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People Share Product Purposes That Aren’t What They Were Designed For And Here’s 30 Of The Best Ones
Even the biggest discoveries can happen by accident. So it's only natural that many of the world's famous products were created for one purpose but people found them useful for a completely different task.
In an attempt to learn about as many of these cases as they could, Redditor u/ljchazal posted a question on the platform, asking other users, "What products serve a better purpose than what they were designed for?" And everyone immediately started submitting their answers.
As of this article, there are 14K comments under the post, many of which provide surprising insights into such things as talcum powder or botox. Bored Panda went through them all and handpicked a selection we believe is worthy of your time. Enjoy.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Press and Seal sucks for food use in my experience, but we use it to apply numbing cream on my son's chest at home before he gets blood drawn from his port at the oncology clinic each week. It holds the cream in place and adheres to his skin well enough that the film doesn't get dislodged by the seat belt on the ride to the hospital. It comes off painlessly, which is not the case for any medical films we have tried. It's a strange little miracle in the pediatric oncology world.
Duxall Inarow 4 years ago
I recommend Press n Seal for my patients who need to keep a wound or surgical dressing dry while they shower. No tape needed, comes off clean.
Katherine Jorgensen 4 years ago
Yes!! Thanks to this stuff, I was able to comfortably shower through 4 shoulder and 2 knee surgeries.
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Janice Strickland 4 years ago
They need to have one where parents tell more about how they make things comfortable for children in these situations. Or in any situations!
Brian Bennett 4 years ago
this should be known by any kids doctor think of the other applications!
Carol McCartney 4 years ago
I will try this before my next IVIG in my port. It is a wonderful idea.
There are many approaches to creating a product. So to find out more about these practices, we contacted Chris Lefteri who's recognized throughout the world as a leading authority on materials and their application in design.
"In my work, the process starts with researching and finding materials and because it's about bringing material innovation to my clients, it's essential that we understand what the material can achieve and start designing from that," the creator of FixIts, a reusable bioplastic stick that is revolutionizing repairs and the fight against unnecessary waste and product obsolescence, told Bored Panda.
"If you play with materials, pull them apart and ask them what they want to be, then they will give you the answers. It's much more effective than designing products and then trying to fit a material into something you have already designed."
RELATED:
#2
The royal dansk danish cookie container, used by many for storing sewing/ knitting supplies
ZAPanda 4 years ago
why is this an international thing? we do this here in africa too, and yes, with royal danish.
Tenacious Squirrel 4 years ago
It is international isn’t it?! My Mum used to do it with a Quality Street tin. They’re chocolates (not sure how widespread the Quality Street brand is!).
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Buren 4 years ago
I once wanted to fix my zipper and was dissapointed when I found actual butter cookies. Not as dissapointed as wanting butter cookies but finding sewing kits inside though.
Rez Fidel 4 years ago (edited)
Royal Dansk really should start selling seweing kit in that...just a thought.
Pa4040 4 years ago
Same in both Slovakia and Bulgaria, I have no idea where these grannys even get the box from?
Marcellus II 4 years ago
And Holland (OK, it borders Danmark but they make the same 'sand-dough' type cookies called 'sprits'), Belgium and France. Not Italy though. Aldi even has these boxes.
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Foxxy (The Original) 4 years ago
I can confirm this. I used to have threads for cross stitching in mine, now it's used for buttons.
Trying to determine whether or not a particular design is good, many turn to Dieter Rams and his '10 commandments.' According to Rams, good design is innovative, makes a product useful, is aesthetic, makes a product understandable, is unobtrusive, is honest, is long-lasting, is thorough down to the last detail, is environmentally friendly, and involves as little design as possible.
But can we say that something is inherently bad because people found a new use for it? One that wasn't foreseen by the manufacturer?
"I love products that are misused!" Lefteri said. "People do it all the time, the back of a chair to hang clothes, a brick to hold open a door, an upturned pot as a step to reach. It's inspiring to see creativity applied in this way. My product FixIts, which is a moldable plastic that can be reused again and again, was created exactly with this in mind. It lets consumers find their own uses and be creative in how to make, mold, and mend."
#3
Amputee here. VR systems have been shown to reduce phantom pain. The proprioceptive illusion of a VR system is similar to mirror therapy but more effective.
My Name Is Mars 4 years ago (edited)
VR is also being used to help those who suffer from chronic pain and it looks quite promising. That gives me hope as a 40 year old who's suffered from rheumatoid arthritis since the age of 6 and Adult Onset Still's Disease as well as fibromyalgia. Some days my pain is so intense I can hardly get out of bed much less be productive in any significant way.
Casey Burns 4 years ago
I hope it helps. And I pray the pain goes away soon. Sorry you have to suffer so frequently.
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Amy Stone-Chandler 4 years ago
I suffer from agoraphobia and severe anxiety due to poor health. I have been using my son's VR sets to "travel". Going to the places I loved to travel to before my health got poor. I must admit, I've been telling everyone I know with chronic health or mental illness about my little trick. It REALLY helps my mental state. I've popped on beaches, forests, island trips, Europe etc.. HIGHLY recommend. Even without Covid, I just couldn't go to these places anymore
Huddo's sister 4 years ago
They did that on the tv series Shameless :) Plus on the show Old People's Home for 4 Year Olds there was one older lady who had loved to travel to places like Africa when she was younger and now her health wouldn't allow it, so they brought in VR for her. She cried when she was able to 'experience' seeing elephants etc again. Many people watching the show probably cried seeing her joy too.
Load More Replies... Brian Bennett 4 years ago
Holy crap I never knew that - worked with amputees in the olden days - phantom pain was a bitch!
Virgil Blue 4 years ago
I saw once how rubber limbs an mirrors were used to help with it in the past. Glad that VR made that idea work even better.
Briana Landers 4 years ago
Can also help with some mental disabilities! Eapecially if you use a meditation app/game
Taking a broader look, Lefteri thinks that it's more and more important that we find new ways to use materials and products since the global community needs to really think about the impact we all make on our planet. "If you can reuse something rather than throwing it away then that's far better than it ending up in a landfill," Lefteri added.
And he's right. Every year, we dump a massive 2.12 billion tons of waste into the Earth — if we put all of it on trucks, they would circle the world 24 times.
Garbage is dumped on land-based dumpsites or in the oceans and include:
- Construction waste;
- Industrial waste;
- Household waste;
- Plastic waste;
- Electronic waste;
- Radioactive waste;
- Sewage;
- Run-off waste (fertilizers, pesticides, and oil from, for example, farms running off into groundwater, rivers, oceans).
We need to do better.
#4
Sugar free gummy bears would be better marketed as gummy laxatives
ZAPanda 4 years ago
yes, that's because they contain maltelol. Your body can't digest it, so it gets rid of it asap. Any sugar-free sweet ("candy") with maltlilol will do this.
Kookamunga 4 years ago
And they are ethically farmed at the Gummy Animal Farm, check it out! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fphz28eKVCo
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Candy Rude 4 years ago
Haha look up haribo sugar free gummy bears in Amazon and read the reviews!! Be prepared to be laughing your butt off! Those are by far the BEST reviews ever!! Worst part is I guarantee a lot of them are true. Cannon butt is the general theme but they are some great review/stories!
AngelWingsYT 4 years ago
Omg thats the FIRST thing that came to my mind! XD ppl rip it to shreds for what it does to them.
Load More Replies... Candy Rude 4 years ago
They use them for cancer patients too when they have serious constipation from the chemo drugs!
Stimpy 4 years ago
Actually they are so potent, I can't believe this isn't harmful/dangerous to kids. At 80kg body weight, a small 50g packet has sent me to the loo for two days straight. What does it do to kids? Don't buy your kids sugar-free gummy bears!
María Hermida 4 years ago
As far as I know, kids under 12 should not consume any products with these artificial sweeteners. In Spain I've seen warnings in some labels, but I don't really know if it is a legal requirement or the manufacturers do it voluntarily.
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Serial pacifist 4 years ago
The gelatin in the candy is derived from boiling skin, tendons, ligaments, and animal bones, usually of pigs. Gelatin is used in candies, marshmallows, cakes, ice cream, yogurt, shampoos, face masks, and puddings (Jell-O). So, gummy bears are more like gummy pigs.
Foxxy (The Original) 4 years ago
That's not what causes the diarrhoea, it's the artificial sweetener they use.
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Foxxy (The Original) 4 years ago
I bought some sugar free gummy bears and omg I ended up with excruciating abdominal pain, excess gas and diarrhoea. And I only ate 3. Never ever again.
Andy Acceber 4 years ago
Gummy bears (sugar or sugar-free) also make a decent substitute for boba if you're really craving it and in a place that doesn't sell any.
Lorna Hanen 3 years ago
Maltetol and Sorbital are both artificial sweeteners. I understand they both contain what's refered to as 'alcohol sugars'. The nature of these artificial sweeteners provides opportunities for gastrointestinal issues. Some people wouldn't be effected! Wonderful. But way too many people are. That really f.ck.d up the market
Alyssa Stewart 3 years ago
In addition to the malitol issue most gummies are also coated in mineral oil to prevent sticking, which is also has a laxative effect if you eat it in excess.
#5
Tampons were invented to plug bullet wounds and bloody noses. Then the nurses started using them to plug a different bloody hole.
Jo Choto 4 years ago
I would prefer you don't refer to any woman's vagina as a "bloody hole" thanks.
Donna Rakowiecki 4 years ago
I was thought it was the other way around the tampons are made for women putting more I found they plugged bullet holes really well
Terry Reauxper 4 years ago
This one is absolutely untrue. Tampons of one sort or another have been used for centuries if not thousands of years in the manner they are used today.
Pan 4 years ago
This sounds wrong. If you read the story of Earl Haas, he had no contact with trauma doctors.
Marcellus II 4 years ago
Agreed. The entire "tampon" entry on Wikipedia doesn't (well, yet) mention war. And has thousands of years of female hygiene proto-tampons.
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F. H. 4 years ago
This a misconception because gauze balls used to stop bleedings are called tamponades. They are used for nosebleeds and similar things, but are totally different from tampons.
Harley K 4 years ago
I shudder to think of how you'd treat a bloody nose with a tampon 💀
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#6
Shaving cream, the super foamy cheap kind, cleans glass shower doors better than any cleaner!
Nicholas Kramer 4 years ago
I use dish soap like Dawn to clean my bathtub. Dawn is made to get out dirt and grease. It works well and my house doesn't smell like chemicals afterwards
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Frank S 4 years ago
Glad I’m not the only one. That is much more than a shower door.
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ZAPanda 4 years ago
I previously used vinegar because the white stuff on the glass is carbonate, but, it made the bathroom stink. Thanks for this.
Huddo's sister 4 years ago
If you add orange peel or eucalyptus to your vinegar it helps the smell and cleans even better. I however am allergic to both of those :)
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Brian Bennett 4 years ago
Yep works great! Add some car wax - of course buff off and bathroom mirror won't steam up!
Kate Johnson 4 years ago
Not only that, but you can use it to clean yourself if you've had an accident, and it gets rid of the odor of poop. Found out through work as a CNA.
Kathleen Wills 4 years ago
And urine-even with clearing UTI urine odors off my hands!
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Kristina Fife 4 years ago
We use it to help our kids learn to write their letters and practice spelling. We spray some on their desks and have them use their finger to spread it out a bit and then draw their letters or spelling words. Then they swipe over it to 'erase' and write the next one. They love this and it works for many ages - ABCs all the way to great big spelling words. Plus it's a win win for this homeschooling mama because it cleans their desks at the same time!
Andie 4 years ago
Teachers use it in younger grades to clean desks. The kids have fun, and it gets EVERYTHING off the desk (crayon, pencil marks, dried glue).
Jackie Johnson 3 years ago
I Loved desk cleaning when i was a kid! Drawing pictures with our fingers in the foam, plus we got to push that button that we could never push at home haha
Load More Replies... #7
Congested? Vicks Vapor Rub. Cough? Vicks Vapor Rub. Headache? Vicks Vapor Rub. Squeaky door hinge? Vicks Vapor Rub. Dry skin? Vicks Vapor Rub. Anything stuck? Vicks Vapor Rub.
Kookamunga 4 years ago
Whaddaya mean you don't eat no meat? That's OK, I make lamb.
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Kris Duge 4 years ago
Really? That's crazy different from intended purpose!
Load More Replies... Marcellus II 4 years ago
Was thinking the same, "am I doing it wrong, should I use Vicks suddenly? My house would certainly smell different". Also I think neither are good as intimate lubricant, so on balance they may be equally good/ personal preference.
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Shalini Pabreja 4 years ago
Apply on the soles of your feet, cover with the thickest, warmest socks you have and watch your cold dissipate overnight. Apply to chest, back, and temples if the symptoms are severe. Works like a charm!
Barbara Gibson 4 years ago
I'm undergoing chemo and work in the food industry. The smell of the food makes My nausea worse. A little on my mask keeps that from happening.
Carol Emory 4 years ago
Going to the morgue? Vicks Vapor Rub. We had to use it during our forensic field classes to mask the smell of decomp.
Brandy Layton 4 years ago
My step mom swears by this stuff. She makes my dad put it on his toenails before his socks and shoes and it has cleared up his gross toenails. I couldn't believe the difference. I couldn't stand looking at them before. 🤢
Tami 4 years ago
I'll have to keep that in mind for my 92-year old mom. I've had to trim her toenails a couple times, and they're heading in the direction of revolting.
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Touch Connors 4 years ago
I hated VapoRub as a kid. Literally despised the stuff. As an adult, I think the stuff is awesome.
Zoe's Mom 4 years ago
I would think if you had dry skin, the menthol in the rub would sting. Anyone? I have eczema, so if I'm not at home and I get a break out, anything OILY will help temporarily.
Kirsty 4 years ago
Put a couple of tablespoons of plain oats in tights, tie it up and drop it in your bath. If you squeeze it you get a white gloopy slime, smoother yourself in it (super slippy, be careful), espically where the eczemas bad. use in baths when due a flare up (to lesson the issue) and for a few days after (to keep back) if you know near enough when they're coming. Also if you have an aloe Vera plant, loo off a leaf and freeze. When you flare (especially if weeping or cracked skin), get it out and stand it up in a glass for 10 mins or so, the orangey sap will run out. Slice the green away and use the frozen jelly like a chap stick on the affected area. Two of my girls get it really bad and this is what's kept it under control and not stingy for a while now
Load More Replies... #8
I was prescribed a diabetes medication called Metformin, despite not having diabetes, which helped me to fall pregnant after almost 1.5 years of unexplained infertility so that’s pretty cool.
September Meadows 4 years ago
Metformin, have to take it twice a day for my diabetes. Read that they suspect it's a longevity miracle drug, tests are ongoing but only if you're not diabetic. smh 😔
Skull in Sky 4 years ago
if you are diabetic, it is a miracle longevity drug as well, innit?
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Nathalie Örling 4 years ago
Also help with weight loss. I have pregnancy diabetes and is currently 8,5 months pregnant. My current weight is the same as when I got pregnant, meaning I've lost tons of weight since the pregnancy weighs a lot. I couldn't be happier that I will have a much more healthy BMI after having my daughter than before
Raven DeathShade 4 years ago
Ooh, congratulations!! I hope everything goes smoothly the rest of the way :).
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Deja Katz 4 years ago
But it is licensed for medical use as a treatment for PCOS-associated fertility issues? PCOS, polycystic ovarian syndrome often comes hand in hand with metabolic issues and obesity; metformin lowers insulin and blood sugar in PCOS sufferers and stimulates ovulation. It’s normally offered after clomifene
Robert T 4 years ago
There are a whole raft of drugs that are used to treat different conditions than they were intended for. Quite a number of anti-depressants when used in lower doses can be used a muscle relaxants (amitriptyline), anti-ermtics (lorazepam) or to relieve stress headaches (nortriptyline). Some chemo drugs are now being used to treat osteoartritis such as methotrexate.
Huddo's sister 4 years ago
Most of the drugs I've used for pain (I have fibromyalgia) and insomnia are also antidepressants and I am so thankful for them. My GP was confused when I was first prescribed amitriptyline by my specialist because 'that's such an old drug', but then he was such an old dr!
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My Name Is Mars 4 years ago
Metformin had also been widely recalled for containing compounds that have caused cancer, so that's no good.
Evil Little Thing 4 years ago
Only a couple manufacturers, there's still plenty of safe pills available.
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Jebediah Chamberland 4 years ago
I take Metformin for my intersex condition and it does help me to ovulate, but it also has had the added downside of making me allergic to any pork product (weirdly common, many I've spoken to say pork also is indigestible now) and restarting my dairy allergy after I lost it during puberty. Both changes are permanent.
Marcellus II 4 years ago
Pretty regular for farmaceuticals. The horrendously nightmareish disaster drug Softenon / https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thalidomide is currently "used to treat a number of cancers (including multiple myeloma), graft-versus-host disease, and a number of skin conditions including complications of leprosy" ---- all really helpful as long as you're 100% not pregnant of course.
Marcellus II 4 years ago (edited)
Also consider you have brand protection for your medical product for a set number of years, then generic analogues will severely reduce your income. EXCEPT if you find an unrelated treatment, then the clock starts again!! So if you're making big bucks from a mass-used medicine, there's very big pressure 10years later, to find some nice application you can license it for as that means billions more for not that much extra work (namely only licensing & clinical trials).
Load More Replies... #9
There's a prostate drug that my wife's doctor prescribed her for passing kidney stones. It relaxes the ureter, which let her pass the stones, which made surgery or other options unnecessary. I thought that was pretty neat.
Also, doc gave her another drug to lower her blood pressure (beta blocker), which reduced her anxiety almost immediately. All the time I've known her, she's been a nervous wreck over the most mundane things. Now she lives normally. She became a different person instantly. I could always see the shell she lived in and now it's broken away and gone. She's the person I saw behind the shell. Amazing.
Lebatolol (the BB) and flomax for the kidney stones.
Kira Okah 4 years ago
Beta blockers are listed as approved for anxiolytic use, it's listed in the medication leaflet. Is this a "different depending on country" based thing?
Scagsy 4 years ago (edited)
I'm no expert but I know that in the UK, drugs have to be approved by the National Institute For Clinical Excellence (or NICE for short) before doctors are allowed to prescribe them. So if you take Paracetamol to NICE and say 'this helps with headaches, here's our research on it' and NICE approve it, then it can only be prescribed for headaches. For Paracetamol to be approved for backaches, then the manufacturers would have to submit new research to NICE to show this before it can be prescribed. I would therefore expect other countries to have a similar system in place. I'm fairly sure that's how it works but please correct me if my information is inaccurate.
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Marco Conti 4 years ago
I took my motorcycle off road to pass my kidney stones the last time. The trick was to sit down on the bike's seat and aim for all the bumps I could. That very day I passed the stone and avoided surgery (or whatever they do). More expensive than the medication if you don't have a dirt bike, but then you get to keep the motorcycle.
sasha prokopchuk 4 years ago
Smart idea. They also recommend that you go on rollercoasters to pass them. Unfortunately I don't live close to any theme parks 😭
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Shane S 4 years ago
Omg. Flomax gave me the worst heartburn in my life. I was actively wanting to vomit just to get rid of the acid that was creeping up my esophagus. I couldn’t even recline. Never again. Kidney stones are bad enough.
Shanaaia 4 years ago
Could it be that medicines which lower blood pressure are helpful against anxiety because high pressure is interpreted as anxiety in the neural system?
Nessy 4 years ago
I've taken propanalol (another beta blocker) for anxiety and it helps to block the effects of adrenaline (fight or flight feelings). So essentially all those horrible feelings that accompany anxiety (fast heartbeat, tight chest, sweaty palms) are eliminated or reduced. I've read people take it before public speaking and stage performances as well
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Cameron Wyland 4 years ago
I was also prescribed Flomax when I had a large kidney stone blocking me from urinating. I'm a female. Worked like a charm.
#10
There used to be a rat poison that would make the blood in the vermin stop clotting and literally let it bleed to death on the inside and lacking vitamin k. It's also odorless and tasteless, so the rest or mouse would come back and have more blood thinning until it died. Well, eventually rats and mice became resistant to this poison (because the smart survive and learn to avoid it or they had higher forms of vitamin k), and this, combined with a Navy officer attempting suicide by taking this four blocks of this poison and being just fine after getting vitamin k to stop the blood thinnig effects led to the creators taking a different path for this now ineffective rat poison... And that's the story of the popular heart drug Warfarin.
Kiryn Silverwing 4 years ago
If you need to kill rodents, don't use rat poison! The rodents can survive it for a while, and because they're weakened will be more likely killed and eaten by predators, who will die from the poison. Now you've got even more rats because their predators are gone.
Brian Bennett 4 years ago
Better drugs now - warfarin you needed almost weekly blood tests - not with newer drugs such as xarelto!
Pudgy Panda 4 years ago
Except Xarelto has no antidote. My husband had to have a blood transfusion immediately when he had a brain hemorrhage due to taking it. Ended up having brain surgery because they could not stop the bleeding.
Load More Replies... Kira Okah 4 years ago
Warfarin is still used as a rodent poison. It's less effective than it was but is still used. Seen mice dying from injesting it, school used it. Not pleasant.
Harley K 4 years ago
aye, we found a mouse bleeding out on our driveway a while back. we don't use poison, but apparently the neighbors do. poor thing. we put it out of its misery. I get pest control is necessary, but at least kill them quickly
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Mel 4 years ago (edited)
My dad is on Warfarin for heart arrhythmia. It is a very interesting treatment. He has to go to the doc every two weeks or so and have his blood drawn to test the amount of Vitamin K in his diet (cause it counteracts the Warfarin) he can have foods with vitamin K in it but he has to eat the same amounts of that food every week so they can keep his dosage of the drug regulated. They adjust the dosage to the amount of Vitamin K he is ingesting.
F. H. 4 years ago
That's unusualy. It's hardly used anymore today, because it's so difficult to manage.
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Layla Corman 4 years ago
When my dad had a massive kidney bleed, the doctor waived his hands in the air (in an X motion) basically screaming, 'NO MORE WARFARIN!" I still can't believe they give this to humans.
Channen TTCL 4 years ago
Decon...because nothing is better than finding decomposing mice stuck to your clothing....
Carlotta Müller 3 years ago
Humans do not deserve this, for being so unbelievable grusome. And they still used it against rats.
#11
I very, very seldom use flathead screwdrivers for their actual purpose. They’re just so useful - chisels, scrapers, punches, exploratory instruments, very small crowbars, shitty chopsticks... the possibilities are endless!
V Martinez 4 years ago
And the back scratcher I have works as a great flathead screwdriver! Lol!
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Carol Sherman 4 years ago
Kind of reminds me of an experience I read decades ago in Reader's Digest Magazine. A guy was at his girlfriend's house working on her car. Her young son was helping. Guy asked boy if he would bring him a screwdriver. Little boy asked if he wanted a Mommy screwdriver or a Daddy screwdriver. He was curious so asked for the Mommy screwdriver. Little boy came back with a butter knife.
Sam Chilton 4 years ago
I am not letting you near my tools! That being said, a decent knife will work on flathead screws..
GoddessOdd 4 years ago
Unfortunately, if you use flat heads for crowbars and scrapers and such, you can damage the tip making them less effective as flat-head screwdrivers. I use old ones for other purposes, but saved a couple good ones for screws only.
#12
Botox. Originally used to control crossed eyes, then to control spasming facial muscles, when it was noticed it alleviated wrinkles. Now also used as a migraine treatment. Who would have thought injecting a toxin that temporarily paralyzes muscles would find such widespread usage?
Tris Boston-Poulson 4 years ago
And hands and feet. Prescribed from dermatologists.
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Michelle Singhas 4 years ago
As a former migraine sufferer, I can promise you that we've thought about smashing our head with an iron skillet to ease the pain, so honestly, I can see injecting a toxin being on the list of things we were willing to do, it's a pretty extensive list. I have smashed my head repeatedly into the wall, I know it sounds crazy, but for a brief second, it would help. Having a headache is the closest I've ever come to "dispatching" myself. Such an awful thing to go through.
Sarah Sparkles 4 years ago
I pull my hair at my temples for relief. I have chronic migraines but my insurance won't cover both so I'm basically trying a new medicine every couple months trying to find some relief.
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GlassHalfWay 4 years ago
Also used on my Parkinsons patients for those that have trouble opening their eyes and to decrease high muscle tone. I recommend Botox for all my new PD patients that may benefit from it.
DeAnne VanderKolk 4 years ago
Helps w bladder issues too...inject into bladder...I get Botox for migraines...plus I have MCS...(multiple chemical sensitivity) REALLY WORKS...I worked @ WM and that's when found out bout MCS...after started Botox...I didn't have to wear a mask or a air purifier...REALLY FIR EXCESSIVE SWEATING!!! Gonna see my doc for that one...ty for info!!!
Brian Bennett 4 years ago
Not so good when something goes wrong - hell I earned every wrinkle and proud of it!
#13
Ketchup cleans up brass and gold better than most toxic chemicals sold as cleaners.
Mazer 4 years ago
It’s the vinegar, save your money, just use vinegar and for stubborn stains and rust or tarnish add baking soda if needed. Usually just soaking a rusty tool or tarnished metal can perform wonders
Lola Williams 3 years ago
Former jeweler here. Do not put toothpaste baking soda ketchup on your jewelry unless you want to have to pay to replace most of your stones and gems. The grit gets in between the prongs and widens them until they stone falls out please dont do this. If you dont want to use jewelry cleaner use mild dish soap. And not all stones can be submerged or cleaned please research your peices before diy cleaning. I cant tell you how many diamonds i have had to replace because of this rumor.
Eunisha Emerson 4 years ago
So does Hot Sauce. Tried the little packets from very well known American Taco franchise to clean an old penny as a kid. Holy Crap it worked well! All I did was let it soak a bit and it wiped clean.
Charles Bosse 4 years ago
Yup. I have de-oxidized several items with salt and vinegar (you can get industrial strength on Amazon real cheap). Just be sure to do one kind of metal at a time and don't ever use a metal container unless you want everything plated (ask me how I know 😅).
Load More Replies... #14
I used to clean cars at a rental company. We obviously didn't have enough time to deeply clean every car, and sometimes people would bring their dogs. We had a rubber brush for removing dog hair, but it hardly worked. Wearing a rubber glove and rubbing the hair off the seats and carpet worked wonders.
Brian Bennett 4 years ago
Just tried this on on stair rug that vacuums just would not remove cat and dog hair - works super!
Amy Stone-Chandler 4 years ago
Even better? A rubber window squeegee from the dollar store!! Sneakers work GREAT too if you can't find gloves. Dollar store dish gloves work better then a surgical glove though
Jayne Kyra 4 years ago
For those with pets and no rubber gloves: use a squeegee (the thing you use to clean windows).
Sarah Farrow 4 years ago
My mom always did this when we were growing up in the 80's/90's! I would feel so embarrassed lol now I've reached her age that she was then and I think she was a genius! 🥰
Hannah Edwards 4 years ago
Rubber gloves are also good for using to get off tight jam jar lids.
Rebecca O’Donnell 4 years ago
I have 5 inch round rubber disks to open jars, etc. Have been told they are called rubber husbands :)
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Rosemary Paul 3 years ago
I always wore rubber gloves for our Labs. I rarely used a brush on them, just rubbed them all over while wearing the gloves. They were really great when their winter coats would come out in clumps. I wore the gloves when I would give them their baths too. They were great!
#15
Binder clips. I use them for everything except holding documents- closing chip bags, holding parking stubs or packets of headache powder on my visor in my truck, keeping cables bundled, keeping the trash bag from slipping down into the trashcan, holding up my mini Spider-Man bobblehead so it looks like he's clinging upside-down on the bottom of a shelf, keeping rubberbands contained so they can't take over my junk drawer...
Desiree McKinnon 4 years ago
I use them to keep my phone charger cable from falling behind my desk, and to hold the bottom of the toothpaste tube after I've rolled it up
Nikki Sevven 4 years ago
Same! I also keep my earbuds tangle-free and compact with a binder clip.
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V Martinez 4 years ago
Are you by chance a teacher or work in a form of admin job?
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Beth Ellis 4 years ago
I use these to clip the bottom of my art studio acrylic paint tubes, I flip one handle up to form the hanger loop for peg board hooks, I can get 3-4 tubes of paint per hook this way
Debra Cisneros, HHP 4 years ago
I use them to clip my livingroom curtains onto the valance of the virtical blinds, works like a charm! 😮😺
Bluebird11 4 years ago
I use small ones to close cereal bags. It stays fresher much longer than if you just roll down the bag top.
#16
sticky notes were invented on accident when the adhesive used in them was rejected as a glue because it wasn’t strong. The inventor had a musician friend who loved how easy it made pinning his sheet music up, and now we have post-its
Johnny Pierce 4 years ago (edited)
No way. Romy and Michele invented Post-its. I learned it in business school.
Scagsy 4 years ago (edited)
Don't read this if you don't want to feel old but... Romy & Michele's High School Reunion came out 25 years ago. A quarter of a century. We were young once. Sorry.
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Something 4 years ago
Sorry, but my contrarianism required me to start saying "by purpose" from now on.
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Kim Kermes 4 years ago
Almost. The 3M scientist working on an adhesive project sang in church choir, and found paperclips damaged the hymnal, and bookmarks fell out. It also turns out that most successful 3M products are flat, starting with sandpaper. They shouldn't have tried earplugs.
Carol Sherman 4 years ago
And 3M got to keep patent & proceeds while inventor went on to obscurity.
Kim Kermes 4 years ago (edited)
He is well known in the industry, and that was his job. I believe he did get a bonus, as was the practice for R & D at 3M at the time.
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Rosemary Marciniak 3 years ago
Use them for your grocery list and when you’re at the produce area they work nicely to open those plastic bags to put the veggies in! The stickum is just enough to aid in opening.
Rosemary Paul 3 years ago
They make great masks too. Cut patterns out of them with dies or punches, then stick them down on cardstock or the walls, then paint over them, pull off the note masks and the pattern is left behind!
#17
Thalidomide. Originally developed as treatment for morning sickness, Thalidomide infamously caused serious birth defects in thousands of children. However, a cancer research lab in the 90s found out that Thalidomide cut off blood vessels shortly after the same lab discovered that solid tumors need new blood vessels to grow. Thalidomide has turned out to be a good potential treatment for multiple myeloma.
Romenriel 4 years ago
That goes for almost every drug used against cancer.
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Sweetie Dahling 4 years ago
This Podcast Will Kill You did a really interesting episode on it. It’s a truly awful story. But yeah it has been found to be helpful in certain kinds of cancer & leprosy.
Ga Di 4 years ago
Thalidomide itself was a well working drug to induce sleep. Unfortunately its racemic mixture changes between "good" and "bad=birth defects)" form, so preparing a pure enantiomer for medication is largely pointless. Hope is it will do good against cancer one day.
Barbara Vandewalle 3 years ago
A friend had leukemia and he was prescribed thalidomide. He took it for about a month and had to stop. It damaged his brain he acted as though he had dementia and was physically challenged. He stopped the brain cells from dividing.
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Hphizzle 4 years ago
My mother was put on this for multiple myeloma. My sister and I were of childbearing age at the time. She was required by law to tell us to not to take the pills. (You know in case we enjoyed popping random pills)
Me 4 years ago
That's because if you are a caregiver, of childbearing age, you should not handle Revlimid.
Load More Replies... Brian Bennett 4 years ago
All I can think of is how very little they tested this drug and those poor babies and some guilt ridden mothers!
Monday 4 years ago
It was a different time. Much harder to test for those sorts of problems back then. Obviously they should have done more testing and everything that happened was awful, but it's fairly easy to understand why they didn't catch the problem before it was too late for some.
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Bobbi Steele 4 years ago
It's also being used to treat Hansen's Disease aka leprosy. Again, only if there's no possibility of pregnancy. I hear that because of the stigma with the drug, it is hard for researchers to obtain.
Celtic Pirate Queen 3 years ago
Yeah, watch an episode of "To Call the Midwife". The side effects were horrendous.
Cornelia Haggart 4 years ago
My Dad died of multiple Myeloma. My mom had to go through hoops to get it
#18
If you’re in an Asian household, dishwashers serve as excellent drying racks, as do empty ovens.
no_name 4 years ago (edited)
In my office there was always big deal to never leave dishes in dishwasher because people are incapable of checking if the dish is clean od dirty and just put dirty dishes among clean ones. Also, the sink was full of dirty dishes, so it's better to just empty the dishwasher immediately
M O'Connell 4 years ago
Someone who worked in my office many years before I started crafted a little hanging sign out of a plastic storage bin divider that says "CLEAN" in heat-embossed letters. Whoever runs the dishwasher hangs the sign on the top rack before they hit 'start.' 20211202_0...0800e9.jpg 
Jo Choto 4 years ago
I mean, if you have a dishwasher, you can use the dishwasher to actually wash the dishes and then they will dry in those same racks.
Pink kitty 4 years ago
Exactly! And if you decided that you wanted to hand wash your dishes why wouldn't you let them dry in a drying rack that sits right next to your sink?
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Candy Rude 4 years ago
Haha most Asian families do not "trust" the dishwasher to actually clean the dishes. Plus why waste the money and time. You wash them, you scrub them, and then you either dry them or just put them in the dishwasher to air dry. The oven is mostly for storing pots and pans and the dishwasher honestly usually has all the Tupperware stored in it. Im only half Asian and it's taken a good decade to be convinced to use the dishwasher to actually do the work. I still double check everything though .... Old suspicions are hard to dislodge. I was 26 before I even learned how to use the dishwasher. Lesson #1 was REALLY REALLY important though.... Do not use dish soap in the dish washer, even though it sounds like it makes perfect sense. Guess how I found out? Maybe the instant panic inducing house foam party way!
Troux 4 years ago
I had an ex who was raised in Asia and had a perfectly functioning dishwasher when her family moved to the US. It took me months of "No, seriously! Use it!" before she finally did, and it was actually a really good one! Pretty life-changing for her.
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Sawdust 4 years ago
They say that automatic dishwashers use less water than hand washing the dishes.
Eucritta 4 years ago
Can attest to this. We've got a low-water one, it uses about 3-1/2 gallons per load. Handwashing a day's dishes used, by my guesstimate, about 10 - if we were careful.
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Ryan Deschanel 4 years ago
So it was not just a "fresh off the boat" control freak stingy mother joke?
Candy Rude 4 years ago
It is. But it also has a HUGE boulder of truth. Fastest way to get yelled at as a kid in an Asian household. Or sadly even as an adult. Try to use the dishwasher. Or even try to convince the elders to use the dishwasher. Fresh off the boat has SOOOO many true things in it. My friend laugh and say it helps them understand my quirks better. Especially when I told them how much of it is real experiences.
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K 4 years ago
I have a dish washer and never turned it on once in the two years we have it. I just store stuff in it
Wesley Lucas 4 years ago
lol, I was gonna say, my family's Cuban but we definitely did the same thing. When my husband and I first started living together, it took him a while to remember to check the oven for any pots or pans before just turning it on. He definitely melted quite a few things 🤣
Load More Replies... #19
Talcum powder is great for getting excess sand off your feet when you get off the beach and want to put your shoes on without getting sandy socks and shoes for the rest of the day
Jo Choto 4 years ago
It's also great for causing ovarian/uterine cancer in many thousands of women.
Dolly_of TheCowboy 4 years ago
Generally not when you put it on your feet. Slapping a handful of it up into your crotch is a different matter and should be avoided. Blokes can powder the plums all they want without fear. Also works nicely as a dry shampoo on blonde/light coloured hair in a pinch and for the dreaded underboob sweat although 3b powder/cream I find is more effective and longer lasting on moisture prone areas of people, excepting the lady crotch area. That needs special stuff that is designed for that area
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Legen ( wait for it ) dary 4 years ago
You can also use a small towel and a bottle of water. How nice it will be if only 50 people take talcum power daily to the beach ? I don't want that this become a thing.
BigFootToo 4 years ago
Also talcum powder is cancerous. Just ask J&J and their billion dollar judgements against!
Monica Leigh 4 years ago
I believe they use cornstarch in body powders now. Fun fact: J&J knew talc contained contaminates as early as 1957 and was aware it contained asbestos by the 70s. Yet, still decided to sell it to people. They owned talcum mines after all.
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Agnes Jekyll 4 years ago
Grease stains on your favourite sweater? dumb some talcum powder on it. Wait a bit, stick it in the wash, et voila!
#20
Q-tips are meant for cleaning my ears and don't let anyone else tell you otherwise
Elita One 4 years ago
If we're not meant to clean our ears with them then why does it feel like having an orgasm when we use them? 🧐
Tracy Wallick 4 years ago
I have seborrheic dermatitis in my ear canals making them itch like crazy, using a q-tip to scratch the itch is damn near orgasmic, haha (also they help me apply medication to help the skin)
Casey Laurie 3 years ago
I have that! I just FINALLY found relief. I put antibiotic ointment, just a dot, on the q-tip and apply it to the itchy bits. Works a charm and the urge to gauge out my ears has vanished.
Load More Replies... Brian Bennett 4 years ago
Used for cleaning the external ear - Not to jab in ear canal to try to remove wax you just push the wax deeper into the ear. In the olden times we were told not to put anything smaller than your elbow into your ear!
ZAPanda 4 years ago
what else were they invented for anyway?? I think the reason they tell you it's not for cleaning your ears is so that you don't sue them when you burst your eardrum, which is surprisingly easy to do.
Kira Okah 4 years ago
The original ones were actually developed for cleaning infant's ears. They do have a lot of medical uses too.
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DeAnne VanderKolk 4 years ago
Q tips I used since a kid...loved the feel too...but they caused me to lose my hearing...doc thought had a tumor in my eardrum...but the Q tip caused my ear wax to get hard and got into my ear drum...thank goodness for ENT docs!!! I still use them but not as much...I don't feel clean if not clean my ears everyday...oh well...
Nikki Sevven 4 years ago
Agree, even though it's not recommended. However, if you lie on one side and drip a few drops of hydrogen peroxide into one ear, let it work for 5 minutes, then flush it out with saline, you'll remove wax buildup from your ear canal. (Whereupon I would use a q-tip to dry it.)
Huddo's sister 4 years ago
Or just hot water in the shower, so you don't need to add unnecessary chemicals?
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Linda Lee 4 years ago
Speaking of ears: lay down, pour in some hydrogen peroxide, listen to it crackle for about 30 minutes, flush out with one of those rubber, bulb-style syringe, squeeze the warm water in your ear really hard and you'll be rewarded with a clump of earwax! And you'll hear better.
Amy Stone-Chandler 4 years ago
Sooo many uses! Just please don't buy ones eith plastic sticks. Ruin/plug sewer systems and found in all waters
Izzy Curer 3 years ago
Yes! Don't use the ones with the plastic sticks. I had the cotton part slide off of one of those one time and it took me forever to get it out. Never again.
Load More Replies... GoddessOdd 4 years ago
The kind I buy says not to insert in ear canal, but used to have a picture on the box of a woman with one in her ear. Now the picture is usually a swab held in front of a baby's ear
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Clarissa Parker 4 years ago
My ex always called it ear sex. Why doesn’t it fe well like that to me?
#21
A disposable razor will get all the loose bobbles from your clothes.
Kookamunga 4 years ago
I just use big strips of packing tape if I can't find my lint roller.
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Pa4040 4 years ago
There is a tiny rotary blade machine, kind of like an electric shaver but behind a grated protector cap. It is literally designed for clothes, has a small container on the bottom where the "shaved off" fuzz and bobbles get stored
Tenacious Squirrel 4 years ago
I have one of these! You have to be careful to only use it on an item sitting flat on a flat surface, otherwise oops… holes.
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Beck 4 years ago
Bobbles? I only know that words as baubles-which means knick knack. We call the balls on clothes "pills" or "pill fuzz". But not anymore!! Bobbles from now on! Thanks!
Kiryn Silverwing 4 years ago
Yes! Pilled clothes. My mom had a device designed to remove them that was a metal thing with circular holes in it, with a motorized blade spinning inside. The pills would go into the holes and be cut off. Not too different from an electric razor.
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Rosemary Paul 3 years ago
But you've GOT to be very very careful. It is very easy to nick a fiber or sweater thread and before long, a hole will develop or it will start to unravel. Experience speaking here.
#22
Hairspray takes toddler ink pen doodles off my couch. While it makes my hair look just awful sometimes.
kristina law 4 years ago
I swear I used so much Aquanet in the early 90s lol I can almost smell the fumes now
Joe Reaves 4 years ago
Probably not as much as those of us who were teens in the 80s used. The 70s and 80s are why there was a hole in the ozone layer lol.
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Kate Tora 4 years ago
It's also great to spray your pencil drawings to stop them from smudging. A lot cheaper than professional fixing spray
Hermione 4 years ago
Yes, but not so good for professional work because it supposedly yellows over time, unlike artist fixative.
Load More Replies... elsieairhead 4 years ago
100% got the ballpoint ink stain out of a cream top which no amount of Vanish could get out. Had to drench it in hairspray each time, then put it in the wash. Took a few good but this is honestly a great hack.
David Martin 4 years ago
According to "Miss Congeniality", it also stops your swimsuit from riding up your butt
LadyManx 4 years ago
While I now take all my spiders outside (need them to eat the bad bugs!) I still freak out w/ wasp/hornets and those end of summer super cranky yellow jackets if they get in the house, which I'm happy to say is rare, I spray them w/ cheapo hair spray. Once dry, they can't fly and I can get rid of them. Thus, I don't spray poison around my house that might harm the kitties.
DeAnne VanderKolk 4 years ago
I had an outline of my upper body from using so much Aquanet!!! I am glad they now have unscented...but for some reason it doesn't work as well as it did in the good ol days.
Mary Rose Kent 4 years ago
There were probably carcinogenic chemicals that got replaced by something that wouldn’t give you cancer...
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#23
Play doh was wallpaper cleaner before it was a kid toy
Brian Bennett 4 years ago
We used something like 'Play doh to clean the keys of our Typewriter internal keys back in the olden days - it was a bit stiffer. Used something like Play doh to strengthen my hands after an injury - back in the olden days!
KombatBunni 4 years ago
I was recommended play doh to help strengthen my left hand after surgery too! Best excuse ever to buy some and it not only helped with recovery but also the memories that went with it helped too :)
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BieneMaya 4 years ago
It was tested to contain quite some unpleasant chemicals, shouldn't be given to children. Make your own or use healthy options!
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Janet Wheat 3 years ago
Nope. We cleaned our wallpaper with it before there was pla doh. They have the exact same smell.
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Elizabeth Butler 3 years ago
I actually remember helping my mother clean wallpaper, back in 1946.
Leslie Tollefson 4 years ago
They make great kitty toys too. When the kids were younger, they had some in their room. I kept finding them all over the house and thought we had ghosts before I caught one of the kitties going into their room for a fresh, new pipe cleaner to play with!
#24
Pipe cleaners. As a teacher and a pipe smoker, I can safely say I use them for arts and crafts about 1000x more often than I use them to clean out my pipe.
Auntriarch 4 years ago
As a child I thought pipecleaner was one word, didn't twig that it was cleaner of pipes until I was about 6, and we moved next door to a pipe smoker. It may have been when I said oh look, Mr Dykes is using a pipe cleaner to clean his pipe, sound of penny dropping
DuchessDegu 4 years ago
I was today years old when I found out pipe cleaner = pipe as in smoking, not pipe as in plumbing 😳
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Amy Stone-Chandler 4 years ago
Wonder of they work on bongs? I will mention to my adult son :)
Brian Bennett 4 years ago
These should be considered along with Swiss army knives as a multi-tool!
M O'Connell 4 years ago
Whatever you do, don't use the "arts and crafts" variety to clean out anything, as they really don't work at all. Real pipe cleaners are made of cotton and do a much better job. We use them instead of cotton swabs to clean delicate parts where I work.
Rick Hoppenbrouwer 4 years ago
Don't often see people smoking pipes anymore. Always loved the smell of the different tabbaco.
#25
Melon baller. It's for making balls from melons but works perfectly to take the core out of apples and pears.
Marcellus II 4 years ago
Good luck taking the core out of an apple with only that. Apple corer FTW, or just eat.
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PenitentEyeball 4 years ago
Also good for cookie dough and ice cream (I thought this was called an ice cream scoop, who knew?)
Marcellus II 4 years ago
It's an ice cream scoop for people with a guilty/diet-y conscience.
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Alya 4 years ago
it really is fun to eat melon with too. As a kid you'd never catch me using a regular spoon to eat my watermelon, no sir. Ball all the way
Mary Rose Kent 4 years ago
Cut into thinnish wedges and then just gnaw your way down to the rind while the juice runs down your arms and chin. That’s how you know it’s officially summer!
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Boudewijn van der Mik 4 years ago
Perfect to scrape the seedlist out of a cucumber to make thick Tzatziki.
#26
Ive used the same carabiner as a keyring for over a decade. Its never had to support anywhere near the kilo Newtons its listed to be able to support. Slipping keys on and off it is kilo tonnes easier and secure than normal key rings though.
Ozacoter 4 years ago
I have two attached to my electric scooter. It doesnt have any kind of storage so we bought two of these and hung an old backpack on the back of the scooter. Now I have a "trunk" in my mobility aid :)
Sandra Givens 3 years ago
I am absolutely going to do this with my electric scooter! That little basket in the front doesn't really cut it if you are out for a day in a theme park.
Load More Replies... Lena Flising 4 years ago
If you think key-rings are hard to open, use a staple-remover to force the rings apart. Hftklammer...dce18f.jpg 
Heather Vandegrift 4 years ago
I have a carabineer and a crag nut (trapezoid shaped metal on a metal loop cord) that I attach to whatever purse or bag I'm carrying. There are a surprising number of bathrooms that do NOT have any hooks to hang a bag, so this handy combo allows me to slip the nut between the door and divider in a bathroom stall and it rests against the hinge, or loop the cord around the handicapped bar and clip the carabineer to the bag and the loop. Saves a lot of work about putting my nice bag on a dirty floor! And it cost me all of $10 over 7 years ago and it's still like new!
Shoshana Sherrington 4 years ago
In Israel where I live people call them mommy clips because the put them on their strollers to hold grocery bags that don't fit in the basket. A lot of us don't have cars
GoddessOdd 4 years ago
I hook a carabiner onto the strap of my messenger bag. When I get out of the car, I clip my keys there. No more panicky searches thru the bottom of my bag looking for keys. the keys also stay safe inside the top of the bag, where they can't scratch or snag anything inside.
Stannous Flouride 4 years ago
To keep the many keys for my apartment building organized I use these connectors which were originally designed for connecting gas lines. (propane, butane, MAPP, etc.) c4bd498f-9...e-jpeg.jpg 
Antonio Peñ¹⁵ 4 years ago
My dad has done this for decades. Those things are great
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#27
Vacuum sealers. My FoodSaver never sees anything edible. Instead, I use it to protect infrequently used items from dust & moisture, and to make archived papers (taxes, passport, etc.) easier to store. It's also very useful to repackage bulky or specialized cleaning products & supplies & emergency items. Food, that just gets eaten, usually.
Amy Stone-Chandler 4 years ago
Seriously adding more to the overuse of plastic disposal though
Sabse 4 years ago
Yes, why in the hell should I pack Papers, passports in a plastic bag? Ever heard of file folders?
Load More Replies... M O'Connell 4 years ago
Save the desiccant packets that come with things you buy. Bake them for an hour or two at your oven's lowest setting to drive out all the moisture they have accumulated, and then pop them in your sealed packets to protect the contents even further.
Rick Hoppenbrouwer 4 years ago
Excellent when you go on a canoe camping trip and you want stuff to stay dry and compact.
Rosemary Paul 3 years ago
Anything liquid that goes into my travel bag gets put into a food saver bag and gets sealed. Using the large zip lock bags that you can use a vacuum on, I'll put a complete outfit in it, use the vacuum to make the bag as thin as possible. Those bags keep the clothes from wrinkling too. Because the bags are so thin, I can use a smaller suitcase. When the trip is over, it doesn't matter how the clothes come home, so everything gets shoved in and I come home! So much easier to handle a small suitcase.
Rosemary Paul 3 years ago
I forgot to mention that you can put jewelry into a foodsaver bag for storing or traveling and it keeps things from being lost and silver stays shiny. I only have a few pieces of jewelry that's gold as I prefer sterling silver. Keeping pieces that I do not wear as often in an airtight bag stops oxidation that turns silver black. Before sealing up any stud earrings, push the studs through some 1/4" fun foam to protect them from bending and don't make the seal really tight. This not only saves them from bending but it keeps them together during travel or moving.
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Carlton L. Fox 3 years ago
Crafters - they are magic for toy stuffing! Hobby filler flattener.
Laurie Ostergaard-Overbey 3 years ago
hmmmm papers....interesting. so far i have only used mine for food
#28
Bubblewrap initially was just fancy wallpaper.
Also, superglue was invented by accident, when engineers couldn't separate glass sheets after attempting to make clear plastic. Later it was used in battlefields to temporarily close wounds.
September Meadows 4 years ago
Wall paper 🤔 I'd feel as though I'd walked in on Dexter, getting his kill ready 😵
Tris Boston-Poulson 4 years ago
Best comment I’ve ever seen! …just found out that the new season was filmed on my friends land in Lancaster, MA.
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Heather Vandegrift 4 years ago
In an apartment, you can apply bubble wrap to your cheap windows to insulate them better but not limit the light coming into the room
Candia Lee 4 years ago
I stapled sheet plastic over my single pane windows (have double panes now). Fold the edge over 3-4 times to reduce air flow even more.
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Luna Noire 4 years ago
Medical glue is chemically different that OTC superglue. Dermabond or others like it won't cause irritation but regular super glue can. Just be aware.
Layla Corman 4 years ago (edited)
For the first several weeks of the pandemic when going to the hospital "just for stitches" was a big NO NO, a woman in my neighborhood would superglue everyone's wounds together. Kids, adults, older folks all got "glued" by her. Apparently she had glued her own kids several times. The interesting thing is that almost all of her work healed basically scar free. The gash on my thumb I got when I pretended to know what I was doing in the kitchen is almost invisible!
M O'Connell 4 years ago
Bubblewrap was initially developed as a wallpaper, during a period of time when 3D textured wallpapers were popular because they emulated fancy plaster techniques. It sucked for that, but it didn't take long to find other applications. As far as the naysayers about superglue, its development came as an accident during work to find a less costly way to synthesize acrylic for making lenses. And to the naysayers below regarding is use as a tissue adhesive, I direct you to the MSDS for a 3M surgical glue product, which clearly states it is a cyanoacrylate adhesive: https://www.wpiinc.com/media/wysiwyg/pdf/SDS/3m-vetbond.pdf
Charles Bosse 4 years ago
It's either a terrible idea or a great idea, depending on whether you think your kids will destroy your wall or your wall might destroy your kids...
Load More Replies... AnoniMouse 4 years ago
I still use superglue to keep cuts closed. I usually wait a day for it to dry, then use it to keep it closed. Also good on the dry cracks that appear on hands especially in winter on hands. Makes the pain go straight away and the fingers usable instantly.
#29
My dad bought a fruit scale specifically for the purpose of weighing meatballs. His reasoning was that, if all the meatballs he prepared are the same weight, he'd only have to poke one to know whether or not they were all cooked because the heat absorption would be more or less identical.
Penelope 4 years ago
Except when your oven heats unevenly. Which is another headache altogether.
MotherofGuineaPigs 4 years ago
Put a 12 X 12 ceramic tile or a pizza stone on the bottom rack, that will keep your oven heated evenly.
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Amy Stone-Chandler 4 years ago
Thats not accurate though. The ones I the middle cook slower then outside. At different rates too
Big Blue Cat 4 years ago
That's dedication. I just try to make them equal in size and let them cook in the oven until they look delicious.
Whatshername 4 years ago
Roll a sausage from the meat (for instance 2cm thick) and divide in equal portions (again, 2cm). Now all you have to do is shape them just a little and they're perfectly even and round.
Lisa I. Smith 3 years ago
I used to do that . Discovered a properly sized ice cream scoop is faster and provides the same results
#30
Scarf hanger = camisole holder.
Evil Little Thing 4 years ago
Whoever chose the picture doesn't know what a camisole is, apparently.
Bj Burns 4 years ago
I'm really thankful for your comment! Cuz Me either! I thought "oh i didn't know camisole was the same as hat" 🤔🎩👒😂😂😂
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Monica Rogers 4 years ago
I used mine to hang face masks in the sun after washing so they'd be germ free.
Doris Bennett 3 years ago
Looks like a scarf, gloves and a bunch of beanies hanging there to me.
Rosemary Paul 3 years ago
Um, those are scarves, berets & newsie hats, not camisoles. Unless camisoles have changed since I last bought one.
#31
Pediaylite is really a kids electrolite drink, but it can be the best hangover releif money can buy.
ZAPanda 4 years ago
Can verify. Any electrolyte drink, even antacid fizzy water (alka-seltzer/eno). But you need like a liter of the stuff before you feel better.
Rosemary Booth 4 years ago
Pedialyte can get super expensive, but there are several cheaper alternatives online.
Jackie Johnson 3 years ago
An old Vermont drink that was basically old fashioned Gatorade was called switchel. It was often used by farmers on the fields in hot days for electrolytes. It was basically water with vinegar and maple syrup, sometimes lemon. It's made a comeback in recent times and you can buy versions of it in some stores in New England nowadays, I bought a can of a kind with blackberry juice added, it was pretty good!
Virginie Michaud 4 years ago
Alternatively, you can make you own electrolyte drink with 1 L of boiled water, 1/4 cup of orange juice and a pinch of salt. That's the recipe the nursing information service gave me when my daughter got her first gastroenteritis when she was 6 months old. She's not all grown up, and we have never ever been able to finish that quantity of electrolyte. I always end up throwing the rest away because we feel better. There's even an option to use the cooking water of white rice, for when someone has diarrhea. I think we never had to drink more than 1/4 cup before feeling better.
Kelli Pike 4 years ago
A 1L bottle of smartwater and two excedrin after drinking but before sleep eliminates hangovers. My Marine husband thought I was a Goddamn WIZARD when I taught him that trick.
SuperChicken 4 years ago (edited)
Yes, I can most attest to this one. I have packs, as well, so I take it with me whenever we travel. Btw, there's also, Kinderlyte. Check that one out. It works the same as Pedialyte.
#32
Avon skin so soft lotion (I think that's what it's called) works as a great insect repellant!
MyOpinionHasBeenServed 4 years ago (edited)
It's very hard to find now. I know Avon is supposed to be an MLM but they have had some great products and I've never seen any of the Avon ladies push anyone to aboard their team. If anything, they're territorial.
Baylee Parker 4 years ago
My bf and I use it on our mule, Ruth Anne! She's really sensitive to anything with chemicals and it works better than fly spray.
Brian Bennett 4 years ago
Well in my day it was Skin so Soft bath oil that was used! Not a MLM practitioner - tried it worst job I ever had!
Seedy Vine 4 years ago
I thought it worked great when I lived in the Midwest - it really repelled mosquitoes and everyone swore by it. Sometimes canoe rental places along the Mississippi River would sell it so the tourists could get some peace while paddling around...
#33
Prazosin was developed for blood pressure. My psychiatrist says that its the only know medication that cures PTSD related nightmares.
Rachel Young 4 years ago
What dosage do you find helpful? I've started taking for the same but a low dose and it's having no effect.
Ashley Scullion 4 years ago
It's also used in cats with problems peeing/narrow urethra. My kitty is on it. It relaxes his urethra enough that he can pee on his own but not too much that he can't control it lol
Elizabeth Spalding 4 years ago
Yeah, was going to say-- that nothing cures PTSD nightmares. Especially if it's complex ptsd
Kimi Tomminello 4 years ago
Please be careful with this one and make sure you don't have low blood pressure if you're getting on these. I had a TERRIBLE experience with fainting spells because of this. I would go to stand up and wake up a few minutes to a couple hours later usually bruised. A couple times I woke up on my way to the hospital. Works great for some people but never let a psychiatrist prescribe this to you if you have low blood pressure. I average 90-100 over 60.
#34
Facial tissue began its life as a replacement for cotton bandages during World War I. After the war, they began selling the surplus as a makeup remover, however, women complained that their husbands kept stealing the tissues to sneeze into. Companies took notice and began marketing them as disposable handkerchiefs.
Beck 4 years ago
People did not accept toilet paper at first. Tp companies had to out it in hotels and beg people to use it.
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Zach Click 4 years ago
Kleenex (facial tissue) was actually designed to be replacable filters for gas masks in WWI, but the war ended before it was ready, so get sold it as tissues instead.
Chandelure F-5 3 years ago
Started as cotton bandage replacements, then makeup remover, then disposable handkerchiefs, now a jackofalltrades mf bunch of mockcloth.
#35
The antidepressant Amitriptyline Horrible as an anti depressant. Causes horrible nightmares and bad constipation in some cases. By all means most avoid this antidepressant as an antidepressant. However it has numerous uses outside of its intended use. I got a really bad concussion at work and work drs told me I was fine. That it would heal on its own. I was still having horrible pain and vomiting when I was moving around. Said screw it and went to my own doctor. In two minutes she realized I had nerve damage at the base of my skull where there are tons of nerves. Prescribed me this medicine and within a week I was already seeing improvement to daily life. After three and a half months and some physical therapy I was good as new and didn’t need it anymore (-: I have overactive nerves in my stomach which cause pain and extreme nausea. Sometimes I couldn’t eat. Thought it was GERD and prescribed me tons of gastric suppressants. Cause there to be close to no gastric juices in my stomach thus making it extremely hard to digest food. Specialist pinpointed the cause to be overactive nerves. Prescribed this warning that it can make you constipated and that’s why some of her patients didn’t like it. Never had this problem and now I’m fine and dandy most of the time. Also helps you sleep! I am not sure what else this shit helps but it has saved me multiple times. Horrible antidepressant, but great nerve suppressant and I’m sure other good uses.
K 4 years ago
I take it for auditory hallucinations and its amazing. Also helps me sleep. Saved my life really.
Casey Burns 4 years ago (edited)
Ironically I was thinking about this one. I also take it for sleep! lol P.S. Very happy it saved your life as well.
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Bhadrika Love 4 years ago
Works fine as an antidepressant for many (anecdotal "this was terrible for me" should not be put out there as a universal). Esp good if the depressed person also has migraines.
Yeah, you heard 4 years ago
I've been taking it 100mg a day for over 20 years for chronic pain. I was depressed for 5 years before that, and I've never been depressed since I started taking it. Now I feel I take it for both reasons.
Tracy Wallick 4 years ago
Trazodone used to be prescribed as an anti-depressant, turns out it much more useful as an anti-anxiety medication and non-addictive/non-habit-forming sleep aid for insomnia
Steph Jay 3 years ago
One of the treatmemts for Trigeminal Neuralgia, a nerve disorder of the face causing for some severe constant pain with intense pain attacks while others just get the pain flairs without the constant pain. I had Bad Mood changes with it but others in my Trigeminal Neuralgia group have found relief with it. I happen to have a "Million" other pain disorders/diseases that contribute to my living hell, and I am doing ok with a migraine monthly shot and biweekly Sphenopalatine Ganglion Block, which aggravates my Sphenopalatine Neuralgia for 4 days or until I finally have a massive sneeze attack, then the pain and pressure let up.
Elizabeth Spalding 4 years ago
I was going to say I take it for the sleep side effects and it's great And I take 4-5 sleep meds. At the same time. My insomnia struggle sucks!
#36
Coke was made as a cure for headaches (caffeine helps) but it obviously became a massive industry of recreational drinks that also can clean corrosion off of car batteries.
Lou 4 years ago
when coke was first made/marketed it also had cocaine and morphine… pretty sure those did more than the caffeine!
Gandalf the Pink 4 years ago
Going with caffeine turned out to be pretty clever, and evil. Caffeine inhibits the body's reflexes of overdosing on sugar. If you were to drink water with as much sugar as in a coke bottle you would vomit, but the caffeine lets you. So knowing you can make people addicted to sugar, and have them get a more potent dose of sugar than anything else, you have the perfect addiction drink.
Load More Replies... just cruising 4 years ago
Coca Cola was originally marketed as a temperance drink and intended as a patent medicine
Jo Choto 4 years ago
Coke originally contained cocaine, hence the name. It helped with a lot of things.
Brian Bennett 4 years ago
Hubby has a headache - he drinks a coke and it's gone in no time! Can remove rust on some objectstoo!
KombatBunni 4 years ago
Mythbusters did an episode on this, testing coke as a cleaner on car bumpers and other surfaces
#37
Pringles can for storing tennis balls.
Alicia GriffonLady 4 years ago
I use the extra large/tall pringles can for my turning/stuffing sticks for dolls/plushies. Would also work for knitting/crochet.
Thomas Turnbull 3 years ago
You must have small balls or bigger tins in your country tennis balls do not fit ours
#38
Oven cleaner , removes carbon from engine parts effortlessly
Thomas Turnbull 3 years ago
That’s break cleaner not break fluid so take care.
Load More Replies... M O'Connell 4 years ago
Absolutely. You might be able to get away with using it to clean cast iron parts, but it will absolutely eat into anything aluminum. Al + NaOH yields flammable hydrogen gas as a a product. There's a reason the label explicitly says to only use it on enameled oven interiors.
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Oogiebogieaugiedaddy 4 years ago
I spray oven cleaner under the rim of the toilet, works wonders.
#39
Dryer sheets. Excellent for shoe and garbage can stank.
Marylu Horkowitz 4 years ago
One or two sheets keeps gnats away when I'm gardening. Irritating to my skin, I clip them in my hair. Not a fashion statement, but zero gnats around my face.
Heather Vandegrift 4 years ago
Great mosquito repellent! I lived in Florida and repainted the outside of my parents' house in the summer, which meant I could only work at dawn and dusk because of the heat, aka prime mosquito hours. I am a mosquito MAGNET! They dine on me like I'm fine caviare! Bug spray makes me itch, so I looked for an alternative and saw someone recommend Bounce dryer sheets. Tucked one in the back of my ball cap, one under each bra strap, and one in each sock, and didn't get bitten once!
ThatTiredFrogGuy 4 years ago
Ever had staticy hair??? Use a dryer sheet. It's great at making your hair go back down.
Claire Bee 4 years ago
You can use it to dust off your baseboards and things like that, and then the dust doesn't settle back down for a while.
Brian Bennett 4 years ago
Put into damp books will dry them out but don't leave too long they will stain pages!
Baylee Parker 4 years ago
I used to stick them around my house to repel spiders. Seemed to work..
#40
contact paper, especially cheap stuff from Dollar Store; removing pet hair from clothing & furniture.
Brian Bennett 4 years ago
Pet hair does not matter to me, people know I have all kinds of critters -they wouldn't
Brian Bennett 4 years ago
Sorry I goofed-people wouldn't know me without hair and fathers on my clothes!
Load More Replies...Explore more of these tags
What do you think ?
ZAPanda 4 years ago
I can add the following: to polish silver (if you are fancy like me and have silver), you put it in a pot with some aluminium foil and a tablespoon of baking powder. Bring to the boil. Voila, polished silver. The dirty silver is silver sulphide. The baking soda creates a redox reaction which transfers the sulphide to the aluminium.
ZAPanda 4 years ago
*baking powder = baking soda with a small amount of flour in it, so same damn thing. Also, if you have an aluminium pot (very commonplace here), then you can skip the tinfoil, as long as the pot is not enameled (painted/surface covered with polymer)
Load More Replies...
Jayne Kyra 4 years ago
You can use a crochet hook to pull out hair (and other nasty stuff) from drains. A squeegee to rid a carpet/couch of pet hair before vacuuming will change your life. And a little vinegar water to clean nearly anything, except your own dirty little secrets.
Ozacoter 4 years ago (edited)
My mother always keeps a potatoe peeler at hand to use it as a screwdriver or small crowbar. I also used it for some time to peel cables when i was in tech class
Amy Stone-Chandler 4 years ago
I use my peeler to slice cheese for sandwiches! I have a cheese slicer but it's too thick
Load More Replies...
Sky Render 4 years ago
Here's a more obscure one: a hemostat! They're a type of clamp used to keep wounds from bleeding during surgery without fully closing them, and they can do so much more than that! Since they're long-handled and have a needle-nose head, they can fit in many tight spaces, and they're explicitly designed to get a firm grip without causing undue damage to the thing they're gripping. Great for grabbing small stuff that's gotten jammed in a narrow space!
tuzdayschild 4 years ago
Dry erase markers remove permanent marker marks. I always try to use matching colors so the dry erase marker isn't damaged.
IlovemydogShilo 4 years ago
A dure fire way to get rid of permanent marker stains is to scrub it with toothpaste. It really works. I got a large sharpie stain on my duvet cover and after a few applications it came right out. You just apply it straight from the tube scrub in with a nail brush then wash it out with cold water. Repeat the process as often as you need you to.
Load More Replies...
RandomBeing 4 years ago
one of my ADHD medications guanfacine was originally a blood pressure medication. Then they realized it worked really good for impulsivity and other ADHD problems so they also used it for that!
Mariana DaVe 4 years ago
me too... works weel in some tipes of dirty on the walls too
Load More Replies...
XSpooky_Mint 4 years ago
You can use sunscreen to get tree sap off your skin, and you can use mayo to get the sticky off glass and plastic jars
Tracy Wallick 4 years ago
Chapstick is great for covering papercuts or shaving nicks to stop the bleeding and the sting.
Janet Floyd 4 years ago
Also works really well for when you have sore skin around your nose during a cold. Just.. use a separate one from your lips.
Load More Replies... jk nbt 4 years ago
another off-label medicine that helps with joint pain is Children's Benadryl liquid... If you have gouty joint pain, massage a little liquid benadryl into the red, inflamed joint. The pain will go away...
Stefanie Fournier 3 years ago
They do make antihistamine creams...would be less sticky.
Load More Replies... ZAPanda 4 years ago
I can add the following: to polish silver (if you are fancy like me and have silver), you put it in a pot with some aluminium foil and a tablespoon of baking powder. Bring to the boil. Voila, polished silver. The dirty silver is silver sulphide. The baking soda creates a redox reaction which transfers the sulphide to the aluminium.
ZAPanda 4 years ago
*baking powder = baking soda with a small amount of flour in it, so same damn thing. Also, if you have an aluminium pot (very commonplace here), then you can skip the tinfoil, as long as the pot is not enameled (painted/surface covered with polymer)
Load More Replies... Jayne Kyra 4 years ago
You can use a crochet hook to pull out hair (and other nasty stuff) from drains. A squeegee to rid a carpet/couch of pet hair before vacuuming will change your life. And a little vinegar water to clean nearly anything, except your own dirty little secrets.
Ozacoter 4 years ago (edited)
My mother always keeps a potatoe peeler at hand to use it as a screwdriver or small crowbar. I also used it for some time to peel cables when i was in tech class
Amy Stone-Chandler 4 years ago
I use my peeler to slice cheese for sandwiches! I have a cheese slicer but it's too thick
Load More Replies... Sky Render 4 years ago
Here's a more obscure one: a hemostat! They're a type of clamp used to keep wounds from bleeding during surgery without fully closing them, and they can do so much more than that! Since they're long-handled and have a needle-nose head, they can fit in many tight spaces, and they're explicitly designed to get a firm grip without causing undue damage to the thing they're gripping. Great for grabbing small stuff that's gotten jammed in a narrow space!
tuzdayschild 4 years ago
Dry erase markers remove permanent marker marks. I always try to use matching colors so the dry erase marker isn't damaged.
IlovemydogShilo 4 years ago
A dure fire way to get rid of permanent marker stains is to scrub it with toothpaste. It really works. I got a large sharpie stain on my duvet cover and after a few applications it came right out. You just apply it straight from the tube scrub in with a nail brush then wash it out with cold water. Repeat the process as often as you need you to.
Load More Replies... RandomBeing 4 years ago
one of my ADHD medications guanfacine was originally a blood pressure medication. Then they realized it worked really good for impulsivity and other ADHD problems so they also used it for that!
Mariana DaVe 4 years ago
me too... works weel in some tipes of dirty on the walls too
Load More Replies... XSpooky_Mint 4 years ago
You can use sunscreen to get tree sap off your skin, and you can use mayo to get the sticky off glass and plastic jars
Tracy Wallick 4 years ago
Chapstick is great for covering papercuts or shaving nicks to stop the bleeding and the sting.
Janet Floyd 4 years ago
Also works really well for when you have sore skin around your nose during a cold. Just.. use a separate one from your lips.
Load More Replies... jk nbt 4 years ago
another off-label medicine that helps with joint pain is Children's Benadryl liquid... If you have gouty joint pain, massage a little liquid benadryl into the red, inflamed joint. The pain will go away...
Stefanie Fournier 3 years ago
They do make antihistamine creams...would be less sticky.
Load More Replies...
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