This past weekend I drove from Los Angeles to Tucson via Interstate-10, and took to noticing the names of the various ditches and washes that are spanned by the highway out in the middle of the high lonesome desert. There are a lot of them. Ghost Ditch, Taro Ditch, Larry Ditch, Stubby Wash, Fornat Wash, Itta Wash, Edom, Mccoy, Rollie, Bula, Sutro, Calotus, Esso, Arco, Teed, Turala, maybe a hundred between the ditches and the washes. The names don't seem to refer to nearby municipalities (there aren't any) or other geographical features, and are clearly part of the National Bridge Inventory. How were these 'waterways' named? Who named them? Were they named before the freeway required infrastructure to pass over them, or during the construction process, or when the NBI was implemented, or after the fact altogether?
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posted by carsonb
on May 14, 2013 -
7 answers
Does anyone know why so many of the car washes in New York City (all boroughs) are open for 24 hours?
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posted by RajahKing
on Apr 3, 2013 -
16 answers
I have cotton napkins, some 100 percent, some 65 percent. And it says on the label to wash them in cold.
I want to make sure that when my child puts the napkin to her mouth that the napkin is sanitary. But I'm wondering if washing them in cold takes all the microbes out. I'm not only talking about the food, but what about my wash machine which may have just washed our family underpants. Is this common practice? Or am I missing something? Am I supposed to be washing the napkins in a bucket instead?
I wanted the convenience of washing in the washing machine, but if that is not sanitary I will do the bucket. Also, if I can do it in the machine, should I do it in warm to make sure microbes are gone? Or is cold best? Also, should I line dry or do it in the dryer.
Thanks in advance for your help.
posted by lynnie-the-pooh
on Jan 24, 2013 -
29 answers
Kitchen Cleaning Gurus of MiFi: What's the best way to clean 1) oily gunk from between the handle and the netting of my all-metal spider, 2) a colander/strainer? Tips and tricks requested!
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posted by Diablevert
on Jan 21, 2013 -
7 answers
How can I minimize the number of wool thermals I need for everyday use in the cold, and for exercise out in the cold?
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posted by garlic
on Jan 5, 2013 -
19 answers
I've got a handmade all-cotton knot-style quilt that was made by my mother. Since she has passed away, this is of course a very precious item to me, and I don't want to do anything to damage it. It is, however, in desperate need of a wash. Is this something I can just throw in the machine? Is there anything I should be wary or warned of? This is something I'd love to ask my mom's advice on, but, ha ha! Added difficulty level: I live in New York and send my laundry out.
posted by whitneyarner
on Nov 24, 2012 -
15 answers
After having my car washed and vacuumed on the weekend, I noticed one of the floor mats is gone. Car wash says they don't have it. Should I just get over it or can I expect them to replace it, and if so, what exactly should I do next?
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posted by Shal
on Apr 30, 2012 -
7 answers
We have no water pressure and may be without it for some time, which makes showering difficult. What can we do about this? By which I mean (a) what can we do to get our water pressure back, and, in the meantime, (b) what are some tips and tricks to keeping clean without a working shower?
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posted by grumblebee
on Dec 16, 2011 -
35 answers
I've just begun to research the possibility of using a lime wash that is either already tinted or adding a separate powdered tint as a possible eco-friendly method for coloring my walls but there is surprisingly little on the internet about it. Mostly, I'm looking for people's personal experiences with using lime and tint. If they liked it, how did they apply it, drawbacks and advantages, etc.
posted by zagyzebra
on Oct 25, 2011 -
5 answers
Why does our kitten believe that dirty clothes hampers and toilets are one and the same?
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posted by item
on Jul 21, 2011 -
30 answers
How should I wash or clean these garments? - a silk Tibetan shirt, a lambswool cardigan, a guernsey wool jumper, raw denim jeans
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posted by Not Supplied
on Jun 18, 2011 -
16 answers
Is there any hard evidence that washing your car is better for the finish than not washing your car? Isn't washing hard on the finish? Wouldn't a coat of dust protect the surface from sun damage? I think you can see where I'm coming from here.
posted by markcmyers
on Feb 21, 2011 -
31 answers
Has anyone had success in reducing the number of acne/face cleansing products they use?
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posted by Loto
on Dec 14, 2010 -
35 answers
Can I wash my suede
gym shoes? I ruined an old pair of the same model previously in the washing machine in a last effort to salvage them so this time around I am looking at hand washing.
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posted by dino terror
on Aug 28, 2010 -
5 answers
Is there a way to automate wash sale accounting/schedule D preparation for a very active investor?
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posted by de void
on Jul 14, 2010 -
4 answers
Which part of my mattress cover am I supposed to wash? Do I unzip it and just wash the "cloth" part, or do I also wash the plastic lining?
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posted by infinitywaltz
on Apr 4, 2010 -
1 answer
So my Nivea Energizing Face Scrub has been plasticizing the ocean. This won't do. Can you recommend a greener (yet still exfoliating) alternative for men with "average" skin?
posted by entropicamericana
on Dec 29, 2009 -
21 answers
I was sick all weekend. I brought some dayquil to work with me in my backpack...along with my eeepc 1000he....
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posted by AltReality
on Dec 16, 2009 -
6 answers
What is the best way to soften up a hockey jersey to make it comfortable to wear without ruining its appearance?
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posted by Silvertree
on Dec 14, 2009 -
9 answers
ScentFilter: I love the smell of Caress's Moroccan body wash. Help me find a similar scent in perfume form!
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posted by pghjezebel
on Oct 7, 2009 -
5 answers
StainFilter: So, I've seen plenty of questions about getting wax off clothing, but what about the dark stain it leaves behind?
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posted by kmtiszen
on Apr 28, 2009 -
10 answers
I just bought a pair of jeans that are almost perfect – except they have that "wrinkled cloth" effect around the front pockets. Is there any way to remove that without having to iron it every time?
posted by roger ackroyd
on Feb 21, 2009 -
10 answers
Found: 100% acrylic (super cute, made in USA) winter hat on the (mostly abandoned) street in 20ºF weather (on New Year's Day). I washed it. Can I wear it?
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posted by cachondeo45
on Jan 3, 2009 -
24 answers
My daughter has a stuffed kitten ("soft kitty") and lo, the whiteness and furriness of it is surpassing. When I washed its predecessor ("matted kitty") its fur became less-white and the fibres less separate. How can I wash the new one (whose odor doth verily surpass an outhouse) while retaining its new appearance?
The fur is synthetic and the animal is a white "Animal Alley" kitten, if that helps.
posted by Joe in Australia
on Dec 15, 2007 -
19 answers
I find it hard to find a duvet cover that I like, and now that I've finally found
this one, I'm dubious because it says dry clean. How can this be? Who dry cleans their linen? Is this common? Is this a subculture I've just blissfully been unaware of my entire adult life? Or are the manufacturers being overcautious and you can just shove it in with your regular wash?
posted by russmail
on Sep 23, 2007 -
18 answers
Today I washed my car at one of those touch less car washes that you just drop money into and drive in. This particular one was a
Laserwash
There was a maintenance man in one of the bays with a company truck. I watched him point a remote control at the exit of the wash and initiate a car wash two different times for testing purposes, I assume.
My question is, if I had the code and it was an IR remote is it possible to program a universal remote to send that code and activate the carwash in the same manner? Searching Google for Laserwash codes didn't help me much.
posted by tradeer33
on Aug 29, 2007 -
16 answers
Does anyone know of a good full service laundromat in Quincy or Milton in Massachusetts?
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posted by pikaboy202
on Jul 25, 2007 -
0 answers
