Neat household MacGyver tricks you've learned

[PhotonWrangler]

This is kind of the opposite of the Things I've learned the hard way thread. Have you learned of any neat little triccks where you've used household materials for uncommon applications?

I've just learned a trick that helped me out with a cracked fingernail that was getting close to splitting all the way down. You can use the material from a teabag as a patch, covering it with acrylic fingernail strengthener to form a conformal patch that halts the splitting.

What neat little tricks have you learned along the way?

 

[Big_Ed]

If you have cookies that are not soft anymore, just put a piece of bread in the cookie jar or bag that the cookies are in. The moisture in the bread will be absorbed by the cookies. Overnight, your cookies will be soft again.

Not a MacGyver trick, but that's one from my mom.

 

[LukeA]

Hobby store extruded aluminum airfoil-shape strut material makes an excellent border for 1/2in glass tiles, especially if you also use stainless switchplates.

NOTHING can beat a cool-white LED flashlight laid on the floor for spotting pieces of broken glass to clean up.

 

[Norm]

NOTHING can beat a cool-white LED flashlight laid on the floor for spotting pieces of broken glass to clean up.

Or droped pills.
Norm

 

[Flying Turtle]

NOTHING can beat a cool-white LED flashlight laid on the floor for spotting pieces of broken glass to clean up.

Or for spotting a dropped contact lens.

Geoff

 

[russthetoolman]

My dad invented an A/C circuit tester for tracing down which circuit breaker was on a circuit so it could be shut off to work on it safely.




Lifetime warranty, Craftsman screwdriver!!

Here is my memory... He is on the ladder at the ceiling junction, I am at the panel flicking breakers and we are yelling back and forth, ' OFF!!'
"NO, try again!!" his reply. He finally just used the screwdriver to short it out in the junction, thus popping the breaker and us not having to yell back and forth anymore.
Disclaimer: this was 25 years ago, the quality of said screwdriver was obviously far superior in dielectric qualities than stuff today.

So is this a MacGvyer trick I use, Not on your life!! My dad was a superhero, I am only human, I could get hurt
Russ

 

[PhotonWrangler]

I've used a pair of headphones to locate a live video cable in a bundle of similar looking coaxial cables. The combination of horizontal and vertical sync pulses produces a very unique sound in the headphones that's like nothing else. Once you've trained your ears for this, you can 'hear' the presence of video.

 

[PhotonWrangler]

Now this is what I'm talking about. Lifehacker has a story about 10 unusual uses for household objects I especially like the last one about removing dents with a hair dryer and a can of dust remover spray. :thumbsup:

 

[Coop]

Is there anything that can't be fixed using ductape, zip-ties, a can of WD-40 and a SAK (or a combination of those items)?

 

[PhotonWrangler]

Is there anything that can't be fixed using ductape, zip-ties, a can of WD-40 and a SAK (or a combination of those items)?

Yep! You only need two things in your repair kit - WD-40 and duct tape.

If it doesn't move but it's supposed to, apply WD-40. If it moves but it's not supposed to, use duct tape. :laughing:

 

[orbital]

Is there anything that can't be fixed using ductape, zip-ties, a can of WD-40 and a SAK (or a combination of those items)?

+

I'v use Gorilla Duct Tape to fix a ripped a pair of shorts from the inside,...its stayed 'fixed' though many washings.
Strong stuff!!

 

[ponygt65]

When I was a 'kid' I accidentally took my 'old' used razor and not a new one on a trip. We were at a camp ground and the twin blades got clogged pretty good, so I took a Q-tip, pulled off the cotton, flattened the cardboard tip and used it to clean out the razor.

 

[PhotonWrangler]

I've used binder clips to fasten holiday lights to an awning. They go up really fast and come down just as easily.

 

[Sgt. LED]

Super glue works better than any band-aid.

 

[Coop]

+1 on the superglue

 

[LukeA]

Royal Purple will remove rust if you soak parts in it long enough.

 

[Flying Turtle]

I've got this plastic cable tie (maybe 20" x 3/8") that I use to unclog the shower drain. It snakes down into the drain easily and won't damage the plastic pipe.

Geoff

 

[iapyx]

A way to keep eggs fresh outside the fridge:

turn them upside down every day.
Heard this years ago from in program about sailing around the world.

Garlic smell:
To get rid of the garlic smell on your hands you can use a metal soap.
(I think a piece of metal will do the job too)

Snails in the garden:
beer
Put some beer in a small box (tupperware or alike) and place it in the garden.
Snails like the smell of beer and will crawl into the box and drown.
Nasty sight, but effective

Flies in your kitchen:
Bowl of water with some vinegar and a drop of soap

 

[LukeA]

Garlic smell:
To get rid of the garlic smell on your hands you can use a metal soap.
(I think a piece of metal will do the job too)

A piece of stainless steel, rubbed on the hands while you wash them, removes all kinds of smells, like garlic and onion.

 

[smokinbasser]

That piece of stainless steel? one of the SS serving spoons in you silverware tray, works great