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

[pkunk]

Handbasket wrote:
Just giving this great thread a quick bump by posting a tip that I don't think I've posted here before...

If your cargo compartments are molded from black plastic and have inadequate or no light in them, consider a spray can of white (or some other light color) plastic paint, like Krylon's 'Fusion'. Empty the compartment, spray the sides, back, and top, let dry, add one more coat if needed, refill the compartment. Yeah, it'll get beat up and dirty and crummy-looking, but the improvement in lighting will mostly last and be well worth it.

Jim, "Laugh, and the world laughs with you. Snore, and you sleep alone."

That's a good tip. I cut plywood bottoms for mine so things have a flat surface to sit on. Seems to make the space more usable because that makes the bottoms go all the way to the sides.

[Handbasket]

Just giving this great thread a quick bump by posting a tip that I don't think I've posted here before...

If your cargo compartments are molded from black plastic and have inadequate or no light in them, consider a spray can of white (or some other light color) plastic paint, like Krylon's 'Fusion'. Empty the compartment, spray the sides, back, and top, let dry, add one more coat if needed, refill the compartment. Yeah, it'll get beat up and dirty and crummy-looking, but the improvement in lighting will mostly last and be well worth it.

Jim, "Laugh, and the world laughs with you. Snore, and you sleep alone."

[Ric_Flair]

8 qt cast iron dutch oven.

It cooks everything, and cooks it better.

You can use it on electric, gas, BBQ, camp fire....

You can boil, bake, fry, deep fry, slow cook, etc, etc..........

And it's one of the few things in life that get's better the more you use it.

[horseylady]

I've seen the pet towels in microfiber at Bed, Bath & Beyond. I like the microfiber because they dry fast and don't get that mildew smell. we don't mind patting dry--sure beats drip drying--and they take up a lot less storage space.

[louiskathy]

popeye59 wrote:
Welcome and I like your signature line

x2:)

[popeye59]

Welcome and I like your signature line

[Dart_North]

Hello.
Short time lurker, first time poster.
Finally got through all the posts, an thought I'd share some of my tips. Thanks for everyones contributions, I'll be working on some of those for our TT.

We only boon dock, so the best thing I ever did is change most of our lights out for LED's. I bought a cool white and warm white led panels as a trial, and we liked the cool white better, so bought some more for most of the rest of the fixtures. Each panel has 9 led's on it. Our double light with 2x 9 led panels in it is plenty bright for most applications, but I think I will get 2x 15 leg panels to replace the fluorescent fixtures, as well as a 15 led for over the door.
The draw is so minimal from them that I wouldn't even mind leaving one on frivolously over the door.

I got them from ledwholesalers.com - Led Light. Service was fast if I remember correctly. I don't see the 15 Led on the site right now, but here is the 30 Led with different bases.

You can mount them from with double sided sticky tape, but I used a little dab of clear silicone in 2 corners and mounted them to the lens covers.

Someone mentioned spring clamps in place of clothes pins for keeping bags closed etc, I use Binder Clips for that type of stuff. They are small, light, strong. And if it's something semi-permanent, you can remover the wire handles.

As well, because we are boon docking, and you never know what might happen, I always bring a chainsaw. I've had trees blow down across the road blocking my exit, and would have been stuck without it. It also doubles as my firewood acquiring device. There is usually lots of dead fall from winter storms that makes great firewood.

We removed our microwave from above our stove and use that space as storage. we have a small wire shelf in there, so put bread, buns, dish clothes, cooking spray, spices etc. We have yet to put a door on it, so it's still just a open cupboard, and as such, we do move some of this stuff down when traveling (Bread and buns seem to stay no problem)

Hopefully the links show up properly.
Don

[weebeemee]

I use my wash cloth to dry off then use my towel it sounds like with these towels I could use 1 towel for a whole month before washing it. Sounds like a good idea to me, but how do they feel against hour skin? And would you use them at home too? I like the idea of sand not sticking to them and that they block uv rays.

Thanks for posting the links I will take a look at some of them. Trekking is the one I had looked at thanks for giving me the link. Do you like them?

And where did you find the ones for pets?

[PyrateSilly]

"It is odd to have towels that must be patted against the skin instead of wiped."

If you go by the skin care "experts" then you should always pat dry and not wipe dry. Supposedly you dry your skin out by wiping dry instead of patting.

[JimBollman]

No silver, but we wanted fast drying microfiber towels for our last trip and looked everywhere for them at a reasonable price. Finally found them in the pet department for drying large dogs. Very reasonable, less than $10 each and they worked great. We found some smaller ones for car use that we now use for hand towels.

They are a bit strange to dry with, as EMD mentioned. They stick to you if you rub but they dry you fast if you pat yourself down.

Jim...

[EMD360]

weebeemee wrote:
Someone posted a site that carried travel towels with silver. Would you please post that link again? Thanks so much for all the wonderful tips.

I bought a set from Discovery Trekking. We use them in the RV but don't take showers with them. It is odd to have towels that must be patted against the skin instead of wiped. I like the hand towels for absorbing excess sweat during our hikes though.

[GizmosMom]

Not sure if this is the same travel towel with silver but Here is one anyway

[weebeemee]

Someone posted a site that carried travel towels with silver. Would you please post that link again? Thanks so much for all the wonderful tips.

[Dakzuki]

Bottle opener mounted to outside of RV. Starr makes a nice stainless one. Available on Amazon.

[PGR_Skye]

To keep the rolling pantry shelves from pushing out and opening the door to it while traveling in our 5th wheel, I used a regular C clamp to hold it to the track so it couldn't move. The previous owner of the coach we just bought used a slide type door latch. They mounted it so it could be slid down into a slot they cut in the bottom of the pantry before traveling and it works like a dream.