Talk to your tattoo artist about how long it's best to wait. Generally, though, you can shower within the first 24 hours after getting your new ink. Waiting 2 days gives your skin more time to form a barrier over the tattoo. Hot water can make your tattoo sting, so it's best to avoid it. Hot water too soon after getting a tattoo can also make you lose color from your tattoo, as it opens your pores, so it's best to avoid it. Try running cold water on the tattoo for 30 seconds at the end of your shower to tighten your pores. Don't use a hard spray on your tattoo, as it can irritate it. If you only have a shower head with a heavy spray, let the water run over the tattoo indirectly. You can also use a clean cup or your hand to pour a gentle stream of water over your tattoo. Any mild soap will do, including bar soap or liquid hand soap. You can use antibacterial soap if you prefer. Lather the soap in your hands, then apply it to the tattoo.  Just rub it in gently with your fingers. Avoid using loofahs and sponges until the tattoo heals, as they can carry bacteria. Your tattoo will likely have dried blood and other debris on it, which you need to remove. However, you should not scrub it, as that can irritate it. Once you rub the soap into your tattoo, pour water over it to rinse the soap off. If you need to, use your fingers to gently rub the soap off under the water. Hop out of the shower quickly. When in the shower, your tattoo comes in contact with steam, water, and soap. That can be painful and irritating for your tattoo, so avoid staying in the shower too long. Also, try to keep your tattoo out from under running water when washing the rest of your body for at least a week. Don't rub the tattoo with the towel, as that could irritate it. Simply dab at the tattoo gently, until it's dry. You may notice a little bit of blood, which is fine. You can use paper towels if you don't have a newly cleaned towel on hand or if your usual bath towel leaves fibers on your skin. Dirty towels can introduce bacteria.

Summary: Wait up to 24 hours to shower. Use lukewarm water. Turn the spray to gentle or keep your tattoo out of the spray. Use your hands to apply a mild, unscented soap to your tattoo. Rinse the tattoo off gently with water. Pat the tattoo dry with a clean, soft towel.


Drill holes into the sides and bottom of the bucket. The holes need to be big enough to allow water to flow through, but small enough to ensure that the crabs cannot escape.  Alternatively, you can buy a specially designed wooden box to store the crabs in. This method is ideal if you live near the water where the crabs were caught. If not, use the cooler method to store the crabs. Go to your local hardware store and buy wire mesh. Take your mesh and bend it over the top of the five-gallon bucket. Staple the sides of the mesh, that overlap the top of the bucket, to the sides of the bucket.  When you buy the mesh, the dimensions should be at least one inch larger than the size of your bucket. Use a heavy duty staple gun to fasten the mesh to the sides of the bucket. If you are storing live blue crabs in the water, you will need to feed them. Adult blue crabs will eat oysters, hard clams, dead or live fish, crabs (including blue crabs), shrimp, organic debris, aquatic plants, and the leaves and shoots of sea lettuce, eelgrass, salt marsh grass, and ditch grass. Keep the crabs cool and moist in a cooler or bushel basket. The optimal temperature is about 50 degrees fahrenheit. Any temperatures colder than that can kill the crabs. Do not refrigerate them. Because the temperatures in a refrigerator are too cold, refrigeration will kill blue crabs. Chilled crabs will be in a dormant state and can appear to be dead. Before cooking, let the crabs warm to room temperature. The crabs will become animated once they are room temperature. This way you can tell which crabs are alive and which crabs are dead. Never cook dead crabs.

Summary: Buy a standard five-gallon bucket. Place a mesh lid on top. Feed them once or twice per day. Keep them cool. Allow crabs to warm to room temperature before cooking.


Pineapples do not need to be refrigerated for the first few days you have them at home.  In fact, if you intend to eat your pineapple within a day or two of purchasing it, feel free to just store it on your counter.  Keep an eye on your pineapple to make sure it doesn’t begin to exhibit signs of deterioration as it sits. It is recommended that you purchase your pineapple on the same day you intend to eat it so as to avoid deterioration. If you would like to prolong the life of your pineapple for a few more days, you can keep it in your refrigerator.  Remember, pineapples do not have a significant shelf life even when refrigerated so it is recommended that you eat your pineapple within 3-5 days even when using this method.  Wrap the pineapple in plastic before placing it in the refrigerator. Check the pineapple each day for signs of deterioration. You can prolong the life of your pineapple by another day or two beyond simply refrigerating it by slicing it first.  It can be more difficult to know if your pineapple has begun to deteriorate once it is sliced, so it is recommended that you eat the pineapple within 6 days of purchase even using this method.  Use a serrated knife to cut off the top of the pineapple off, then slice off each of the sides. Once you have the outer portion of the pineapple removed, slice it to a thickness of your liking, then use a cookie cutter or knife to remove the core from the center of the slices. Store your pineapple slices in an airtight container like Tupperware to maximize its lifespan.
Summary: Store the pineapple on your counter. Refrigerate your pineapple whole. Refrigerate sliced pineapple.