They’re tips! For your fingers! Some call them…Finger-Tips! (Name credits to Grace Carsello)
Here’s a problem I often encounter, and see other people struggling with. When I am eating Cheetos or any chip with a lot of ‘chip’ dust’ (aka flavor), I end up getting it all over my fingers. This can also happen with those ice cream sandwiches that have soft chocolate cookies.
Now, you can just lick it off. And to be honest, when I am at home, this is what I do. However, in public, I don’t feel comfortable licking my fingers for two reasons: I would probably start laughing because something about licking your own fingers is funny to me, and second, obviously hygiene.
There must be a solution to this! After all, there are a lot of times when this problem can happen. Not only Cheetos but also Nacho Cheese Doritos, Cool Ranch Doritos, Garden Salsa SunChips, Chili Cheese Fritos, Ruffles Smokehouse Style BBQ, Funyuns, Lays Classic Potato Chips, Ruffles or Lays Cheddar and Sour Cream Chips, Pringles Salt and Vinegar Chips (if I missed any, please let me know in the comments, I did extensive research on this.) Not getting all of the chip dust off your fingers could have a few unpleasant effects. If you go to read a book afterward, little orange marks will get left on the pages (book idea credit to Ashley Chen). Also, it just feels nasty and sticky. Not even to mention, it could be dangerous. If you eat Takis or Flammin’ Hot Cheetos, then you get an itch in your eye…you’re done for.
So, I was surfing the internet to see if there was already a product out there that addresses this issue. To no surprise, there is. They are called Chip Fingers… I don’t know about them. I like how their design covers all areas of the finger that could possibly come into contact with the chip. Also, it looks like they are easy to take on and off. But for $17.99?!?! I don’t think so. This is a DIY blog anyways, so keep reading to have your life changed.
This is quite a simple project. It is economical, efficient, and for the most part environmentally friendly. So, if you have never seen someone getting their gel nail polish removed, it looks like this:
Now that I think about it, this seems like more of a life hack than a DIY, but the point still stands. Basically, you cut a 6×3-inch rectangle of aluminum foil. Then, length-wise, you cut that into three two-inch pieces. Once you have those, wrap them around your thumb, pointer finger, and middle finger on whichever hand you will be using for the chips. Now, you have your Finger-Tips™ and a hassle-free eating experience!
You can get 75 Sq Ft of aluminum foil for as low as $4. This comes in a 12×900-inch roll! That means, according to the Finger-Tip™ creation process, you will be able to eat any chip or ice cream sandwich 900 times before you need to invest in another roll of aluminum foil. Just make sure to recycle them when you’re done.
Hi Kaetlyn,
I admire your creativity in thinking of these niche yet solvable issues. Reading your blog, I found myself laughing along (I particularly enjoyed your drawings, very cute :)). Additionally, I like that your inventions are all DIY- it would be easy to suggest the usage of expensive tools like 3D printers or laser cutters, but the DIY lens gives your blog a smaller scope that lets your creativity shine through.
I’m always excited to hear about your next invention idea and can’t help but want to solve it/brainstorm more ideas myself. I tend to get excited like this; I think I get the trait from my mom. I can’t mention an issue without her doggedly producing multiple plans of action (seems like a blessing but can also be a curse). I’ll try not to bombard you.
Maybe in the future you could do a product review/ranking of all your ideas, or perhaps a more in-depth review of a specific one (maybe you could make it!)
Overall, this is a very cute and outside-the-box concept and I am excited to see what you will come up with next!
Kaetlyn, thank you for your dedication and service to not only our nation, but our great planet. Getting Cheeto dust on my hands in school has always been one of my greatest philosophical dilemmas. Do I (A) get up, go all the way to the bathroom, wash my hands, dry my hands, walk all the way back to the lunch table, and sit down? Or do I (B) embarrass myself in front of the unusual number of freshmen that sit in the LC during lunch and literally stick my fingers in my mouth? Thanks! I’ll pick the first one. But with Finger-Tips, I wouldn’t have to, and that’s the beauty of your invention. Honestly, I admire whoever decided to sell Chip Fingers for almost 20 dollars. That takes courage, and I bet somebody bought them so there was probably profit. Though, using aluminum foil is the most obvious choice. It’s flexible, cheap, and anyone would look a whole lot cooler with reflective fingers. I love how your blog takes such a casual topic but dives deeply into it. I never thought the Cheeto dust issue was one that people would take time to solve but I think you’ve opened up my eyes to the potential of pointless inventions for the world’s tiniest problems.
I’m not going to lie, I had no idea what your blog was about prior to reading this. It’s safe to say this was a pleasant surprise though a surprise nonetheless.
I don’t think I’ll ever end up using your DIY invention because while I recognize the issue I a) don’t mind it that much because I usually wash my hands after getting them sticky/crumby/powdery and b) would probably use a spoon or something if it mattered that much. However, despite not really understanding the point of this invention, I loved your post!
Your blog’s tone is very different from the other ones I have read and commented on so far. I’m a fan. I loved reading this, it didn’t tug on my heart strings or give me any incredibly deep insight into life or identity or anything like that, but that’s not what you were going for. This post did what you were going for perfectly–I laughed at the style and felt like I was sitting right next to you while you thought this up.
After reading this post, I’ve added your blog to my short list of ones I’ll keep up with weekly. Thanks for sharing!