Food storage containers
Leaving glass vs. plastic aside, not all containers are made for being put into the microwave. This is very interesting and you probably didn’t know, but the corners of a rectangular container attract more energy than other parts, leaving the food overcooked in those areas.
This is why a round container is more suitable for microwaving because it will allow the food to reheat uniformly.
Blender
You probably had no idea but the order of your ingredients go in the blender is very important and it can make a huge difference. Firstly, pour the liquid base of choice, like milk or yogurt, then add the other ingredients, from the smaller ones to the lager ones, and the toughest ones go on the top (ice).
By putting them in the exact same order, you allow the liquids to let the blades work smoothly without catching on the hard ingredients.
Toaster
Did you know that you should set your toaster depending on the type of bread you’re using? For example, white bread and sweet bread heat up very quickly, while wheat bread takes more time to heat.
Even the slices from the same loaf may need a different setting if a few days have passed. If the bread is quite old and it starts to dry out, it may need a lower setting and it will heat faster than fresh bread.
Broiler
A closed oven door when broiling will make heat and steam build up. If you want your food to have that crustiness we all love, let the door open because venting the steam and letting the hot air out keeps the heat more on the top instead of baking the entire dish.
A piece of personal advice is letting the food cook normal with the door closed half of the time, and then open the door to get that crustiness.
Microwaved food
Salt attracts microwave’s energy, so you may find that a seasoned top will attract to much heat to the outer layer making it look dry.
Try adding salt only after heating the food or mixt it into the plate before microwaving it to avoid dryness.
Slow cooker
Did you know that opening the lid of your slow cooker does no good for the cooking process? Letting the heat out can mess up the cooking so I advise you to resist the temptation to take off the lid and take a quick look. Also, avoid stirring until the food is almost done and has less than an hour left to cook.
Keep in mind that your pot has to be more than half full for the food to cook well. If you want to cook small portions of food, maybe the slow cooker isn’t exactly the perfect tool to do that.
Food processor
Blenders have powerful engines even if their blades seem dull, while a food processor has the exact opposite, less powerful motor and powerful blades. A blender should be used when you want to make something really smooth, that has an even consistency, like creamy soups and smoothies.
If you’re working with hard foods, like garlic, all kinds of nuts, it is better to use the food processor. This tiny device is ideal when you want to make the perfect pesto because it is made for these kinds of chunky textures.
Dishwasher
Another interesting thing only a few people know is that the perfect spot to place your dishes in the dishwasher depends on the type of mess a plate has on, and how dirty it is.
So, knowing this, you should also remember that the middle part is the one that gets the strongest spray of water, which makes it better for carb-based stains. Likewise, the highest concentration of bowls is at the edges, where the water flows down just like a waterfall.
With all that being said, place your dishes that have a protein-based stain at the edges, because they need more time to soak. These tiny little hacks can really make a difference.
Stand mixer
After years of using the same stand miser, it is normal that its beaters might move from their place. Even if it is built at the right height, during the times you are using it, it is normal to appear traces of wear.
Between the beaters and the bottom of the bowl you’re using, should be a space the thickness of two paper sheets. If your stand mixer has its beaters misaligned, try lifting the head and move the screw on the neck to the left part. By doing this move, you will raise the beater, and if you want to lower it, move it to the right part.
Garbage disposal
The thing with garbage disposals is that they aren’t as though as you may think. The water that flows in your sink can have very high temperatures, and it can even get up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Water with such high temperatures can melt de food that gets into your garbage disposal and turn it into a thick paste.
This is why you may have experienced your garbage disposal to clog up. If you want to avoid it clogging up, rinse your dishes with cold water. However, you can still use hot water when you’re washing your dishes.
Knives
Many people have used a knife wrong their entire life. Those really big kitchen knives look very scary no matter how you hold them, but you can learn the correct way that will give you more precision when cutting something.
The classic way of just wrapping your hand around the handle is wrong, even though almost everyone does it like this. The right way to hold a knife is holding the thumb and pointer finger on the sides of the blade, this way you’ll have more precision.
Toilet plungers
When you think of a toilet or sink plunger you’re probably thinking of the red classic one with a flat bottom and a wood handle. The truth is that classic plunger with a flat bottom is actually good for sinks and bathtubs.
If you want one for your toilet choose a flange plunger because it’s smaller opening that bells out, will really do its job while sealing the drain.
Plastic wrap
Plastic wraps are very annoying. It always does this thing of folding on itself and you always have to rip out new sheets. The secret is keeping the tube still and turning the box to the side, then
pressing the tab inwards while holding the tube in place. Do the same with aluminum foil.
Toothpaste
Putting too much toothpaste on your toothbrush isn’t ideal for your teeth’s health. The image you see on the tube with a quantity big enough to cover the bristles isn’t what the doctor recommends you to do. The ideal amount the dentist recommends to use is about the size of a pea.
Ketchup Bottle
We all have done the thing where we shake the ketchup bottle like crazy until way too much pours out and splashed everywhere. The trick is to hit the bottle in the place where the neck starts to narrow. This way it will come out quicker and smoother.
Button-down shirts
Not using the little loop in the back of a shirt might get you unnecessary wrinkles. The reason that the loop was added was so that men could hang it in gym lockers avoiding their shirt to get creases while they worked out.
Bananas
Bananas are known to be monkey’s favorite fruits. If you ever had the chance to watch a monkey in the wild peeling a banana, you probably saw that they start at the bottom, instead of by the stem.
Before you say that humans are smarter than monkeys, try their version of peeling it from the bottom and you’ll see that it’s way easier and you’ll avoid mushy tops.
Toothbrush
Even if you didn’t know, there is the right technique when it comes to brushing your teeth. According to the American Dental Association, the toothbrush should be held at a 45-degree angle against your gums.
For the best result and in order to get the front teeth really nice and clean, hold the toothbrush vertically and use movements from up to down, not side-to-side strokes.
Nail files
The most natural way there is when it comes to filing your nails is to rub the emery board over your nail moving it back and forth. The sawing motion many people use only weakens the nail and makes it more fragile and easier to break.
Glide your nail file in one direction going from the outside to the middle side of the nail. Do this on each side and then smooth out the tip. Use this method and say bye-bye to broken nails.
Toilet paper
If you thought there’s no right or wrong way of holding the toilet paper, well, there is. The roll should be kept with it’s end over the top, instead of behind it.
Air conditioner
An air conditioner is a life-saver when the temperatures are too high in the summer. When we arrive home we have a habit of turning the air conditioner and set a very low temperature so it could cool down faster. The thing when doing this is that your AC can only work so fast.
When you’re setting it at 60°F instead of the usual 75°F, your air conditioner device will only waste more energy faster, rather than cooling your apartment faster. It will only keep expelling cold, chilly air even though the room temperature has reached the ideal setting.
Tissue
This may seem funny, but you should learn the right way of blowing your nose because many people are doing it wrong. If you’re blowing your nose too hard, the snot could give you a severe sinus infection and infect the people next to you as well. It is better to clear up your nostrils at home, blowing it gently.
Sushi ginger
Many of you probably use ginger as a topping but you’ll be surprised that it’s not its real purpose. Sushi ginger is meant being eaten alone between sushi pieces as a palate cleanser.
Monopoly
This very well-known game has been played wrong by many people since forever. You’ve probably been bending the rules without knowing. Firstly, the Free parking slot doesn’t mean you have the right to collect all the money that the other players had given up as taxes and penalties.
The Free Parking space is just a free spot that has no rewards or penalties what so over. Now you’ll understand why this game lasted for so many hours!
Sticky notes
Sticky notes or post-it, however you want to call them, are perfect for leaving messages or reminders on places you would definitely see them, like on your fridge, computer screen or wherever you think works for you.
The thing that is frustrating about a sticky note is the fact that it always curls upwards. The reason this happens is that you peel it from the bottom to the top, bending the paper when removing the sticky part. Try peeling it from the side and you’ll avoid the curling and it will stay flat.
Coffee filters
A true coffee lover already knows how annoying coffee filters can be. Disposable cone-shaped ones usually have the habit of closing in on themselves when they are being put in the coffee machine.
This happens only because you’ve missed an important step. Before you unfold the filter, try folding it by the creases it has on the bottom side. This way, your filter has a flat bottom on whom it can seat while having a strengthened side that will hold it in place, preventing it from moving.
Oven drawer
That oven drawer is being used by many people for storage and stashing baking pans but few people know it’s real purpose. An oven drawer isn’t meant for stashing your pans, but rather for putting your cooked food until it reaches an ideal temperature so you can eat it. Go through your oven’s manual and see if the model you own has the same use.
Q-Tips
Did you know that cleaning your ears with a cotton swab isn’t very healthy? The explanation for this is that using a small q-tip to clean your ears, can, in fact, push the wax farther, rather than removing it.
Beauty blenders
A beauty blender is a make-up tool women use for applying their foundation instead of using their hands. The trick when using a beauty blender is to always use it damp.
It’s a must to wet your sponge before applying your foundation, firstly to keep your liquid products from soaking and secondly because it will blend smoothly. Also, use a dabbing motion to apply it rather than stroking it across your face.
Ceiling fans
Ceiling fans are very useful in the summer because they push the coll air down while avoiding the air conditioner costs. An interesting thing about them is that they can give your home a cozy
vibe in the winter as well. Use the switch button and reverse the fan’s direction to clockwise. This movement will push the air up and it will spread warm air in your room, making it feel warmer and cozier.
Email notifications
Email notification is very useful when you don’t wanna miss out on anything. It will prevent you from missing out on important messages, but most of the emails you’re receiving don’t need a fast response so you’ll get a lot of annoying notification for something that isn’t in fact important.
A recent study made by the University of British Columbia showed that people who check their emails three times a day are less stressed than those who read all the messages they receive through notifications. Turn your notifications off and limit them only to the important contacts that you know for sure are a must-see.
Crisper drawer
Most people had no idea what products to store in those crisper drawers at a fridge’s bottom. The crisper drawer is the drawer meant for fruits and vegetables and there are some tips and tricks that will help you keep them fresh for longer. Every fridge has a humidity adjuster for a reason.
Fruits and vegetables that usually get rotten the quickest will resist better if the humidity level is lower because it will let out the gases they eliminate when they go off. Leafy greens and herbs, on the other hand, resist better on high humidity.
Brushes and combs
Brushing your hair from top to bottom is definitely the wrong way of doing it. Your hair will rip easier and what you’ll do is drag the top tangles in the knots you already have made it even more tangled than it was initially.
The right way of brushing your hair is starting from the bottom and slowly rising to the top. Work your way up only when you feel that there are no more knots.
Shoelaces
Most shoes have an extra lace hole that most people never use. The purpose that hole has is to slip your laces through it to keep your shoes snugger and comfier.
Tube caps
The spike that is put on an aluminum tube cap, usually present on creams and ointments is no random. It is put there for you to turn the cap around when you’re first opening a certain product and use the spike to poke a hole in the foil.
Toilet seat covers
You probably wonder, what’s there not to get about a toilet seat cover? it is as simple as it seems. But if you take the time to get a closer look at the instruction you’ll see that the middle tab should go in front of the bowl, not in the back like most people thought.
