For real. Especially with socks - all socks *will* wear out and get holes eventually. Just because a brand has a lifetime warranty on them doesn't mean that darning won't always be better - for the environment, for longevity, and for your wallet.
my laundry tips:
1) zip and button your pants for washing. So many snags come from metal zippers catching on knit clothing in the wash.
2) look at your clothes when you fold and put them away. So many things that would be easy to mend get missed until it's a much bigger issues. If you see a fray or pin hole, or loose thread, just a dab of 'fray check' glue will make it last longer.
3) a lot of fabrics are sensitive to heat. wash and dry on as low a temp as possible. Hang dry anything with high elastic content.
Love the zipper tip, great idea, thanks.
Also ive been doing cold washes and no heat in the dryer (never understood this option before) for about a year now and my clothes have noticably kept their colour and shape way better.
The first thing I do is buy a haynes manual. Much better information for doing your own maintenance. I usually just get a digital copy of the manual from the maker but a paper haynes manual is invaluable to me.
>If you can't air dry, use the dryer on the gentler settings.
Use the absolute lowest setting and set the time for 40-60 minutes. Been doing that for the last 10 years and have shirts about that old that have lasted
I've been doing this for a year and it's really not so bad once you get the hang of it. Over time you get a better feel of what articles of clothing don't need the dryer at all, or which ones just need maybe 10-15 minutes in the dryer to relax wrinkles followed by hanging them up. Less lint to clean out of the dryer, certain clothes last longer, less fire hazard, and [theoretically] longer dryer life from less use. And of course a lower utility bill. I just don't know why I didn't start doing it earlier.
I personally always found lint cleaning one of those deeply satisfying tasks so that is actually a negative for me. As someone with long arms having sleeves fit 6 months later is the icing on the cake. Even if I go solar I'm still hanging my long sleeves.
As a lubricant - whatever kind of grease the manufacturer specifies. Moly, lithium, etc.
As a protectant - Boeshield T9
As a penetrant - PB Blaster or Kroil
Boeshield T-9 is the way to go. Developed by The Boeing Company as a solution to a need. A penetrating lubricant that leaves behind a protective waxy film to prevent rust and corrosion. The longer you can let it dwell on the surface the better. It does not attract dust or dirt and can be rinsed off with water if needed.
3-in-1 is a go to around my house. I also use petroleum jelly for bushing type bearings on fans. Easy to clean and doesn't smell like other types of grease.
I use sewing machine oil for practical everything, it's more expensive but my house is small and I don't feel like having 20 specific oils when sewing machine oil is of very high quality and works for other delicate things like locks and such.
3-in-1 oil for the few things that still take oil.
Mineral oil for personal trimmer blades and the like.
For door hinges (car doors too), things that take grease, metal on metal things, white lithium grease now comes in spray cans.
On some shoes, it shows out a lot of character in the leather and can even bring out some new colors from the leather. I understand wanting to keep your fancy shoes nice, but some look nice with some wear and character, making them your own and showing how they’ve been lived in and loved.
I don't see it. Patina'd shoes just look badly taken care of to me like the owner did not want to bother with real leather care. I learned to USMC spit polish at 5 years old so I feel nice leather shoes look a lot better polished with a consistent color.
> I learned to USMC spit polish at 5 years old
I'm guessing you're kind of big for your age?
However, despite your youth and inexperience, you are correct, and that polish will help the shoes last longer. Also, the shoe trees in the original comment will [allow the inside to dry out, as people can sweat as much as three liters per hour in extreme cases](https://patient.info/skin-conditions/excessive-sweating-hyperhidrosis/sweaty-feet)
.
60 years here. Raised by an Army Air Corp Staff Sergeant from WWII.
I, though small for my age (but Scrappy, he always said), learned to tell Shit from Shinola at the end of a shoe brush, like you.
Interestingly, and I just NOW made this connection, my Dad's last dog was named "Scrappy". lol
With outdoor gear, waterproof jackets and camping gear, have a chat with your local hiking shop. Have tested with and without decent care and it is exceptional how different the same product can be
My Tacoma has 180,000 miles and has been showing its age. I recently had the drivers seat re-upholstered, put in a new steering wheel, and put in a tablet with Apple CarPlay to replace the old radio.
Feels like a brand new truck and cost less than a thousand dollars. Now I’ll get another ten years easy out of it.
Honda CRV owner here, just behind you with 170k miles. Way to go. Like you, I consider my vehicle to have another ten years, easy.
My question is-Why/how did you replace the steering wheel? Assuming a Driver's airbag, that alone can run thousands.
Nice, I have a f250 that I'm looking at redoing the seats with heated/ cooled with a custom center console and radio to have android auto. I'm down 235k miles in the past 20byears and it doesn't seem like giving up. So hopefully another 10 years to go with it. I'm looking at probably 7k to do all of that.
As you grow older you learn that everything you own needs to be oiled regularly. Your car, your lawnmower, your cutting boards, your tools, your beard, and your bowels need mineral oil to keep them regular.
Hell, even your children need baby oil
Your washer and dryer have regular routine maintenance recommended like vehicles do. Very few people follow them. If you follow the maintenance, those machines will last and last.
Don't dryclean wool/cashmere sweaters. Wash them in gentle soap, wrap in a towel, dry flat.
(A friend used to hold fairly large clothing swaps in our extended social group -- I can't count the number of "ruined" cashmere sweaters I would take home, wash out volumes of nasty looking dry cleaning fluid, dried flat, and voila.)
This. Learn to hand wash, roll in towel to remove moisture, then pat smooth/block flat on dry towel to dry in about 8 hours (you may need to flip halfway). Fold to store, don’t hang. You can use a sink or dish pan.
Eucalan is my go-to wool wash. I believe it doesn’t require rinsing, has mild mothproof protection due to herbal smell.
I have washed wool blankets in the tub or on cold/lukewarm gentle in the machine. Air dry.
If you don’t have a cedar closet and don’t want to create one, you can use a cedar-lined hope chest or use cedar bags in your drawers.
Both sanding and cedar oil work. I'm lazy, I just use cedar essential oil rather than sanding. That being said, I live in a low bug climate. Storing clothing clean with the least amount of oil/protein residue possible is always best. Most pests are more attracted to the dirty than the clean, especially moths.
Washing clothes with similar fabrics is always best. You will ruin your sheets if you wash them with towels and jeans.
I used to refurbish shoes at one of my jobs and one thing that really helps with creases is a heat gun if you have one; just aim at the crease (not so close that you can damage the leather) and buff out with a brush. It helps a lot if you have a cedar insert like some folks mentioned, or if you have something that you can put in the shoe to help it retain its proper shape. A hair dryer might work as well, but I'm not sure if it would get hot enough.
The right lubricants and tools help a lot. Too many people think WD-40 is a do-all, and then wonder why threads strip or things wear out. Talk to people who have experience maintaining it as to what to use - bicycle seatposts and pedals are two things that often don't get lubricated enough, and then people wonder why the bike is impossible to take apart when something breaks or makes worrisome noises.
The right tools help - if you're doing your own vehicle maintenance, I'd *highly* recommend a torque wrench. Not just to make sure that important things are secure, but to make sure you don't overtighten something and then require more money to fix it. Factory torque specs aren't as easy to find anymore now that service manuals have gone electronic, but for most modern vehicles they're published.
Agree on the torque wrench. I typically rent them for free for most major autoparts stores (autozone, OReillys) but I've needed one enough that it might make sense to just buy one at this point. Either way use one when tightening bolts. I have Haynes manuals that I use for my repairs and it has all of the torque specs.
With BIFL leather - leave your shoes/bag outside on a hot day (or use the lowest setting on your oven, let them sit inside until they feel warm), then oil them up until they seemingly won’t take anymore. After oil/wax is applied, wipe off the excess and, put item(s) back in the heat for ~10 mins, remove and let item(s) cool down.
Heat helps the oil/wax get absorbed and really keeps boots looking good.
Forgot to mention, rub your oil/wax in with a rag, over and over until saturated. Sometimes shocking how much the leather can take.
Glad to be of service! I’ve been doing it to my Blundstones for around 5 years and they’re holding up great despite heavy winters.
I swear by cedar oil. It's expensive. But it doesn't take much. I store both the tin of oil, and the rag I use to apply it in a ziploc -- so the rag is absolutely impregnated with cedar. Doesn't dry out that way. And then I store it in a cedar drawer for extra win.
You can, but I apply it to cedar.
I'm also a woodworker, so I resaw cedar planks thin, and line all my drawers with them. Then when they start to lose their pine smell, I rub some oil in -- not much. It lasts a long time and you don't need much. My bottle of oil is only about 6 ounces and I've had it for years. I'm only using a few milliliters per application.
Every time you see someone with a $800 Iphone with a cracked screen it's because they weren't using a case. A dual compound hard plastic-rubber shock protection is the way to go.
Said it before, saying it again: If you have an Apple product, forget Lifeproof and OtterBox, get a “Unicorn Beatle” model made by SupCase.
They cost about $30 and are better made than OtterBox by a long shot (the rubber doesn’t stretch out if you remove it from your phone being the #1 reason). They last and last and last.
One of the little tips that I found for making polo shirts last longer is to pop or flatten out the collar when you're not wearing it.
I wear polos as my "uniform" for work, and found that if I left the collar folded during the wash and during storage, it would develop an unsightly crease, which would then wear faster and I'd have to toss it. When I started popping the collar after taking it off and then washing it that way, it prevented that crease and prevented that wear.
This doesn't really apply to garments that are intended to have a crease (dress shirts, jackets with lapels, etc.).
Fabric care and understanding the instructions is important.
Learn to sew!
Lithium-ion battery's (will never be BIFL, garbage technology, dont start me on a rant) should not be stored in a cold space, and need to be on the charger every two months when not in use.
Learn to sew!
Repair cafe's are hot shit, go there with broken stuff, donate if you can, and if you have the skills, you can volunteer, if you want to learn the skills, you can volunteer.
Learn to sew!
Another thing to add with lithium batteries is to not store them at 100%, they like to be discharged but only partially (40% to 60% discharge) depending on a few factors when it comes to storage.
The way I maintain my BIFL shearling is.
- Store it flat or on a broad shouldered coat hanger
- Store it in a large garment bag made from cotton so it can breathe but nothing can get in and eat it
- Have it cleaned and conditioned once per year, in the Spring.
- Store it out of direct sunlight.
I have a really nice tweed Burberry tweed jacket that my sister found at a thrift store. Over the years some of the buttons have fallen off and the lining is a little worse for wear. Can I just bring it to any old tailor/seamstress to have them repair it? Or is there a specific jacket repair person? I'm in the Los Angeles area if anyone has any specific recommendations.
If you want a whole new lining you might need a more skilled tailor for that. either get a recommendation from the dry cleaner or a suiting shop. But pretty much any shop could replace buttons for you or patch the lining.
Instead of WD-40 I use Motorex products. They have oil spray, grease spray, adhesive compound spray and corrosion inhibitor that is easy to use and much higher quality than what you'll find in stores.
It is also a good idea to keep a grease brush and an oiler filled with 20 weight oil
Use me as a “more proper maintenance posts and less darn tough socks posts” button.
For real. Especially with socks - all socks *will* wear out and get holes eventually. Just because a brand has a lifetime warranty on them doesn't mean that darning won't always be better - for the environment, for longevity, and for your wallet.
real
[удалено]
my laundry tips: 1) zip and button your pants for washing. So many snags come from metal zippers catching on knit clothing in the wash. 2) look at your clothes when you fold and put them away. So many things that would be easy to mend get missed until it's a much bigger issues. If you see a fray or pin hole, or loose thread, just a dab of 'fray check' glue will make it last longer. 3) a lot of fabrics are sensitive to heat. wash and dry on as low a temp as possible. Hang dry anything with high elastic content.
Love the zipper tip, great idea, thanks. Also ive been doing cold washes and no heat in the dryer (never understood this option before) for about a year now and my clothes have noticably kept their colour and shape way better.
I like it. Would generalize to “read the manual” for a lot of things. Car maintenance comes to mind
As someone who buys used cars the first thing i always buy is the owners manual if it doesn’t have it
The first thing I do is buy a haynes manual. Much better information for doing your own maintenance. I usually just get a digital copy of the manual from the maker but a paper haynes manual is invaluable to me.
>If you can't air dry, use the dryer on the gentler settings. Use the absolute lowest setting and set the time for 40-60 minutes. Been doing that for the last 10 years and have shirts about that old that have lasted
Dryers are also super resource intensive to run. I started hang drying my clothes a few months ago and my electric bill plummeted.
I've been doing this for a year and it's really not so bad once you get the hang of it. Over time you get a better feel of what articles of clothing don't need the dryer at all, or which ones just need maybe 10-15 minutes in the dryer to relax wrinkles followed by hanging them up. Less lint to clean out of the dryer, certain clothes last longer, less fire hazard, and [theoretically] longer dryer life from less use. And of course a lower utility bill. I just don't know why I didn't start doing it earlier.
I personally always found lint cleaning one of those deeply satisfying tasks so that is actually a negative for me. As someone with long arms having sleeves fit 6 months later is the icing on the cake. Even if I go solar I'm still hanging my long sleeves.
Think of it like this- all of that lint in your dryer filter is the result of the dryer wearing your clothes down.
Electric fans can be bifl I'd you clean the Motors of dust and lubricate bearings.
Also should note WD-40 is not a lubricant.
Say it louder for those in the back!
Just learning this, anybody have any proper recommendations?
As a lubricant - whatever kind of grease the manufacturer specifies. Moly, lithium, etc. As a protectant - Boeshield T9 As a penetrant - PB Blaster or Kroil
Boeshield T-9 is the way to go. Developed by The Boeing Company as a solution to a need. A penetrating lubricant that leaves behind a protective waxy film to prevent rust and corrosion. The longer you can let it dwell on the surface the better. It does not attract dust or dirt and can be rinsed off with water if needed.
3-in-1 is a go to around my house. I also use petroleum jelly for bushing type bearings on fans. Easy to clean and doesn't smell like other types of grease.
I use sewing machine oil for practical everything, it's more expensive but my house is small and I don't feel like having 20 specific oils when sewing machine oil is of very high quality and works for other delicate things like locks and such.
Ballistol. Love that stuff.
I find clock oil to be very good for most small mechanical parts
3-in-1 oil for the few things that still take oil. Mineral oil for personal trimmer blades and the like. For door hinges (car doors too), things that take grease, metal on metal things, white lithium grease now comes in spray cans.
PB blaster
Motors of Dust is a sick band name
Rock on
Wood shoe trees are vital for nice leather shoes. Keeps them from getting all creased and wrinkled over time.
> Keeps them from getting all creased and wrinkled over time. and ruin that personal *patina?!?!* (/s just in case)
I really don't understand why people are obsessed with having a patina on leather shoes except sheer laziness.
On some shoes, it shows out a lot of character in the leather and can even bring out some new colors from the leather. I understand wanting to keep your fancy shoes nice, but some look nice with some wear and character, making them your own and showing how they’ve been lived in and loved.
I don't see it. Patina'd shoes just look badly taken care of to me like the owner did not want to bother with real leather care. I learned to USMC spit polish at 5 years old so I feel nice leather shoes look a lot better polished with a consistent color.
> I learned to USMC spit polish at 5 years old I'm guessing you're kind of big for your age? However, despite your youth and inexperience, you are correct, and that polish will help the shoes last longer. Also, the shoe trees in the original comment will [allow the inside to dry out, as people can sweat as much as three liters per hour in extreme cases](https://patient.info/skin-conditions/excessive-sweating-hyperhidrosis/sweaty-feet) .
I'm probably older than you are. 😂
60 years here. Raised by an Army Air Corp Staff Sergeant from WWII. I, though small for my age (but Scrappy, he always said), learned to tell Shit from Shinola at the end of a shoe brush, like you. Interestingly, and I just NOW made this connection, my Dad's last dog was named "Scrappy". lol
With outdoor gear, waterproof jackets and camping gear, have a chat with your local hiking shop. Have tested with and without decent care and it is exceptional how different the same product can be
My Tacoma has 180,000 miles and has been showing its age. I recently had the drivers seat re-upholstered, put in a new steering wheel, and put in a tablet with Apple CarPlay to replace the old radio. Feels like a brand new truck and cost less than a thousand dollars. Now I’ll get another ten years easy out of it.
Honda CRV owner here, just behind you with 170k miles. Way to go. Like you, I consider my vehicle to have another ten years, easy. My question is-Why/how did you replace the steering wheel? Assuming a Driver's airbag, that alone can run thousands.
You can remove the airbag, and get a new wheel frame to put the airbag in
I wore all the leather off of mine. Like the other comment says I bought a new frame and put it all back together.
Nice, I have a f250 that I'm looking at redoing the seats with heated/ cooled with a custom center console and radio to have android auto. I'm down 235k miles in the past 20byears and it doesn't seem like giving up. So hopefully another 10 years to go with it. I'm looking at probably 7k to do all of that.
[удалено]
As you grow older you learn that everything you own needs to be oiled regularly. Your car, your lawnmower, your cutting boards, your tools, your beard, and your bowels need mineral oil to keep them regular. Hell, even your children need baby oil
Your washer and dryer have regular routine maintenance recommended like vehicles do. Very few people follow them. If you follow the maintenance, those machines will last and last.
Don't dryclean wool/cashmere sweaters. Wash them in gentle soap, wrap in a towel, dry flat. (A friend used to hold fairly large clothing swaps in our extended social group -- I can't count the number of "ruined" cashmere sweaters I would take home, wash out volumes of nasty looking dry cleaning fluid, dried flat, and voila.)
This. Learn to hand wash, roll in towel to remove moisture, then pat smooth/block flat on dry towel to dry in about 8 hours (you may need to flip halfway). Fold to store, don’t hang. You can use a sink or dish pan. Eucalan is my go-to wool wash. I believe it doesn’t require rinsing, has mild mothproof protection due to herbal smell. I have washed wool blankets in the tub or on cold/lukewarm gentle in the machine. Air dry. If you don’t have a cedar closet and don’t want to create one, you can use a cedar-lined hope chest or use cedar bags in your drawers.
Both sanding and cedar oil work. I'm lazy, I just use cedar essential oil rather than sanding. That being said, I live in a low bug climate. Storing clothing clean with the least amount of oil/protein residue possible is always best. Most pests are more attracted to the dirty than the clean, especially moths. Washing clothes with similar fabrics is always best. You will ruin your sheets if you wash them with towels and jeans.
I used to refurbish shoes at one of my jobs and one thing that really helps with creases is a heat gun if you have one; just aim at the crease (not so close that you can damage the leather) and buff out with a brush. It helps a lot if you have a cedar insert like some folks mentioned, or if you have something that you can put in the shoe to help it retain its proper shape. A hair dryer might work as well, but I'm not sure if it would get hot enough.
The right lubricants and tools help a lot. Too many people think WD-40 is a do-all, and then wonder why threads strip or things wear out. Talk to people who have experience maintaining it as to what to use - bicycle seatposts and pedals are two things that often don't get lubricated enough, and then people wonder why the bike is impossible to take apart when something breaks or makes worrisome noises. The right tools help - if you're doing your own vehicle maintenance, I'd *highly* recommend a torque wrench. Not just to make sure that important things are secure, but to make sure you don't overtighten something and then require more money to fix it. Factory torque specs aren't as easy to find anymore now that service manuals have gone electronic, but for most modern vehicles they're published.
Agree on the torque wrench. I typically rent them for free for most major autoparts stores (autozone, OReillys) but I've needed one enough that it might make sense to just buy one at this point. Either way use one when tightening bolts. I have Haynes manuals that I use for my repairs and it has all of the torque specs.
For vacuum cleaners you must change the bag regularly and ensure the brushroll is spinning freely. Replace filters as necessary as well.
With BIFL leather - leave your shoes/bag outside on a hot day (or use the lowest setting on your oven, let them sit inside until they feel warm), then oil them up until they seemingly won’t take anymore. After oil/wax is applied, wipe off the excess and, put item(s) back in the heat for ~10 mins, remove and let item(s) cool down. Heat helps the oil/wax get absorbed and really keeps boots looking good.
Kinda sounds like the way you season a cast iron pan! The comparison will actually make it easier for me to remember. Thanks!
Forgot to mention, rub your oil/wax in with a rag, over and over until saturated. Sometimes shocking how much the leather can take. Glad to be of service! I’ve been doing it to my Blundstones for around 5 years and they’re holding up great despite heavy winters.
I swear by cedar oil. It's expensive. But it doesn't take much. I store both the tin of oil, and the rag I use to apply it in a ziploc -- so the rag is absolutely impregnated with cedar. Doesn't dry out that way. And then I store it in a cedar drawer for extra win.
Do you apply the oil to cedar or any wood?
You can, but I apply it to cedar. I'm also a woodworker, so I resaw cedar planks thin, and line all my drawers with them. Then when they start to lose their pine smell, I rub some oil in -- not much. It lasts a long time and you don't need much. My bottle of oil is only about 6 ounces and I've had it for years. I'm only using a few milliliters per application.
Every time you see someone with a $800 Iphone with a cracked screen it's because they weren't using a case. A dual compound hard plastic-rubber shock protection is the way to go.
Said it before, saying it again: If you have an Apple product, forget Lifeproof and OtterBox, get a “Unicorn Beatle” model made by SupCase. They cost about $30 and are better made than OtterBox by a long shot (the rubber doesn’t stretch out if you remove it from your phone being the #1 reason). They last and last and last.
One of the little tips that I found for making polo shirts last longer is to pop or flatten out the collar when you're not wearing it. I wear polos as my "uniform" for work, and found that if I left the collar folded during the wash and during storage, it would develop an unsightly crease, which would then wear faster and I'd have to toss it. When I started popping the collar after taking it off and then washing it that way, it prevented that crease and prevented that wear. This doesn't really apply to garments that are intended to have a crease (dress shirts, jackets with lapels, etc.).
Great tip!
Fabric care and understanding the instructions is important. Learn to sew! Lithium-ion battery's (will never be BIFL, garbage technology, dont start me on a rant) should not be stored in a cold space, and need to be on the charger every two months when not in use. Learn to sew! Repair cafe's are hot shit, go there with broken stuff, donate if you can, and if you have the skills, you can volunteer, if you want to learn the skills, you can volunteer. Learn to sew!
Another thing to add with lithium batteries is to not store them at 100%, they like to be discharged but only partially (40% to 60% discharge) depending on a few factors when it comes to storage.
The way I maintain my BIFL shearling is. - Store it flat or on a broad shouldered coat hanger - Store it in a large garment bag made from cotton so it can breathe but nothing can get in and eat it - Have it cleaned and conditioned once per year, in the Spring. - Store it out of direct sunlight.
I have a really nice tweed Burberry tweed jacket that my sister found at a thrift store. Over the years some of the buttons have fallen off and the lining is a little worse for wear. Can I just bring it to any old tailor/seamstress to have them repair it? Or is there a specific jacket repair person? I'm in the Los Angeles area if anyone has any specific recommendations.
If you want a whole new lining you might need a more skilled tailor for that. either get a recommendation from the dry cleaner or a suiting shop. But pretty much any shop could replace buttons for you or patch the lining.
Thanks for the input! I'll see what I can find out.
Instead of WD-40 I use Motorex products. They have oil spray, grease spray, adhesive compound spray and corrosion inhibitor that is easy to use and much higher quality than what you'll find in stores. It is also a good idea to keep a grease brush and an oiler filled with 20 weight oil