40 Household Hacks To Help Make Quarantine Life More Bearable

[Scrapman]

you goona love the one about golf balls

Here are 40 common items, hacks and gadgets that can save you time, money and surprise you with a cool hidden purpose (or re-purposing) you never knew!


Arrow on Gas Gauge

This is something you may or may not have noticed before. Next to the gas gauge of nearly every car that?s been manufactured since 2010, there is an arrow that either points to the left or the right. A lot of people may not have even noticed it before it was pointed out to them. This is simply a way to indicate to the driver whether their gas cap is on the left side of the car or the right side of the car.

Most people don?t need a reminder because after filling their tank once or twice with a new car, it becomes instinct what side to pull into at the gas station. However, next time you drive a rental car, remember that the arrow is there; otherwise, you?ll look foolish when you try to fill your tank only to realize the cap is on the other side.

Handheld Ultraviolet Light Sanitizers

You?ve seen them for sale all over Facebook and the web during the ?great quarantine? of 2020, and we?re officially jumping on the bandwagon. These little handheld ultraviolet lights have the ability to help sanitize surfaces of viruses, bacteria and pathogens. When bacteria, viruses and protozoa are exposed to the germicidal wavelengths of UV light, they are rendered incapable of reproducing and infecting. UV light wands are frequently used in hospitals, and now is a popular gadget to have at home.

There are a few different brands on the market, but the one we are liking is Mobile Klean. It?s frequently in stock, fairly priced at about $39, super portable and feels sturdy and well-built.

As the quarantines and lockdowns slowly come to an end, and as we venture back into the world it will be increasingly important to sanitize surfaces such as your car, restaurant tables and even public restrooms. The UV light emitted by Mobile Klean is safe on electronics, so we find ourselves blasting our iPhones with its sanitizing light multiple times a day.

Loop in Back of Shirt

First of all, this doesn?t apply to garden-variety t-shirts. Surely, you own at least one nice, collared shirt that has this mysterious loop in the middle of your back. We actually have the Navy to thank for the loops on our shirts. Believe it or not, there isn?t a lot of closet space while you?re out at sea, so sailors would have loops on their shirts so they could just hang them on hooks.

College kids in the 1960s also utilized the loops, as they could hang up their shirts and keep them neat and wrinkle-free while at the gym. Today, manufacturers put them on shirts as a sign of class and quality. Also, you may have noticed that young ladies sometimes pull the hooks of boys they like, so there is still a practical reason to have these on our shirts.

Colored Squares on Toothpaste

Ever take a close look at a tube of toothpaste and noticed a colored block toward the bottom? Most of the time it?s blue, red, green, or black. It?s not an aesthetic choice by the toothpaste manufacturer, nor is it a hidden signal about the chemicals used to make the toothpaste. Those are two or the more popular explanations. However, these colored blocks on the tube are actually called ?eye marks.?

They tell the machines on the assembly line where to cut and fold the packaging. Without it, tubes of toothpaste would be attached to one another, making it awfully difficult to apply any to your toothbrush. If you?re worried about any toxic chemicals being in your toothpaste, the colored block tells you nothing, just read the ingredients on the back.

CONTINUED NEXT POST

 

[Scrapman]

Replace Outlet Air Fresheners With Air Filters

The next time you see the sun shining in your house take a closer look. Those tiny particles you see floating could be harming your family. It is estimated the number of pollutants inside your home is more than double than what you?d find outside. And since we are spending more time in our houses than normal, it?s more important than ever we keep our house free of anything that can make us sick.

One thing we?ve done is take all of those outlet air fresheners out of our homes and replaced them with outlet air filters. The one we liked the most was Pure. Unlike traditional air purifiers and fresheners that just ?mask? these airborne particles with chemicals, Pure uses negative ions to destroy them. Just plug it into any outlet and walk away. The device does the rest and it?s 100% safe, natural and has no filters to replace.

I SWEAR THEY USE THE SAME BLONDE GIRL IN THESE ADS :lol:


Cut The Cable Company Cord and Stream TV and Movies For Free

The average cable bill adds up to a mind-boggling $2,000 a year of your hard-earned money. Now imagine you can watch your favorite movie or TV shows without having to pay your cable provider? A new wave of companies has figured out how to slash your cable bill without losing your favorite shows. One product you may have seen on Facebook lately is called TVBuddy.

TVBuddy simply plugs into the HDMI port on your TV (see picture below, it?s a small device). From here, it walks you through a setup to sync you phone, tablet or computer to TVBuddy so that you may begin streaming directly through other services right onto your TV.

Ever since going viral on social media, TV Buddy keeps selling out and the endless 5-star reviews prove it?s for good reason. You can stream Full HD content without any monthly cable bills.

Randomly Placed Buttons on Jeans

Avid jeans wearers are no doubt aware of all the extra buttons scattered about their pants, usually around their pockets. Yes, it seems a little odd, but you?ve probably just accepted that?s how jeans are made. But those buttons actually have an important purpose. First, they?re technically called rivets, even if they resemble buttons. More importantly, they are strategically placed on the jeans to prevent them from getting worn out at the seams and ripping.

Imagine that happening at an inopportune time and you?ll be glad your jeans are properly riveted. It?s actually interesting to note that jean tycoon Levi Strauss owns the patent on these rivets. The idea came about in 1829 after miners complained about how quickly their jeans were wearing out. Young Mr. Strauss came up with a solution to the problem, and now it seems like jeans can practically last forever.

Extra Fabric with Clothing

We?ve all bought clothes that come with a tiny bag that has an extra patch of fabric inside. For most people, their first instinct is to think that it?s there in case the shirt or pants get a rip. With a little extra fabric, you could just sew up the hole. But that?s not why clothes come with extra fabric.

Think about it, unless you?re a professional seamstress, it would be obvious that you patched a hole. Instead, that extra fabric is so you can test out washing the material a certain way to know if it?ll shrink or the colors will bleed. After all, you don?t want to wash a new shirt without knowing how it?ll react in the machine. With the extra fabric, you can test it out ahead of time. Neat, huh?

Charcoal As An Air Purifier & Odor Remover

We?re not talking about those heavy white and blue bags of BBQ charcoal you would pick up at Home Depot. Well, actually, we kind of are in a way. Activated bamboo charcoal, in particular, can be found in most home goods stores (and might already be accidentally stored in your garage or shed!) and can be used in place of baking soda to remove odors, and in place of expensive air purifiers to purify air.

Unlike baking soda or chemical sprays like Febreeze, this charcoal can purify air, remove bacteria and a lot of allergens. Simply load some activated charcoal into mesh bags, and put them around the house wherever you have odors.

No surprise, companies are catching on and if you haven?t seen it all over Facebook already BreathGreen Charcoal Bags go for about $10 each. The best part? Every month put the charcoal bags out in the sun and the bag ?reactivates? and recharges itself. Google activated charcoal for more info, pretty cool household hack if we ever saw one.

 

[Scrapman]

Holes in Pot Handle

Unless you?re a professional cook, you may be confused as to why most pots and pans have a hole at the end of the handle You may not have even noticed that the hole is there. There are actually two good reasons why pots and pans have this hole. First, it makes it easy to hang them up on hooks when they?re drying or not in use.

This is often seen in professional kitchens or house that have a lot of space. Another trick that experienced chefs like to use is using that hole to hold a utensil. For example, if you have a stirring spoon, you don?t just want to leave it in the pot or set it on the counter. But with the hole at the end of the handle, you can slide the utensil in there so it just sits up and drips back into the pot. Try it out next time you want to impress people with your cooking skills.

Extra Holes in Sneakers

Unless someone else ties your shoelaces for you, there?s no way you haven?t noticed the extra unused holes at the top of your shoes. It?s not a design flaw; in fact, the extra holes are there for your benefit. People who get blisters on their feet or can feel their feet moving around inside their shoe can place their shoelaces in those extra holes but in the opposite direction.

This creates a loop on each side, allowing you to cross your laces inside each loop. Then you pull down on the laces to create a much tighter lock before tying your laces normally. This maneuver is called the ?lace lock? or ?heel lock? and it helps ensure that your shoes remain tight to your feet.

ALSO SEE THAT LITTLE LOOP IN LACES I tuck the ends of long laces in there to stop them from untying!

:00hour

Pom-Poms on Winter Hats

For those in cold-weather climates and those without hair, winter hats are a necessity. But have you ever wondered why so many of them have a fluffy ball or pom-pom on top? Naturally, the origin of this fashion feature can be traced back to Scandinavia, where it?s practically winter year round. Anyway, the pom-pom may have been put there initially as a way to gather the seams together during a time before knitting was common.

Over the past several centuries, many types of headgear have had pom-poms or similar features. For whatever reason, having a pom-pom at the top of a hate has been popular throughout history. One generation after another, people seem to take a liking to it.

Holes in Airplane Windows

Raise your hand if you freaked out a little the first time you had the window seat on an airplane and noticed a tiny hole in the window? There?s no need to be ashamed; it?s a little odd and disconcerting to see at first because you think it means the window is vulnerable to breaking mid-flight. However, there is an important reason why that hole it?s there. First of all, it?s called the breather hole.

When an airplane climbs, air pressure drops outside, but the cabin remains at a safe and comfortable level. The breather allows the two outer panes of the aircraft to deal with the pressure difference. Not to be alarmist, but if the outer pane becomes compromised, there would be a small air leak coming through the breather hole. However, this is a rare occurrence and the plane would still be able to cope with the pressure.

 

[Scrapman]

Black Grating in Microwave

Let?s be honest, how many people have ever taken a close up look at their microwave? Probably not too many of us. If you have, you may have noticed the black grating on the microwave door. This is called a Faraday shield, and it?s not an aesthetic choice, it?s super important.

The Faraday shield is in place to prevent electromagnetic fields from leaving the microwave and causing harm to people who are waiting for their hot pocket to heat up. Without it, not only would your safety be at risk, but the microwave wouldn?t be effective in cooking your food. So, next time you complain about not being able to see inside the microwave, remember that there?s an important reason why that?s the case.

Golf Ball Dimples

The term golf ball is actually misleading because they technically aren?t round. If you?ve ever seen one up close, you?ll notice that the outside of golf balls are filled with dozens of little dimples. This wasn?t always the case, but over time, savvy golfers noticed that older balls with bumps and nicks would travel further. These imperfections actually create turbulence in the air surrounding the ball, which helps to reduce drag.


Eventually, golf balls were designed with these dimples as a way to manufacture this turbulence so that balls get more lift and reach greater distances. Unfortunately, if your game is putt-putt, the dimples on a golf ball aren?t going to do much to help you. But they are a big reason why professional players these days can hit the ball so much further than players of past generations.

Long Neck Bottles

For fans of adult beverages, it?s no accident that the drinks you like often come in bottles that have long necks. For starters, the shape of beer bottles makes them comfortable to hold for extended periods of time. It also makes them easier for pouring into that ice-cold glass or mug you pulled out of the freezer. Some long-neck bottles will also have a more bulbous neck to help collect particles and sediment in unfiltered beers. If that weren?t enough, long necks also help to distribute heat throughout the entire bottle when your warm hand clutches it. Essentially, the long neck plays a role in making sure your beverage stays cold, which is what you want, right?

LOL perfect b 2 b post GOLF AND BEER :00hour

Soda Can Tab

If you?ve ever popped open a can of soda, you?re surely familiar with the tab at the top of the can. Also, if you?re like most people, this tab has probably annoyed you at one point or another, especially if it becomes detached and then falls into the can with the rest of the liquid. As it turns out, you haven?t been using the tab properly. As it turns out, the tab on soda cans was designed to be flipped over again and used as a holder for your straw. Who knew, right? Obviously, most of us don?t use straws to drink from cans because they?re usually so flimsy inside the can. Isn?t that why they started giving cans a wider mouth a few years back? But if you think about it, using the tab to hold your straw in place makes perfect sense.

Flat Takeout Boxes

We?ve all ordered Chinese takeout before, brought it home, and dumped it out onto our own plates. Either that, or we just eat it straight out of the carton. However, we?re sad to inform you that you?re doing it all wrong. The reason that Chinese (and other food) takeout boxes are flat is that they are designed to be their own plate. While the food is still inside the container, you can (easily but carefully) pull the sides apart and set it flat on the table. If you did everything correctly, your meal will be sitting on a flat and perfectly usable plate. It?s crazy how easy it is to pull this off and even crazier that more people don?t realize why takeout containers are shaped as they are. :0corn

Keyboard Bumps

If you look at a computer keyboard, any keyboard, you?ll notice two little bumps on both the F and J keys. If you ever took a class in high school on how to type, you probably know why those bumps exist on those keys. For the rest of you, those bumps are there so users can find their way on the keyboard while keeping their eyes on the screen.

If you are typing with two hands the proper way, your hands will be set up so that your left pointer finger is on F and your right pointer finger is on J. Without having to look at the keyboard, you just have to feel these bumps with your fingers to know that your hands are aligned properly and ready to get to work.

Metal And Black Diamond Markers On Measuring Tape

There comes a time in every person?s life when a parent or guardian has forced them to hold the end of measuring tape. At this time, you probably noticed a small piece of metal at the end of the measuring tape. Well, technically at the beginning. In any event, there are multiple reasons why that metal end exists. For starters, there?s a little slot that can be placed around a nail to help hold the measuring tape in place on the off chance that no one is around to hold the other end. Also, you probably noticed that the edge is a little serrated. This makes it easy to mark a wall or other surface in case you can?t seem to locate the pencil that?s tucked behind your ear to mark your measurement that way.

As for those black diamonds you see printed on nearly all standard measuring tape? Consider them ?Stud Finders?. They can show you the exact center between 2 studs in your wall. The first black diamond is at 19.2? on the tape measure, and then repeats at 38.4?, 57.6?, 76.8? and finally 96? inches. In other words, if you know your home was built using standard 16″ stud spacing, you can simply pull out a tape measure instead of an electronic stud finder!

Holes in Padlock

At a certain point in our lives, we?ve all used a padlock for one reason or another. You may or may not have noticed that there?s a little hole, sometimes two, at the bottom of the padlock. These holes actually serve two important purposes for the lock itself. First, they allow any water that gets inside to drain out of the lock. Often times, locks are used outside, so they have to be prepared to handle the elements.

If water couldn?t drain out and it ended up freezing, the lock would suffer some serious damage since water expands when it freezes. Second, the holes allow you to pour oil or WD-40 into the lock in case it gets jammed and won?t open up. Without the hole for pouring oil, once the lock became stuck, it?d be useless.

 

[Scrapman]

Hole in Cap of Ballpoint Pens

At first glance, there appears to be something wrong with your pen?s cap because it has a hole in it. Fear not, because this was totally done on purpose, and no it?s not because the company wants the pen to dry out and force you to buy more. They are actually there so that air can flow through in the event the cap is swallowed accidentally by a child or adult. Remember, a lot of adults have the bad habit of putting pen caps in their mouth and it only takes one bad move until the cap ends up in the back of their throat. Feel free to keep your conspiracy theories about companies drying out pens on purpose; that hole in the cap is all about safety.

Hole Next to iPhone Camera

If you have an iPhone, you may have noticed a little hole right next to the camera lens. If you don?t have an iPhone, get with the times already! In any event, that tiny hole is not a second secret camera that helps Facebook and the NSA spy on you. It?s actually a microphone. Starting with the iPhone 5, there are three microphones on every smartphone.

One is under the speaker grill, one is on the bottom edge of the phone, and the third is right next to the camera lens. With the three microphones, it?s easier to pick up sounds no matter how you choose to hold your phone, which actually comes in handy if you have voice recognition. That third microphone next to your lens is also important when you shoot video with sound on your iPhone.

Zigzag Side of Bobby Pin

Even if you?ve never used a bobby pin (looking at you, gentlemen), you?ve surely noticed that one side is straight and one side is kind of wavy. Usually, the side with the zigzag pattern is facing toward the scalp, so we don?t see it. Of course, it might look a little cooler that way. However, the wavy side is what helps keep the pin in place all day by helping to catch the big clump of hair. That?s why you only see the wavy side when the bobby pin isn?t in use.

Cylinder Toward End of Cable Cord

We?ve all used cable or power cords of some kind and notice a big cylinder-shaped lump toward the end. Most people don?t know that those are actually called chokes or ferrite cores. They are simply magnetic iron oxide that helps to prevent any high-frequency electromagnetic interference. An example of this kind of interference is when your cell phone gets too close to a speaker and you get that weird noise interrupting your call. That?s why we have those big cylinders on cable cords.

Wings on Apple Power Cord

If you own a MacBook, you probably noticed that there are wings you can pull up on the power cord. At first, you were probably confused as to why they exist. Don?t worry, all of us were unsure why they were there at first. However, they do have a purpose. If you flip them up, it becomes easier to wrap the cord around the power block so it?s not just hanging out there, getting in the way. You don?t have to use it, but it?s a neat little accessory.

Blue Part of Eraser

Why would an eraser possibly need two different colors? It?s one of the great grade school mysteries. Growing up, there were always rumors that the blue part of an eraser could pen ink. Well, that?s not exactly true. The truth is that the blue part of the eraser is designed to be used on types of paper that are thicker and stronger than common looseleaf or notebook paper. The kind of paper used by artists tend to be more sensitive to friction, which is why they need a special type of eraser different from the pink one us non-artistic types use.

 

[Scrapman]

Square Patch on Backpacks

Do the square patches on the back of your backpack look cool? Sure, but they also have a purpose. The lashing square or pig snout is there so you can carry extra gear on your backpack. Various cords and strings can go through the lash tabs so you can hang extra stuff on the back part of your bag. If you ever go camping and need to carry a lot of extra supplies, this will come in handy.

Color-Coded Ice Cream Scoops

Admittedly, I worked in an ice cream stand for several years and never understood why ice cream scoops all have different colors. It?s only later that I learned what most people still don?t know, which is that each color represents a different size of scoop. Ice cream scoops come in over a dozen different sizes based on how many scoops go in a cup and how many scoops are needed to fill a 32-ounce container. Sure, the colors on the handles look nice, but they also serve a purpose.

Brass Doorknobs

Okay, so no one is expecting you to pay too much attention to door handles, but perhaps you?ve noticed that all doorknobs are made of brass. This is no accident. Surfaces made of brass are more resistant to bacteria building up, helping to make doorknobs free of germs. Obviously, this is important since people will pick up germs on their hands in countless different ways and then touch doorknobs that are then touched by countless other people. But because we use brass doorknobs, germs don?t have a free for all.

Discs Under Bottle Caps

At some point in our lives, we?ve looked under the cap on a bottle of soda and found a little plastic disc. It seems unnecessary to have it there at first, but that tiny plastic disc actually helps to see in carbonation. Don?t ask us to explain the science behind it, but those discs trap carbon dioxide so that the soda doesn?t lose their fizz. Without them, we?d all be drinking flat soda, and no one wants to live in a world like that.

Ridges on Coins

We?re not sure if everyone has noticed this, but both quarters and dimes have rough edges while pennies and nickels don?t. Go ahead, check all of your coins to confirm that I?m not lying to you. See, it?s true. Well, the reason for this goes back to the days when coins were stamped in different weights to reflect the true value of the coin. To stop people from shaving the edges of the coins and melting them into new coins, minters put ridges on coins made of precious metals so that it would be easy to tell if the edges had been shaved off. It?s not really an issue today, but we still have edges on our coins.

Loops on Grocery Carts

Yes, you can fit a lot of stuff in your grocery cart, but most people don?t realize that there are loops that help to frame the fold-out section of carts to help protect the items in your cart. With these loops, you can hang plastic bags that are carrying vulnerable items like eggs and bread that you don?t want to get squished by heavier items. Clearly, whoever designed grocery carts was well ahead of their time. In fact, even check out people who bag your groceries and put them in your cart may not even be aware of this neat function.

Margins on Lined Paper

Have you ever asked yourself why notebook paper has margins? Also, why do the margins change when you get to college so you have more space on the page? Well, the answer to the second question is because colleges are cruel. The answer to the first question, meanwhile, is far more interesting. Many years ago, back in the days when rats would frequently take up residence in a person?s home, they would chew on paper. With margins on the paper, a rat could eat the edges of the paper without ruining anyone?s work or accidentally eating important information. Obviously, we don?t need this feature so much anymore, but they do help protect what?s written from general wear and tear that happens on the edges of notebook paper.

KINDA DUMB because whats to stop mice from chewing the right side where there aint no margin
:shrug:

 

[Scrapman]

Paper Condiment Cups

Why do we always have to fill six of these tiny paper condiment cups with ketchup every time we order fries? These things are so tiny, if we order chicken fingers, we can?t even dip them in the special sauce. Alas, we?ve missed the boat on these tiny cups. The purpose of these is to unfold them so that they become a little plate upon which you put your ketchup and various other condiments. If you do this, all of your dipping needs will be met without a hassle.

:0corn

Pocket in Women?s Underwear

Why do women have secret pockets sewn right into their underwear? Well, just because you can fit tampons and other small items into them doesn?t make them secret pockets. They are actually called a panty gusset, it?s simply extra fabric sewn in that most manufacturers don?t bother to stitch it closed. To be fair, it?s actually more comfortable without the extra seams. It also gives women that little pouch to use however they please.

Plastic Lids on Cups

This one might blow your mind a little. The plastic lids that come on top of disposable cups are able to double as a coaster. Yes, you should keep the lid on if you?re in a car or plan on shaking the cup. But when you sit down to enjoy your beverage, the ridges on the lid are perfectly designed so it can serve as a coaster that hugs the base of the cup. It may not seem like it, but these lids are designed with this function in mind. In life, there?s almost always a method to the madness, and this is a great example.

:0003

Detachable Headrest in Cars

As a kid, did you ever sit in the backseat on family road trips and play with the headrest of the person in the front seat? Come on, I?m not the only one, right? Anyway, you may have noticed that this headrest can completely come out of the seat. Is this a crazy flaw in car design? Nope. On the contrary, it?s meant to be used in an emergency. If you?re trapped in your car, you can pull out the headrest and use the long metal bars to break the window so you can get out. Yup, it?s a life hack that could literally save your life someday. :0008

Lines of Red Solo Cup

Okay, no judgment here, but we?ve all had way too much to drink out of those red solo cups at some point in our lives. Also, we?ve all probably been too busy to notice a series of horizontal lines on those cups. Guess what? Those ridged lines have a purpose; they tell us how much alcohol to put in the cup.

The first line at the bottom measures one ounce, which is equivalent to one shot of hard liquor. The next line up is at five ounces, which is the perfect amount for a glass of one. The line at the top denotes 12 ounces, which is the standard size of one beer. It turns out the red solo cup was trying to help you from drinking too much all along.

Three Handles on Jerry Can

If you love traveling and camping, you?ve surely seen a Jerry can before. While you may know it can hold up to five gallons of fuel, you may be confused as to why there are three handles across the top. These are there to make sure the fuel inside is evenly distributed while you?re carrying the can, especially if two people are carrying it. With two people, they should each grab the two outside handles. But if you?re strong enough to carry it along, you should grab the middle handle.

Wooden Coat Hangers

Yes, wooden coat hangers are fancy and denote a touch of class, but that?s not why they exist in the first place. Wooden coat hangers are designed specifically to help repel moths and various other creatures that may want to do damage to clothing. Heavy clothing, specifically coats and dresses made out of wool, can be vulnerable to various insects. The cedar wood used to make wooden hangers has a pleasing smell to it and is known to help repel moths and other bugs.

Flaps on Juice Boxes

Why do juice boxes have those heavy flaps toward the top? Well, look at the picture and you?ll see why. This young fellow has figured out that those bulky flaps can be folded outward so that they?re easier for children to hold. Remember, juice boxes are meant for those ages 2 to 10, and folding out the flaps makes it easier for small hands to hold the juice box without dropping it. If you didn?t know that, don?t worry about it because you?re probably too old to be drinking from a juice box anyway.

Dip in Wine Bottle

So you like drinking wine, huh? Well, then you probably noticed that sizable dip at the bottom of the bottle. It seems a little odd, but there are a number of reasons why it?s there. For starters, it?s called a punt or a kick-up, although it?s not exactly clear why it?s called that. In any event, it makes the bottle a little more stable, so it won?t fall over and break with a slight touch or a strong wind if you happen to like taking a bottle on a picnic.

Having the punt at the bottom also makes the bottle stronger so it can hold up to higher pressure if there is champagne or sparkling wine inside. The punt also makes it easier to distribute steam while cleaning the bottle before the wine is poured into it, ensuring that your wine is as pristine as possible.

daaa dee dee daaadee dee thatsallllfolks