FHB Logo Facebook LinkedIn Email Pinterest Twitter X Instagram Tiktok YouTube Plus Icon Close Icon Navigation Search Icon Navigation Search Icon Arrow Down Icon Video Guide Icon Article Guide Icon Modal Close Icon Guide Search Icon Skip to content
Subscribe
Log In
  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Restoration
  • Videos
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House
  • Podcast
Log In

Discussion Forum

Discussion Forum

this is so cool I gotta share it……..

| Posted in General Discussion on May 16, 2000 06:35am

*
If you drive alot of screws take a 35ml. film can, stuff it with toilet flange wax and attach it to your tool belt with a plastic cable ty. It will always be handy and those waxed screws zip in so nicley.

Reply
  • X
  • facebook
  • linkedin
  • pinterest
  • email
  • add to favorites Log in or Sign up to save your favorite articles

Replies

  1. blue_eyed_devil_ | Mar 04, 2000 01:08pm | #1

    *
    Good tip. But why toilet flange wax? Don't you get tired of unbolting the toilets every day?

    blue

    1. Luka_ | Mar 05, 2000 12:48am | #2

      *I would figure that at least its a mite less painful than using ear wax. Probably a bit faster too. Specially when you run out, and have to be sticking the screws in other people's ears. Really bad when the floor is only half done and you have to chase down the neighborhood cats and dogs.

      1. Flesh_And_Wine | Mar 05, 2000 03:44am | #3

        *I imagine because it's cheaper than the "lavender-scented beeswax" sold through personal ads in FWW.

        1. James_DuHamel | Mar 05, 2000 11:30am | #4

          *It is actually bees wax, with an additive to make it remain "soft".Bees wax is the best lubricant for screws, and this is a pretty good tip. But... why not just leave the toilet gasket in the plastic cover that it comes in? Whenever I have to shoot 20 or so screws, I just stick them in the wax, and pull then out and drive them as needed. For major screw driving applications, I use a Quik Driver, and I stick the roll of screws into the wax (it's in a round container, so the screws fit well). When I need them, I pull the roll out, install in the gun, and drive them in. Works for me anyway...James DuHamel

          1. Luka_ | Mar 05, 2000 09:57pm | #5

            *I likes them tips. Matter of fact the tips were what had me buying more than just the first copy of fine homebuilding and fine woodworking. I would like to see more tips here.I just wanted to say that I appreciate the tip, and what I said earlier was just a bit of job-site fun. It was not intended in any way to be at anyone's expense. I hope my comments do not make Allen or anyone else think twice about posting other hints.I actualy have a serious question reference this tip. I can see that the wax makes the screw go in faster, maybe easier, but wouldn't it also make the screw come back out faster and easier ? I mean, it's not like glue, which will harden and grip over time, the wax will simply sit there and continue to lubricate the threads as they try to back out over time, as all screws seem to do, right ?

          2. allen_schell | Mar 06, 2000 05:49am | #6

            *Luka, I have to admit..... you got me stumped about the screw I/wax backing out. My gut feeling is that no matter how slippery a screw is it will require something turning it to back it out, but then I don't hold a degree in waxology. It's an enigma to me. I posted another question on this subject...... lets see what the cerebral giants of carpentry say.

          3. Joe_Hennessey | Mar 06, 2000 06:18pm | #7

            *Along the same line (sorta) what the hell makes light bulbs unscrew themselves? Joe H

          4. allen_schell | Mar 06, 2000 11:21pm | #8

            *well joe thats an easy one, bulbs get hot and cold....hence movement enough to loosen them up. What do ya think?

          5. Joe_Hennessey | Mar 07, 2000 03:32am | #9

            *Allen, I suspect it is nothing more than that, but I had hoped for something more mysterious than simple physics. Like gremlins or something? Joe H

          6. jim_"crazy_legs"_blodg | Mar 08, 2000 06:36am | #10

            *...could be the rotation of the earth...the base of the bulb is metal, right? So it gets attracted to the magnetic North pole (not the same as "grid north" - you have to consult the declination diagram)...anyway, the base of the bulb gets held by magnetic north, and the earth turns the fixture off of the bulb...they have just the reverse problem south of the equater, where bulbs over tighten themselves. I think.

          7. Joe_Hennessey | Mar 08, 2000 06:59am | #11

            *Jim, that's a lot more like what I had in mind. Something unexplainable but believable. Joe H

          8. Ken_Drake | Mar 08, 2000 12:24pm | #12

            *I believe that Jim's theory is correct. The combined forces of the earth's rotation along with magnetic attraction is responsible for all lightbulbs to eventually unscrew themselves from their sockets, north of the equator.As he also suggests, south of the equator, the lightbulbs have a tendency to over tighten, and it is common practice to put a thin layer of bees wax on the bulb threads when screwing in a new bulb. When the bulb needs to be changed, the bees wax makes it possible to back it out.People living on the line of the equator experience neither of the above problems. Their lightbulbs never loosen nor tighten over time, something that they take great pride in.

          9. Mike_Smith | Mar 08, 2000 03:14pm | #13

            *....well this discourse is enough to renew my faith in scientific methodology...i took your advice and started recycling the toilet bowl rings for our deck construction...now the guys won't sit near me at break time..what's up with that?hwo cum your screws back out? ya must have that phantom unscrewer lurkin about your jobsite?never seen a screw back out.. seen em fall out..like in particle board or split wood..do you have to stay up late to catch em backin out?do ya screw em in and cum back the next day and they're ALL backed out or just the ones near the couch?you guys have got me worried .. should i go back and check all my jobs?b inquiring minds want to know..

          10. Steve_Weeks | Mar 08, 2000 04:42pm | #14

            *Allen,Send your tip to The Family Handyman magazine. They pay $100 for every one they publish, and you wouldn't believe the lame stuff that gets in there. You'd be a shoo-in.

          11. Jim_Lovatt | Mar 08, 2000 09:32pm | #15

            *Nah, you guys are AFU. The screws hold the lite base in place. Its the strong magnetic pull of the moon that causes the bulb to imperceptibly loosen each day... Lite bulbs used south of the equator have reversed threads, otherwise they would become so tight as to be impossible to remove.

          12. jim_"crazy_legs"_blodg | Mar 08, 2000 11:17pm | #16

            *Hey! That must be where the expression "things are screwed up" comes from...the heads of the screws are "up" from where they were! I love this board!

          13. allen_schell | Mar 09, 2000 04:27am | #17

            *Steve, I just did it and if I get the 100 then bye golly I'm sending you a dozen wax wings just to show my appreciation. Thanks man!

          14. Ken_Drake | Mar 09, 2000 04:42am | #18

            *I'm not sure if The Family Handyman Magazine would be willing to dish out a $100 bill for this information, but I've heard that NASA has sent a team of their best scientists to the equator to study the phenomena under discussion ( lightbulb unscrewing/tightening, as related to latitude ).A preliminary report suggests that Jim's theory is probably correct. What they have found is that an ordinary lightbulb, either loosens or tightens from it's socket, proportionally to square root of the distance of the location of the light bulb from the the equator, divided by 1.618034, which just happens to be the Golden Ratio ( 1 + square root of 5 )/ divided by 2.The scientists, at this time, caution that further study is needed, but suggest a light layer of bee's wax to the threads of a light bulb before inserting may be prudent, for all lightbulbs south of the equator.

          15. Luka_ | Mar 09, 2000 07:40am | #19

            *Youse are all full of s***. Just shows to go ya how many people will believe something just because the government prints it on rolls of toilet paper. (They print only on every 5th sheet, and it is only discernable by the subconcious. Bet you never knew your mind was being washed while you did the paperwork, did ya ?)The real truth is that every 13th electron is actually a tiny little gremlin. In an hours' usage, an average of 3 of those gremlins will trip over the tungsten coil, and become trapped in the light bulb. These gremlins start trying immediately to get out. However, they are so small it takes a couple million of them in concerted effort to get the bulb unscrewed far enought to open a gap that they can crawl out of.It happens all the time. When you happen to pass by the bulb at the right moment, you are liable to get a headful of them. This is why some people's hair stands up in the winter. (Lightbulbs are on for much longer every day in the winter, which is, of course why it happens most notably in the winter.) That little spark when you touch something conductive is all the little gremlins jumping off your hand.If you don't touch something soon enough, those little gremlins can begin to fall through your hair, your skin and bone, all the way into your bloodstream. This is the leading cause of liver failure and impotence in men. If you're smart, you will wear a hat made of aluminium foil. I wear one all the time, even though there is not as much need during the summer.

          16. Mike_Smith | Mar 09, 2000 03:01pm | #20

            *...luka .. right on brother... but i got so many strange loks, thta i started lining my baseball caps with the foil... i get the same protection ... but not the strange looks...well, at least not the SAME strange looks...so, how do you clean the bees-wax ring before you recycle it into your nailpouch ... ?

          17. James_DuHamel | Mar 09, 2000 03:57pm | #21

            *Nah, nah... you got it all wrong.The bulbs come loose because the manufacturer's all figured that when a bulb goes out, people will just install a new one. This equals more sales for them. To make them APPEAR to go out very quickly, they have learned how to build in a small spring in the base that keeps tension on the bulb. Bit by bit, this tension works the bulb loose. They hope like heck that someone doesn't first try to screw the bulb back IN, but instead screws it all the way out and pops in a new one.Or maybe it's the aliens that come out at night, while everyone's asleep, and loosens those bulbs just a bit. I think I heard one in my kitchen one night let out a blood curdling scream, and a few choice alien words after he grabbed a hold of a halogen bulb and tried to loosen it. Evidently it was still hot...But then again, I could be wrong...James DuHamel

          18. Keith_C | Mar 10, 2000 04:08am | #22

            *ok ok, am I high or are the threads on a lightbulb aluminum and not subject to the magnetic pulls of the poles? I do have a degree in science, and I'm voting for the gremlins on this one! I put a coat of diaelectric grease on the threads and torque them to 25 ft/lbs with a bulb wrench(NAPA part# 714)and have never had a problem getting them out or having them untighten by themselves. Sheesh, you guys call youselves professionals? Keith C

          19. Luka_ | Mar 10, 2000 05:18am | #23

            *That's because the gremlins can't get a good foothold in that dielectric grease. You have, of course gotten some of that stuff on your fingers, right ? It takes forever to get rid of that silicone slick. I was having a hard time trying to get the gremlins to stick around and do thier job in the cylinders of my truck. They were taking to protest enough of the time that the poor engine only hit on two or three cylinders at a time. I replaced all the wires, plugs, cap and rotor and put that slick stuff anywhere that one component was stuck onto another, and since then the gremlins have all slipped while trying to duck out, and got dumped back into the cyliders anyway.I got that zap where the gremlins jump from your finger to metal once even though I was wearing my tin foil hat. I coated the whole cap with silicine dielectric and never had the problem again. Though it seems a lot of them in public places are waiting now, for me to walk by so they can jump specificaly (sp?) on me. I could swear that they all have little skis or snowboards, and I know I have heard a tiny little 'cowabunga' once or twice.

          20. Howard_Barlow | Mar 10, 2000 06:02am | #24

            *No good deed goes unpunished. The waxy screws work but now my commode leaks.

          21. Luka_ | Mar 10, 2000 09:00am | #25

            *HAHAHAHAUse more screws !

          22. Rick_Montana | Mar 13, 2000 08:00pm | #26

            *After I read the messages in this board.., I decided to go down to my cellar ,where I have had to frequently screw light bulbs in tight before. I wanted to sneak up on anything I might find, so I never turned the lights on and went down stealthily. I also(just in case) came prepared with my tool pouch full of aluminum foil balls coated with silicone. Sure enough, when I got to the first fixture and turned on my flashlight, there they were!!! 14 or 15 of the little I***ads were having a dance party all around the. light fixture!! Imagine their surprise when they saw me standing there. Man did they bogie for cover.. they moved so fast they let of a stream of static electric, and I was able to see just where they went. I discovered that these little gremlin/electricaly charged creatures ran down the ground wires,thru the panel, and then over the ground rod into the earth. This must explain why they can be found all over..as they must travel thru the earth itself to their little party places..

          23. Luka_ | Mar 13, 2000 11:16pm | #27

            *Rick, If only you'd had a video camera. No, waitaminnit, the little buggers would've gotten tipped off by thier compadre's who are trapped in the camera battery. This is why it is so difficult for the scientist types to prove the existance of the tiny troublemakers, no one can get video to provide the discovery channel with.They also travel in clouds. You can ascertain this for yourself by just watching the next time there is a bad storm. They all come out of thier particular cloud at once when they see a gremlin rave happening on the ground somewhere. Just be careful you aren't standing in the middle of one of those raves, it can be a very shocking experience.P.S. You were supposed to cover your head with the silicone greased tin foil, not your balls.

          24. Joe_Hennessey | Mar 14, 2000 12:25am | #28

            *Those little guys have something to do with smoke too. Sometimes automotive electrical items quit working when the smoke leaks out,no more gremlins. too. Joe H

          25. Luka_ | Mar 14, 2000 04:13am | #29

            *Don't let 'em fool ya Joe. That's just a gremlin 'rasta' party. When they run out of spliffs, they all take a powder. That's why the truck, she no work anymore afterward. They all went in search of the nearest gremlin 'rave'. Some of them even crawl out the side of the wire, they are so stoned. Ever wonder why the smoke smells so bad ? In every case, several someones from the party leave openings when they exit, and all the stale smoke from the spliffs leaks out. This smoke has been through the lungs of gremlins. It is poisonous to humans. Oh, hey, and don't ever mess with those wires afterward, either, unless you dissconnect the battery first. Several of the gremlins have usualy passed out, and as soon as you touch the wires they wake up. They are very mean drunks, even more mean when stoned and you have startled them awake. They can really take a chunk out of your hand.Afternote for the 'rasta/hippy challenged'... 'spliff' is the name of a mary joo weenie joint as big as a cigar. I believe 'blunt' is interchangeable with this word. (Don't ask me, I don't makes these things up, I just documents them.)

          26. allen_schell | Mar 14, 2000 11:36pm | #30

            *What have I started?

          27. Luka_ | Mar 15, 2000 01:34am | #31

            *Sorry.

          28. allen_schell | Mar 15, 2000 02:57am | #32

            *There, there Luka don't be sorry, all I want to know is.... have you invested 65 cents in your first wax ring ( a years supply) and joined the legions of happy woodworkers who no longer have to rake screws across their nose or poke them in their ears! Life is indeed good.

          29. JRS | Mar 15, 2000 03:52am | #33

            *Luka,You gotta stop apologizing all the time.....John

          30. Rick_Montana | Mar 16, 2000 03:58am | #34

            *LUKA......No wonder my wifes been complaining about grabbing onto something slippery..yet krinkley the last few nights

          31. George_W._Carpenter | Mar 16, 2000 02:25pm | #35

            *Allen... now ya gone and done it haven't ya? PatrickM calls this the Mind-Meld... I believe it's more of a Mind-Melt... probably from stale spliff-smoke or the bad Canadian Acid... but that's only a theory. This has happened before... just weigh-in on AdirondackJack's Breaktime Get-together post at the top of the main board.

          32. Crusty_ | Mar 21, 2000 09:26am | #36

            *I thought the bulbs unscrewed due to the Corioliss (sp?) effect. If you start a long pendulum swinging, it will trace a clockwise circle (north of the equator). Same thing makes water swirl clockwise going down the drain or toilet. South of the equator it goes counterclockwise. Don't know what it does at the equator? Just sit there?

          33. The_Tennis_Court_Builder_...on_t | Mar 22, 2000 03:24am | #37

            *This waxed thread seams to be waning...or am I wong...rewaxing and screwing, me Gremlins and more, near the stream, aj

          34. CHARLES_CHRISTENSEN | Mar 28, 2000 10:30pm | #38

            *http://www.tdl.com/~swensen/machines/wax/wax.htmlTry this place for wax formulations. He has a good one for screws.Coriolis(sp?) makes water go down the drain in a counter-clockwise direction in the northern hemisphere. Clockwise in the southern. Straight in on the equator unless you disturb the flow.I've never read such scientific clap-trap in my life. No wonder you guys are destroying trees for a living.Do you think a foil wrap would protect a calculator?

          35. Mike_Smith | Mar 28, 2000 10:43pm | #39

            *Mr. Christensen....missed yah!Swensen kinda gets around, eY? thanks for the link..in answer to your question... i've always found that using a double wrap of Alcoa Household foil, with a Philadelphia seam, would protect my calculator when trying to dry it out in the microwave after using it to annotate starfish encounters in narragansett bay...now , my question to you... how do you protect the microwave.???..i cud never get it to work long enuff to finish drying out the calculator..Kermit

          36. Dan_Cullimore | May 16, 2000 06:35am | #40

            *I have exactly the opposite problem: light bulbs that stick and break before they unscrew, and I'm in the northern hemi.... hey, you think I could could have stumbbled onto a gremlin luddite cell intent on sabbotaging the electrical grid?

  2. allen_schell | May 16, 2000 06:35am | #41

    *
    If you drive alot of screws take a 35ml. film can, stuff it with toilet flange wax and attach it to your tool belt with a plastic cable ty. It will always be handy and those waxed screws zip in so nicley.

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Sign up Log in

Become a member and get full access to FineHomebuilding.com

Video Shorts

Categories

  • Business
  • Code Questions
  • Construction Techniques
  • Energy, Heating & Insulation
  • General Discussion
  • Help/Work Wanted
  • Photo Gallery
  • Reader Classified
  • Tools for Home Building

Discussion Forum

Recent Posts and Replies

  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
View More Create Post

Up Next

Video Shorts

Featured Story

FHB Podcast Segment: Repairing an Old Home While Maintaining Its Integrity

Learn about different approaches to making updates and repairs to older homes with historic charm.

Featured Video

Micro-Adjust Deck-Baluster Spacing for an Eye-Deceiving Layout

No math, no measuring—just a simple jig made from an elastic band is all you need to lay out a good-looking deck railing.

Related Stories

  • Podcast Episode 684: Masonry Heaters, Whole-House Ventilation, and Porch Flooring
  • FHB Podcast Segment: Repairing an Old Home While Maintaining Its Integrity
  • Tools and Gear for the Moms Who Get it Done
  • An Easier Method for Mitered Head Casings

Highlights

Fine Homebuilding All Access
Fine Homebuilding Podcast
Tool Tech
Plus, get an extra 20% off with code GIFT20

"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Fine Homebuilding Magazine

  • Issue 331 - June 2025
    • A More Resilient Roof
    • Tool Test: You Need a Drywall Sander
    • Ducted vs. Ductless Heat Pumps
  • Issue 330 - April/May 2025
    • Deck Details for Durability
    • FAQs on HPWHs
    • 10 Tips for a Long-Lasting Paint Job
  • Issue 329 - Feb/Mar 2025
    • Smart Foundation for a Small Addition
    • A Kominka Comes West
    • Making Small Kitchens Work
  • Issue 328 - Dec/Jan 2024
    • How a Pro Replaces Columns
    • Passive House 3.0
    • Tool Test: Compact Line Lasers
  • Issue 327 - November 2024
    • Repairing Damaged Walls and Ceilings
    • Plumbing Protection
    • Talking Shop

Fine Home Building

Newsletter Sign-up

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox.

  • Green Building Advisor

    Building science and energy efficiency advice, plus special offers, in your inbox.

  • Old House Journal

    Repair, renovation, and restoration tips, plus special offers, in your inbox.

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters

Follow

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X

Membership & Magazine

  • Online Archive
  • Start Free Trial
  • Magazine Subscription
  • Magazine Renewal
  • Gift a Subscription
  • Customer Support
  • Privacy Preferences
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Terms of Use
  • Site Map
  • Do not sell or share my information
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • California Privacy Rights

© 2025 Active Interest Media. All rights reserved.

Fine Homebuilding receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

  • Home Group
  • Antique Trader
  • Arts & Crafts Homes
  • Bank Note Reporter
  • Cabin Life
  • Cuisine at Home
  • Fine Gardening
  • Fine Woodworking
  • Green Building Advisor
  • Garden Gate
  • Horticulture
  • Keep Craft Alive
  • Log Home Living
  • Military Trader/Vehicles
  • Numismatic News
  • Numismaster
  • Old Cars Weekly
  • Old House Journal
  • Period Homes
  • Popular Woodworking
  • Script
  • ShopNotes
  • Sports Collectors Digest
  • Threads
  • Timber Home Living
  • Traditional Building
  • Woodsmith
  • World Coin News
  • Writer's Digest
Active Interest Media logo
X
X
This is a dialog window which overlays the main content of the page. The modal window is a 'site map' of the most critical areas of the site. Pressing the Escape (ESC) button will close the modal and bring you back to where you were on the page.

Main Menu

  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Video
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Popular Topics

  • Kitchens
  • Business
  • Bedrooms
  • Roofs
  • Architecture and Design
  • Green Building
  • Decks
  • Framing
  • Safety
  • Remodeling
  • Bathrooms
  • Windows
  • Tilework
  • Ceilings
  • HVAC

Magazine

  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Magazine Index
  • Subscribe
  • Online Archive
  • Author Guidelines

All Access

  • Member Home
  • Start Free Trial
  • Gift Membership

Online Learning

  • Courses
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Podcast

More

  • FHB Ambassadors
  • FHB House
  • Customer Support

Account

  • Log In
  • Join

Newsletter

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Follow

  • X
  • YouTube
  • instagram
  • facebook
  • pinterest
  • Tiktok

Join All Access

Become a member and get instant access to thousands of videos, how-tos, tool reviews, and design features.

Start Your Free Trial

Subscribe

FHB Magazine

Start your subscription today and save up to 81%

Subscribe

Enjoy unlimited access to Fine Homebuilding. Join Now

Already a member? Log in

We hope you’ve enjoyed your free articles. To keep reading, become a member today.

Get complete site access to expert advice, how-to videos, Code Check, and more, plus the print magazine.

Start your FREE trial

Already a member? Log in

Privacy Policy Update

We use cookies, pixels, script and other tracking technologies to analyze and improve our service, to improve and personalize content, and for advertising to you. We also share information about your use of our site with third-party social media, advertising and analytics partners. You can view our Privacy Policy here and our Terms of Use here.

Cookies

Analytics

These cookies help us track site metrics to improve our sites and provide a better user experience.

Advertising/Social Media

These cookies are used to serve advertisements aligned with your interests.

Essential

These cookies are required to provide basic functions like page navigation and access to secure areas of the website.

Delete My Data

Delete all cookies and associated data