What commercial product do you use in a way not intended?

[rurallib]

Me - I have been using hair conditioner as a to shave with for at least a decade.
That stuff is really slick so the razor doesn't drag and last longer. And the shave itself is so much better than any made for shaving products.

[applegrove]

1. I used tea bags to soak my feet and get rid of bacteria. I use beef babyfood to get my cat to eat a

pill. I use diaper rash cream to get rid of the odd sore or rash. No baby in my life since I babysat when I was 16.

My dad started using a Lee valley Tools wood shaver as a lemon zester and around the same time it took off with chef's around the world. Great minds think alike.

[rurallib]

2. I need to note that baby food idea.

[applegrove]

3. Oh my cats are just mad for the beef broth baby food. They totally go nuts every time. I just smash

the pill up into a powder and mix it in with a tsp of babyfood. (My cat started to reject the pill in the pillpocket after a week so that didn't work). Someone here on the DU put me onto babyfood for that purpose.

[Kali]

4. used to use amway laundry detergent to clean the bong

dissolved that resin really well!

my sons used to use windex to clean their fancy skater shoes (even suede! wtf?)

[jmowreader]

10. I never heard of anyone ever buying an Amway product

It's good to know America's worst right-wing troll makes products with such good off-label uses, though.

[Kali]

35. ...

:evilgrin:

[Tom_Foolery]

5. I use dandruff shampoo to get rid of poison ivy. n/t

[Raffi Ella]

6. really!

Never heard of that, does it work?

[Tom_Foolery]

8. Yes, it works great...

I'm highly allergic to poison ivy. I found out about using dandruff shampoo when I had a terrible outbreak on my right arm. I didn't want to go and get a steroid shot, so I tried it. Within two days, I started to see improvement. It also stops the itching. I was amazed.

[Raffi Ella]

9. Awesome!

I get it at least a few times every summer from running on wooded trails. I'll have to get a bottle and try it out ~Thanks :)

[Tom_Foolery]

20. You're welcome...

Oh! Here's something that I forgot to mention: Put in a teaspoon of salt for every cup of shampoo. It will sting a little bit; but it helps to stop the itching, too. I tell ya...it is amazing!!!

[Raffi Ella]

25. I'll remember that, thanks.

I've been using Avon Cracked Heel Cream, it has a numbing agent. It really works to stop the itching and also has an antibacterial ingredient. It's a Must Have in my house for poison ivy.

It doesn't help it to heal though just keeps me from scratching it.

It usually lasts 1-2 weeks regardless what I do so I'm VERY interested in trying out your shampoo & salt method.

[Sisaruus]

17. I use vodka.

No... I don't drink it but that might work if rinsing with it fails. I read about vodka rinses last year. I have had bumper crops of poison ivy (which loves climate change) these last few years. I now keep a bottle of cheap vodka in the shower so it is immediately available when I come in from doing yard work. So far it seems to work.

[Tom_Foolery]

21. Kerosene and gasoline work, too...

I've heard old farmers tell about rinsing themselves off with either one after running into a patch of poison ivy. I've also been told by several people that after the blisters appear, they've popped them open and poured the kerosene or gas over the oozing sores to kill the outbreak. I never tried that. Here's something else that's crazy: I've run hot water over an outbreak to stop the the itching. It sends a tingle through my whole body.

[idiotgardener]

7. vinegar - herbicide, cleaning, fabric softener

baking soda - cleaning

[Skittles]

11. I use foot cream on my elbows

I have my elbows on a counter a great deal of the time at work and need heavy-duty cream to keep 'em soft

[DFW]

12. I have a BMW 525

And I never speed with it, and when on the Autobahn (very rarely--still scares the shit outta me),
still never drive over 120 KPH.

As BMWs were intended to be driven at 200+ KPH and intimidate any other car on the road (except
certain Mercedes and Porsche models), I consider myself to be using their product in a manner
never intended by the manufacturer.

[RandomThoughts]

13. What evidence do you have

That that was not the intent.

Because I am due beer and travel money, and believe in being prepared.

[DFW]

14. LOL!!

All you have to do is brush up on your German, and get the salesman's pitch at any BMW dealership in Germany.

The guy was telling me how steady the car was at 200 KPH, and I cut him off, said I didn't care about that, but
wanted to know about gas mileage at lower speeds, how sturdy it was in a collision (the way Germans drive, that
is of MAJOR concern to me), and how reliable the electronics and emissions controls were. He asked (only partially
joking) if I was sure I had gotten the address right when I came to look at a new car.

[XemaSab]

30. Mayonnaise to polish the furniture--gets rid of water spots

:)

[DFW]

31. I let the outside of it look like I bought it fourth hand and can't afford a car wash

I want a car that will withstand a collision and not break down every 6 months, not some trophy the Romanian
mafia will steal the second they realize it's not as crappy inside as it looks outside.

[cyberswede]

43. Do you just rub it in? Or does it need to be rinsed off? n/t

[XemaSab]

47. Put on a hearty layer

Leave it for a while. Rub off the excess.

[snooper2]

39. funny, I have a 2003 Dodge Dakota with a couple mods

It's a Carrera GT when we go down the road :rofl:

[DFW]

57. Kudos to whoever did the mods!

I live in Germany. I think if I had a Dodge Dakota over here, it would get seized as a rare stolen item from some auto museum.

My wife was nearly killed a couple of years ago when some idiot overtired truck driver coming back from Poland or some
such place crushed her car (with her in it) because he was so high up and turning, he didn't see that she was in the
lane next to him. If she had been in a flimsy car, I would have been a widower that day. The Germans drive like total
maniacs, and I buy the sturdiest cars I can afford, especially for her, as she drives to work and back (I take the
train or fly, depending on what country that day). It's sort of like wearing a bullet-proof vest while at an Oklahoma
teabagger convention where liquor is served: it's all for self-defense.

[Tabasco_Dave]

15. I've used Coke cans to make pipes.

:smoke:

[Maine-ah]

42. made them out of carrots a couple of times at work...

restaurant world...lol :hi:

[nadine_mn]

16. I use Q-tips to clean my ears

The box even says - don't stick em in your ears - use Q-tips for make up application blah blah blah

They are for your ears dammit - quit the farce

[originalpckelly]

18. Oddly enough, my post is related to the one above...

I use tampons to clean out my ears.

[TaupeDem]

34. I've used tampons in the summer in some folds of skin to prevent sweating. EOM

[PassingFair]

37. My daughter uses them for chronic nosebleeds. nt

[KurtNYC]

19. I give Fisher Price toys to my female dog

she loves to press the buttons and she is like Stephen Hawking crossed with a DJ. She can make it skip from one track to another and say things like: "I love....Lamb!" It also plays the sound of a barking dog (for when she doesn't want to communicate in English). It keeps her from playing with the answering machine too.

The dogs also get racket balls, tennis balls, rope, a toy ATV and empty plastic beverage bottles to chew on. Got a crib mattress for $38 -- bigger, better and cheaper than dog beds.

[rurallib]

29. When we had a dog, he would kill to play with racket balls

I even took him into a racket ball room one day so he could chase it til he had had enough.

[mysuzuki2]

22. "Hand" lotion.

[guitar man]

23. Liquid Nails

Liquid Nails is kick ass for fixing the soles on sneakers ;)

[GermanDem]

24. Polident denture cleaning tabs

I use them to clean my teapot! Gets rid of the brown stains really well!

[Raffi Ella]

26. That reminds me-

I use whitening toothpaste to clean silver. It works great.

[Tikki]

27. I wash my morning face with hand sanitizer...

The gel with the moisturizer.
My skin is a bit oily in the a.m.....rest of the time I use a facial product.


Tikki

[KT2000]

32. If your hand sanitizer

has triclosan - please do not use it like that. Google it to find out the problems with it, such as potential cancer causing, persistent chemical.

[Tikki]

33. Thanks....I don't know...but, I'll check...

Tikki

[rug]

28. Vacuum cleaner.

[rurallib]

40. no - I didn't mean

this place is incorrigible.

[provis99]

36. I use cigarettes to kill bugs.

Just put a cigarette in a cup of water, strain the resulting juice into a spray bottle, spray on bugs and presto! they are instantly dead. Nicotine is powerful poison indeed...

[frogmarch]

38. With PVC pipe I made

a low D Irish whistle that looks like the ones here: http://www.ggwhistles.com/howto/ (Instructions at the website)

Here’s a sound clip of mine: http://www58.zippyshare.com/v/6731249/file.html

and a stone castle tower (in progress):

[Denninmi]

52. I'm in the process of building a duck pen and turkey pen from PVC.

Started last weekend, hope to finish this weekend if not too hot. About 40 10 foot pipes for each pen top, plus all of the fittings. The PVC part will go over a solid base made from recycled pallets.

[Philippine expat]

41. Similar to yours

I use body or hand lotion to shave with

[Bombero1956]

44. I use Scrubbing Bubbles on the stovetop

the foaming helps lift the grease without scratching the surface.

[emilyg]

77. Big fan here. I use

Scrubbing Bubbles to clean everything. Wood floors, counter tops, toilets - everything.

[Kaleva]

45. I thought sex threads were prohibited .

[rbnyc]

46. I'm going to try that.

I use toothpaste to clean jewelry, but a lot of people know that trick. I also use it to get stains out of the tub.

[Ikonoklast]

48. Toothpaste is also great for cleaning and polishing Lexan headlight covers.

Just mildly abrasive, enough to get the 'cloudy' out, and polish out those small scratches, giving a nice, clear finish again.

I make a paste with water and the toothpaste, and use a terry clothe towel to0 make small circles on the scratched surface, then wipe it off with a clean towel.

[rurallib]

54. I will try that tomorrow.

[TheCentepedeShoes]

76. I will try that too

but my car is a 94 Park Ave so it might not work

[sakabatou]

49. I used duct tape to make a boat

[fizzgig]

75. masters at using products in ways they were never intended

[Stuart G]

50. I use duct tape to mend holes in pants pockets..so there..

[Skittles]

68. SCHEDULING STUART G. FOR ASS-KICKING

I HAVE JUDGED THIS RESPONSE TO BE THE MOST EGREGIOUS; yes INDEED

[Denninmi]

51. Gold Bond type medicated body powder.

Except that I don't use the Gold Bond brand, which is around $5 a bottle. I use the dollar store version.

It is mostly zinc oxide powder, plus menthol, and oils of thyme and eucalyptus.

Makes an excellent fungicide and bug killer on all kinds of plants. I often buy 5-6 bottles at a time and use it throughout the garden to treat various plant woes. I think the zinc is probably good for the plants as well.

[Stuart G]

53. I spray roaches..those that walk...with 409..yea works..

[Pool Hall Ace]

55. I use Milk of Magnesia as a deodorant

I had trouble even getting some of the high-priced natural deodorants to work for me, so I read about MoM on the Graedons' page.

I just swab some on a cotton square and apply to my underarms. It works great, and without aluminum chlorohydrate.

[rurallib]

60. I looked up milk of magnesia on wikipedia

it is a product I am only passingly familiar with and lo and behold - deodorant is listed as one of it's uses.
Interesting. Another one to tuck away for later.

[Pool Hall Ace]

61. The only drawback I find is

that I have to keep my arms raised for about 30 seconds. But after that, I can get dressed without any concern about powder stains. I give it two thumbs up! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[Luciferous]

56. I use dish soap to clean my shower...

[rurallib]

59. I use dish soap as bath soap.

I figure if it is good for hands, it's good for the whole body.
And Dawn is used to clean critters in oil spills, so I figure it must really clean well.

[6000eliot]

58. Bleach is good for poison ivy.

[Stuart G]

62. Athletes foot cream, gets rid of eczema..why?

both are fungus...

[Stuart G]

63. Use peanut butter...creamy...on tape remains on walls..

So you tape something to a wall, or hang up with some kind of goo.......

Ok a year later, you pull that off, and the goo or tape stuff remains..ugly?

Creamy peanut butter smoothed on the goo or what remains..then use a putty knife to work it for a while..
then...scrape or remove goo...yea that one works too..got that one off of some site on the internet.....

[Baclava]

64. Hemostats have many uses

yes indeed

[LynneSin]

65. I use Fresca to keep myself Fresh. And I use cornflakes to make my friend chicken

:hide:

[geardaddy]

66. Friend chicken?

;)

[LynneSin]

69. Well you know what they say - "tastes just like chicken"

You busy tonight - want to stop by for dinner?

[geardaddy]

70. I'm a little gamey.

But well-marbled.

[LynneSin]

71. Nothing that a few weeks of milk soaked corn cobs can't solve

yummy!

[geardaddy]

67. Baking soda and vinegar

for pipe unclogger.

[kick-ass-bob]

72. I've done that for a long time. Best use ever!

[One_Life_To_Give]

73. Coke in the laundry

Actually it's the wife's trick to put cola in when I have been working on vehicles.

Brake clean is really good at getting ATF fluid out of your white dress shirt. Wife won't even know.

Latex Exam gloves work with epoxy as well as Nitril gloves.

Solo plastic cups are good for mixing all sorts of stuff.

[BlueIris]

74. I do that hair conditioner = shaving lotion thing too. Really works. nt

[Stuart G]

78. Another use for duct tape was just posted in health forum..reduce hospital infections

this was posted by
supernova..
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=222x106361
above is link for that thread....
_______________________________________________________________________________



Is there nothing duct tape can't do?
This latest use for the ubiquitous fabric-backed tape has been proven by the infection prevention team at Trinity Regional Health System in Iowa and Illinois.

No, the duct tape wasn't applied directly to any patients' wounds. Instead, bright red duct tape was placed in lines on the floor near the beds of patients with dangerous infections. The three-foot boxes showed doctors and other health-care providers where they should stand to communicate with patients without first donning personal protective equipment (PPE) like masks and gloves.

The results of the two-year study at Trinity were striking. They found that it increased the quality and frequency of health-care providers' interactions with patients, which make both hospital staff and patients happier. But it also saved time and money: an amazing 2,700 hours and $110,000 a year in supplies and personnel costs.

http://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/stories/another-use-for-duct-tape-reduce-hospital-infections
If this is true, it suggests that people waste time and resources because they don't know definitively how to interact with people who are grievously contagious.

[Stuart G]

79. Strapping tape, used for packing stuff, very strong.

It has ribbons through it that make it a very very tight kind of tape, that doesn't come off easily. it sticks on good.

So, what did I use it for????..replaced broken door latch on car

Two and half years ago, the handle latch on my driver's side door came off, the plastic thing,(handle latch I guess they would call it) broke off cause the angle of the
pull to open the door broke the plastic handle. Underneath that handle, is a medal thing, that is really what opens the
door, it remained after the plastic thing broke off.

So, I wrapped this strapping tape around the medal thing, and crated a new door latch. The new creation has a flap on it. I pull on the flap, and the door opens. I have a beige car, and the tape is close to the same color. So the tape needs to be fixed up
every summer..ok, I can deal with that. So I am nuts..what else is new??? (can't spell either)
Stuart G.

[Dystopian]

80. Tampon...

for a birthday candle. My son's birthday party in the park...family and friends attended. I forgot candles.
My daughter had a tampon.
A good time had by all...my son was a good sport and blew out the candle!

peace~

[lifesbeautifulmagic]

81. Tang - the stuff the astronauts drank in the 60's

to clean the dishwasher. I don't know why it works, it just does.

[Skip Intro]

82. I've made a few hats out of tin foil...

:D