/r/lifehacks

Photograph via snooOG

Lifehacks: Uncommon solutions to common problems.

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PLEASE READ THE SIDEBAR AND REPORT ANY POSTS WHICH DO NOT MEET THE GUIDELINES

What are lifehacks?

  • Uncommon solutions to common problems.
  • Unusual ways of using everyday objects to make life easier.
  • Simple and practical tips that may not be obvious.

These kinds of posts will get REMOVED

  • Self-improvement tips. (try /r/zenhabits)
  • Commercial products with a specific purpose.
  • Food tips. (try /r/foodhacks)
  • Software being used in the way it was designed to be used (that includes keyboard shortcuts)
  • Polls/Surveys
  • Life Pro-Tips. /r/lifeprotips are for all kinds of tips for life (Text Posts Only). /r/lifehacks is for solving problems. Basically, if there was no problem/issue in the first place then it's not a lifehack.
  • Memes, image macros, plain-text image posts
  • Tips for problems which affect only 1 in a million people.
  • No requests for, or offers of, medical advice (consult a professional) (NEW!!!)
  • Amazon links in comments

These kinds of posts will be removed and the user BANNED

  • Spam (especially blogspam).
  • Attacking or being aggressive to others.
  • Personal information.

The mods also reserve the right to remove any particularly bad quality posts at their discretion.

If you see anyone breaking the rules above, please report the post and/or message the mods.

If something is not reported, it will most likely slip past us. Reporting it brings it to our attention and will definitely be looked at by someone.

RELEVANT SUBREDDITS

/r/lifehacks

12,414,385 Subscribers

1

Subquestions in Google forms

Hi! I'm trying to make a Google form for my thesis. One of the instruments have 21 dicotomy questions where if someone answers affirmatively one of them they have to answer another 3 questions to know a little bit more about the affirmation the assume as real, if not the Google form should just end.

How can I do it? I've been trying for a while and I'm stuck with it

0 Comments
2024/04/07
03:43 UTC

0

Thanks in advance

There is this document that i need yo memorize ..i tried multiple tips /tools and nothing yet

Any advice!!!!

21 Comments
2024/04/06
22:21 UTC

0

Life hack hangers

Tape your hangers while hanging and you won’t need to untangle them when you move!

3 Comments
2024/04/06
19:35 UTC

118

Perfect use for a kinder surprise

40 Comments
2024/04/06
18:02 UTC

32

Trying To Find A Good Hack To Recreate Discontinued Mrs. Meyer's Liquid Laundry Detergent in Geranium Scent!

It took awhile to find more natural cleaning products in a scent that everyone could tolerate and a few years ago, we discovered Mrs. Meyer's Geranium scented liquid detergent and fabric softener and life was good. We also use the dish liquid, spray cleaner and hand soap. Started running out of the laundry detergent and softener a couple years ago and discovered it had been discontinued without any notice. Crap. Not liking the Lavender or the Rain or the Peony. So then we thought maybe we could hack something ourselves with another brand's unscented liquid detergent and maybe use the Geranium dish soap or the hand soap (which haven't been discontinued) and mix it in. Tried calling Mrs. Meyer's to ask for advice and that was a complete dead end and no, they aren't planning on bringing it back.

So, to any of you more scientific hackers out there, do you think the formulation of the dish soap or the hand soap would work better in the unscented liquid detergent? Figuring people smarter than us might recommend one over the other for some reason or another.

19 Comments
2024/04/06
03:13 UTC

1

How to prevent air loss when plugging inflatable toy

I bought cheap inflatable microphones for my kiddo and her friends for her birthday party. I have to manually inflate them, and then manually plug them. That's fine, that's what I expected. Problem is though, the air comes out so quickly that in the moments it takes me to try to get the stupid plug in, they immediately begin looking saggy and sad.

Clearly I should've spent more, but now that they're here I'm determined to make them work. Any ideas?

0 Comments
2024/04/05
22:18 UTC

21

Removing yellow sun stains from white plastic

Hi

Can anyone offer any advice on removing yellowed sun stains from white plastic? I read and saw the odd video about using hydrogen peroxide and submerging them in it with cling film on top.

However, the results have been very poor. It doesn't look to have done anything. :( I get the impression that method only works with general aging of plastics. I haven't really found anything specifically for sun stained plastic.

Has anyone had any success with this? Any tips they can offer? Thanks.

https://preview.redd.it/5g003zeodvsc1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b89db48eed14bb1420b181d8ffa43cc387081022

41 Comments
2024/04/05
12:51 UTC

2

Fabric Protectant For Lampshade

Fabric Protectant For Lampshade

Hi! Bought new white lampshades and wanted to protect them from dust. Is there a spray I could use?

Same thing for rugs…I have some faux fur and shaggy that are white and I want to protect than from dirt.

Any suggestions? Thanks all!

0 Comments
2024/04/05
04:59 UTC

8,648

When desperate times call for desperate measures

151 Comments
2024/04/05
01:57 UTC

55

How To Quickly, Always Speak To A Human Customer Service Person

It's out of control, honestly, I have cable w / a big company, but they all do it...you call with a problem, and you know that it's not something some chatbot, or auto-talk prompt can answer: but to get an actual human on the line takes forever, or is almost impossible....
That's cuz companies don't make any money off customer service, so they outsource it or staff it as little as possible. You know where companies do have fully staffed? Sales. If you need to talk to a human, call the SALES number, and when they pick up, just tell them you need customer service. Now. If you want to maybe even get offered a deal, tell how surprised you are the sales number goes directly to a person. Say, angry or hurt, since clearly they care more about selling to new people than helping their actual customers. Threaten to end service, even. You will get immediately to Customer Service, and possibly someone will remember how they can offer you some 'speacial deal' you qualify for.
Also, in general, if you don't like your service or if a temporary deal, like how some places do cable for $40 for the first year then it goes to 100....Just call sales, again, and threaten to cancel service but for some unrelated reason. They will offer you a deal, likely.

39 Comments
2024/04/05
01:36 UTC

291

When I can't find my phone I loudly say ok Google set a timer for 3 seconds

Really helpful in my car

65 Comments
2024/04/04
20:52 UTC

1,129

You can use your pocket knife as a pill splitter in a pinch

314 Comments
2024/04/04
18:56 UTC

83

Opening a cable tie with a safety pin

Insert the safety pin in the hole, leave it there, and now pull the cube.

3 Comments
2024/04/04
18:24 UTC

0

To clean potential germs off bottled drink from supermarket, just rinsing in water OK?

After purchase as I left, heard the guy at the cashier coughing, turned around and he wasn't wearing a mask. Really wanna make sure, as I am a bit sick myself and don't wanna get sicker.

63 Comments
2024/04/04
15:03 UTC

83

[Request for help] Remove plastic bag from zipper

Any ideas how to save this zipper? It’s completely stuck and doesn’t move one inch. I already tried oil but it doesn’t help:( and the plastic bag just tears apart when I’m trying to pull it out.

110 Comments
2024/04/04
08:17 UTC

1

Cooking odor

Hi! I’m new here. Idk if this is the right place to post?!

Over the weekend I cooked up some fried fish, my second time maybe in doing so. However, now I have this lingering smell of fish left in my apartment. I’ve done febreeze spray, incense sticks, and even while cooking I placed a cup of vinegar on the stove to absorb the smell (has worked for my cooking previously).

Nothing is helping. Anyone have tried and true advice?

Thanks in advance!

4 Comments
2024/04/03
16:39 UTC

504

bubble tea straw to remove pineapple eyes

80 Comments
2024/04/03
05:07 UTC

61

How do I get the cigarette smell out of a cat carrier bag?

My mom, who's a smoker, gave me her carrier bag for my cat's upcoming visit to the vet clinic. I have one myself, but hers is a little bigger and I thought it'd be more comfortable for my cat because it's a quite long drive. But it stinks! I cleaned it with vinegar essence (diluted, of course) and even threw it in the washing machine with detergent, and the smell got a little less but is still there. Since my cat is gonna be sitting in there, it can't be anything too chemical. Any more ideas? The material is polyester, it looks similar to this one. The appointment is two weeks away, so I still got some time!

96 Comments
2024/04/02
16:55 UTC

251

Wrap a wet paper towel outside your drink and pop it in the freezer for instant ice-cold temperature in 15 minutes

It depends on how cold your freezer is, how big the drink is, how wet the towel is but for me it turned out icy cold!

Edit: I love how this "50% of the time" working life-hack has turned into a full-blown post about science

Edit 2: I'm sorry about the instant ice-cold lol

82 Comments
2024/04/01
22:30 UTC

34

How to get rid of moths without mothballs?

I can't stand the smell of mothballs, any tips for other remedies?

50 Comments
2024/04/01
16:52 UTC

18

Broken Blind

I live in an apartment complex with these flimsy blinds, and one tore off. I’m struggling to find specific instructions online, does anyone know how i can fix these so I dont have to pay for the entire thing?

68 Comments
2024/04/01
13:34 UTC

0

These stains in cars hard plastic

These stains are probaby from the cars previous owner. How can I get them out

13 Comments
2024/03/31
19:44 UTC

106

Please help with clothing stains

So basically I'm a single mother of a 2.5 year old. I have very little income so I can't afford the expensive stain remover products. I also can't afford a big wardrobe. She's too old for bibs so sometimes I just dress a tea towel around her neck when eating. Today was a baby blue hoodie with red bolonegse splattered on the sleeves. Last week it was gravy that slid down under the collar of the towel. Sometimes it's just messy hands that touch the clothing. Anyways, after an intensive wash, the clothes come out lovely but the remminents of the stains remain. So all my clean clothes look dirty. Any tips please? Edit: Thankyou everyone for all your advice, really appreciate it all, received some really good tips and you have all been so helpful

150 Comments
2024/03/31
19:35 UTC

71

Dog Hair

My fur babies leave their fur on EVERYTHING I OWN. Every time I got to the barbershop, the barber starts by picking out the fur out my hair. My main concern where I would like to start is just removing the fur from clothes in the laundry. Somebody please help me!

87 Comments
2024/03/31
15:38 UTC

2

Hacks for hoodie strings?

Any hacks for this twisting that happens with hoodie strings? Thank you in advance all my hoodies have this and its very unappealing

32 Comments
2024/03/30
17:52 UTC

53

Would anti-glare stick on screen protects work to cut glare on wall artwork pictures?

I don't know if this is the right forum for this, but I was wondering if taking those plastic sheets and cutting them down to the frame size for wall art would work to cut the glare, or would there be other reasons it might not work as intended?

12 Comments
2024/03/30
17:36 UTC

52

How do you get the stink bug smell out from the inside of a baseball glove?

After playing catch with my son before his baseball practice, I determined that I must have had a stink bug in my glove. Maybe it's still in there? Maybe it not, I can't tell. However, I do know that stink bug (or just the spray of it?) was in my middle finger hole. I know this because I had a slight discoloration on the back side of the tip of my middle finger after using it all practice. Smelling that spot definitely confirmed.

So how do I get this smell out of the INSIDE of one of the fingers of my baseball glove? I'd rather not get a new glove. Anyone with a good, worn in glove knows. But I can't take my finger and hand smelling like stink bug after putting it on. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

42 Comments
2024/03/30
00:26 UTC

0

Lost Back Scratcher

A fork works in a pinch if you need your back scratched. I got bug bites on my back after a hike and couldn’t find my back scratcher. In a moment of desperation I used a cheap plastic fork from some fast food place (it was clean/unused).

10/10 would recommend, I now keep that fork in my nightstand (at least until I buy or find new back scratcher).

18 Comments
2024/03/29
07:17 UTC

0

Wet tissue paper helped open the stubborn cap of the bottle.

4 Comments
2024/03/29
06:39 UTC

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