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		<updated>2026-05-24T06:36:20Z</updated>
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	<entry>
		<id>https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1715:_Household_Tips&amp;diff=124645</id>
		<title>1715: Household Tips</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1715:_Household_Tips&amp;diff=124645"/>
				<updated>2016-08-03T16:51:51Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Rivers: /* Explanation */&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{comic&lt;br /&gt;
| number    = 1715&lt;br /&gt;
| date      = August 3, 2016&lt;br /&gt;
| title     = Household Tips&lt;br /&gt;
| image     = household_tips.png&lt;br /&gt;
| titletext = To make your shoes feel more comfortable, smell better, and last longer, try taking them off before you shower.&lt;br /&gt;
}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Explanation==&lt;br /&gt;
This comic shows a person explaining many things one should already know and are likely already doing without needing to be told. This is a continuation of [[1567: Kitchen Tips]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Below is a table:&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
'''To conserve water try turning off your shower before leaving home''': Implies that the shower would &amp;quot;normally&amp;quot; be on at all times, which would be very wasteful, since any excess water (or if the bath tub plug is not in place or in a shower stall, all water) would be drained away. The [[what if?]] article &amp;quot;{{what if|91|Faucet Power}}&amp;quot; illustrates similar wasteful and destructive water use.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
'''Sick of changing those smoke detector batteries? Eliminate any fires in your home and the batteries can last for months or years!''': A smoke detector on standby consumes much less power than one constantly ringing, since standing by only requires that a detection circuit (which draws little current) be on and and an LED (which also consumes little power) flashes, while a buzzer used to sound the alarm uses much energy by comparison. Of course, keeping your house fire-free at (mostly) all times is an easy task.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
'''Tired of clogged toilets? Try leaving the lid on the upper chamber and use only the lower bowl!''': The upper chamber, or water bowl, delivers plain water to the lower bowl at speed to flush the latter. As such, the pipes that direct the water down are not wide enough for waste to pass.  There is typically a lid on the upper bowl because it isn't intended to be used, but access is occasionally needed to fix or replace the flushing mechanisms. The lower bowl, on the other hand, is the only one intended to receive solid waste or defecation and is connected to the plumbing by pipes wide enough for this purpose.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
'''Fresh air doesn't have to be expensive. Many windows can be slid up to create a temporary hole without the usual cost and cleanup!''': This suggests that the people he appeals to typically smash a window or smash holes in their walls to get fresh air, hence the expensive clean up. Alternatively this may refer to air fresheners sold in stores, which would cost money compared to opening a window and letting in fresh air from outdoors. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The title text talks about shoes lasting longer and being more comfortable when they are not worn into a shower. People typically remove all their clothing, including and/or especially shoes, when showering, so while it is certainly true that removing ones shoes before showering will allow them to last longer and stink less (since getting them wet without methods of getting them fully dry would produce malodorous molds), this is not in any way a novel idea.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Transcript==&lt;br /&gt;
{{incomplete transcript}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{comic discussion}}&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Rivers</name></author>	</entry>

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