Don't Use As Directed

[albionmoonlight]

This is one of those random thought threads that might go nowhere. This morning, while getting ready for work, I noticed that the box of Q-Tips said that they were not to be placed in the ear canal. And that to clean your ears, you should gently swab the outside. (I get the eardrum-damage-lawsuit-avoidance reasons they have to say that).

That got me thinking. I would estimate that almost everyone who uses Q-Tips uses them "incorrectly." They do put them in their ear canal, despite being told they should not.

Which got me thinking further--which products or services do people use where the vast majority of use is not officially encouraged (or even officially discouraged) by the manufacturer?

[Logan]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

This is one of those random thought threads that might go nowhere. This morning, while getting ready for work, I noticed that the box of Q-Tips said that they were not to be placed in the ear canal. And that to clean your ears, you should gently swab the outside. (I get the eardrum-damage-lawsuit-avoidance reasons they have to say that).

That got me thinking. I would estimate that almost everyone who uses Q-Tips uses them "incorrectly." They do put them in their ear canal, despite being told they should not.

Which got me thinking further--which products or services do people use where the vast majority of use is not officially encouraged (or even officially discouraged) by the manufacturer?

Phillies cigars.

[britrock88]

My thoughts went to all the diet-exercise programs that advise you to consult a doctor before undertaking, which surely rarely happens. Don't think that's a spot-on answer to your question, though.

[Butter]

Ladders that say "don't use this part as a step". Or in my case, "weight limit 250 pounds". Yeah, right.

[MizzouRah]

My wife puts them in her ear canal.. and I tell her that's not what they are made for, it just pushes the wax further into your ear drum. She doesn't listen...

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

My wife puts them in her ear canal.. and I tell her that's not what they are made for, it just pushes the wax further into your ear drum. She doesn't listen...

Too much wax in her ears to hear you.

[Buccaneer]

I don't repeat shampooing, just like they want you to use way too much toothpaste, there is no reason to use up shampoo 2x or 3x as fast. I guess that goes for any products which they encourage you not to be frugal.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

Too much wax in her ears to hear you.

[thesloppy]

Do not eat raw cookie dough.

[Vince, Pt. II]

This would have been an amazing I'm With Stupid question.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

Too much wax in her ears to hear you.

SI

[AENeuman]

I've always wondered how East Asians use q-tips

"If you would describe yourself as white or black, your earwax is probably yellow and sticky. If you are East Asian or Native American, it’s likely to be dry and white."

What your earwax says about your ancestry | Science News

[kcchief19]

Prilosec says it is for a 14-day treatment only but most acid reflux sufferers take it all the time. The 14-day treatment/warning is undermined by the fact that they sell both 28 and 42 day supplies.

[nol]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

This is one of those random thought threads that might go nowhere. This morning, while getting ready for work, I noticed that the box of Q-Tips said that they were not to be placed in the ear canal. And that to clean your ears, you should gently swab the outside. (I get the eardrum-damage-lawsuit-avoidance reasons they have to say that).

That got me thinking. I would estimate that almost everyone who uses Q-Tips uses them "incorrectly." They do put them in their ear canal, despite being told they should not.

Which got me thinking further--which products or services do people use where the vast majority of use is not officially encouraged (or even officially discouraged) by the manufacturer?

I've had this exact same thought inspired by Q-tips before. My second thought was also "use only for smoking tobacco" related.

I also get a kick out of Drake being an endorser for Sprite when he has been a pretty vocal proponent of using their product "incorrectly" by mixing it with promethazine-codeine cough syrup.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by kcchief19

Prilosec says it is for a 14-day treatment only but most acid reflux sufferers take it all the time. The 14-day treatment/warning is undermined by the fact that they sell both 28 and 42 day supplies.

I take it all the time. Is it bad to keep taking it?

[Neon_Chaos]

Originally Posted by AENeuman

I've always wondered how East Asians use q-tips

"If you would describe yourself as white or black, your earwax is probably yellow and sticky. If you are East Asian or Native American, it’s likely to be dry and white."

What your earwax says about your ancestry | Science News

We mostly use ear picks.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by nol

I've had this exact same thought inspired by Q-tips before. My second thought was also "use only for smoking tobacco" related.

.

Dried herbal vaporizer.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I take it all the time. Is it bad to keep taking it?

No it's fine. I take it too. Drs prescribe it all the time. You could add birth control pills to the same list. They can be taken back to back to back to prevent the monthly visitor. Sometimes insurance companies don't pay for all that, but it's completely safe to do. Again Drs have been prescribing it that way for years.

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I take it all the time. Is it bad to keep taking it?

Been taking it daily for 11 years now.

[timmae]

Not quite on point but relevant... With the holidays coming up I will have multiple opportunities to enjoy open faced raw ground beef sandwiches. Basically white bread topped with raw ground beef and raw onions. I will only grab some if the ground beef was recently pulled out of the fridge but I know relatives who will enjoy after the stuff has been sitting out for what seems like hours. Certainly the FDA would frown upon this activity.

[B & B]

Originally Posted by timmae

Not quite on point but relevant... With the holidays coming up I will have multiple opportunities to enjoy open faced raw ground beef sandwiches. Basically white bread topped with raw ground beef and raw onions. I will only grab some if the ground beef was recently pulled out of the fridge but I know relatives who will enjoy after the stuff has been sitting out for what seems like hours. Certainly the FDA would frown upon this activity.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by timmae

Not quite on point but relevant... With the holidays coming up I will have multiple opportunities to enjoy open faced raw ground beef sandwiches. Basically white bread topped with raw ground beef and raw onions. I will only grab some if the ground beef was recently pulled out of the fridge but I know relatives who will enjoy after the stuff has been sitting out for what seems like hours. Certainly the FDA would frown upon this activity.

That's nasty.

[weegeebored]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I take it all the time. Is it bad to keep taking it?

I think that it was earlier this year that there was a study (or maybe more than one) that indicated a possible heart risk when using Proton Pump Inhibitor meds. I took Dexilant (Kapidex) for years, and it's stronger than Prilosec. This year I've changed my diet (a little) and sleep with my head/neck/shoulders a little elevated and that has eased my dependence on PPIs. I tried to quit completely, but that didn't work. Using Prilosec now (cheaper and otc) but only about three times a week. I wouldn't have worried about taking it all the time until I read that article (I think at Science Daily?). More research is probably needed regarding the long-term effects.

[lighthousekeeper]

Pop Tart suggested serving size: 1 pastry.

[stevew]

Raw ground beef? That's nasty, unless you're grounding it yourself. I sorta understand Carpaccio, but ground beef, no way.