Usually products are designed and created with a specific purpose in mind. They are perfected to deal with a particular issue or they are just commonly used for one thing. If you need your windows cleaned, there’s a specific product for that. You use salt to season your food and usually use bleach to take out stains from white clothing.
But all these products can be used for different intentions. A person whose nickname is secondhandsisters probably had that thought and went to Reddit to ask people “What are some lesser-known secondary uses for an everyday product?” And that created a big and very useful thread with people sharing so many products that don’t have to be used just for what they were initially intended to.
Do you have any advice that really works on how to use everyday items or products? Tell us about it in the comments and then upvote the answers that you will try out yourself!
More info: Reddit
As a mechanic, a flat-head screwdriver is a pry-bar, package opener, square-head (Robertson) screwdriver, hose-pick, a punch, test-lead, electrical bridge, scraper, chisel, and least importantly, a flat-head screwdriver.
I carry a garlic press in my purse so that when I’m out at a restaurant I can make a small amount of baby food out of any steamed vegetable.
Condensed milk for those with chronic vomiting. Not only is it great for cooking, but I had a pharmacist tell me about adding some water till it is the consistency of thick soup. Get the person to sip small amounts of it slowly. It helps line the oesophagus to reduce vomiting, and allowing medication time to hit the stomach and work. Also provides much needed sugar. I’ve used it on kids and adults and it’s worked a treat every time
Coffee grounds are quite versatile. Among other things, you can use them for:
A soil additive to improve the pH balance for plants
Place them in a refrigerator to neutralize odors
Scour pots and pans
De-icing your steps and driveway
An ant repellent
An exfoliating scrub for your skin
If you have a landline telephone, the dial tone is a concert F.
By holding the phone to your ear and your finger on the first fret of the first string of your guitar (for example) you can use the dial tone as a reference pitch and accurately tune up without a tuner
Clean mascara wands are used in animal shelters to soothe the animals by brushing, and to remove fly eggs and larva from fur.
If you have a French press for coffee, you can also froth milk in it after. Pour in hot milk and raise and lower the plunger until the volume of the milk has about doubled.
I wrap those thick rubber bands (you know the ones that come around broccoli crowns) around tight jar lids to make them grippy and easy to undo.
Use vet wrap instead of sports tape. It’s basically the same thing but much less expensive.
put a somewhat thick layer of vaseline on the skin around your hairline and ears and neck when dying your hair. if you accidentally get dye on your skin, you can easily wipe it off.
Bottom shelf cheap VODKA…. Put it in a spray bottle and squirt in on your bathroom walls to kill mold, squirt it on clothes to remove any odors, use it to clean mirrors, glass, windows.
Vagisil for chafing. It’s antibacterial, lubricating, and an anesthetic. I learned that in the army
If you have a highlighter that’s dying, take the “pen” part of it out of the casing and soak it in nail polish remover. It will revitalize it to working like new
Liquid Laundry detergent glows under blacklights but is clear under normal light. You can dip a qtip in some detergent and draw/write on your walls and only see it with a blacklight on. Different brands glow different colors. Lots of fun in dorm rooms.
Your library card can do a lot more than let you borrow books.
It allows you to take free courses on Lynda, or learn a language, and even stream movies. A lot of libraries also have video game rentals, which a lot of people don’t know about.
Any cooking oil is a great way to remove the residue from stickers.
Idk if this is recommended but if you get scratches on wood furniture I’ve always taken a matching washable marker, colored over the scratch, and then wiped it with a damp cloth (to effectively stain the wood back to match).
Bleach to keep away cockroaches. I used to get big ass cockroaches in the summer that came up my drain.
My exterminator told me to pour 1 cup of bleach down my drain each week. You have to pour it down the drain in the room you see them. I started 18 months ago and haven’t seen a cockroach since.
(Don’t do this if you have a septic tank)
Keep a bag of cat litter in the trunk of the car, in case you need extra traction if you get stuck in ice or snow.
Use salt as an abrasive and absorber when cleaning. I spray my stove top with a general household cleaner then sprinkle salt liberally over the top. It gets grease out easily.
For liquid stains like wine, I pour salt over the stain to soak up excess liquid then come through with hydrogen peroxide. Finally I get absorbent towels and dab clean it.
Clear nail polish:
Prevent skin going green from brass
Permanently stop fabric from fraying
Same goes with yarn
Seal paint
The $2 quick dry stuff is the best for me.
Kinesiology tape to hold up your boobs when your outfit is too revealing for a normal bra. I used a few strips of tape under my wedding dress, and my girls were good to go the entire day and night.
Pickle juice can assist the ph balance in your stomach. This means when out drinking, if your stomach starts to feel queezy take a shot or two of pickle juice… why vomit when you’re out having fun?
On a side and probably more relevant note, pickle juice is essentially the OG Gatorade. If you need to replace electrolytes or simply feel a bit dehydrated, drink some pickle juice and then some water