r/howto • • Jan 12 '26

Serious Answers Only How to get my airpods out of under the stairs

Thumbnail
gallery
6.3k Upvotes

Hi everyone, in my apartment complex, there’s just staircase that I always hoped I would never drop anything down because it appears impossible to get something out but today I dropped my AirPods down there. How would you recommend me to get them out? Maybe a long stick and a piece of duct tape at the bottom?

I already submitted a work order to maintenance, but they have a few flooding emergencies going on right now. Thank you!

r/howto • • Feb 24 '26

Serious Answers Only How to stop hot pocket from blowing its brains out in the microwave?

Post image
2.0k Upvotes

r/howto • • Sep 10 '26

Serious Answers Only How to cook fried rice without my pan looking like this at the end?

Post image
887 Upvotes

r/howto • • Jul 21 '26

Serious Answers Only This eyesore weighs about 600+ lbs, how would one go about getting this out of my yard ?

Thumbnail
gallery
496 Upvotes

r/howto • • Sep 15 '26

Serious Answers Only Get the RC plane out of the tree

Post image
301 Upvotes

It’s like 40 feet up…my aim has not been good enough

r/howto • • Sep 26 '26

Serious Answers Only How to rescue Wally/Waldo?

Thumbnail
gallery
1.1k Upvotes

Out of all the pieces it’s Wally/Waldo who is stuck in the gap of the tube of this Find It game. He won’t budge. Can anyone think of how I can un-wedge him? I don’t think the caps can come off without snapping the outer tube.
I already tried putting it in the freezer lol

r/howto • • 12d ago

Serious Answers Only How to clean and sell my most expensive poor decision

Thumbnail
gallery
660 Upvotes

Please be kind.

In March of last year, I ended an unhealthy relationship of 9 years and moved into my mom's extra room. Someone I knew lived in an RV and they said it was really cost effective, and cheaper than having to rent a room or apartment. So, foolishly, I bought this RV to live in.

Then I fell into a severe depressive episode. I lost my job and was barely keeping myself alive. I fell hard into addiction and it was just a whole mess.

During this time I neglected doing any maintenance on the RV. I haven't cleaned it once. There were a few small voids I never got around to recaulking. I just abandoned it fully.

I got sober in March, moved out in August and finally got a job last month. Now I finally have some capacity to address this incredibly expensive, awful decision.

I've realized RV living is just not for me so I just want to sell it. However, I've never tried to sell anything like this before and I don't know how screwed I am. I assume the value has gone down a fair bit. I don't know the best way to clean it, how to check the condition, etc. I don't even have a truck to tow it... I truly did not think it through.

It's a 2020 Jayco EAGLE HT, I bought it for 27,900. I was able to pay for it in full up front because my ex bought me out of my half of our house equity. I know, I know, I was in a really lucky position to have that kind of money and then I went and made a really fucking bad financial decision. I was not in a rational, grounded state of mind. It was a rough time.

Here's the JD power page for this specific model:

https://www.jdpower.com/rvs/2020/jayco/m-264-bhok/6590045/specs

The interior is perfectly fine, I've only been inside a few times while I've had it, otherwise everything has been kept closed. The owners before me also only used it a few times before selling it so it's barely used. I bought a brand new battery for it since the one it came with died.

Any help or guidance for where to start would be highly appreciated. Again, please be kind. I already know I fucked up. I'm just trying to salvage what I can from the situation.

r/howto • • Jul 11 '26

Serious Answers Only how would someone preserve this snap pea? we think it’s just so cute and want to seal it up and keep it forever. is there any way?

Post image
759 Upvotes

my mom wants to figure out how to seal it up and preserve it to give it to their partner. thanks so much. Google didn’t understand when I asked it how to preserve vegetable it thought I was talking about canned food.

r/howto • • Sep 25 '26

Serious Answers Only How to fix this ceramic bowl in a food safe way? I dont cook in this bowl, just use it to hold already cooked food or salads.

Post image
212 Upvotes

r/howto • • Jun 09 '26

Serious Answers Only Remove the stank after a smelly person entered the room?

534 Upvotes

Wish I was joking.

I had a maintenance guy from my building have to come check something - he was here for literally maybe only 2 minutes.

His smell was disgusting

His stank is stuck here an hour later.

I've opened windows, lit a candle and used room spray and there is still some lingering smell

*UPDATE*

This dude came back and re-stunk the place, so now I have another How-To

How To nicely tell this dude / the building that his smell is disgusting and to never send him to my unit again?

r/howto • • Jul 09 '26

Serious Answers Only How do i dig another 2 feet

Thumbnail
gallery
227 Upvotes

I have to dig another 2 feet and excavate this whole area so i can fix a sewage pipe current progress has taken me 10 hours , at the very bottom there are tons of small and large rocks and mud and i cant get egnough leverage with my tools , i am worried i cant finish this job . And i can only use these tools, what should i do

r/howto • • Mar 28 '26

Serious Answers Only How to secure this elevator door that opens straight into my house with keyless solutions?

Thumbnail
gallery
494 Upvotes

A little context,

On my floor, of the building I live at, the elevator opens straight into the house. It is an old elevator, has a channel grill inside the cabin and wooden door with auto close mechanic. This lift can be accessed by anyone from the lobby and I would like to secure this path. The lift has physical buttons and does not have the keycode access to a floor or RFID or a smart tech of any sorts.

I am looking for a way to add some sort of lock on the elevator door that can only be opened with keyless options like biometric or key code. That way family members only can exit from the elevator of that floor.

The idea is only people with biometric or with keycode can exit the elevator on that floor.

Unfortunately, at this time, I cannot setup the elevator in a way that it doesn’t go to that floor should you not have the authentication.

So, I would love for y’all to suggest potential solutions to this security problem.

Thank you for reading and thank you in advanced for all your help :) Much appreciated

(Attached photos of the elevator’s)

r/howto • • Aug 13 '26

Serious Answers Only How to take this out 🪇 without breaking my soundbar??

Post image
158 Upvotes

My baby put this shaker🪇 inside subwoofer (Sony HT-S40R Real 5.1ch Dolby Audio Soundbar). Any way to take it out without breaking it.

Update: shaker removed from subwoofer(just two forks and some gravity)

r/howto • • Jun 30 '26

Serious Answers Only How to dispose thousands of 35mm photos

250 Upvotes

Hi All!
I inherited thousands of 35mm photos. When I say thousands, I mean 10 40 gallon storage tubs full. My mother got into developing her own photos and photography in general so she took pictures of every thing. There are some family photos in the mix but vast majority of pictures of people I do not know. Only good part about filtering through them all is they are from the 80”s but it is a chore.
I may digitize some but the vast majority can be disposed of in my mind. Problem is how? I am superstitious about dumping them in the trash and feel I need to thoughtful with the enviroment .
All suggestions are welcomed and my thanks in advance.

r/howto • • Oct 19 '25

Serious Answers Only How do I untie these strings?

Post image
703 Upvotes

I would search this sub but I don’t even know what to call this type of tie. It’s on a bag of cat litter and so far me and my partner just tear these off with scissors. I know there is a knack to undoing these but I for the life of me can’t figure it out.

r/howto • • Sep 20 '25

Serious Answers Only Puppy barfed(?) on the hardwood floor last year, still looks like this. How to remove it?

Post image
597 Upvotes

At least I think it was barf, it’s almost like the wood was bleached.

r/howto • • 11d ago

Serious Answers Only how to remove brown recluse eggs (plz read caption)

Thumbnail
gallery
122 Upvotes

im aware of what it means and the risks that come with a brown recluse population in the home.
im entomophobic, this has been a traincar of a pill to swallow.

the ones in the second photo have been there for a very long time, i couldn’t bring myself to look up what specific species left them when i first moved in (5 years ago)

i gained the courage last week, ive been tending to other possible hiding spots, now i just need logical and rational reassurance as to how to go forward with removing these without flailing the f out

thank you for any help

r/howto • • Aug 29 '26

Serious Answers Only HELP Blazer wa put in the Wash

Thumbnail
gallery
319 Upvotes

My fiance but his MK blazer in the wash on heavy load (high spin and hot water). I had told him previously you can't wash suits last year... he said he forgot... but is there any way to save this blazer? It's only been put in the wash, I was the one to find t in the load before putting the other in the dryer. (The regular clothes) it's still wet, but i fear there is no hope... please prove me wrong

r/howto • • May 15 '26

Serious Answers Only How to cover the gap?

Post image
294 Upvotes

I have two glass doors for the shower that open more than 90° (left door both ways, right door to the outside). Everytime I shower, water spills out through the gap. I need your help knowing how I can cover the gap in a renter-friendly way! Thank you.

r/howto • • Nov 04 '25

Serious Answers Only How do I stop get so many spam calls. Please help

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

337 Upvotes

This is all from today. I signed up for health insurance and now I want to scream. Help😭

r/howto • • Jul 12 '26

Serious Answers Only How do I get rid of fruit flies? [read description]

Post image
204 Upvotes

I live in India. It’s an open kitchen concept and also has a balcony. Since a few weeks, fruit flies are increasing in the kitchen. I tried that apple cider vinegar and dish soap trick but it is not working at all. I have ordered some nets for my fruits. But apart from that, a lot of them are near the sink and water purifier. I have cleaned the sink and the drain several times with drain cleaner. We also got our water purifier replaced yesterday but the flies are sitting on the tap of the brand new one now. Please help. (Image is from the Internet)

r/howto • • Jun 18 '26

Serious Answers Only Picked up sister’s personal effects from the morgue - how to get rid of the smell

540 Upvotes

My sister passed away unexpectedly last week. My parents went to see her yesterday at the morgue and gather some of the personal items she had on her.

They gave me the jewelry she was wearing. It’s currently in the plastic bag they gave my parents, which I’m sure isn’t helping with the smell.

I need to know a safe way to clean her jewelry and get rid of the smell. Her jewelry was not real, or at best there is some sterling silver-I’m pretty sure almost all of it was plated. I just want to be able to clean it throughly without tarnishing it.

TIA

r/howto • • Aug 04 '26

Serious Answers Only Unstick these glass bowls

Thumbnail
gallery
149 Upvotes

My friend borrowed these bowls and returned them stuck together. I’ve tried oil and the hot (exterior bowl) and cold (interior bowl) techniques. The thing that makes it extra tricky is the band around the top of the clear one. Thank you!

r/howto • • Apr 28 '26

Serious Answers Only Removing these stains from hats?

Post image
263 Upvotes

r/howto • • Nov 19 '25

Serious Answers Only What could be causing 70 year old original hardwood floors to suddenly pitch when we can't find any water? More info in body.

Thumbnail
gallery
345 Upvotes

These are the original hardwood floors from the 1940s. Tenant reported flooring issues a few months after moving in. 3 contractors nor I can find any water leaking from inside the home or under the conventional foundation. My guy somehow pins the flooring back down. It begins to pitch again in this room PLUS in another area that's 20 feet away. We install large fans under the house to give more airflow. I have put my finger under the pitch of that floor, and there is no wetness. Tenants have now moved out, and there's a giant dehumidifier in the home that fills itself up and shuts itself off within 24 hours. I'm about to lose my mind, so can anybody give me any insight?

Next-door neighbor built a privacy fence that had never been there, and I'm wondering if that would restrict airflow and cause this problem to my house, which is maybe 20-30 feet away. Surely not, right?

Cross posted.