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“Sniffing Rubbing Alcohol Gets Rid Of Nausea”: 50 Weird Life Hacks That Work For Some Reason
The internet is overflowing with advice, but finding the truly useful stuff can be a challenge. Luckily, two Redditors cut through the noise and asked for life hacks that are surprisingly simple and incredibly effective.
The community delivered, sharing tips that cover everything from a quick remedy for brain freeze to a smart trick for slipping off a stuck ring. Check them out below and don’t forget to upvote the ones you’ll be adding to your own routine!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
There is a little lever on one side of your steering wheel that will indicate to other drivers your intention to turn or change lanes. It comes on ALL CARS, even Dodge Ram pickups and is completely free to use!!!!!
RELATED:
#2
When you eat out at a restaurant and there is something wrong with your order, you actually don’t have to scream at the 16-year-old that gave it to you. “Excuse me, I ordered x and received y” works just as well and sometimes actually plays out in your favor, as the saying goes, you catch more flies with honey.
#3
If your pre-schoolers are watching TV, turn on the closed captions. They will soon begin to associate the sounds with the words.
We did this with our three children, and they all excelled in reading and spelling. They also did well in Japanese as they watched anime with Japanese sub-titles.
Karen Mercury 1 year ago
That makes sense. I learned how to read by watching over my mother's shoulder while she read books to me.
#4
Be introspective. Say "thank you" often, and don't shy away from accepting responsibility with "I'm sorry."
Common courtesy isn't as common as it should be.
#5
"No." is a complete sentance.
#6
Even if you really, really, really want to kill someone, don't.
#7
Taking a big whiff of something astringent - like an alcohol wipe or lemon juice - can get rid of nausea.
The first time someone suggested smelling rubbing alcohol to me I thought they were insane but it got rid of my nausea almost instantly.
#8
I pretty much live by: if you hate everyone, eat something. if you feel like you hate yourself, take a shower. if you feel like everyone hates you, get some sleep.
it’s a very simplistic approach, but just being able to focus on those basic needs helps if my mental/physical health isn’t in the best shape!! (which it usually isnt haha).
Snowy Ashton 1 year ago
Before you make a bad or rash decision, HALT - check four things: Are you Hungry? Eat something! Are you Angry? Find a safe and healthy way to vent! Are you Lonely? Visit, volunteer or call someone! Are you Tired? Nap or sleep! And another thing, don't trust your feelings after 9PM.
#9
Modeling behavior for your kids actually works. We've never once explicitly told our 2 or 5 year old to say "please" or "thank you" or other kind s**t, but they say it when the moment is right. My two year old is much better about "thank you" than his big brother, but the five year old regularly uses "please" when asking for the most mundane s**t. When the kindness comes naturally from them, it blows my mind every time.
#10
Showing unexpected kindness to people can make their day!
Beak Hookage 1 year ago
It really is amazing. I was at the circus and found someone's phone left on a seat as everyone was leaving. So I started carrying it around and holding it up so people would see it. When the frantic owner found me and I gave it back it wasn't just her but everyone with her looking SO HAPPY.
#11
Washing your hands after a toilet visit kills germs!
John Mosley 1 year ago
Today I learned this is considered a life hack and not just what everyone does.
#12
When I'm done using the blender, I put a dot of dish soap and hot water into it and then run it for a few seconds and rinse it out. Voilà. Easiest damn dish to wash.
#13
Clean the kitchen while you wait for food to cook.
Barbara Wilcock 1 year ago
No,sorry. I'm not that perfect. I'll clean at 3am when I cant sleep
#15
This is a psychological advice that I once saw on a subreddit, and I couldn't stop practicing ever since because it is so legit.
When you're walking on the street, make sure to always keep your head up and look straight-forward to the people— ergo, walk with a purpose. That way you won't be finding any trouble with people getting in your way during your walk because they'll instantly avoid you and get out of your path!
It's so useful when you're in a rush.
Edit: English is not my motherly language, so I hope I made myself clear with the advice:)
#16
Take a screenshot of your mobile boarding pass. You won't need an internet connection to access your photos. Even better, temporarily use the screenshot as your home screen wallpaper.
#17
I created an auto correct on my phone so that typing @@ will autocorrect to my email address. It’s such a small thing that has made my life so much better, especially since I have a long email address.
#18
This is an old hack I learned growing up. If your family eats a lot of sour cream, but it tends to go bad before you use it again, store it in the refrigerator upside down on the lid after you have opened it. The sour creme seals it from the inside and last a lot longer and no mold forms on the top. Voilà.
#19
Using a coffee filter to cover food in the microwave. Porous enough to allow steam through, thick enough to prevent splatters. Also, super cheap.
#20
Freezing grapes and using them as ice cubes in wine keeps your drink chilled without watering it down. It sounds fancy but actually works.
#21
If you use permanent marker on a whiteboard, go over it with drywipe marker and it'll come off when you wipe it. Source: I'm a teacher who has had to do this a few times!
#22
The best raise you can give yourself is cooking. Learn to cook and you save money.
#23
If you have a cough, put Vicks on the bottom of your feet and put socks on before you go to sleep. You won’t cough all night. Super strange but I can’t take cough suppressants because it interacts with my SSRI. This works every single time.
#24
When I put a shirt on, I put the empty hanger back on the left side of the rod, so all of the empties are in one place when I go to hang up my clean shirts, instead of hunting for them. It only saves a minute or so, but makes the chore a little less aggravating.
Karen Mercury 1 year ago
Exactly! And when I hang up clean shirts I put them all on the right side, and take shirts to wear from the left side. That way I know if there's a shirt I keep skipping over and I give it to the veterans.
#25
If you're trying to see something in the dark, look next to it instead of directly at it.
Daniel Atkins 1 year ago
How about feet around with your feet and undoubtedly you will find it with your toes ;)
#26
I had no idea you could stick a cut potato into a broken lightbulb socket to twist it out safely. It's weird but works!
#27
Drink lots of water, it seems to be keeping me feeling well into my 40s. Ive done so many bad things to my body over the years but ive always kept chugging about 3 litres of water a day if not more. If i dont get a good bit of water down in the morning i feel tired and s****y until i do.
#28
Never give 100% at work. Hard work is rewarded with more work.
Apatheist Account2 1 year ago
Kind of depends on the work. I wouldn't want health workers or pilots giving less than 100%.
#29
One life hack I went from not knowing to using almost daily is the search bar in the Photos app on my iPhone. I used to think I could only scroll endlessly through my camera roll to find a specific photo. Then I discovered that I could search my pictures based on objects, people, or even text that appeared in them.
For example, if I’m looking for a photo where I was wearing a suit or glasses, I can just type “suit” or “glasses” in the search bar, and it instantly shows me all the relevant pictures. It even recognizes text in photos—if I remember taking a picture of a document, a sign, or anything with words on it, I just type a keyword, and it pulls up those images.
This feature has completely changed how I organize and find photos. Instead of scrolling for ages, I can just search and find what I need in seconds. It’s a game-changer for anyone with thousands of photos stored!
#30
If you look annoyed all the time people think you’re busy…I started using this and it works most of the time lol.
#31
Using a clothespin to hold a nail while hammering. this keeps your fingers safe from accidental hits and makes it easier to position the nail accurately. It’s a small change, but it can make a big difference.
#32
Use mint to get rid of black ants. When it rains here, the ants invade the house from outside. Putting mint around the entry places keeps them away! Dr. Bronner's Mint Soap in a spray bottle is very helpful, too!
Mint grows like a weed; it's overtaken and abandoned my wife's raised bed planter.
It also makes a great tea!
#33
Floss first, then mouthwash, then brush. Gets the stuff between your teeth out and get the gums ready, then the mouthwash cleans the germs out and removes the loosened gunk you just flossed around, then the toothpaste from brushing can stay on your teeth so the flouride can strengthen the enamel.
keyboardtek 1 year ago
Mouthwash over kills bacteria. Just like in your gut, our mouth and throat have a beneficial bacteria flora that one should not kill off.
#34
If you find yourself forgetting if you locked your house/car/some other random action you want to remember, do something odd when you do it. Tap your feet in a little jig, waggle your hands, just something out of the ordinary. You'll remember doing that strange thing, and thus remember that you did the important thing.
#35
If you need to switch on the light in the dark, close your eyes, flip the switch and only open them afterwards. You won't blind yourself.
It also works in reverse.
FoxEcoLimaIndiaCharlieIndiAlfa 1 year ago
I do this almost every time I turn a light on or off and it really does help.
#36
If it will take less than 5 minutes to clean something, declutter, or fix something, do it the moment you notice it. Game changer for my adhd.
#37
If your ring gets stuck on your finger windex will slide it right off. Worked at a jewelry store for five plus years.
BeesEelsAndPups 1 year ago (edited)
Garden shears will take the finger off with minimal effort. Then you just pull the ring from the bottom. Worked as an interrogator for five plus years.
#38
When you get a “brain freeze” from drinking or eating something cold, rest your tongue against the top of your mouth on the soft part near the back. It will get rid of it faster.
#39
“Fake it till you make it” sounds like bad inspirational speaker but it’s an extremely effective way of building confidence.
#40
Cool off a canned beverage quickly by wrapping it in wet paper towel and putting it in the freezer. Cools off much faster than without the paper towel.
Beak Hookage 1 year ago
But for the love of god don't forget it's in there for hours like I did. BANG!
#41
Exercise light but do it everyday
just 10 push-ups
just 10 squats
but do it every day
Beak Hookage 1 year ago
It gets easier. Every day it gets a little easier. But you gotta do it every day. That's the hard part. But it does get easier.
#42
Wiping water off with your hands before the towel after a shower. Waaaay faster.
John Haley 1 year ago
Ah the hand squeegee. I've used it for years and it works brilliantly. Takes 90% of the water off your body and means you just have to wipe yourself with the towel once without ending up trying to dry yourself with a wet towel. My partner laughed at me when I suggested it to her instead of using 2 towels. Until she actually tried it. She still uses 2 towels (one for her hair and one for her body) but one are much drier and I don't have to wait as long for the toilet these days.
#43
Using binder clips to organize cables under my desk. It went from a jungle of wires to a neatly organized command center. It's like I can hear the tech gods whispering, "Well done," every time I plug something in without playing tug-of-war.
#44
If you are getting gas at Costco just go to whatever line is shortest. I know that sounds obvious, but people pile up in the long lines because they want to get a pump on the same side as their gas tank. The thing is the hoses are ridiculously long and can easily reach the far side of the car. I frequently go to Costco and the lines on the left hand pumps will be six cars deep and I can pull right into an empty lane of right hand pumps.
Brian Droste 1 year ago (edited)
Where I live the hose on gas pumps are not that long. You can do it but it will be a stretch. These are non Costco pumps.
#45
Putting a paper towel with a bit of dish soap in a stained plastic tupperware container and letting it sit for a bit!
Kitty 🥀 1 year ago
I’m sorry, but letting it sit is stupid. What’s supposed to happen that wouldn’t happen by soaking it in warm soapy water in the sink? What the trick REALLY is is to put in ripped up paper towel in the container along with dish soap and warm water, seal it, then shake it for a few seconds. That gets off old tomato sauce stains too.
#46
You can suppress your gag reflex by smiling. It tightens the muscles in your neck.
#47
When using an electric razor, lighlty let it glide over your skin, hardly any pressure at all, almost as if its barely toiching, you'll get a much better shave and zero irritation.
#48
Use a VPN to buy airline tickets. Make it look like you are booking from another country, save a huge amount.
Beak Hookage 1 year ago (edited)
Today's post is sponsored by NordVPN. Use the special code BOREDP to get 60% off your first yearly subscription!
#49
You can just decide to have a good day in most cases. That b******t that happened this morning is over, don't let it spill into the rest of your day and keep you in a bad mood all day.
#50
You can make perfect hard boiled eggs in the air fryer.
Chuck your eggs in the basket, set to 190 degrees Celsius and wait 5 1/2 to 6 minutes, depending on how runny you like your yolks.
Remove, peel and et voila! Perfect hard boiled eggs, with no mess and no pot to wash after.
Barbara Wilcock 1 year ago
Put eggs into a pan of boiling water. No cleaning as eggs have a shell. Rinse pan,done.Stop with the airfryer is a modern miracle
#51
If you wanna peel a lot of garlic, separate the bulbs and put them into a Tupperware container and shake the hell out of them for a good minute or two non stop. The skin will schluff off easily.
Edit: this is for a a lot of garlic. Whole bulb+ amounts. Knife smash is still king for
#52
Pressing your finger against upper lip just under your nose when you feel a sneeze coming on. Completely makes the sneeze go away. I don’t know why, but it worked for me even during recovery from abdominal surgery which was a HUGE help.
SarCaustic 1 year ago
Breathing exclusively through your mouth sometimes helps, if it's a nose tickle.
#53
When I’m looking for something I make a mental note of the first place I looked for it. Once I find it I put it in the first place I looked.
Brian Droste 1 year ago
Yep. I have put objects in a certain place and keep them there for a long while.. I will remember where they are at, but if I remove them and put them somewhere else thinking I will remember where I put them, I will forget. Especially at my age.
#54
Putting a bowl of water in the microwave when reheating food it keeps the food from drying out and actually works surprisingly well.
#55
Play music with your newborn
They get used to the noise and sleep well when your trying to clean house or whatever.
meeeeeeeeeeee 1 year ago
babies are used to being inside a person and hearing all their guts and heartbeat noises, they don't need silence
#56
If you have a shy bladder and cannot pee, do simple math in your head and you will go. Learned this from reddit.
Apatheist Account2 1 year ago
That explains a lot of the embarrassing events that happened in maths classes...
#57
If you have a credit card that gives cash back points, and you make all your purchases on it (that don't have disproportionate convenience fees of course), and you pay off the entire balance before having to pay interest, you can actually get hundreds, if not thousands of dollars every year for just spending money you normally would.
Apatheist Account2 1 year ago (edited)
Should always pay off the credit card. Even if you have 1p left, they'll charge you interest on the whole month's balance, not just the 1p. Not sure where it's available, but buying through Top Cashback is a good option in the UK.
#58
If you baked cookies or something and want to keep them soft, stick them in the microwave with a slice of bread on top. Don't need to turn it on or wrap them in anything- just on a plate. The bread will dry out and the cookies will stay soft. .
#59
Freezng leftover coffee in ice trays to use in iced coffee later.
#60
To stop feeling drowsy due to a build up of CO2 on long drives, just turn off the recirculation that's usually on by default. Cars are pretty well sealed so the CO2 builds up very quickly when using recirculation. You get less efficient AC turning it off but it's well worth it.
I've gone from almost falling asleep at the wheel on road trips to feeling just normal on arrival.
#61
If you walk into a room, and forget what you’re doing/getting, quickly flick your eyes back and fourth ( left to right ), it can help jog your memory.
#62
If you run out of potato chips while enjoying onion dip, you can get a spoon and eat the rest of the dip straight out of the tub.
#63
The gas pump logo on your dashboard always have a little arrow besides it. It point to which side is the gas tank.
#64
Establish a schedule for before you exercise. Every time I visit the gym, I perform the same routines. Those simple pre-workout routines just spur me on when I am not feeling inspired.
#65
When traveling, type in (local area code) 867-5309 whenever you're prompted for a loyalty program. It's always worked for me at gas stations and grocery stores.
#66
Using a rubber band to keep a stripped screw in place changed my DIY game completely.
#67
If you don’t have parchment paper to line the bottom of a cake tin, use an oiled coffee filter! It works perfectly.
#68
While I’m on the computer for work, I listen to gaming background music.
I enjoy listening to the tracks because they’re not distracting, unlike if I put a favorite playlist on which doesn’t help my concentration.
I’m not a gamer, but listening to game soundtracks has made me more productive at work.
Chewie Baron 1 year ago
Classical music is also good for this, as there’s no words to be distracted by.
#69
On your iPhone keyboard, press and hold the spacebar to be able to move the cursor around. Makes it easier to put the cursor where you want it. You can also press and hold within the text to get a magnified moving cursor.
#70
Underwater egg peeling.
Apatheist Account2 1 year ago
It's the added time for putting on your swimsuit and SCUBA gear that's the hassle.
#71
Instant pot for softening beans
beans are economical, nutritious, and who doesn't like burritos?
#72
Reorganizing my closet so I don't have to fold laundry.
cube storage bins for everything, hangers above where things that wrinkle easily can go.
it's gotten things off the floor and out of the laundry hampers so much faster.
#73
Butter both sides of a PB&J.
Keeps the jelly from soaking the bread.
#74
Dabbing baking soda on a pimple overnight.
Shelby Moonheart 1 year ago
Neosporin is good for that too especially once the pimple has popped to help it heal faster.
#75
Using a binder clip to organize your cables. It’s like giving your cords their own little office.
#76
Put a wooden spoon over a pot of boiling water to keep it from overflowing. It sounds like something straight out of a cartoon, but it works like magic. The spoon acts as a lid deflector, and the bubbles get trapped and pop before they can make a mess.
#77
Brush your teeth in the shower. Not only will you get them cleaner, you won't have to worry about the mess around your sink.
#78
Using binder clips to organize cables.
Katy McMouse 1 year ago (edited)
Today, on Bored Panda, using binder clips as cable organizers was hammered into our collective heads.
#79
If you burn more calories than you eat, you will lose weight.
#80
If you tell others you are an incompetent cook then you get to watch tv while others cook for you.
What do you think ?
Pencil McGovern 1 year ago
Instead of scrubbing a pan with burnt on food stuck to it, put just a bit of water in the pan, put it on the stove and heat it up. Use tongs to brush it with a stainless-steel scrubber. The heat opens up the metal so it releases the food particles in seconds. Also, coiled stainless-steel lasts a long time (unlike brillo) and can be run through a dishwasher to keep them clean after using.
UKGrandad 1 year ago
Alternatively, for burnt-on food or for pans that you've cooked milky or creamy sauces in, as soon as you've emptied the contents and while the pan is still hot, plunge it into a bowl of cold water. The sudden temperature change makes the metal contract before the food can stick to it.
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Pencil McGovern 1 year ago
Instead of scrubbing a pan with burnt on food stuck to it, put just a bit of water in the pan, put it on the stove and heat it up. Use tongs to brush it with a stainless-steel scrubber. The heat opens up the metal so it releases the food particles in seconds. Also, coiled stainless-steel lasts a long time (unlike brillo) and can be run through a dishwasher to keep them clean after using.
UKGrandad 1 year ago
Alternatively, for burnt-on food or for pans that you've cooked milky or creamy sauces in, as soon as you've emptied the contents and while the pan is still hot, plunge it into a bowl of cold water. The sudden temperature change makes the metal contract before the food can stick to it.
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