Handy Hints, Gadgets, Products & Gizmos

[GizmosMom]

Another member suggested a new forum section with new products but it doesn't look like it will be feasible. So I thought I would post this here under General RVing Issues. If enough people post (even if you have mentioned it before in another post) we can keep it near the top?

Do you have a handy hint, a new product or an old product that makes your RVing or Camping much better?

(Sorry, no commercial advertising allowed)

I'll start:

Someone in the Camping Van posted a reference to using a Super-Chamois to wipe down their shower. I have been using an icky old thick sponge and I like the chamois idea so much more.

Now I want to hear what works for you

[toprudder]

BirdSongPlace wrote:
Back in the day my dentist had something that looked like this!

Uhhhh, wrong end. 🙂

[JimBollman]

We have a similar approach to dish washing. We went one step further and don't have a hot water heater, the space it takes up is better used for other things.

Jim...

[suerover]

Rather than heat 6 gallons of water to wash the breakfast dishes, I boil a little extra water when I boil water for our french press coffee maker. Since we eat a simple juice, coffee, cereal breakfast, I put a little dish soap in one of the cereal bowls, add hot water, wash the glasses,cups and spoons, pour the soapy water into the second bowl and then pour it into the coffee pot. It takes about three cups of hot water to wash the dishes and little more cold water to rinse them.
It took a couple of days to get through all of this. Great thread.

[Bobbo]

bump

[rocknrollpro]

Took a short trip to get out of the AZ heat this summer and headed to Show Low and the White Mountains to do some boondocking in the cool air.

We took two of our small dogs with us and on the way stopped for lunch. Since it was still 90* we parked the truck and trailer in the shade, set the dp chip to run the truck at 1500 rpms, left the AC on high and locked the pups inside. Unless one stepped on the brake and one moved the drive lever, we should have no problem. No problem, so I thought. Half way accross the street I realized I forgot my wallet, turned back to find my little darling standing on the drivers armrest with both paws on the window switches watching them go up and down, trying to figure when to jump out and follow us. I stayed with the dogs and my bride got lunch to go....

We now put them in carriers while we're away from the truck. Scary lesson.

[dboliek1112]

Super Thread. Thanks everyone for great ideas. And I couldn't do it in 3.5 hours... took 3 days (off and on).

We doubled the storage space in many of our cabinets... since the top half usually isn't filled... by purchasing rubber-coated wire shelving with legs. Less than $6.00 each at Walmart.

[blkfe]

wow....only took 3.5 hours to read this whole thread........
Awesome!
Brad

[resmas]

Videoguy wrote:
I came across an inexpensive wireless remote thermometer at WalMart. Yes I know wireless remote units have been available for quite a while. But all I wanted was temperature, didn't need all the information a lot of them gave you. (I have the Weather Channel for that other stuff) This unit is by Accu Rite and sells for $9.98, consists of a sensor and a receiver with a digital display of inside and outside temps. Both are receiving just fine. Now when I have to get up first thing in the morning to walk the dogs I have an idea of what to wear just by glancing at the thermometer in the bedroom. Same thing goes at night for their last walk of the day.

We have one, too - for the same reason - dog walking apparel! Ours is mounted under the nose of the fiver, inside the kingpin with just velcro. Has been holding strong for years...

[resmas]

Like most fivers, ours has a glass corner shower. Great for adults, but useless for bathing kids. I didn't want to bathe them outside (too cold/bugs) so I bought one of those black concrete mixing/utility tubs from Lowes. About $4, and I now have a "tub" that fits perfectly in the shower, and keeps the kids from sloshing water everywhere. We just prop it up in the shower to dry when we're done, and that's where we store it, too. Just take it out and set it anywhere to have the shower back for an adult.

[PGR_Skye]

I usually print out the comments on the back of the recipe page, too, Denise. You can avoid the "too much...." plus they may add some suggestioned variations that we might like.

[Denise_in_Ark]

Same here...never felt the need for special recipe software. I keep the recipe, the URL, attending pictures, and, sometimes VERY importantly, the comments section. If you see recipes as inspiration rather than regulation, those comments give you plenty of extra ideas and sometimes make the difference between a treasure and a disaster. (Like the comments that said "waaaaayyy too much cardamom on that chicken - cut it back to 1/3 the amt. Yeah.)

[LuckeyUs]

Jeanne M wrote:

PGR_Skye wrote:
I store my very favorite recipes that I might want to use on a trip in one of the smaller photo albums so they take up less room in the fiver.

Me too! I use those plastic photo wallets with pages that have double sided sleeves and are approximately 4X6". I've found them in the photo section at WalMart and also at Joanns Crafts for about a $1.00 each. I can get 36 recipes in one of those. I have one for Crockpot recipes, one for main dishes, one for desserts and I even have one specifically for recent photos!

As stated above...you can carry a bunch of these in less space than a regular cookbook and much less weight too!

I have all my recipes on individual Word Documents in an XL font. If I find a recipe online I just copy & paste it. They don't take up any extra space in the RV and at home I print out the one I want to use & never worry that it will get dirty!

[LarryJM]

Dutch_12078 wrote:

rj7388 wrote:

I put an RV gutter arround the window, and a small one over every marker light. This should avoid any water to drain directly into the opening, avoiding one of the biggest sources of water damage.

my water/moisture input seems to be coming from "underneath" the cabover...will those rain gutters work upside down?

It's not uncommon for marker light and cabover window leaks to run down between the inner and outer walls, not showing up until it reaches the bottom.

I did something similar along the back of my trailer to protect the clearance lights, ladder fittings and back window by putting four strips of RainKap along the top rear and sealing everything up with 2" Eternabond. All the other stuff along at least the sides are already protected with the RainKap. Pics ....





Larry

[LarryJM]

map40 wrote:
So, here is my contribution: An RV Bidet.

Used in a lot of countries, we always had one in our house. We were used to it, so we were missing the feature while camping.
After some research, we installed one.

1) You need to get a toilet-mounted bidet appliance. We got one in a small shop in a distant country. Here is a picture:

2) We installed a T, but the preassure was too low. We looked for a diverter, but we could not find we could adapt to the RV plumbing. Later, I found a bypass valve for a water heater, and used it as the manual diverter. Here is a picture of the whole assembly.


3) Once installed, you set the water, flip it inside the bowl, and works greeat. Here are 2 pictures, 1 closed and one open. Note: We also had to change the toilet seat for a residential one, to allow space for the appliance.


Works great.

That's just wrong in so many ways :E, however I have to award you for the most unusual mod I think I have ever seen done to an RV. :B

Larry

[Terri_travel]

Clever!