore there is condensation forming on the inside of the windshields. I could get most of the ice out by placing the heater direction towards it , but that still leaves the back windows that are almost untouched and ice formed.

Is there another way to remove ice from the inside if the sun doesn't shine on it?

How to remove ice formation inside the car windows

There are a number of ways to remove ice formation from inside car windows, and a common method is to use a plastic card from your wallet. You could also consider pouring boiling water over the windows of your car or use a microwaved rag to wipe the ice away. Alternatively, you could just put your AC on very hot or use a hairdryer.

The options are to scrape the ice off using a credit card or plastic scraper, dehumidify the car with silica or cat litter, pour very hot water over the windows, unblock drainage holes, set the heater to 'recirculate', place hot bricks in the trunk and run the heater in non-recirculating mode, give the windows a good clear, blow the water away with a hair dryer.

Dehumidify the car using silica gel or car litter.

Pour a lot of very hot water over the car windows or wipe with a rag heated in a microwave oven.

Use an air hose to blow out potentially clogged weep/drain holes and set the heater vents to 'recirculate' to avoid introducing damp air from outside the vehicle.

Run the car heater with air coming in from the outside to melt the ice and dry the car.

Try replacing the rubber sealings on the doors or heat up bricks in an oven and place in the trunk in a suitable container and run the car heater to dry it out.

Try using a hair dryer to blow the water away.


Most of the time when you need boiling water you don't need to keep it at a rolling boil.

I've found that the best way to keep things from boiling over is to reduce the heat slightly, so while the water is still boiling it's not quite so vigorous.

That, or you can try using a larger pot when cooking.

Here is a method that involves butter that may help the problem: Rub a bit of butter around the top of the pot.

You will need about 1/2 tsp, more shouldn't hurt the food.

Some people add it directly into the pot, but it may work either way.

Additional Info Thrifty Fun

How do I stop my pans boiling over?

In this answer it says you can use oleo, butter, or crisco.

And to have at least a 1-2 inch ring.

The differences shouldn't matter as long as you add at least 1/2 inch.

The most common life hack is to put a wooden spoon across a boiling pot of water to keep it from boiling over.

Set it and forget it!

Few tips:

it depends what are you boiling (e.g. pasta, soup) as it won't work with only plain water pot,

it really depends on the spoon and how much wood surface area you'll give to the water (the more, the better),

it can make a difference to put the spoon on it earlier, if you deliberately turn the heat all the way up just to test it, a single spoon could not help here.

Why does it work?

The theory behind how does it works is that the wooden spoon breaks a surface tension of the bubbles and it's also not a very good conductor of heat, so it helps to cool the bubbles off when they reach the surface.

In other words, when the foam bubbles up it will eventually meet the spoon.

The foam is thermodynamically unstable, which means when the bubbles reach the spoon they will burst, breaking the layer of foam and sending all of the bubbles collapsing down again.

[ gizmodo ] Alternatively just use the bigger pot with higher walls to climb.

Here are few videos demonstrating a wooden spoon method:

Use a Wooden Spoon to Keep Water from Boiling Over - Jazzy Gourmet Cooking Studio

How to Stop Water from Boiling Over Trick

How to Use a Wooden Spoon to Stop Pots from Boiling Over Kitchen Tips "Wooden Spoon" Stop Water From Boiling Over

I agree with not keeping the water at a rolling boil, if it doesn't need to be, and if you get into a really big pinch, and the recipe can take it, throw in some salt.

The salt increases the water's boiling point and will stop the water from boiling.

At the moment that it starts to boil over, lift it from the heat.

This will usually stop the boilover.

If possible, turn the heat down before you set it back on the heat again.

If simply lifting it doesn't work, try blowing on it as you would blow on a hot cup of coffee .

This stops the boilover (and will keep it stopped as long as you blow) giving you time to move the pot, turn the heat down, or otherwise deal with the issue.

You may think that it won't work but next time you face a boiling-over pot, try it!

I keep a wooden clothespin in the kitchen.

When I make pasta or rice, I clip the clothespin to the lid, creating a small gap between the lid and pan.

With the lid closed, the pan would boil over.

With the pin in place, the boilover doesn't occur (at the same heat setting).

Question:
It's very common to boil something (e.g. pasta) and then after few minutes you hear the hissing sound of water boiling over and your whole kitchen is a mess.

How do you stop the water from boiling over?

How to keep water from boiling over?

It's questionable whether there is always a need to maintain a pan at a rolling boil anyway, so one method would be to simply reduce the heat slightly so that while the water is still boiling it's not quite so vigorous. However, other techniques to keep water from boiling over include rubbing butter around the top of the pot, putting a wooden spoon across the pot and creating a small gap between the lid and pan by clipping a clothespin to the lid. Alternatively, you could just remove the pan from the heat before it starts to boil over or add some salt.

Options include turning down the heat to avoid a rolling ball, rubbing butter around the rim of the pot, putting a wooden spoon across the boiling water, throw in some salt, lift the pot from the heat or prop the lid up.

Avoid keeping the pan at a rolling boil by turning down the heat or use a larger pan

Rub 1/2 tsp of butter around the rim of the pot.

Put a wooden spoon across the boiling water.

Throw in some salt to raise the water's boiling point.

Lift the pan from the heat and if neceessary blow on the water.

Prop the lid open with something like a wooden clothespin.


In lighted situations: Wrap electrical tape around the base of the earbud and the wire, using a different color for each side.

I would suggest red for right just for the mnemonic device.

Taping is good practice, anyway, unless your wires are fabric-wrapped.

In dark situations: Put a drop of high-temperature glue - super glue is probably OK - on the outside stem or shell of one of the earbuds and let it dry completely.

You'll be able to feel the bump with your fingertip.

A dot of red fingernail polish on the right earbud.

Red and Right begin with the same letter.

You can make a simple knot on one of the earphone cable, so from know you'll always know which headphone is the left one, even without looking.

Wrap some tape around one of the cables.

Make it thick enough to feel or make a tab.

Most earphones have a long and short cable.

You could remember which way you wear them.

I know that my Sennheiser earphones are short on the left side and long on the right side.

I always put them on in the same way, the long wire goes behind my neck towards my right ear, whilst the left side can easily be inserted.

Hi I am using Samsung earphones and on the left earphone, there is a dot which can befelt in dark.

Also for Left earphone L is not carved in its carved out, which can be felt in dark along with a dot just below that.

Guess this solves the purpose.

My solutions

In light: I took a permanent marker and covered the right earbud with one color (blue) and the left with another (red).

If you have earbuds with colors other than white, wrap paper and tape it around each earbud cable and then do the coloring.

In dark: I took some tape and made a little "flag" on the right earbud.

Question:
Usually the problem with earphones is that you don't know which goes to which ear. Of course there are some small markings (such as L or R), but who wants to read those every time when you want to use them (especially in some dark places).

Which method usually do you use to keep the track which one is which?

How to keep track of which earphone is left or right?

The simplest way to keep track of which earphone is left or right is probably to mark them differently, either by wrapping electrical tape around the base of the earbud and using a different colour for each side, or marking them with a marker or nail polish. Some brands actually have a long and a short cable to help identify whihc side is which. Alternatively, you could make a simple knot on one of the earphone cables to tell them apart without looking.

The options are to place different coloured tape on each earphone and a drop of superglue on one for when you are in the dark, dab a dot of red nail polish on the right one, make a knot on the cable on one side, wrap tape around one of the cables, identify which cable is longer or colour the earphones with a marker pen.

Wrap different coloured tape around each earphone and, to identify in the dark, a drop of superglue on one of them.

Dab a dot of red nail polish on the right onee.

Most earphone have a long and a short cable to help you identify which side is which.

Samsung earphones have a dot on the left earphone and an L.

Colour the earphones with a marker pen and attach a 'flag' to the right one for the dark.


If you have a high-proof alcoholic beverage (not sweet; sugar will gum up the works later), that can work as deicer, but dry out the lock afterwards.

Use a hair dryer.

The warm, dry air from a hair dryer is perfect for melting ice.

Depending on how frozen the lock is and the outside temperature, it may take between one and five minutes, if not longer.

Then spray the lock with WD-40 to help prevent it from happening again.

If you are miles from anywhere and you don't have anything with you described above and your survival depends on what's on the other side of the door there is a fairly unsavory way to thaw the lock to allow you to operate it; urinate on it.

It's not pleasant but it will raise the temperature of the padlock and thaw any ice in the mechanism.

Another option building on the heat line of thoughts, is to use one or two plastic bags filled with warm water, and then put these in contact with the padlock, i.e. one on either side.

Leave for a few minutes, and the padlock should have thawed and be easily opened again!

Heat the key with a lighter.

Then stick the key in the lock.

Works every time.

To add to the other answer that may not be as accessible due to the length of a Hair Dryer cord, here is what I do: Wrap the lock in your hands and breathe on it.

Use your hands to insulate the heat in.

This usually opens it, and I usually take it somewhere warm to thaw out and apply the WD-40.

Other methods are if the lock is pure metal is to put a fire(cigarette lighter, etc) directly to it.

The below link says to use a mug of a hot beverage.

But from experience the hot liquid will be steam and if the weather is cold enough, this will turn to ice when it the lock.

But if hold it close enough and have some barriers around it to protect against wind then it should work.

How do I open a padlock after it has frozen?

Question: How can I open a frozen padlock? Spraying WD-40 didn't help and I don't have access to deicer spray at the moment. I'm not sure what else to try.

How to open a frozen padlock

To open a frozen padlock, the best method will be to apply heat, and this can be achieved in a number of ways. You could consider using a hairdryer, bags of warm water, a lighter or simply cupping your hands around the lock and blowing on it. A less conventional way would be to urinate on the lock. If you have a high-proof alcoholic beverage to hand, this could work as a de-icer.

Options include using an alcoholic beverage as a de-icer, using a hair dryer followed by WD-40, urinating on it, holding plastic bags filled with warm water against it, heating the key with a lighter and holding your hands around the lock and breathing on it.

Hold one or two plastic bags filled with warm water next to the padlock.

Heat the key with a lighter then stick it in the lock.

Wrap your hands around the lock and breathe on it.


Depending on the type of ink, you might try oil-based hand cleaners such as Goop or acitrus-based solvent, or an alcohol-based solvent, such as isopropyl rubbing alcohol.

Though it's very hard on the hands and can damage clothing, dilute bleach works for ink-jet stains.

You can try using some removing it using certain alcoholic products such as alcohol wipes, nail polish remover, paint thinner.

However stronger product such as the pain thinner is not as recommended.

Nail polish remover or the alcohol wipes are the best choice though if you have.

I tried all the suggestions

but I did not have any luck.

I looked at the toothpaste and thought why not.

It was minty crest.

I don't know it that makes a difference.

Put it on the ink, got my nail brush all the ink came off.

If you don't have a nail brush use a toothbrush.

Good luck.

This might work: Try hairspray.

This is said to leave stickiness, but it works.

Any alcohol based products, even hand disinfectant.

Finishing with a soap rinse works to.

Dishsoap.

This works pretty good, but the thick ones meant for extra cleaning.

Using nail polish remover works, but make sure to wash your hands afterward really good.

Additional Info Mixing soaps you use with salt or baking soda to make a exfoliant like scrub works.

Also, trying baby oil may work.

A product called Amodex is a favorite among fountain pen users and it works on a variety of inks.

It was invented in the 1950s by a printer and was specifically designed for safe use on skin (its base is lanolin).

For use on fabrics, though, one of the Carbona " Stain Devil " spot treatments may be cheaper.

There are nine different formulations and the directions differ subtly, so sure to read carefully.

Stain Devil #3 is the one optimized for inks.

A Mr. Clean Magic Eraser (dampened with water) works very well, and isn't hard on the skin.

Question:
Sometimes I'll be working with stamps, and stamp ink is sticky and hard to remove.

Even after trying lots of soap, body soap, scratching against a table, and sandpaper the ink still remains on my hands for a day. What can I do to get rid of the ink faster?

How do I remove hard-to-remove ink from my hands?

There are a wide range of products that you can use to remove hard-to-remove ink from your hands, depending on what you have available. You could try oil-based hand cleaners, a citrus-based solvent or even toothpaste. Nail polish remover and alcohol wipes are also worth trying, and a product called Amodex is designed for removing fountain pen ink. A Mr Clean Magic Eraser also works very well if dampened with water.

The options are cleaners like Goop, citrus-based or alcohol-based solvents, toothpaste with a nail brush, hairspray and soap, Amodex or Carbona Stain Devil.

Try oil based hand cleaners like Goop or a citrus-based or alcohol-based solvent. Dilute bleach works but is hard on hands and clothes.

Use Amodex for the hands and Carbona "Stain Devil" for clothes.

Use Mr. Clean Magic Eraser (dampened with water).