40 Life Hacks That Don’t Seem Real But Are Actually Really Helpful
Don’t dismiss anything before trying it; that’s one of the quotes everyone should always keep in mind. From time to time, the craziest concepts prove to be gems in the rough. You’ve probably seen some of those 5-minute life hacks that are ridiculously complicated.
But some life hacks that seem dumb or too crazy can actually improve our lives a little. In fact, some fake-sounding life hacks can literally save a life. A Reddit user requested for individuals to contribute precisely that sort of life hack. The thread went viral, and the discussion received media attention and immediately became popular.
Once you read through these hacks, the only thing you will have in mind is: not everything that sounds fake is actually fake. Here are some of the best life hacks that everyone should be aware of.
Self-Heimlich
If you are suffocating, it means that your trachea might well be closed. Knowing something about first aid can save your life. Did you know you can actually give the Heimlich to yourself? Make a fist, and then put the thumb of that hand above your navel and just above your ribs.
Take hold of your fist with the opposite hand. Raise your fist high and forcefully drive it into the upper abdomen region. Additionally, you could bend over the edge of a chair, table, or rail. Push against the edge with your upper belly (upper abdominal) quickly.
Keep microwaved food fresh
When we’re tired after a hard day’s work, we don’t want to cook at all. Microwaving leftovers is the second-best option on those days. If you want your food to taste fresh and tastier, place a cup of water inside the microwave when heating your meal.
The heat impacts the moisture content of the food. Without the water, the moisture quickly becomes overheated to the point of vaporization, so your food dries up. Also, the water will keep you safe from all the radiation as it absorbs some of it.
Taking medications
There is a simple reason why pills don’t slip down someone’s throat as smoothly as one expects. That is because there’s not enough moisture inside the throat. Without the help of a liquid, it might be challenging to take pills and gel caps.
Older people and young kids have the hardest time swallowing meds. If you’ve ever taken a pill and felt like it was stuck in your throat, just drink a sip of water, lay flat on your back, and swallow it. The pill disappears right away.
Goodbye, YouTube Ads
Nearly all YouTube videos can be easily shared on many other platforms, which likely explains why the platform has over 2 billion viewers each month. It is one of the earliest social media platforms, and it is a perfect place. Until you encounter an endless stream of advertisements, that is.
There are a few ways to avoid these annoying ads that interrupt your video halfway through. You can try scrolling all the way to the end of the ad if you’re on your phone. If you’re watching YouTube on your computer, you can always download an ad blocker extension.
Salt in coffee?
According to folks who tried it, coffee gets less bitter when a tiny amount of salt is added. Some nations follow customs that call for brewing coffee utilizing brackish water or sparingly seasoning the water with salt. Adding salt seems to enhance the taste of the beverage.
How does it do that? Science explains that there is a molecular basis for this behavior. By interacting with the taste’s transmission mechanism, the sodium ion reduces bitterness. If you don’t like bitter coffee, you should try adding a pinch of salt next time you drink it.
Getting rings un-stuck
If you gain just a little bit of weight, your rings can get stuck on your fingers. You can use floss to loosen those rings or Windex. The ring can be removed after a few sprays on the finger (and after you rotate the ring for a while).
Windex acts as a lubricant, and it also possesses qualities that encourage your skin to contract somewhat. That is how it makes it easier to remove a stuck ring. Having a container of Windex on hand is really useful, as it can also help open stuck zippers.
Buying college textbooks
If you weren’t already aware, textbooks really aren’t compulsory in college. Lecturers, for one, would not care or maybe would not even compel students to buy textbooks. However, these books are pretty helpful when you have to study for a test or do your homework.
Students sometimes spend over a thousand dollars buying their textbooks each year. If your professors didn’t say that you must have the textbook, you don’t actually have to buy them. So a helpful tip is to wait to hear from the lecturers before you buy your books.
Why use turn signals?
Your car’s turn signals are a crucial security measure that enables you to let other drivers know what your plans are. People are forgetting to engage their indicators more frequently, which is leading to an increase in accidents. Keep in mind that using turn signals is also a legal requirement.
We know this is not necessarily a life hack; it’s literally just following the laws. However, it’s always important to reinforce the use of turn signals. Maybe if we do it more often, drivers will stop turning abruptly without signaling first.
Wearing sundresses
When the weather is warm, women don’t want to wear lots of layers. Summer is the perfect time to wear that cute sundress you bought a couple of months ago. However, not all women enjoy wearing tights with their sundresses.
If you spray some deodorant on the insides of your thighs, you can skip the tights. Deodorants have lubricant properties, which will reduce friction when your legs are rubbing against one another when you walk. Pretty clever, right? Pick whatever fragrance you want, and go on your walk carefree.
Candied ginger
If you’re sick, you’re probably experiencing nausea. Actually, you don’t even have to be sick to have nausea and feel like throwing up. Maybe you ate something that made you feel unwell, or maybe you’re undergoing a medical treatment that gives you nausea.
You can treat that nausea with ginger. Any form of ginger will help you feel much better. However, consuming candied ginger is a popular option because it has a sweeter taste. For some people, the smell of ginger alone is enough to keep them from throwing up.
Dry your dishes
Having a dishwasher is a life-changing experience. Not having to worry about washing the dishes and ruining your nails? That’s like a dream come true. However, there are times when our dishes don’t come out fully dried up, and that can be pretty annoying.
When the dishwasher finishes the washing and drying cycles, place a clean towel on the door and close it slowly. Wait for about half an hour, and the next time you open your dishwasher, your dishes will be completely dry.
Avoiding deodorant stains
Deodorant stains can simply be the result of bad timing. Some deodorant products require quite a while to dry fully. Try waiting a few minutes before slipping your outfit back on so that the deodorant can dry. Consider swapping to clear gels as an alternative.
There are deodorant brands that are made to dry quickly. But be careful not to use too much. Otherwise, a heavy film can permeate your garment material and leave a stain. Surprisingly, you can also remove old stains with makeup remover.
Don’t get locked out of your car
Regardless of how orderly or unorganized you are, losing the car keys could happen to anyone, especially if you’re in a rush or are experiencing a particularly tough day. Have a designated pocket in your bag or jacket for your car keys.
It is actually a very good practice to start with that when it comes to securely store your keys. Make it a point to always check for the keys before getting out of the car; never leave the vehicle without them.
Cleaning with vinegar
When you’re trying to remove rust from any metallic surface, combining vinegar and salt will make your life so much easier. As you probably know already, vinegar is basically a magical liquid that can help with a thousand different things.
Vinegar is a safe domestic essential that includes acetic acid. It can eliminate rust if it appears on various types of hardware. But if your faucet is made of a delicate metal, avoid doing this. And don’t leave the faucet soaked in vinegar for hours – it will ruin your faucet.
Spaghetti to light candles
This hack seems pretty unbelievable, but if you don’t happen to have a long lighter, you can ignite your candles using uncooked spaghetti! It is something you undoubtedly have in your kitchen. Simply ignite the tip of the spaghetti with a match or lighter.
If the wick of the candle is too far down to reach, you can try igniting the tip of an uncooked spaghetti. After you are done, simply toss away the pasta. But note that some people have tried this hack, and it didn’t work for them.
Fire alarm? Treat time!
Sometimes, we accidentally set off the smoke alarm. Instead of letting this experience be an exclusively annoying one, you can try to make the most of the situation. Use these “drills” to train your pet to run to you if there is a fire and you have to evacuate the place.
You can train them by offering treats every time the fire alarm goes off. If an actual fire ever breaks out, the subsequent reward will persuade your dog or cat to be significantly less afraid of the loud noise. It will make them much more inclined to run toward you rather than hide.
Dogs and vacuums
Dogs hate vacuums, and that’s a fact. To get your dog used to the loud noises from the vacuum, you can start by ignoring the barking altogether. Do not interact with the dog if it starts barking; no eye contact or communication at all is the key to success.
By doing this, you’re basically showing your dog that the vacuum is not a threat in the slightest. You’re also making sure your dog knows it won’t get any attention for barking at it. It may take a while before this hack works, but it’s certainly worth trying.
A healthy sleep routine
It’s crucial to keep in mind that getting even eight hours of sleep daily can be quite beneficial for your health. Your immune system will work better if you do. You can experience chronic fatigue or even become ill if you lack sufficient sleep.
Our bodies need time to regenerate and metabolize during the “respiratory burst” of the night. The respiratory burst maintains our body’s health by giving it a new oxygen supply and assisting in the battle against illnesses. We know life can be hectic, but try to adjust your sleep routine.
Cleaning the shower curtain
How frequently do you clean your shower curtain? If you can’t answer this question right away, it has likely been a while. The best thing is that getting rid of those difficult stains is so simple. Make your own cleaning solutions to keep the shower curtain looking brand new.
All you need to do to create a cleaning solution is to mix some borax, vinegar, dish soap, and some distilled water in a bucket and drown the shower curtain in it. Wait for a few minutes before you start scrubbing the curtain. It will be looking brand new in no time.
Treating heatstrokes
Do this if you come across someone suffering from heatstroke. First, take the individual to a cool location. Encourage the person to take a sip of water. To get fluids through to his or her system, you may also use ice or even a frozen treat.
Encourage the person to drink some juice or Gatorade if they are perspiring. This will aid in replenishing the electrolytes they lose through sweat. You can also put cold compresses under the person’s arms or knees. Rubbing an ice cube on their wrists may also help.
Keep your eyes open
We have all had the experience of attending class after a heavy night of partying or after binging that new Netflix series until 4 AM because it is that good. It’s a risk we have all taken even if we have work or school the following morning.
If you have to attend an important event and keep your eyes open, try doing this: see how long you can keep one of your feet lifted slightly off the ground. Once you fail, try it with the other foot. Keep your brain occupied as much as possible by doing this.
Sanitizer instead of deodorant?
If you’re dealing with a strong underarm smell that is impossible to get rid of with bathing, traditional remedies, or deodorant, hand sanitizer works like a miracle. The microbial responses that cause the smell are completely eliminated by antibacterial hand gel.
Instantaneous outcomes and the antiseptic smell aren’t long-lasting. Additionally, it will spread onto your clothing, reducing the sweaty smell. However, the skin is fragile, so don’t do this frequently. You must avoid using this technique if you’ve just waxed or shaved because it will burn.
Acetone to the rescue
Permanent markers can be removed using a variety of techniques, but acetone is one of the best options. The pigments and binders present in these markers can be dissolved by the potent chemical solvent acetone. This makes it quite simple to erase from a wide variety of substrates.
The easiest way to find acetone is to buy a nail polish remover. Most of them are 100% acetone, so they are truly helpful. If somebody draws on your face as you sleep, acetone will help you to remove the embarrassing doodles. But use it carefully, or you can burn your eyes.
Money or health?
The term “quiet quitting” simply means leaving your job after only doing the very least amount of work required of you. As a result, it is a somewhat misleading term because the employee keeps their job and continues to get paid.
This thing became a well-publicized trend in the early 2020s, mainly due to social media. There’s nothing wrong with showing up for work, performing the bare minimum required to stay employed, and then going home and relishing your life. It’s quite a significant mental health lifesaver.
Handling frozen butter
Isn’t it annoying when you want to bake something, and the butter is too frozen to be used? There are different ways to deal with frozen butter. Some people try to chop the butter and end up breaking their knives. So why not try to grate the butter?
You can use a cheese grater to do this. It is a simple method and will make your baking time much easier. You can dump the butter in the mixer after you grate it, but you can also try this life hack if you’re hand-mixing the batter.
Nothing is permanent
How can dry-erase markers remove permanent markers? As it turns out, the overall process is something like this. When you write with a permanent marker, you’re basically gluing the pigment to the whiteboard. So, you need some sort of solvent to loosen the “permanent” marking.
Dry erase markers have color pigments, a chemical solvent, as well as a polymer or “release agent.” When you scribble over permanent markings, it is the solvent present in the dry-erase marker that dissolves the writing. If you accidentally use a permanent marker, here’s your solution to fixing that.
Don’t cry over onions
We have all dealt with onion tears at some point. Before chopping your onion, freeze it for ten minutes. When doing this, you have a few moments to slice the onion without crying because it slightly slows the liquid’s conversion to gas.
Once you learn how to stop the onion’s enzymes from converting into the gas that makes you cry, you can say goodbye to onion tears. Some people say that in addition to freezing the onions, cutting them under running water is also helpful.
A tip to remember names
If you can’t remember a coworker’s name, start by asking them, and when they respond, say, “no, I mean your last name.” They rarely suspect anything, and it works just fine. In the event that it fails to work, give them your mobile and request their contact details.
Ideally, they’ll provide their entire name. If all else fails and you’re in a social situation, introduce that individual to a friend you do know. Most likely, they’ll introduce themselves to your buddy, sparing you the awkwardness of being forced to ask for their name.
Cleaning the tub with Dawn
Dawn dish soaps are quite good at removing the grease and filth from your crockery and cookware. Using this soap makes it simple to eliminate all the stains around the house, including the bathtub. Apply the soap over the surface of your bathtub.
After you do that, scatter it in the middle and on the borders. Rather than letting the dish soap solution sit and collect dust, scrub the surface area with a brush. Additionally, you can add vinegar to the solution to get even better results.
Extra knowledge is always welcome
Before you travel to a place where they don’t speak your language, try to learn some basic stuff in the foreign language. For instance, you can try learning how to ask for directions, how to order food, or how to say please and thank you.
If you can learn how to communicate this basic stuff, life will be much easier. And if you tell the natives (in their language) that you only speak English, they’ll appreciate the effort and maybe even tell you they also speak your language.
Keeping paint fresh
Before you close the paint bucket, apply a sheet of cellophane or saran wrap over the opening. Slightly stretch it before you put the lid back on. It will serve as a tight barrier to keep air out of the can and preserve the freshness of your paint.
On top of keeping it fresh, this hack will save you the trouble of struggling to open the can in the future. If the paint dries up and there’s no barrier between the paint and the lid, the lid will get stuck. When you put cellophane or saran wrap, you prevent this from happening.
What to do when a dog attacks you?
Press your forearm into a dog’s mouth if it ever bites you. By doing so, the jaws are forced apart and kept from closing. What you can do when a dog is assaulting you is to extend your forearm and then move back as much as you can.
After that, grasp the dog by the nape of its neck using your other hand in order to restrain it. Now that the dog is physically muzzled, you retain control over its head. The biting will do less harm if you engage it more quickly and forcefully.
Another way to stop the onion tears
Remember what we talked about onions? It has an acidic enzyme that makes people cry. Our previous tip included freezing the onion, but that takes a while. If you don’t have the time to wait or if you forgot to freeze the onion, try this next tip.
Before you start chopping the onion, put the knife under water for a while. A moist knife will help prevent the enzyme from turning into the gas that makes even the toughest person cry. Remember that the secret is all in the water!
Channel your inner Steve Irwin
Want to feel like a Disney character? Are you going on a date with someone at the zoo, and you want to impress them when you get there? Then do an online search to see the color of their uniforms before you visit the zoo. That’s all you need to do.
Not all animals are colorblind and certain species can perceive general colors. By wearing the same colors as the zoo employees, the animals will approach you as they will perceive you as someone familiar. But always exercise precaution and don’t try to pet or feed the animals.
Keep things safe even at home
Falling from a ladder or from the roof during a house renovation can be fatal. For this reason, when using a ladder at home, it is best to wear a bike helmet while at it. With a helmet, a drop from 2.5 meters exhibited the same force as one from only half a meter.
A head trauma caused by such a fall could also cause you problems in the long run. If they live, individuals may be forced to deal with life-altering issues like memory impairment, poor impulse control, cognitive decline, and chronic headaches.
Panicking? Wiggle your toes!
Anyone can perform this at any place, at any time. Do it if you need to unwind after a panic attack. Wear something that’s comfortable for you, whether it be footwear, socks, sandals, or maybe nothing at all. Pretend to write your name using your big toe.
Maintain your feet on the ground. After that, proceed with the other big toe. Repeat this with each foot a few times. Our brain seems to be unable to both panic and wiggle our toes, so this trick should calm you down.
Avoid pollen allergies
Before going to bed during the pollen season, rinse your hair thoroughly. Otherwise, all you’re doing is rubbing your face in pollen all night long after spreading it on your pillowcase. If your pillow accumulates all that pollen night after night, it may trigger any allergies.
Pollen grains are small as a grain of sand and can adhere to skin and brows. Washing your face and brows regularly after being outside will help reduce eye and nasal allergy symptoms, just like it’s vital to wash your hands regularly to minimize flu symptoms during flu season.
Banana peel to the rescue
Bananas are a rich source of potassium. But it turns out that the peels have additional uses besides merely protecting the fruit. If you have a splinter under your skin, it can be removed by taping a strip of banana peel over the area.
The trick ought to help on warts as well, and it’s a great technique to get rid of bug bite agony. The results for warts may not be instantaneous, but after you rub the banana peel over it a few times (it can take days or weeks), the wart will be gone.
Time’s up, roaches!
It’s famously tough to eradicate cockroaches. Perhaps you don’t have the right chemicals to get rid of them. So, a spray bottle filled largely with water and a tiny bit of liquid dish soap is the cheapest, most efficient, and safest insecticide for roaches.
Spray the roaches after shaking the bottle and making the water slightly frothy. Naturally, they will struggle, run, and try to flee, but they will perish in the end. They choke faster from the soap film than from any chemical.
Dealing with overheating engines
If your automobile is overheating, the engine’s lack of coolant circulation is probably to blame. The heater maintains the engine at a constant temperature and aids in coolant circulation. When your automobile is overheated, turning on the heater will assist in transferring the engine’s heat to the interior.
Your automobile won’t overheat as a result of the engine temperature being lowered. Turning on the heater is one possible solution if your automobile is overheated. Although it might seem paradoxical, this can actually assist in controlling the engine’s temperature. But take your car to the auto shop to avoid major problems.