You mustn’t believe everything you see on the internet, particularly if you are looking for life hacks. While some of them really work in helping us solve common daily problems, there are other ‘hacks’ that are just plain ridiculous. If you aren’t careful and you follow them without even thinking twice, then you might end up hurting yourself or compromising your health.
To make sure that doesn’t happen, here’s a list of lifehacks you shouldn’t trust.
1. Use cardboard aka trash as a hat
Need a way to block the sun at an event? Just look in your local trash bin to see what kind of goodies you can find. This woman’s solution is on the verge of insanity. Or maybe she really is a genius.
2. Use flashlights for your broken car light
Did your car light stop working? Not to worry, just add some flashlights to it to light your way. Kidding. Do not use this awful hack. EVER.
3. Release your garbage bags faster.
Getting a full garbage bag out of your trashcan can be frustrating at times. This is why the internet suggests that you drill holes at the bottom of the container to avoid that suction grip caused by a full bag.
There are two problems with this hack. One is that the holes allow the smell of your garbage to come out. Another issue is the garbage water which can be a big hazard for the entire family.
4. Turn your toaster into a sandwich maker.
The internet suggests that if you don’t own a sandwich press, you can use your toaster instead. Just put some cheese and ham between two slices of bread and pop it into your toaster. Don’t forget to turn the appliance on its side.
In reality, this just doesn’t work. Toasters have slots that can only fit in one slice of bread at a time. Plus, it’s quite dangerous, too.
5. Make an easy pancake dispenser.
If you like pancakes, you’ve probably heard of one popular life hack about it. You can make a big batch and just store the batter in a ketchup dispenser.
This hack is quite time-consuming and messy. It’s probably easier to just make a new batch each time you want pancakes than to spend a long time transferring the batter to a ketchup bottle.
6. Open wine with a nail and hammer.
This one’s bogus. Even if you tap one or five small nails and pull them in succession, you’ll never pull that cork out. You’ll just be showing people how to pull a nail with a hammer in the most absurd way.
The only thing that’ll open that wine is a long and robust screw- not a nail.
7. Magnify your phone screen.
This is probably one of the most absurd life hacks you’ll see on this list. Apparently, putting your phone in a glass full of water can help magnify the screen.
The only problem? That will probably be the last time you see your phone work.
8. Make a storage space for your glasses using toilet paper roll.
This hack may actually work in keeping your sunglasses safe. Well, that is if you don’t mind holding a used toilet paper roll all the time.
9. Save more tennis balls.
If you want to save more tennis balls in one can, the internet has one suggestion- you cut the balls in half before putting them inside the can. That way, you’ll be able to keep more balls in the container. However, I’m pretty sure the balls would be useless after.
10. Hide the holes in your sock.
If you ever find holes in your sock, particularly the area on your toes, don’t feel embarrassed. Instead, get a Sharpie and fill in the hole. Now, while this hack can solve your problem, it’s not a permanent solution. Apart from that hole in your sock, you’ll also have to deal with the ink on your toenails.
11. Stop your tears when cutting onions by wrapping plastic around your head.
This hack suggests that wrapping plastic all over your head can prevent you from tearing up when cutting onions. While it does prevent the irritating substances of the onion from getting in your eyes, you might end up suffocating. It’s really not worth the risk.
12. Heat up your lunch with your charger.
The problem with this hack is that it’s quite unhygienic. You bring your laptop to different places. Imagine how many bacteria it has on its surface. Apart from that, the charger won’t be hot enough to actually heat up your food. Consider using the microwave instead.
13. Make your own spoon.
While this might work, it’s still something you shouldn’t try. It’s unhygienic.
14. Hold your umbrella without using your hands.
This is practical but so gross. What about the next person who’ll hold that umbrella? I hope he got some strong disinfectant.
15. Lock your lunch.
I’m not really sure why you would need to lock your lunch away but if you ever need a hack for it, this one won’t do. While it might keep anyone from opening it, it won’t stop people from taking your whole lunch.
16. Reheat pizza with a flat iron and blower.
It’s hard to decide who I’ll feel more sorry for. Should it be the next person who’ll use that iron? Or the person who’s going to eat that pizza? Clearly, that iron has been in contact with steamy shirts.
17. Make a speaker system using toilet paper rolls and paper cups.
If you cut an empty toilet paper tube in the middle, insert your phone there, and connect two paper cups, you can make a really cheap speaker. While the idea sounds practical, it doesn’t really work. The cardboard will just muffle the sound.
18. Make long-lasting batteries by freezing them.
This lifehack caught the attention of one battery company. They even had to make a statement opposing it. Instead of prolonging a battery’s lifespan, storing it in cold temperatures can result in condensation and corrosion.
19. Remove permanent marker on your clothes with a hand sanitizer.
A hand sanitizer, or anything that contains organic solvents like alcohol and benzene, can remove ink on your skin. When it comes to fabric, however, it’s not likely to work. The hand sanitizer will just cause the ink to bleed more into the fabric.
20. Get cold beer by placing the bottle next to an air conditioning unit.
If there’s not enough room for your beers in your fridge, one hack suggests that you tape your bottles next to your air conditioning unit to cool them. This hack is an awesome way to drop beers on the floor. Just stick your bottle in your freezer for a couple of minutes.
21. Untangle headphones by shaking them.
If you’re lucky, you might get it to work. Otherwise, you may just end up hurting yourself or anyone near you when you accidentally whip it.
22. Put a wooden spoon to stop your pot of water from boiling over.
There’s no spoon -wooden or metal- that can stop your water from boiling and spilling over. The water will just engulf the spoon.
23. Make tomatoes easier to cut by holding them in between two plastic lids.
This hack is easier said than done. You’ll just end up with tomato juice everywhere and you won’t get clean and even cuts.
24. Remove kernels by shaking your popcorn bag.
This might work if you have a lot of time. You’ll need to shake the bag for awhile before you can get all the kernels out. If you’re in a hurry for your movie, just leave the kernels at the bottom.
25. Relieve pain from jellyfish sting by peeing on yourself.
Just take an oral analgesic. It works well in reducing pain and it’s not likely to aggravate your wound.
26. Get crispy leftover pizza by reheating it in your microwave with a glass of water.
Your microwave uses radiation to heat your food. To get that crispy crust, you’ll need hot air or convection to heat your pizza from the outside in. Honestly, the glass of water isn’t that essential.
27. Relieve cold by gargling mouthwash.
Your mouthwash might help treat sore throats but it can’t do anything for your cold. In fact, it might even make things worse because it can further irritate your throat and tonsils.
28. Remove garlic or onion smells by rubbing your hands on stainless steel.
This hack is more likely to work if you rub your hands with lemon juice. Vinegar works well, too.
29. Remove strawberry stems using a straw.
In reality, you won’t find the straw easy to get through the fruit. Plus, it’s time consuming. It’s much faster to just cut the stem out with a paring knife.
30. Make your cupcake easier to eat by cutting it in half.
Halving your cake, frosting its inside, and mushing it back together can help make your cupcake easier to eat. The only problem is the frosting spurting out and creating a mess. You’d still prefer to eat your cupcake the regular way.
31. Put a dryer sheet in your air vents to make your home smell nice.
This is an absurd idea. Putting a dryer sheet in your air vent means blocking it. It’s not a good idea if you consider your heating system. If you want your home to smell nice, diffuse some essential oils.
32. Get cleaner dishes by putting a lemon wedge in your dishwasher.
This hack will help make your dishes smell nicer, but it can’t really help when it comes to cleaning. I think it’s much better to rely on your detergent for that.
33. Mix baking soda and vinegar to make an all-purpose cleaner.
It’s easy to believe that something is working when you’re seeing a reaction. However, bubbles and foams don’t really mean that it’s working.
34. Remove burn marks from your clothes by using corn starch.
When a piece of clothing gets burnt, there’s no way you can restore its original appearance. Even if you use tons of corn starch, it will remain that way.
35. Clean computer screens with a coffee filter.
Although this may somehow work, why would you spend time and effort to buy a coffee filter if you already have other dusting tools at home? Just use that and you’ll save money.
36. Clean your washing machine using your mouth wash.
Well, to begin with, your washing machine isn’t like your mouth. Plus, if you are planning on cleaning your washing machine following this hack, you’ll need a lot of mouth wash before you can even kill half of the bacteria there.
37. Apply a bit of car wax on your stove top for easier cleaning.
The number one problem with this hack is that waxes are considered combustible. Why would you put it near a flame? Apart from that, why would you use it near your food?
38. Line your refrigerator with newspaper to absorb odor.
Newspapers are generally dirty. Think twice before you use it under your organic fruits and vegetables.
39. Sanitize sponges in the microwave.
This hack suggests that you can kill the bacteria in your sponge by heating it up in the microwave. Well, some bacteria are able to withstand the heat in your microwave. If you really want to be safe, just replace the sponges on a regular basis.
40. Cut a banana using a wire tray.
If there’s no knife around and you need to cut a banana, you can use a wire tray. Now, this hack may work if your banana is still a bit unripe. If you do this hack using a ripe and soft banana, you’re just going to end up with a mess.
41. Clean your toilet with Coke.
Coke isn’t formulated to clean dirt and stains. It can’t even kill bacteria. If you really want a clean toilet, just use your regular cleaner.
42. Treat pimples with toothpaste.
A lot of toothpastes are formulated with menthol which can dry out the skin. This hack may end up irritating your pimples.
43. Cut cheese with a dental floss.
This is a hack that might work if you use the correct type of dental floss. When cutting cheese, make sure that you’re using an unscented floss so you won’t ruin the flavor.
44. Get rid of the stains on your containers with lemon juice.
Even if you rub lemon juice hard on the interior part of your stained plastic containers, it won’t do anything. Just save your lemons for your precious tequila.
45. Use banana skin to polish your shoes.
Some people believe that using banana skin on shoes can make them shine because of its potassium content. The truth, however, is that the mineral is only great for humans and not shoes.
46. Clean the water rings on your coffee table with vinegar.
So many hacks involve using vinegar as a cleaning agent. However, for getting rid of water rings on your coffee table, it probably won’t cut it. Vinegar is acidic and highly likely to damage the polish applied to protect the wood.
47. Use wax paper to prevent the colors of your fabrics from transferring.
When you put wax paper in between pillowcases and sheets, it’s likely to melt on the fabric, particularly if you’ll be storing them in your attic. Instead of wax paper, just use acid-free tissue paper.
48. Exfoliate your skin using baking soda.
Baking soda isn’t a solution to every problem. If you need to exfoliate, find something a lot more gentle. Baking soda can be harsh on your skin. It can leave it irritated and raw.
49. Use raw eggs to lighten and tighten your face.
Raw eggs can cause diseases like salmonella. If you want to brighten up your face, start with exfoliating. It helps remove dead skin cells that make your skin look dull.
50. Get rid of germs using paper towels.
Paper towels are only good for light dusting. If you want to trap more germs and clean your home better, consider using a microfiber rag.
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