Sometimes, we feel a bit lazy to do housework. It looks like there's nothing much to do, but think again. Once you decide to tidy your house, it'll likely take you the whole weekend to finish. Luckily, for almost every task you do, there's a suitable household item to help you. At least, with these items, you can save a lot of time and energy while doing those tedious tasks. But, do you know that some utensils have secondary or hidden functions? Maybe people are so familiar with using them for a particular purpose that we don't even realize we can use them differently.
It sounds interesting that there still is something to surprise us in everyday objects. And we believe that if you know the full capability of those utensils, you can do housework smoother and more efficiently than ever. So, here we have compiled a list of items that have a secondary function for you. We hope this can help you utilize those items to the fullest. And now, scroll down and give them a look.
#1 Use a wooden spoon to prevent a pot from boiling over
Source: Adobe
Lay a wooden spoon on top of the pot, it'll help you keep the bubbles under control.
#2 Store the peanut butter jar upside-down to prevent the oil from separating
Source: hip2keto.com
Store the jar upside-down so the peanut and the oil will not separate. Enjoy your peanut butter with full flavor.
#3 Use the hole of the spaghetti spoon to measure proportions
Source: unknown
The amount of spaghetti that fits in the hole is equal to an average proportion. This will be very helpful if you're going to cook for a whole family.
#4 Arrow on the gas gauge points to the side where the gas tank is
Source: Pinterest
If the arrow points to the right, then the gas tank is on the right side of the car. This will help if your car is rental or newly bought.
#5 Fill small holes in the wall with crayons
Source: thedelite.com
Those crayons are perfect to fill unsightly holes on your wall. Choose the ones that match the wall's color.
#6 This blue part of the eraser is the source of so many myths
Source: Pexels
The blue part is not for erasing ink. That part is suitable for thicker and tougher types of paper, while the red part can be widely used on either notebook or loose-leaf paper.
#7 How to make sticky notes lay flat
Source: Simplemost Media
If you tear them from the bottom up, they'll curl up when you stick them on the wall or board. Tear from the side to keep your sticky notes lie flat on the surface.
#8 The true function of the piece of fabric you get with new clothes
Source: Scoopwhoop
That piece is not for patching up a rip because it's too small. It's used to test the effects of cleaning products before you use them on your clothes.
#9 Fast food meal container hack
Source: McDonald's/Lillian.VanTassel
Slide the straw of your drink through the center of the food container. Then the box can sit stably on top of your drink, and you can put them inside your cup holder. No mess anymore.
#10 Peel bananas from the bottom
Source: Alyssa Modos
Peel bananas from the bottom to prevent bruises, then you can enjoy a nice, delicious-looking banana.
#11 Built-in spoon rest on your pan
Source: Adobe
Don't have anything to hold your spoon while cooking? Look for the small hole on the handle of your pan, that's a built-in spoon rest. Make sure the burners are off so you don't accidentally cause a fire in your kitchen.
#12 Use nail polish to seal a screw
Source: naildesigncode
Apply nail polish on a loose screw to keep it tightly in place. Now that you know nail polish has so many uses.
#13 Dishwasher can be used to clean toys and many other items
Source: unknown
Put toys, food bowls, plastic office supplies, and even small trash cans in your dishwasher to clean. It saves you a lot of time and effort, and water.
#14 Holes on the side of Converse shoes also have functions
Source: unknown
These holes provide ventilation to your feed, so they'll not overheat and sweat too much. You can also use these holes to create some new lacing styles as you want.
#15 Little bumps on "F" and "J" keys on the keyboard
Source: Apple
The "F" and "J" buttons are where your index fingers rest, so the little bumps will help you locate the buttons without looking down at the keyboard. They can also help blind people with typing.
#16 Pack your clothes using the rolling method
Source: Adobe
When packing your clothes for a trip, you should roll instead of folding them. With this, your clothes will be less wrinkled and also leave you more space for other items.
#17 The Tic Tac container's handy feature
Source: unknown
The small tab on top of the Tic Tac box can hold a Tic Tac perfectly. Tilt the box and one Tic Tac will slice right onto the tab.
#18 Use shaving foam as a substitute to fight sunburn
Source: unknown
If you spend a little too long outside and get a sunburn, you can use shaving foam as a substitute if you can't find aloe gel. The menthol in the product has a cooling effect, and shea butter can help moisturize your skill.
#19 Add cheese to burgers after the fire is off
Source: Adobe
Add slices of cheddar to your burgers after cooking to prevent a burnt mess. The remaining heat still can melt the cheese, just wait for a few minutes and you can enjoy your favorite melty cheeseburgers.
#20 Cheap but effective way to whiten your teeth
Source: unknown
Don't throw the banana peel right away. Rubbing the inner side of it against your freshly brushed teeth for about two minutes every day can help whiten your teeth. The astringent salicylic acid is plaque-busting. The citric acid in banana peels gently bleaches your teeth, effectively lightening the stains on your teeth without wearing down the enamel.
#21 The drawer under the oven
Source: Pinterest
It's best to follow the manual. If you have a warming drawer, there should be a “warming drawer” as a button option on your stove. If your gas oven has a narrow drawer, that would be a broiler. If there's no button on your oven and the drawer is rather deep, that's made for storage only and you should not put food in it.
#22 A potato can help unscrew a broken light bulb
Source: unknown
Stick half of the potato to the broken light bulb, make sure all the sharp edges are well covered. Then turn the potato to unscrew the light bulb. Safe and simple.
#23 Use tabs on the side to stop foil from rolling away
Source: unknown
See those little perforated tabs at the ends of the box, push them in to lock the foil roll. Now you can wrap your food and stuff without the roll flying out unexpectedly.
#24 Use a dustpan to fill a bucket
Source: unknown
Sink without a hose extension? Take your dustpan and do like this. Full bucket within a minute, no mess.
#25 Remove the tops of strawberries with a straw
Source: barefeetinthekitchen
Slide the straw through the berries, starting from the bottom. And the top will come out easily.
#26 Wooden hangers help you repel insects
Source: Amazon
Wooden hangers are usually made of cedar, which is known to repel insects. So you can protect your clothes by using them.
#27 The holes at the top of your running shoes
Source: YouTube
You can slide your shoelaces through these top holes to make your shoes extra tight while preventing them from rubbing against your skin if you don't wear socks.
#28 Escalator brushes are not for cleaning your shoes
Source: unknown
These brushes keep you away from the edges of the escalator so your clothes, bags, and shoelaces will not stuck in the escalator’s side panels. These brushes have helped prevent thousands of accidents a year.