Credit: @Reviewed/YouTube
There’s more to a paper clip than meets the eye. Redditors have revealed their favorite unexpected and inventive uses for common household items, and we’re excited to share them with you.
You know that gunk left over from stickers that you can’t seem to get rid of? Well, you no longer have to scrape it off with your nails.
According to Redditor @Moon_Jewel90, eucalyptus oil is the perfect solution. Who would’ve thought? Simply pat the affected area with the oil and wait.
After a few minutes, the residue should loosen. You’ll be able to scrape it off of whatever surface it’s stuck to (per Bosisto’s).
Have you ever had your zipper break, effectively trapping you in a jacket? It’s not fun. This solution is temporary, but will help you in a pinch.
Loop the paper clip through your zipper and tug it. If you’ll be using it for an extended period of time, you can wrap it in duct tape.
Paper clips are similar enough to zippers (in size and color, anyways) that many people won’t be able to tell at a distance.
I honestly can’t imagine a situation where you have a thread instead of a knife. However, thread might be the superior option here.
A thread can cut the egg more precisely, ensuring that the yolk remains intact. Just be sure to firmly hold it down while you slice.
If this teaches you anything, it’s to keep a spool of thread on you. It might come in handy the next time you’re making deviled eggs!
No, we’re not talking about minor stains. Laundry detergent can, apparently, clean up driveway oil spills from your car. At least, according to Redditor @Just_Caliber.
He says that all it takes is a good helping of Tide and some vigorous scrubbing with a brush. That cleans up his spills nicely.
As for the kind of detergent, either liquid or powder should do. @Just_Caliber seemed to use liquid, but powder should work just as fine.
If you want a new project, definitely save your tees. Old t-shirts, as any upcycling connoisseur knows, can be repurposed into pretty much anything.
The latest trend? Making a bathroom rug. Redditor @m45qu3r4d3 explains: “cut them into strips and make pom poms out of them then tie the pom poms together…”
You could also braid the fabric together, if pom poms aren’t exactly your thing. Either way, it’s a super easy (and fun!) project.
Got some scratches on your glasses? Redditor @lifad77 has the solution. They claim that all you need is to rub some toothpaste on it.
“Toothpaste is useful for removing scratches from plastic or metal surfaces,” they explain. @Snozark responds with the affirmative, claiming it helped with their glasses.
You can also use it on CDs and DVDs, if need be. Don’t try it on your car, though — that’s a popular myth that just isn’t true.
Ah, yes, pilling: the most irritating thing that can happen to your clothes. Luckily, there’s an easy fix, and you probably already have it in your bathroom.
Our old friend @m45qu3r4d3 has a tip for this one, too. “Cheap razors,” they explain, “are good for removing pilling from clothes and mattresses.”
Be careful, though. Not all materials are the same. Knit sweaters, for example, can be more damaged than improved by this method.
In the summertime, we need these tips more than ever, because no one likes the stench of hot trash. Who else but @m45qu3r4d3 could be our savior?
A dryer sheet or two at the bottom of your trash can could work wonders. They won’t completely neutralize the smell, but it will help somewhat.
It certainly can’t hurt to try. @m45qu3r4d3 also points out that dryer sheets could soak up any “junk” (a.k.a, trash juice). Yeah, we’ll be using this.
If you remember middle school, you’ll know that Kool-Aid is basically magic. While you probably used it for your hair, did you know it can dye other things, too?
According to — you guessed it — @m45qu3r4d3, clothing is a prime contender. Thread can also be similarly dyed, with little difficulty.
Want to spice up your plain leather wallet? With a bit of coffee added to the mix, Kool-Aid is apparently “especially great for leather.”
We’ll let other Redditors shine soon, but @m45qu3r4d3 is seriously chock-full of ideas. If you have limited kitchen space, coffee pot ramen can feed you in a jiffy.
Really, though, you can make any kind of pasta in a coffee pot. You just need to remember one thing: “keep it CLEAN.”
Other than that, you’ll make it the same way you would any other pasta dish. Hopefully your ramen won’t have a weird coffee aftertaste.
We’re not exaggerating. You can use white vinegar for anything, and the smell won’t even linger. It works especially great in homemade cleaning solutions.
According to Redditor @Basye, it also works great for laundry: “if you put a cup in the wash with urine-smelling clothes…the smell will come out completely.”
So, if your kids ever have an accident, you know what to do. There’s another perk to this, too: it doubles as a fabric softener.
Ever had a lightbulb explode while in the socket? It’s more common than you think. Issues like a loose socket connection can break your lightbulb (per Glenco).
Obviously, you can’t leave it there. So, what do you do? According to @PoniesRB*tchin, you’ll need half of a potato (preferably cooked). And turn off the light switch!
The next steps are simple: “stick it on the jagged glass and twist.” If it’s too tightly screwed, though, you’ll just have to break out the pliers.
We’ve all been in this conundrum. You can’t open a bottle, but you don’t have one of those rubber jar openers, so you’re completely stuck.
There’s still a solution. Twisting a rubber band around your bottle’s cap (or your jar’s lid) will give you the traction you need.
Posted to r/lifehacks by @BootlegMoon, this is a tip we know you’ll be using for a long time. Because opening bottles is hard.
If your hair ties end up in the most random places, this trick will save some waste and keep your hair ties in one place.
It sounds aesthetically displeasing, but that’s actually not the case. They’ll look a lot better with the hair ties. You won’t even be able to tell what’s underneath.
Redditor @MrPiction shared how his girlfriend uses them, and it seems pretty effective. Doesn’t look half bad, either. Way to go, Mrs. Piction.
Sometimes, the sealing on the envelope just isn’t enough. You need a little extra help, but how can you manage it? With nail polish, of course.
If you’d rather be practical, you can use a few dabs of clear coat on the inside. However, you can play around with colors, too.
Just look at what YouTube channel How To did. They sealed their envelope by painting a little hot pink heart on the outside. Cute and functional? Perfect.
Unlike some of these other tips, which work best in a pinch, this one might actually end up replacing your common household item.
It makes your legs feel nice and smooth, with none of those itchy bumps. And it serves multiple uses, so you’re getting enough bang for your buck.
This mostly works if you’re shaving your legs. We can’t attest to its affects on your face or other parts of your body.
On an r/AskReddit thread, @wurstbrot_royal shared an invaluable tip for skincare enthusiasts. Instead of buying blotting paper for oily skin, take a toilet seat cover.
Toilet seat covers are actually made of the same material as blotting paper. It’s not expensive, but toilet seat covers are free, so why spend the money?
We know this isn’t really a common household item. However, we think it’s common enough to count. Next time you’re in a public restroom, grab one to go.
Reddit user @xuomo shared a clever way to repel ants: sidewalk chalk. Simply draw a line with chalk where ants typically enter, and watch them avoid it entirely.
The chalk disrupts the ants’ scent trails, which is how they mark their usual paths. This method is also non-toxic, making it safe for kids and pets.
In addition to being a great insect repellent, chalk is inexpensive and widely available. @xuomo’s tip showcases how everyday items can offer unexpected and practical benefits.
Well, not on their own. In r/CleaningTips, users shared how they clean shower heads without removing them. Almost all of them featured Ziploc bags.
You know what else frequently showed up in the comments? The cleaning all star itself: white vinegar. We told you it could clean anything.
Redditor @Realistic_Fun_8570 recommends that you fill the bag with white vinegar, dunk the shower head in the bag, and let it soak overnight.
This one is a bit controversial. @imkaneforever shared this to r/LifeProTips, and it had a lot of people asking “Why?” Well…why not?
This does come in handy if you have unwearable tights with runs in them. You can store more onions than you would with a mesh bag.
So, if you’ve got a lot of unwearable pantyhose you don’t want to toss, and a weirdly large amount of onions, then you should try this.
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