Many everyday items are often used incorrectly without us even realizing it. While it’s easy to make these mistakes, and many items serve multiple purposes, understanding their proper use will do you a lot of favors. So, here are 16 things you’ve likely been using wrong your entire life.
Overcharging Phones
Many people don’t realize that overcharging your phone can wear out the battery. For example, Best Life writes, “Charging your phone past its max charge can cause a “trickle charge.” This is when your phone vacillates between a full charge and a semi-full charge as it attempts to keep a 100 percent battery to compensate for the small charge it loses naturally.”
Peeling Bananas from the Bottom
Even though it logically makes more sense to peel your banana from the top, the easiest way is to peel it from the bottom. It stops you from squishing the banana and making parts of it inedible. It’s the only way anyone should be opening a banana.
Coffee Filters
You should ensure you’re prefolding your coffee filters for a better fit. This is supported by Reader’s Digest, which writes, “Before unfolding the filter, fold it by the creases on the bottom and side. Now your filter has a flat bottom to sit on and a strengthened side to hold it in place.”
Oven Drawer
The oven drawer isn’t just for storage; it can also be used as a way to keep food warm. It keeps any cooked food at a nice temperature, allowing you to eat once all your food is cooked or to keep it warm until a family member comes home. Before you start doing this, make sure to check your oven manual.
Q-Tips
If you use Q-tips to clean your ears, then you should stop immediately. Instead, they can push wax further down into your ears. Misusing Q-tips can cause your ears some serious harm. You can use them to clean the back of your ears or any other small areas of the body.
Beauty Blenders
For beauty blenders to work at their best, they should be damp before use. Wet your blender under a tap and then squeeze until water has stopped running from it. Using a wet beauty blender will stop any makeup from sinking into the skin.
Ceiling Fans
If you reverse ceiling fans in the winter, then they will spread air and make your home feel warmer. They do this by helping to push air up into the room, making it easier to spread. Not only should this help you feel warmer, but it should also lower your heating costs.
Email Notifications
You may have been using email notifications incorrectly your entire life by not turning them off. This is backed by Boomerang, which writes, “Studies show that checking email only a few times a day reduces stress and boosts productivity.” You can also limit your notifications as a way to avoid stress.
Crisper Drawer
A way to keep your products fresh is to adjust the humidity in your crisper drawer. If you make the humidity lower, then it will prevent fruits from rotting as quickly. If you make the humidity higher, then it will protect your leafy greens.
Brushing Teeth Immediately After Eating
Doing this is how you’ll erode away the enamel on your teeth. Always wait at least one hour after eating before you brush your teeth, as this will ensure that they stay in the best condition. You want to protect your teeth from any damage and keep them looking as pearly as possible.
Applying Moisturizer
Always tap and pat your moisturizer onto your face and never rub it in. This technique will help absorb the moisturizer straight into your skin and won’t create any stress. It will also increase blood flow, which helps to leave your skin glowing and looking healthy.
Tic-Tac Container
A tic tac container acts as its own dispenser. The dispenser was created as a way to simplify accessing a single Tic-Tac. By using the dispenser correctly, you can limit the number of Tic-Tacs that come out at once, helping to prevent any mess and making it easier to slip one into your mouth.
Cup Plungers and Sinks
Cup plungers were never designed for toilets but only for sinks. The correct plunger to use for your toilet is a flange plunger. Using the correct plunger is essential to prevent any damage to your toilet or sink. If in doubt, you can always call a plumber.
Can Tabs as Straw Holders
Elite Readers writes, “The problem with cans is that straws bob around them. Unless, of course, you know this hack.” By placing your straw through the tab, you can keep it in place, especially if you’re on the go. It creates a much easier drinking experience.
Spaghetti Serving Spoons
The hole in a spaghetti serving spoon isn’t just used to drain the water from your spaghetti when you’re serving it. You can also use it before you even start cooking as a way to measure the correct amount of spaghetti to cook. The hole is big enough for one serving, which means food never goes to waste.
Wooden Spoon Over Pot
Knowing this easy trick will stop any water from boiling over the pot. It’s great for safety in the kitchen, and it works by breaking bubbles as they come into contact with the spoon. Not only will this help promote safety, but you’ll also find you have a much cleaner stovetop.