Advancing Science Worldwide

PAST LIFE HACKS

Making Your Life Easier

Until September 1, 2020, we used to feature scientifically merited life hacks on our homepage, with a new life hack being posted every Tuesday. Life hacks that were previously featured on our website are listed below along with the date they were originally posted.

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Heating crystallized honey can make it as good as new again.
September 1, 2020

Changing your pillowcase daily can help reduce acne.
August 25, 2020

Eggshells can be used to start seedlings.
August 18, 2020

Sprinkling cinnamon powder into soil can help protect seedlings from diseases.
August 11, 2020

Egg shells can be used as fertilizer.
August 4, 2020

Herbs can be dried in a microwave.
July 28, 2020

Baking soda and vinegar can be used to clean drains.
July 21, 2020

Presoaking pasta can make it cook faster.
July 14, 2020

A flashlight can be used to find broken pieces of glass on a floor.
July 7, 2020

Ground coffee beans can be used as an odor neutralizer.
June 30, 2020

Wrapping banana stems in foil can help the bananas last longer.
June 23, 2020

Sprinkling cayenne pepper in a bird feeder can help prevent squirrels from eating the bird food.
June 16, 2020

Dusting plants with flour can help remove aphids.
June 9, 2020

Epsom salt can be used as a fertilizer.
June 2, 2020

Fresh cucumber slices can be put into leftover pickle brine for a couple days to make new pickles.
May 26, 2020

Milk jugs or laundry detergent jugs can be used as kettlebells for workouts.
May 19, 2020

Egg slicers can be used to cut strawberries.
May 12, 2020

Use an old egg carton to store condiment bottles upside down.
May 5, 2020

Brushing your teeth can help you beat a sugar craving.
April 28, 2020

Vinegar can be used as a weed killer.
April 21, 2020

Wood ash can be used as fertilizer.
April 14, 2020

When microwaving leftovers, sprinkle some water on them before putting them in the microwave.
April 7, 2020

Most snakes found around houses are non-venomous and can help you get rid of pests.
March 31, 2020

Aquafaba, the liquid from a can of chickpeas, can be used as a substitute for eggs.
March 24, 2020

Egg yolks can be separated using an empty water bottle.
March 17, 2020

Small scratches in wood furniture can sometimes be fixed by rubbing a walnut on them.
March 10, 2020

70% isopropyl alcohol can be put in a spray bottle and used as a hand sanitizer.
March 3, 2020

Rubbing vegetable oil on eggs before putting them in the fridge will make them last longer.
February 25, 2020

When heating leftovers in a microwave, put a wet paper towel over them. The food will be more moist.
February 18, 2020

Lemon juice can be used to remove highlighter stains.
February 11, 2020

Dry shampoo can be used to clean up oily stains on carpets.
February 4, 2020

Oranges can be used as candles.
January 28, 2020

Chewing ice can lead to dental problems.
January 21, 2020

A grapefruit spoon can be used to peel ginger.
January 14, 2020

Cork pieces can be strained out of wine with a coffee filter.
January 7, 2020

Cars can be polished with hair conditioner.
December 31, 2019

White wine can be used to remove red wine stains.
December 24, 2019

Put ice cream in a sealed plastic bag before putting it in the freezer.
December 17, 2019

Throw in a ball of aluminum foil when drying clothes in a dryer. It will help eliminate static.
December 10, 2019

WD-40 can be used to remove ink stains.
December 3, 2019

Opening an oven door while baking can be detrimental. The drastic temperature change can result in lower quality food.
November 26, 2019

Baking soda can be used to remove odors.
November 19, 2019

Use a sharper knife to cut onions. Fewer irritants will be released.
November 12, 2019

Scissors can be used instead of a pizza cutter to cut a pizza.
November 5, 2019

Newspapers and dryer sheets can be used to remove shoe odors.
October 29, 2019

Leave a washing machine's lid or door open after every load to let moisture escape.
October 22, 2019

Adding baking soda when boiling eggs makes the shells easier to peel.
October 15, 2019

Lemon juice can be used to remove mold.
October 8, 2019

Softer foods can be cut with dental floss.
October 1, 2019

Setting a car's outside mirrors such that they form a continuous panorama with the rear-view mirror can almost eliminate blind spots.
September 24, 2019

If your gums are bleeding, use cold water to rinse your mouth.
September 17, 2019

Use a higher gear when driving in low-traction conditions.
September 10, 2019

Storing salad greens with a paper towel can make the salad last longer.
September 3, 2019

Use colder water when cleaning cheese off of dishes.
August 27, 2019

Toothpaste can be used to clean car headlights.
August 20, 2019

Freeze ginger to make it last much longer.
August 13, 2019

Remove painter's tape when the paint is still wet. The clean lines can be ruined if the paint is dry.
August 6, 2019

Put melted cheese at the bottom of a hard-shell taco to keep the shell from splitting.
July 30, 2019

Don't drink ice cold water on a hot day. It can be harmful to your body.
July 23, 2019

Baking soda and water can be used to clean an iron's soleplate.
July 16, 2019

Sprinkle some salt while chopping garlic to keep it from sticking to your knife.
July 9, 2019

Throwing a dry towel in a dryer with other laundry will make the laundry dry faster.
July 2, 2019

When buying a grapefruit, pick one that is shaped like an oval, rather than one that is round.
June 25, 2019

When buying a watermelon, pick one that has a creamy yellow spot.
June 18, 2019

Limiting your light exposure at the end of the day will make it easier to go to sleep.
June 11, 2019

Cloves can be used together with lemons or limes to repel flies.
June 4, 2019

If you are swimming outdoors, place your footwear upside-down, such that the Sun only heats up their bottoms.
May 28, 2019

Microwaves can sometimes be used to make bananas ripen faster.
May 21, 2019

When heating leftovers, space out a circle in the middle. They will heat up much more evenly.
May 14, 2019

Tea bags can be used to soothe sunburns.
May 7, 2019

Potato chips can be used as kindling for fires.
April 30, 2019

Lemons can be used to clean microwaves.
April 23, 2019

Shoe odors can be removed using tea bags.
April 16, 2019

Hard-boiled eggs can be distinguished from raw eggs based on how easy they spin on their ends. Hard-boiled eggs should spin much easier.
April 9, 2019

Empty pistachio shells can be used to crack pistachios.
April 2, 2019

Pressing an ice cube against chewing gum can make it much easier to remove from carpets or fabrics.
March 26, 2019

When mashing potatoes, use warm milk for a better end result.
March 19, 2019

Grapefruits can be used to clean bathtubs.
March 12, 2019

When making iced coffee, use frozen coffee cubes instead of ice cubes to ensure the drink doesn't get watered down.
March 5, 2019

When freezing meat, flatten it out as much as possible. This will reduce the time needed to thaw it before cooking.
February 26, 2019

If you suspect your tire is leaking but can't pinpoint the exact location of the leak, spray a water-soap solution on the tire. Bubbles will appear wherever there is a leak.
February 19, 2019

Banana holders can be used as headphone holders.
February 12, 2019

Foggy mirrors can be cleaned with shaving cream.
February 5, 2019

Keep potatoes and onions separate to slow down the potatoes' sprouting.
January 29, 2019

If you need to walk on ice, walk like a penguin to minimize your chances of slipping.
January 22, 2019

Pieces of spaghetti can be used to light candles if matchsticks are too short.
January 15, 2019

Most ceiling fans have a switch to change from counterclockwise to clockwise. Running a fan clockwise moves warm air near the ceiling toward the floor, making your room feel warmer.
January 8, 2019

Ice cubes can be used in a dryer to steam out wrinkles in clothes.
January 1, 2019

In order to figure out if your oven has hot spots, preheat it and lay slices of bread evenly across a baking rack for about ten minutes. Slices that are toasted more than others indicate that there are hot spots.
December 25, 2018

The easiest and most cost-efficient method to store cheese is to wrap it in wax paper and cover the wax paper with a layer of plastic wrap.
December 18, 2018

Scrambled eggs can be made in a microwave. Just beat eggs, salt, pepper, and any other favorite ingredients in a small bowl and microwave the mixture until it's cooked.
December 11, 2018

If you need to whiten your nails, soak them for a couple minutes in a solution of lemon juice and water.
December 4, 2018

Lip balm can be used on your nose if tissues cause it to become red and/or irritated.
November 27, 2018

Baking soda can be used as a basic mouthwash or deodorant.
November 20, 2018

A 2:1 ratio of olive oil to lemon juice makes a great shoe polish.
November 13, 2018

Diatomaceous earth can be used to keep a home free from scorpions.
November 6, 2018

Vinegar can be used to remove limescale from a kettle.
October 30, 2018

If you need to fit a long item in a Ziploc bag, turn one bag inside out and connect it with another bag (with the item inside it).
October 23, 2018

In order to quickly soften a stick of butter, heat a glass of water in a microwave, empty the water, and cover the butter with the warm glass.
October 16, 2018

Use a straw to remove the stem from a strawberry.
October 9, 2018

Place a wooden spoon across the top of a pot to stop water from boiling over.
October 2, 2018

Put old newspapers at the bottom of a trash can to help absorb some of the liquids.
September 25, 2018

Use frozen grapes instead of ice to chill wine without diluting its flavor.
September 18, 2018

Wrapping their stems in plastic wrap can make bananas last longer.
September 11, 2018

Storing potatoes next to an apple can keep them from sprouting.
September 4, 2018

A glass of warm milk can help you sleep better.
August 28, 2018

Apple cider vinegar makes a great fly trap.
August 21, 2018

Chew a whole clove or use some clove oil for temporary relief from a toothache.
August 14, 2018

Storing bread in a fridge will cause the starch in the bread to change, dehydrating the bread. Store bread at room temperature or in a freezer to keep it as fresh as possible.
August 7, 2018

Wrapping a wet paper towel around a beverage can before putting it in the freezer will chill it more quickly.
July 31, 2018

For a tear-free experience, put onions in a freezer for about 15 minutes before chopping them.
July 24, 2018

Lemon juice can be used to easily remove stains and deposits from teapots and tea kettles.
July 17, 2018

Dry ice can be used as a mosquito trap. The carbon dioxide emitted by the ice will attract mosquitoes (they will think that there is an animal exhaling the gas) and the extremely cold temperatures will kill them when they fly towards it.
July 10, 2018

If you are having trouble hearing an alarm from a phone, put the phone inside a glass to amplify the sound.
July 3, 2018

If you leave a coin on a cup of ice in your freezer and the coin has sunk into the ice by the next time you see it, either the power went out or your freezer wasn't working properly.
June 26, 2018

If a cup of coffee is particularly bitter, add a pinch of salt to suppress the bitterness and enhance the flavor of your drink.
June 19, 2018

Let avocados ripen at room temperature before putting them in the fridge. They will ripen better and last longer this way.
June 12, 2018

Before squeezing a lemon or other citrus fruit, heat it up in the microwave a little. You will get more juice and it will be easier to squeeze.
June 5, 2018

If you are experiencing heartburn or indigestion, don't lay on your right side. Instead, lay on your left side.
May 29, 2018