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50 People Share Hidden Features In Everyday Things That You’ve Probably Never Heard Of Before
Interview With Expert
We often get stuck in our own way of doing things and overlook tiny details that could make our lives much easier. For example, I recently learned that a metal ring on the side of my potato peeler can be used to dig out those pesky black spots.
There are plenty of people online who enjoy sharing these tricks to help out fellow netizens who haven’t heard of them. This time, Bored Panda found them gathered under this Reddit thread. So, we invite you to scroll down to find the most surprising objects with secret features that will make your life a bit more convenient.
While you’re at it, make sure to check out a conversation with industrial designers Celine Wong and Lisa Pechenkina, who kindly agreed to tell us more about the magic of hidden features in products.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
If you get an email in Outlook and you don’t want to deal with it right then but also don’t want to forget it altogether, right click or select the 3 dots on the email and select ‘Snooze’. Pick when you want the message to reappear (later that day, the next morning, etc) and it will be delivered at the top of your inbox at that time!
glitch-possum:
New Procrastination Ability Unlocked!!!
JoNo 1 year ago
I mark mine as unread so I notice them. I'd like to be able to "pin" an email to the top of my inbox.
Lene 1 year ago
I spent a few hours pr day for a week to get through my mail. I made a few folders to sort the mails I wanted to keep (tbr and maybe saved, stuff I bought -tickets and stuff online, mails from the club I'm in) and then searched for all the mails I didn't want (subscriptions from stores, mainly. Deleted all of them but one, unsubscribed from the last one, deleted the last one. Done). All the emails I wanted to keep I managed to sort into the before mentioned folders. And suddenly I got inbox zero! And now I just enter the mail once per day and delete most of what I receive and sort the rest into the folders. Every now and then I go through the folders and delete all I can in a set amount of time. Doing a deep clean of your email is quite a task... but when it's done and you see how easy it is to keep you just feel so relieved! Lol
Steve Hall 1 year ago
Or maybe just leave it in your inbox until you have time to deal with it.
Candid Panda 1 year ago
Apple Mail has the same, where it says 'Remind me' and then you can set a time.
RELATED:
#2
Rubbing alcohol kills bugs within seconds. Pour it into a spray bottle and go on a killing spree in a well-ventilated area.
hufflefox:
Also stops itching from bites. Dap some on those mosquito bites before you scratch and the welt shrinks and goes away.
keyboardtek 1 year ago
Do not spray alcohol on painted surfaces unless you want to ruin the finish.
James Hall 1 year ago
You know you don't actually *need* to kill the bugs in most cases, right? If you don't evict / murder resident spiders they'll normally take care of the problem for you anyway...
Irishwoman abroad 1 year ago
Ammonia is good for mozzie bites, but you only need a tiny drop. Best thing is to buy a roll-on mosquito bite lotion such as "after bite" and pop off the top and refill it when it's almost empty. Smells horrible, but very effective.
Carbonel 1 year ago
Can someone please explain to me what the UK equivalent of rubbing alcohol is?
Min 1 year ago
It's isopropyl alcohol. It's what's on the swab before a blood draw or an injection. You can get it on Amazon in the UK, but in the US you can get it in amy grocery or drugstore.
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#3
On Android. (not sure about Iphone), you can schedule text messages. I often send stuff to my employee late at night but I just have it scheduled to send the following morning. Plus it makes them think I'm up early doing boss stuff.
Bruce Horton 1 year ago (edited)
I did this when I wanted to create a message while the thought was fresh but I would schedule the message to be sent during normal business hours for the recipient. I didn't expect them to work the hours that I did.
My O My 1 year ago
Thank you for that!!! Really! I had a boss that expected us to come to meetings he scheduled an hour earlier as usual (8am instead of 9am) when he sent the mail out at 1am...
Load More Replies... LooseSeal's $10 Banana 1 year ago
I love it. My wife says to remind her of something tomorrow and I schedule a text right then for the appropriate time. Everybody wins.
Jon Steensen 1 year ago
Why doesn't she just set a reminder in her own calender or set an alarm? Including you just seem unnecessary.
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Chris Landrum 1 year ago
this finally answers the long time question I have had about hoe one of my employees could text me at 6 am to tell me they would not be in until 10. I knew they partied the night before
Hippopotamuses 1 year ago
This could be handy. But would have been handier if OP had said how.
Firstname Lastname 1 year ago
On my phone when you hold down on the send button it pops up asking when you'd like to delay it to. Not sure if that is for all androids though.
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The Darkest Timeline 1 year ago (edited)
If you’re using gmail, you absolutely can schedule emails to be sent at a later date regardless of which OS you’re using
Bored Panda reached out to industrial designers Celine Wong and Lisa Pechenkina, who kindly agreed to tell us more about how hidden features are included in products.
Wong believes that hidden features aim to bring joy to users by offering delightful moments of surprise. She further explained, “Take, for instance, the Gen 1 Apple Pencil, which always aligns its logo upward when rolled on a table. While not particularly useful, such features provide a sense of pleasure upon discovery, leaving a lasting impression on users. This extra touch sets brands apart.”
Wong pointed out that hidden features should never compromise a product’s design or user experience. “While it’s ideal for users to stumble upon them organically, it’s also acceptable if they remain undiscovered. For instance, I only found the hidden game on my Fellow kettle after owning it for two years, showcasing that discovery can occur over time without detracting from the product’s core functionality.”
#4
Potato peeler can peel a perfect slice of hard butter from the fridge. No tearing of bread trying to spread hard butter.
jon gilbertson 1 year ago (edited)
If you peel your potatoes, don't throw the peels away. fry the peels in some olive oil and sprinkle your favorite seasoning. Delicious.
Diolla 1 year ago
But make sure you wash the potatoes before peeling them ;-P
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Jenn Olges 1 year ago
Most people don't have cheese slicers. Of all the people I've been around for gatherings, parties, etc - not a single one (other than me) has had or used a cheese slicer.
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#5
I recently read that the reason old-timey door handles/door knockers were made of brass was because brass kills bacteria.
Ace 1 year ago
That's just a chance effect, brass doorhandles have been around way longer than people had any real understanding of bacteria-born disease.
Mtownmick 1 year ago
Probably not. People do notice things like this, also why chopping blocks are wood - safer than plastic and other materials.
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Barong 1 year ago
I doubt brass was ever chosen for this reason. Brass is relatively strong but doesn’t rust and corrode like iron. It’s easily cast into shapes. Less expensive than copper or bronze. Has a nice golden color when polished, and forms a beautiful verdigris when left unpolished. Besides, microbiology and pathology was not that well or widely understood when brass door hardware came into use in the later half of the 1800s.
Manana Man 1 year ago
Faucets are made of brass too. All of them. The different finishes are plated on.
Jrog 1 year ago
Brass is among the easiest metals to cast in complex shapes, is very easy to cast in lost wax, melts consistently at relatively low temperatures, can tolerate wide casting temperature tolerances and flows easily into small crevices. That's the reason faucets are mostly brass or zamak, and also the reason most door fixtures used to be brass, nothing to do with antibacterial properties.
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michael reid 1 year ago
It's well known nowadays that bacteria cannot live on copper, and brass is over 90% copper
Riley Quinn 1 year ago
Originally, long before people knew a thing about microscopic organisms, brass was used because it was easy to mold and it didn't corrode like other metals.
#6
In the US, you can always call 911 from a phone even if the phone doesn't have service. Parents, remember this when giving kids old cell phones to play with.
quentariel 1 year ago
Works almost everywhere outside of the US too. And you can call from a cell phone even without sim card, or locked phone.
Ace 1 year ago
And works with other emergency number, 999 in the UK, 111, 112 and various others across the world.
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FreeTheUnicorn 1 year ago
This is such a dangerous lie to tell people. If it says 'emergency calls only' it can make the call, which it will if any service towers are in range, but you don't suddenly have a sat phone, you have to have a network to make a call. This lie is why people head out into the wilderness with cell phones, thinking they will help in an emergency. Stop repeating this.
Ken Beattie 1 year ago
It's not really a lie, it's just incomplete information.
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Ryan-James O'Driscoll 1 year ago
If your network has no service, but others do, yes. If no network has signal where you are this won't work.
Kraneia The Dancing Dryad 1 year ago
Also, you don't need to have paid service at your home to be able to dial 911 via a landline. That's what the extra 911 charge is for (usually only a few cents)
BPisaddictive 🇮🇹 🤌 1 year ago (edited)
If you are abroad and don't know their emergency number, dial yours. The system recognizes it is an emergency call and connects you to the service of the country you are in. It works in almost every country
Leading_gold4438 1 year ago
Happened to me. My 4yo was playing with my old phone. He was only taking video because the phone was locked and he could use the camera when locked. I didn't hear him for a few minutes and I found him in his closet talking to a 911 operator
Jessica Bertram 1 year ago
Except for AT&T this last week in the US. not even emergency calls made it through. We are dangerously reliant on our cellphones and their computing power.
Pechenkina describes secret functions in industrial design as something that can help maintain a clean and minimalist design aesthetic. She provides an example of a hidden front camera in smartphones that manufacturers often hide at the top of the screen. “This design choice maintains a clean display surface, enhancing the overall sleekness of the device while users still know that their device has that front camera,” she adds.
She also mentions that “in some products, additional functionality can be hidden from prying eyes while the product owners know about that additional functionality. In compact apartments, furniture manufacturers offer hidden storage solutions, such as ottomans with built-in compartments or coffee tables with lift-up tops that reveal additional storage space. These hidden features maximize the use of limited living space, providing 2-in-1 solutions.”
#7
on both iphones and qndroid phones, if you take a screenshot, and then what to draw on it like circle something, or arrow, or write something, go ahead and make the circle BUT don't lift your finger off the screen for a second and it will turn into a more aestheticly pleasing circle (or character or whatever). works with letters, arrows, squares, circles, numbers...
Carla Phillips 1 year ago
Apparently I'm not doing it right :( I wanna be part of the cool kids
nancy 1 year ago
I just tried this on my iPhone 15... circles, rectangles and arrows work.... but not numbers and letters.
3 Trash Pandas (She/They) 1 year ago
You have to do them in one stroke I think
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#8
Many libraries in the U.S. have portable wifi hotspots and laptops that you can check out for a month at a time.
Tempest_in_a_TARDIS:
My local library has a "Library of Things," and I love it! You can check out wifi hotspots, telescopes, laminators, a home theater projector, an external CD/DVD drive, and lots more. It's really great for when you need something for a project but don't want to invest money in it because you'll only use it once or twice.
Giraffy Window 1 year ago
Ours has snowshoes, skates, cross country skis, various musical instruments, a handfull of household power tools, as well on occasion, as park passes <3
Bryn 1 year ago
Because of money. If more people use the library, usage stats go up which looks good for the library and can potentially increase funding.
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#9
You can set custom keyboard shortcuts. I use @@ to paste my email and && to paste my address. It’s really useful
Edit: For iPhone: Settings-> General->Keyboard->Text Replacement
ॐBoyGanesh 1 year ago
I’ve so many I can’t keep track. If I type and “H” & “P” together I get: Harry Potter, Boy Wizard; The Chosen One. I use them for random script, too. Like “om” or “aum” becomes: ॐ.
Mara Was… A Surgeon 1 year ago
Same! Qqq = ིྀ and E turns into my sister's name!
Load More Replies... Ken Beattie 1 year ago
This is a feature lifted from word processors that has been around for ages. Word and Word Perfect both had this feature (probably a bunch of others too). You need to be careful with it though because it's easy to set up a shortcut that you'd actually type normally then it's a pain to undo. eg: a shortcut of St for Street will expand when you don't want it to.
3 Trash Pandas (She/They) 1 year ago
Omg my school email is so long, this is a really good idea
Pechenkina believes that in complex products, the inclusion of hidden features serves a crucial purpose. “For example, keeping the main interface simple for most users while sneaking in advanced features for those who need them. This way, everyone gets a straightforward experience, but more advanced users can still access those extra tricks when they need them. It’s all about balancing simplicity with depth, especially in digital design.”
She also explained the different ways hidden features could be made easily discoverable to users without compromising the design of the product. “This could involve QR codes on household appliances linking to online tutorials or augmented reality overlays showcasing hidden functionalities in designs.”
#10
Your city's library card likely has access to of thousands of free audiobooks and ebooks by connecting it to an app called Libby. Some popular books have waitlists but some titles you can borrow right away. Truly a game changer if you're into reading and trying not to spend big bucks on books.
keyboardtek 1 year ago
Library Genesis is what all the college kids are using. Like Napster was for mp3, Library Genesis is for books.
George Costanza 1 year ago
That sounds more like stealing than using a library if it's anything like Napster.
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Maggie Fulton 1 year ago
I’ve used Libby for years and love it. There have been a few times when the wait period for a hold has been long, but I don’t find it onerous. Libby offers audiobooks and magazines, too.
Jon Steensen 1 year ago
I especially like audiobooks as they can turn waste time into productive time. E.g. being stuck in traffic during the daily commute isn't nearly as bad when you learn something in the mean time, but reading a book would be impossible.
BarkingSpider 1 year ago
Hoopla is also a great app that many libraries use. Some libraries use both.
#11
Most people hold walking sticks wrong and get like 5% of the support you could get, the handle is supposed to face forward, like with crutches, it keeps the weight distribution correct and in line with your shoulder.
Memaw Mitch 1 year ago
Also I see them used won't when using a cane/walking stick due to a knee, ankle, foot injury. It is supposed to be used with the opposite hand, creating a tripod. Bad leg and cane together, then good leg by itself.
Jessica Bertram 1 year ago (edited)
This. I always laughed at House, who, as a doctor, was supposed to understand basic body mechanics. Surprising that so many people think of him as real, and fought with me about body mechanics. Like, Buddy, i studied mechanical engineering, and torque, lateral pressure, weight distribution, moment arms, all work the same, whether it's a machine built by humans, or a human machine. Plus, i use a cane from time to time. Opposite side from the injured limb, moves in tandem with injured limb.
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Blue Bunny of Happiness 1 year ago
Never seen or advised anyone to use it with the handle facing round. The correct way to set the height of a walking stick is to measure the height to your ulnar styloid (knobbly bit on the outside of your wrist) when stood with your arms relaxed by your sides. Source: 20 years as an AHP working in rehab wards.
Tamiko 1 year ago
As someone who is looking at the need to use a cane, this is handy info. Thank you
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DarkViolet 1 year ago
Also, the handle of an adjustable cane is supposed to be at wrist level, to reduce strain. I was taught that by my physical therapist.
#12
A lot of people forget that most of our smartphones have compasses built in them.
Robert T 1 year ago
That's not quite true. Most smartphones have GPS receivers and compasses built in for navigation purposes. If you have one of these, then it may have come with a compass app, or you can download one yourself. If you have a phone without the compass hardware, no app is going to fix that.
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Phil Green 1 year ago
I much prefer hand-held compasses. I just replaced my old hiking compass with a new one. I don't need one, I just like them!
KieLeaHar 1 year ago
Maybe someone in the BP community can help me? I brought a compass recently and was trying to work it how to use it.. the middle works fine and the outer dial moves BUT can —anyone— tell me what the POINT of the outer dial actually is?? I’ve tried Google and YouTube and gotten nowhere!?! Did I buy a crappy or broken one?
Sweet Taurus 1 year ago
iPhone has a magnifier app on them now and it's so handy for the small print I struggle to read!
Fenchurch 1 year ago
As I understand it, phones do not have a compass. That is they don't have a magnetised needle that will always show north. What phones have is a GPS connection which can display a compass like image. GPS works for me, but if I was going on a longer hike, I'd want a true physical compass and paper map.
Kristin Schwiebert 1 year ago
Even while using the compass, still was lost in the wooden area, far longer than I wanted to.
Another great method is the use of customizable features that allow users to tailor their experience and adjust the visibility of secret functions to their preferences. For instance, “a wearable fitness tracker may analyze user activity patterns to suggest advanced workout modes or health-tracking features. Embedded sensors or companion apps [can] gather user usage data and preferences [so] the product can adapt its interface to highlight or suggest hidden features [that are] tailored to individual user behaviors.”
She concluded by saying, “These are just a few examples of how I ensured that hidden features enhance user experiences without overwhelming the overall aesthetics and usability of products in the past, but I believe that, depending on a particular problem, we can find creative solutions that would show that additional functionality when it’s needed.”
#13
In windows, WIN+number launches the application you have pinned on your taskbar. Eg. I pin the calculator as the first app so WIN+1 launches the calculator when I need it.
Ken Beattie 1 year ago
If you're typing you don't need to take your hands off the keyboard and put them on the mouse then located the icon to click on. Side note: if you have to pinned apps the same Win+number switches to the active app on the taskbar that corresponds to that number (like hit alt-tab that many times to switch).
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M O'Connell 1 year ago
ALT codes can also be useful to know. Ones I use all the time are ALT+0176 gives you ° and ALT+234 gives you Ω
Thomas Stein 1 year ago
WIN+Shift+Number starts another instance (window), if the application is already running. Doesn't work with office applications like Word or Excel, though.
Guess Undheit 1 year ago
A better idea: Get DeskMenu.exe from windows powertoys and add it to your startup menu. Click DeskMenu in the tray and you can access desktop icons WITHOUT minimizing open applications. It's slow on the first use (cataloguing everything), then works immediately after that. I'm still using the Lose95 version on windoze 10, and it works. [ https://archive.org/details/microsoft-windows-95-power-toys-17th-november-1996 ]
Ken Beattie 1 year ago
Or just add the Quick Launch bar back to your task bar and drop app shortcuts onto it.
Load More Replies... #14
If you find the childsafe function on the cap of a prescription medicine bottle annoying (and you don't have kids you need to protect), a lot of the tops are designed to be used upside down as well, as normal, easy-to-open screw tops.
Diolla 1 year ago
Yes. Have never seen them anywhere in Europe or Africa yet.
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Beeps 1 year ago
Little known fact: In the UK you can ask your pharmacist for a non-childproof lid, if you don’t require one.
Papa 1 year ago
You can do that in the US also, at least my pharmacy does.
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Mark Howell 1 year ago
Always found the quickest way to get past a child-proof cap, is to give it to a child )
Riley Quinn 1 year ago
This is true, but you need to get the lid off first before you can invert it. The pharmacy I use gives me all my Rx in easy-open lids per my request.
#15
YouTube has no ads if you retype the video or playlist link in browser with a dash (yout-ube).
Daniel Atkins 1 year ago
Ublock origin does this on computers. It is a plugin and once installed not more ads.
keyboardtek 1 year ago
Many websites now detect adblockers and they will not allow one to view anything until you disable the adblocker. I generally say F**k You to those websites and leave.
Load More Replies... Beeps 1 year ago
Those of you saying use ad blocking web browsers, how do you access Bored Panda? I just downloaded Brave, but when I go to BP, it won’t actually let me read the page and wants me to ‘whitelist’ it. The only option I can click on is “yes” there is no closing x or “no” as an option (see screenshot). IMG_0991-6...d7-png.jpg 
Daniela Lavanza 1 year ago
On my phone, I stop the adblocker since I have no choice. On my computer, uBlock allows selective ad blocking to block this specific screen and the overlay features that prevent user from scrolling down the page.
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Jesha 1 year ago
You can build a pi hole and block stuff with that, and there are pretty intuitive instruction sets online.
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Kitsune Nocturne 1 year ago
To everyone asking how to have an adblocker that actually works on everything: download the Brave browser. It's essentially the exact same as Chrome - but you'll never see ads. No, not even on YouTube. No, not even on BP. You won't see any. Ever. It's lovely.
Bobby 1 year ago
When you follow the link the packet sent contains who referred you. This is how some of those "I get paid if you buy something from them" links work. Not sure, but it's possible the dash doesn't work with get requests that have a referrer
Load More Replies... #16
Rubbing alcohol can clean the inside of your car windshield . Ever notice how the inside is kind of smeary, it's from off gases from the plastic from the dashboard. Just put some alcohol on a paper towel, wipe the glass well and then get a clean paper towel or microfiber, spray glass cleaner, dry all and you will have the shiniest window.
Toothless Feline 1 year ago
The hard part is that so many modern cars have the base of the windshield so far from the dashboard that a normal person can’t reach far enough. You have to get extensible tools to clean it.
Jennik 1 year ago
I thought it was just because I'm a shortie! TIL people of "normal" height can't reach the base of the windscreen either. I considered spraying window cleaner from a distance, wrapping one of the cats in a microfibre cloth, and getting her to shuffle along the edge, but neither cat would co-operate (even for a bribe of Temptations).
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DH41144 1 year ago (edited)
It's the carbon Dioxide build up we exhale that causes the window To be that way
ThatG 1 year ago
It’s actually from the vinyls and plastics in the dashboard. They have oils in them that evaporate in the hot sunlight then cause the residue on the windshield.
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DB 1 year ago (edited)
Yes, but it is only part of the mixture. Straight alcohol will damage tint at top of the windshield and the laminate of the safety glass if you have any cracks. Also never use an ammonia-based household window cleaner.
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Antony Aston 1 year ago
I use a mix of rubbing alcohol and white vinegar to clean all my glass
#17
Every time i dig into the settings of my phone (samsung galaxy) i find a bunch of features that arent default on but are actually useful. Like when taking a selfie, rather than awkwardly trying to hit the shutter button, you can just show the camera your palm and it starts a photo countdown.
WindySwede 1 year ago
they are really good to take photos in tight spaces, you can't reach 👍
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Ken Beattie 1 year ago
Just tested this and it's a bit clunky. Took more messing about to get it to take a selfie than just setting up a timer or hitting the button.
clearh2oqueen 1 year ago
.....or you can just say, "capture"....no hands needed except to hold the phone.
Aroace tiger (she/they/he) 1 year ago
Or let people do what makes them happy and doesn't harm anyone
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Hearing aids, believe it or not, are also used as an aid to distract your brain from tinnitus or other very annoying audio intrusions.
Amanda Rose 1 year ago
That is why I love mine. I have 75% hearing loss and tinnitus (really fun combination!). my audiologist told me that I would be better off with the kind that hook over the back of your ears to help balance out the various directions sounds are coming from.
AlienBarbu 1 year ago
I must say, I agree to a point, there have been times I had tinnitus so bad, that even wearing my hearing aids didn't cut it and it was just annoying. It really depend on the person and why/how they got tinnitus.
Regina Holt 1 year ago
This is not the case with me. I am wearing my hearing aids right now, and the tinnitus is very loud.
Nikki Sevven 1 year ago
I use an app called SimplyNoise in which you can customize a mix of white, pink, and brown noise, as well as oscillations per minute. It's takes a bit of fidgeting with the ratios, but I find it helps a lot, especially when it's dead quiet and I'm trying to fall asleep. Oh, the app is free and no in-app purchases are required to use it as I described. It even has a sleep timer you can set to automatically shut it off.
Load More Replies... #19
“Potato water” is great for cleaning silver. The starchy salted boiled water after you’ve cooked potatoes, let it cool and throw in your jewellery, fancy cutlery, whatever, all the dirt comes off and then just a quick polish.
badmotorfinger 1 year ago
Tooth paste works great also. Bonus is that your jewelry smells minty fresh.
Barong 1 year ago
You don’t need to abrade silver to remove the tarnish. Silver tarnish is silver sulfide. Sulfur in the air bonds with the silver’s surface forming a black layer. Fortunately sulfur bonds better with aluminum to form aluminum sulfide. Simply place the silver into a container with aluminum foil, warm water with an electrolyte like baking soda and the tarnish will disappear while the foil turns yellow. It only removes the sulfur from the silver and does not harm or weaken the silver. No scratching off layers of the silver with abrasives needed.
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Aileen Grist 1 year ago
it's also great for watering plants - any veg or rice water too. Gives them a feed
JB 1 year ago
Don't use potato water! The reason it works is because the salt pits the silver, making it more likely to tarnish faster and causing more damage long term. Toothpaste is a flipping terrible idea, too! I've worked in museums, I've made silver jewelry for a long time. The best method is the tinfoil+baking soda+hot water. It's fast, it's less damaging, and it makes it bright and shiny.
#20
The metal posts in your cars headrests can be used to smash the window in an emergency - same as the little hammer you can get.
Candid Panda 1 year ago
Yes, but headrests are a bit tricky to remove from the seat since they have a small button to press in order to release. So it may be cumbersome to remove in an emergency.
Kathy Perrigo 1 year ago
Mine does not have a button to press. Simply pull it up and out
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Robert T 1 year ago
No they can't. For one thing, my modern car doesn't have removable headrests, as they are part of the rollover protection. My classic doesn't even have headrests. However, assuming that they do remove, they are normally blunt on the end to prevent injury. You need something pointy to break glass. It is also much more likely that someone would need to break the glass from the outside of the car to rescue an unconcious person, rather than a concious person trying to get out.
Daniela Lavanza 1 year ago
Also, to make it work better, aim for the angles of the window. You can also use them as a leverage introducing the stick on the plastic edges of windows then bending them for the window to get shattered.
Blue Bunny of Happiness 1 year ago
I can’t even get mine to adjust position easily, I’ve got no hope of removing it in an emergency!
My O My 1 year ago
Actually they are really easy to get out! But to get them back in....... How I know? All I wanted was to adjust them
Load More Replies... #21
On galaxy phones when you take a screenshot theres a square with down arrows that will automatically extend the screenshot to get more in the picture. Edit: apparently this works for all Androids!
WindySwede 1 year ago
Really good for long stuff instead of several screenshots.
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Brandy Gray 1 year ago
I can't be the only one who immediately took a screen shot of the post and tried it. Never knew that's what it was for!
Robert T 1 year ago
Does this work with the whole of a webpage in a browser? You have no idea how long I spent in Photoshop the other day piecing together a very long screenshot...
Cathy 1 year ago
You only get like half a screenshot extra. Not a full web page.
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Stellar Wind 1 year ago
Great for copying recipes or instructions that go on beyond the first screen
Flora Porter 1 year ago (edited)
That's amazing. Couldn't figure it out at first but on mine it's a 3-finger touch, click 'full page' option, open the screenshot, then 'long screenshot' option.
#22
Those little plastic “tables” in the middle of your pizza box keep the cheese from sticking to the cardboard, but they also can be used to hold down the neighboring slice, so you can remove your slice without touching any others.
Christos Arvanitis 1 year ago
They also serve as nice guest tables to serve tiny teacups to mice
Jesha 1 year ago
My brother has this Sesame Street playset that's still nooting around the basement and it still has a little pizza table in it for the little muppets.
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Memaw Mitch 1 year ago
My grandkids find many uses for these. Dollhouse furniture, hold down paper while painting, jails for mini dinosaurs lol
Definitely a Human 1 year ago
We don't have these in Australia, or at least they're very rare, and I've never once had the cheese stick to the lid
#23
Honda CR-Vs from the early 2000s have a secret picnic table under the floor in the back.
#24
Whistles are built into the zippers of a lot of outdoor equipment, like backpacks and jackets.
Brandy Gray 1 year ago
I think theres only a couple brands that do this and obviously it's not the zipper.
Rebekah Krause 1 year ago
I had a children’s coat where the zipper pole was the whistle, but this was in the early 80s and I haven’t seen anything like it since
Load More Replies... Guess Undheit 1 year ago
ALWAYS take a whistle when you go off the road in case you get in trouble. Your choice: yell for 30 minutes before going hoarse, or blow a whistle every five minutes for the whole day.
Barong 1 year ago
Not all brands but many. And not all models. My Dekine ski pack has one. Other brands that use them include, The North Face, Osprey, Gregory, Columbia, Arc’teryx, Mystery Ranch, Lowe Alpine, Hyperlite Mountaineering, Mammut, Ortovox, Mountain Hardware, Oakley, Camelbak, Black Diamond.
Load More Replies... Upstaged75 1 year ago
The most recent one I bought has this whistle. It's deafening - but that's kind of the point. :)
Berlytea 1 year ago
Cup your hands together with thumbs touching and face up, place your lips on the bent joints of your thumbs and gently blow downward into the hollow of your cupped hands. Once you've mastered making a sound, you can open and close your outward facing hand and be more forceful with your wind to create a very loud and substantial whistle all on your own- you can also control the pitch. In addition, you can mimic a hoot owl pretty damn near dead on, for whatever that's worth. 😆
Upstaged75 1 year ago
Actually you're wrong. I have the same one on my backpack and it's SO loud.
Load More Replies... #25
Garlic press - you don’t have to peel the garlic before pressing, the press does it for you.
Irishwoman abroad 1 year ago
You can peel ginger really easily with a teaspoon, for some reason it works better than any knife!
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Robin DJW 1 year ago
I use one to rice a very small quantity of overcooked rice to use as thickening agent.
Francois 1 year ago
Well it ruined our good garlic press, with skin on it requires more force and cracks appeared after a few years.
Jesha 1 year ago
Mine was metal and the handle snapped and it made me feel tough and powerful. Fear my terrifying bear paws.
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whiterabbit 1 year ago
I cook with a ton of garlic so I bought a press thinking it would make my life easier but I don't see the point of them. You waste half of the garlic because it ends up flattened and stuck inside the press. Even if you take the time to scrape it out it's too big of a chunk to throw into the dish without having to mince it up. Seemed pointless and just one more thing to clean.
#26
Many microwaves have a secret silent mode. The most common methods to activate it are holding either 0, 1 or 2 for about five seconds. If none of these work, try holding Start or Cancel for five seconds. Otherwise, search for your microwave brand and include the word “mute”.
WindySwede 1 year ago
just have a turny-thing for the timer and one for power. It's around 20 years, and the lightbulb are broken now.. wanna turn of the bluddy beap, but haven't found any way to do that.. 🤷♂️
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Lydsylou (she/her) 1 year ago
I would just forget I put anything in there until the next time I used the microwave
Giraffy Window 1 year ago
I like how these things are being deemed "secrets" which is silly because this info is absolutely part of the user's manual.
Candid Panda 1 year ago
What goes silent, the sound of the fan or the ding when your food is ready?
over it already 1 year ago
On mine it's all the beeps - the buttons, the ding at the end, etc.
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Jenny Mason 1 year ago
My microwave only has two dials, one for the power setting and one for the timer, there are no buttons on it.
Nikki Sevven 1 year ago
Yep. Ours has been off for years. The good part is that I don't wake anyone up heating up my coffee. The bad part is that I personally completely forget I put my coffee in to heat, then lose my damn mind looking for my cup before finally noticing that the microwave display is flashing 'ready'.
#27
Hair dryers can double as de-wrinklers when you're too lazy to iron your clothes.
Marie Lane 1 year ago
And there is almost always a hair dryer in hotel rooms, but not necessarily an iron.
Deborah B 1 year ago
If there isn't an iron in the room, you can usually phone the front dest or housekeeping, and they will bring you an iron and ironing board.
Load More Replies... Upstaged75 1 year ago
I use Downy Wrinkle Release and throw it in the dryer. Not sure I even own an iron anymore. :)
PSimms 1 year ago
I bought a handheld steamer a couple of years ago because I hate ironing, and I cannot recommend the handheld steamer enough. He just put the piece of clothing on a hanger or hang it somewhere, I find it convenient to hang it on the shower rod, and a steams and seconds with every wrinkle gone.
Claire Bear 1 year ago
Or just hang the clothes on the shower with you while you're in there then shake and pull them in the steam
Binny Tutera 1 year ago
If you have time to let them dry, hang up your clothes and spray with water.
Cherie Rigby 11 months ago
My sis used to use her hair straightener to make sure her collars and short edges were ironed before a shift
Iseabail Munro 1 year ago
Same as hair straighteners doubling as an iron for trousers and smaller garments
#28
Put a damp paper towel over rice, tortillas, or just about anything that dries out in the microwave to keep it soft.
ॐBoyGanesh 1 year ago
Reheated rice can be dangerous. Not so much the reheating as the storage time in the fridge.
#29
My VW automatically switches the vent to recirculate, when I shift to reverse. This minimizes the intake of exhaust gases when backing up.
Taibhse Sealgair 1 year ago
VW apparently programmed a lot of logic into their emissions systems. ;)
#30
Many ceiling fans have a switch to reverse the direction for differences of summer and winter Temps. Your fans should pull up in the winter and push down in the summer.
Alison Hobbs 1 year ago
I may be wrong but, I think that's the wrong way round. Warm air rises so, it needs pushing down in the winter and pulling up in the summer
Ace 1 year ago (edited)
It may be counter-intuitive, but no. In the summer it's less about shifting warm or cool air masses, more about the cooling effect of the breeze, so it needs to blow down onto people below it; in the winter you're trying to move the warmer air around the room, but you do not want to be cooled by a draught, so the fan pushes upward and forces the warm air down the sides of the room so you don't feel it.
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keyboardtek 1 year ago
Makes not much of a difference if you have dry eye syndrome. You then remove all ceiling fans in the house because any breeze dries your eyes even more.
#31
A lot of screwdrivers/nut drivers have a hole at the top of the handle. That’s so you can insert another screwdriver (usually a Phillips head one) and now it’s like a t-driver for extra leverage.
JP Doyle 1 year ago
Most screwdrivers also have an hexagonal handle, so you can use the appropriate sized hex wrench or socket wrench for extra leverage or ratchet driving effect.
John L 1 year ago
You know...I never thought about nor noticed that before...
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Romek Vili 1 year ago
But what if I want to use Torx, hexagon, robertson, pozitron or just, i do not know, big nail lever?
#32
On a smart phone if you are typing and hold down the space bar button you can then scroll left and right to move the cursor on the text!
Bree 1 year ago
On android swipe your finger on the space bar and it moves the cursor that direction in the text
Whatshername 1 year ago
I changed my settings so that what you describe changes the dictionary/language. If I do what the BP post states (hold it first and then swipe) it scrolls.
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Ali H M Salehuddin 1 year ago
I know this feature for a long time. But I always overshoot the characters. I need to try a few times to get it right. I wish they put a proper left and right arrow keys.
Bobby 1 year ago
Look into 3rd keyboards in the play store. They probably have one you like. At least on Android. I don't know if Apple allows 3rd party keyboards
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#33
Measuring tapes. The metal clip at the end moves 1/8" to account for the thickness of the end clip in both the push and pull motions. The hole at the end is for placing on the edge of a nail to get measurements from odd spots. The red numbers are all 16" apart to help you measure standard stud bay distances. The little black diamonds are every 19 3/16" so you can evenly mark and break down a standard 8' sheet of stock into 5 equal parts. If you need to get a quick half of a whole measurement, lock the tape at the whole measurement, and fold the end of the tape to touch the body of the tape, your half mark is right there at the inside bend. Can also be used for lazy subtraction or addition of measurements. EDIT - The most commonly added thing here, by an overwhelming margin, is that tape measures often have the physical size of the body of the tape measure marked on it somewhere so it can be used for "inside" measurements. Honestly, this is one of those things I forgot to add because I use it so often that I've just memorized the size for my tape (3 1/2") and never think about it.
Bobby 1 year ago
I would imagine that these markings on other counties tape measures are still there but with the appropriate measurements used
Load More Replies... Robert T 1 year ago
Stanley disagrees with you (UK). The metal clip does indeed move by the thickness of the clip. and there is indeed a rectangular hole in the end for nails/screws. The red numbers are 12" apart on the imperial side, 10cm apart on the metric. The black diamonds are every 16" on the imperial side, 40cm on the metric (they don't align). The width of the measure is given on the reverse - mine says + 2 3/4 inches.
Miss Violet Knightchild 1 year ago
I've got a Wilko tape measure that does exactly what OP said, I need to check my Stanley one haha Fascinating stuff tho
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BoredPossum 1 year ago
Hmmm, if only there was a sensible unit of length, divisible by 10 and fully logical.
#34
Pedestrian crossing control boxes (i.e., beg buttons) in the UK have a little cone on the underside to assist visually impaired users. If you hear a crossing beep, you might not know whether your crossing is the active one. But the little cone rotates when the crossing you engaged is active, so you know for sure. https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-ouch-22706881
JB 1 year ago
In Canada, the beep pattern is different for North/South and East/West crossings. One is a cuckoo, but they had to change the jay-soundimg one because there was an actual jay that sounds too similar and they didn't want birds accidentally causing the death of people with visual impairments.
#35
Most libraries have passes to your favorite local museums, zoos, and major attractions that you can check out for free and save hundreds of dollars a year.
Kitty 🥀 1 year ago
Yeah, librarian here, and I’ve never even heard of this.
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Lisa Boutin 1 year ago
Libraries in Saskatchewan, Canada let you borrow provincial park passes. Saves about $30+ if you plan to go camping in a provincial park!
BarkingSpider 1 year ago
Just recently learned about California libraries having these types of passes. It won't cover everythi for, but If you look on their website, it should tell you what passes they have and what places are included. I love the state parks pass.
Michael Largey 1 year ago
They didn't say US dollars, so it could be Australia, Canada, or several other places. Since it's both good sense and kind-hearted, I'm betting Canada.
Load More Replies... #36
There are tabs on the sides of aluminum foil, Saran wrap, parchment paper, etc you press in that holds the roll in the container.
Ace 1 year ago
Likewise. The cardboard is never strong enough to last more than one or two pulls.
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Squiffle Noses 1 year ago
It's somewhere to stick a stick in it - works if your cupboard has a built in holder
Lisa Boutin 1 year ago
I get annoyed everytime I see this "hack". I have never in my life purchased anything that has these alleged tabs.
#37
The stapler built into the work printer is the best stapler in the office. If your stack of documents can fit in the slot at all, it’ll staple.
Blue Bunny of Happiness 1 year ago
But it’s really annoying when it doesn’t stack all the pages perfectly and you get wonky stapled pages. Looking at you printer in the post room!
Ken Beattie 1 year ago
We had one in the office kinda like this that would staple basicly a half-inch of paper together. 71Tc3ef7CR...947e08.jpg 
DarkViolet 1 year ago
True that. If you're in charge of the copiers in your office, you become almost territorial about the machine that copies, collates, folds, and staples.
#38
Most pocket knives that copy the swiss army knife model, have an Awl. This is used the same as a needle, but for sewing-together leather pieces. Makes a good leather-punch if you lost weight and need some new belt notches.
pasej41913@bustayes.com 1 year ago
I love my Swiss army knife's garlic press attachment
Load More Replies... Robert T 1 year ago
Depends on the size of the knife and how many blades it has. They tend to only include it on the models with more than about half a dozen blades. And particularly with genuine swiss army knives, what that specific model is aimed at - some are for fishing, hunting, walking, or waiters.
#39
In windows 10, naming a jpg file "folder.jpg" will make that image (and only that image) the preview for the folder. Great when viewing in extra large icons.
Tara Noe 1 year ago
So, you can only do it once per folder, and you'll never be able to search for it by typing a name. Not much of a hack :/
Deborah B 1 year ago
Just save a copy of the image as folder.jpg. Problem solved. May be useful for some people.
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Marion Connolly 1 year ago
You can also right click on the folder - Properties - Customise - Choose File, and select an image to use as the folder preview
#40
You can replace the large jar on your blender with a mason jar when you need to blend or chop a small volume of something.
Just screw the cap with the blades onto any small mouth canning jar and proceed.
Blenders were designed for this use.
ॐBoyGanesh 1 year ago
Wouldn’t that depend on the blender model? I’ve a Breville blender and broke the glass. While waiting for a replacement to take forever to ship, I bought some cheap Oster, Kitchen Aid & Cuisinart blenders from the thrift shop, but none fit. None fit Vitamix either. I know there are a few sizes of mason jar openings, but I can’t see this as a given.
v 1 year ago
A mason jar also isn't designed to be used as a blender jar so there's a very real possibility of the jar breaking once you start blending.
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Scott Rackley 1 year ago
Mason jar glass is neither tempered nor thick enough to do this. If you want glass everywhere, go ahead.
#41
Hold a spoon under hot- hot water, then place it onto a mosquito bite. Feels awesome and the itch goes away!
Jessica Bertram 1 year ago
Always makes ME feel better after a bug bite! 😂
Load More Replies... BoredPossum 1 year ago
Sounds like: "Tip: Break your legs, that way you won't have to go to aunt Fiona's liposuction anniversary. "
Stephanie Barr 1 year ago
This works, but it's best to not get it to burning temp. Just as hot as you can stand the touch. It breaks down the chemical that makes it itch so it never comes back.
#42
The top rack in most dishwashers adjusts up and down so you can fit taller things in the top rack. There are little clips on the sides of the rack that you use to adjust it. Go take a peek at your dishwasher 👀
whiterabbit 1 year ago
Mine is older but it's nice because the top rack is tapered, the left is for short dishes and it gradually gets taller as it goes the the right. That allows you to put bigger things on the bottom rack underneath the short side of the top rack.
#43
Most vegetable peelers have a metal ring on the side. It’s to dig out black spots from potatoes.
Jennik 1 year ago
Mine has that. I suddenly realised what it was for in a blinding flash of insight a few weeks ago. I won't say how many decades I've been peeling potatoes (although most of the time I just scrub them and leave the skin on).
Load More Replies... #44
Photoshop's eye-dropper tool can pick up colour from outside the PS window. Just click and hold while inside the window and then drag outside. I always mention this on questions like that because it is soooo useful.
Solidhog 1 year ago
Microsoft PowerPoint has an eyedropper to help you match colours, but Word does not. WHY? If you use an eye dropper a lot for different programs then look up PowerTools. Has one that you can launch anytime and copy colours.
M O'Connell 1 year ago
I'm colorblind and have a widget that lives in the corner of the screen and gives me the hex value for whatever pixel the cursor is hovering over, anywhere on the screen.
Load More Replies... #45
On CD players, when you hold rewind, you can go into 'negative seconds' on an applicable track. Some albums used the 'negative seconds' on a CD to put an in-between opening to a song so that when you skip to the song, you also skip the opening. More interesting is an example like Relient K's Mmhmm album. If you hold rewind on the very first track long enough and let go, you will hear the album's hidden track (which is also the album's title track at that). It's mostly an instrumental with humming, but it's good and interesting and sadly a great novel way of hiding hidden tracks that quickly is disappearing with the mass' move to digital. Edit: just wanted to thank you all for showing me so many other albums that did this. It's crazy how many of them did, yet I only really knew about a few. Like even knowing about this little secret didn't make it something I regularly checked for simply because of how obscure and rare I already knew it to be.
Ace 1 year ago
I guess those of us that simply put the CD in the slot and let it play normally would never realise these hidden bits were hidden. I do remember one right at the end of an album (Travis) where you needed to let the final track continue playing for about three minutes of silence to hear another song.
MaryHadaLittleLamb 1 year ago
Alanis' Jagged Little Pill had one at the end of the CD like this, too!
Load More Replies... Michael Largey 1 year ago (edited)
One of Monty Python's vinyl albums had two grooves on the front side. What you heard depended on which groove the needle encountered first.
Coffee loving panda 1 year ago
Chocolate starfish by limp bizkit has a crazy little skit at the last track
Miriam Barber 1 year ago
Oh my gosh i have that cd!! Growing up it was my top cd to play, didnt know that!!
James Twong 1 year ago
1977 by Ash has one of the most hilarious hidden tracks ever. At least it was to twenty year old me. Just think young lads, too much alcohol and what goes in must come out...
#46
Dude, did you know that most staplers have a built-in staple remover on the bottom? Mind blown!
Irishwoman abroad 1 year ago
They used to have a sharp bit that could pop out, but most don't now
Ken Beattie 1 year ago (edited)
The fun fact for me is that some of them of them have an adjustable base plate (the bit on the bottom where the staple squishes down into). And you can rotate it so instead of the staple being crimped back on itself it's spread out like wings.
Huddo's sister 1 year ago
One of the 12 year olds at my work showed me this the other day!
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#47
Some tubes of medicine have a pointy thing on the cap that allows you to pierce the tamper resistant packaging.
Sparky4 1 year ago
Most things, super glues, etc, have the pointy thing if the tube is sealed with foil.
WindySwede 1 year ago
If they don't have that I would be surprised! But also read on BP that someone did a TIL on that!
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Cherry M 1 year ago (edited)
Great picture choice! „Maść na ból dupy” = „Ointment against butt hurt” 😂
Anna Lewoc 1 year ago
The text on the tube in the photo says "Pain in the a s s ointment" in Polish :D :D :D
#48
The bottom of a ceramic coffee cup is great for sharpening knives. Hold the knife against one side of the exposed ceramic ring, raise 15 degrees, and carefully slice forward scraping the knife against the bare ceramic. 5-6 strokes on each edge usually works for me.
Ace 1 year ago
Why? Even if it actually works, and I doubt it, why not just use a proper knife sharpening steel?
keyboardtek 1 year ago
The knife sharpening steel only restores an edge if the blade is not very worn. A proper sharpening stone is the way to get a really ideal sharp blade.
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StrangeOne 1 year ago
I tried doing this. It ended up dulling my knife and wearing down the bottom of my mug.
Miss-NoName 1 year ago
I tried it too. It worked! But I slipped and got five stitches.
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ॐBoyGanesh 1 year ago (edited)
If you’ve decent knives, buy a knife stone. If you’ve expensive knives, bring them to your butcher/carniciera/supermarket. Or, there are professional knife sharpeners who will do it reasonable price.
Katrina Nixon 1 year ago
If you want to ruin your dishes, go nuts. My ex used to do this, it left awful marks on the bottom of my bowls that would not come off.
Jessica Shookhoff 1 year ago
I use this to sharpen my slightly dulled X-Acto blades, and it does surprisingly work!
Robin DJW 1 year ago
Why is the guy in the pic either sharpening the knife on his thumbnail, or he's about to slice his thumbnail off intentionally. WTF?
WindySwede 1 year ago
if you *lightly* puts the edge of the knife like that, and it doesn't slide of its sharp. An easy test, do at own risk..
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#49
The apple logo on the back of iPhones is a secret, programmable button.
MadameMalfoy 1 year ago (edited)
go to settings>accessibility>touch then scroll all the way down to back tap. once you click on that you should see double tap and triple tap. you can turn one or both of those on by tapping them. it should then present you a menu of different things that you can program it to do. i use mine to control volume, but there are many different choices
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1 year ago
Such nonsense. It's not the logo, it's the back of the phone. My logo is fully covered but as I've enabled the feature I can double tap anywhere on the back of the phone to take a screenshot.
Candid Panda 1 year ago
You need to enable this feature first, but when you do you can use it by tapping once or twice to do a number of shortcuts like take a screenshot or increase the volume. Most people have a case on their iPhone so their Apple logo is covered.
Unemployed Panda 1 year ago
iPhone 8 or newer, unfortunately for those of us who have earlier models
marcelo D. 1 year ago
it's not a button. Tapping the back of the phone ANYWHERE will activate the accesibility feature if its activated
#50
I had been using disposable five-blade razors for years before I realized there's a single blade on the flip side for doing edges.
keyboardtek 1 year ago
I found that Harry's blades last me two months. But I have a mild beard.
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Peter Trudell Jr 1 year ago
Just learn to use a safety razor, it's cheaper and just as good a shave.
Riley Quinn 1 year ago
I'm devoted to Harry's razors. The blades last longer, the handle is beautifully weighted, and they aren't expensive.
#51
Lots of electronic car keys have a hidden "analog" metal key that slides out of the fob in case your key battery runs out.
Robert T 1 year ago
No. It will be a full key for the car to be used in an emergency. A valet key is a one that specifically does as you say. I have one for my car, though I've never used it.
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#52
My wireless mouse has a compartment in the bottom for storing the dongle.
#53
You can use the handle hole on a cutting board to funnel ingredients into a pot. I guess just more of a handy tip than an intended feature, but figured I'd comment.
Taibhse Sealgair 1 year ago
And when scrapping your chopped ingredients, use the back of the knife. Not the blade.
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ThegreatDane 1 year ago
But...isn't it an intended feature, though? My mother taught me this in the 80s
#54
iPhones have a built in white noise machine. Instead of using Youtube or Spotify or something, just go to: Settings > Accessibility > Audio/Visual > Background Sounds. It doesn't use your data or wifi. I use it every night to sleep.
#55
I bought a Bissell vacuum cleaner (really inexpensive model). I found out, 6 months after purchase, that if you step on the recline button a second time, the vacuum damn near lies flat. Found out by doom scrolling YouTube shorts.
BPisaddictive 🇮🇹 🤌 1 year ago
My job was writing software user manuals. We painstakingly try to describe every feature in the easiest and useful possible way. Please always read the user manual!
KDS 1 year ago
Had to look it up, it is someone who seeks out sad and negative things on the internet.
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#56
In the US, interstate highways going east to west are even-numbered and the further south you are, the lower the number. Interstate highways going north to south are odd and the further west you are, the lower the number. Interstate highways that are three digits go around a city instead of through it.
Toothless Feline 1 year ago
Also, with the three-digit numbers, originally the first digit indicated whether the highway was a belt (a complete loop around the city or region that you could drive around continuously), a loop (an alternate connector between two points on the same two-digit highway), or a bypass (an alternate connector between two different two-digit highways)—2, 4, and 6, respectively. After the first few decades, they stopped holding strictly to this standard. The last two digits of the three-digit number indicate which two-digit highway it’s considered an adjunct to, based on where Mile #1 starts. Because of this numbering pattern, there are many three-digit highways that have the same number in different states. I believe they went out of their way to avoid having two of the same number in the same state, which is how the strict 2/4/6 numbering got broken.
Guess Undheit 1 year ago
Yank three digit interstates are side roads off the major ones, so there could be 660, 661, 662, until you get to ignorant religious freaks that objected to highway 666 and "renamed it" 191.
Geoffrey Scott 1 year ago
Not just interstates, the long ago primary routes are the same ie: US1 (east coast), Hwy90 E/W along gulf coast, US 127 (Old Dixie Hwy) N/S.
#57
On an iPhone you can take a picture of clothes/fabric tags with all those washing symbols. Then go to photos and click on the picture, swipe it up to get more info and it comes up with a ‘Laundry Care’ option first. Click it and it tells you what each of the washing/laundry symbols means!
Regina Holt 1 year ago
OMG, why had I never thought of taking pics of labels on clothing before it fades!!! as for the symbols, you can leave a sign on top of washer
#58
Running shoes have an extra hole so you can lace them more securely. Called a heel lock.
keyboardtek 1 year ago
I have used that extra hole incorrectly and ruined a few expensive pairs of sneakers. Here is the proper way to use it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tJit2ep1XU Note; not for arthritic hands as this become so tight it takes some finger dexterity to un-lace them and get the sneakers off.
Taibhse Sealgair 1 year ago
Re: the tightness. The only thing I'd add to the video is crank them down as tight as you can, then (keeping your heel on the ground) lift the front of your foot off the ground before tying. Your foot will need some slack as a result of normal running motion.
Load More Replies... #59
Some mechanical eyeliner pencils have a sharpener on the end. Looks like a little cap. edit: retractable eyeliner pencil, i should say.
#60
Bike pumps fitting schrader valves can also inflate car tires. Sure it’ll take a while, but in a pinch it’ll help you get to a shop. Much better than the powered inflators since the bike pump doesn’t rely on a battery and takes up very little space.
keyboardtek 1 year ago
AutoClub is the best money spent. Just call and someone comes and changes your tire for you.
Freya the Wanderer 1 year ago
AAA has saved me quite a bit of money - not just service calls, but also discounts at hotels.
Load More Replies... michael reid 1 year ago
True. I've pumped up a van tyre to 65psi using a bike pump, from flat. Only took a few minutes
brookeannsimmer 1 year ago
If your car battery is dead, having full tires won't do you much good.
Stryker Tyger 1 year ago
If your brain is dead, having a working body won't do you much good. See, I can play that game, too!
Load More Replies... #61
Roku makes a smartphone app that has a remote function, complete with a keyboard so you don't have to arrow to each letter and type ridiculously slow. and if you have multiple Rokus in your house, it will know the difference between all of them, and you can select which one you want to control. I believe it's over wi-fi, not the regular frequency the remotes use.
Anxious&Bored Bear 1 year ago
And if you don't tell your family about it, you can change the volume or channel, or turn it off from another room and freak them out.
Geoffrey Scott 1 year ago
Glad we didn't get the $40 stick, we got the $25 Wally World knock off. We rarely use it.
pasej41913@bustayes.com 1 year ago
Thanks for letting us know, we were really worried.
Load More Replies... #62
Windows 10's clipboard can be turned on to remember a ton of things you've copied. It's the Windows + V combination.
#63
The opening of a Tic Tac container has a little Tic Tac shaped depression. This is there to facilitate the way you're actually supposed to dispense Tic Tacs, which is to flip the container upside down and open the lid, which will now dispense a single Tic Tac nestled in its little cubby hole.
#64
if you’re like me and hate your phone screen being bright, you can make it even darker than the darkest standard setting (iPhone) Accessibility>Display & Text Size>Reduce White Point.
Nina 1 year ago
Also an option is to download an app like Twilight where you can change the brightness, colour and intensity. Especially nice at night
pasej41913@bustayes.com 1 year ago
Or... Use the built-in brightness slider
Load More Replies... Regina Holt 1 year ago
On my android, just go to "settings" then "display" and you can adjust however dark you want the screen. I use this all of the time.
#65
When you get prescriptions, included in that big wad of paper stapled to the bag are stickers you can use to put on alternate storage containers, like if you put your pills in those weekly boxes or keep a stash of something in your purse. It is illegal to carry unlabeled pills (at least some of them, not sure of exact laws). I know FOR SURE they are on CVS, and IIRC Walmart & Sam's have stickers too, but it has been a while since I have gotten non-CVS
Mike F 1 year ago
Specifically, which software company they utilize for printing their labels and "counseling" info. I used to print that cr@p.
Load More Replies... Amanda Rose 1 year ago
I get all of my prescriptions from Wal-Mart and I have never seen the stickers before.
#66
If you're driving at night and someone behind you has bright headlights that tab on the bottom of your rear view mirror works as a dimmer.
Guess Undheit 1 year ago
If someone behind you have overly bright headlights, adjust your interior rear view so it reflects back into their face.
pasej41913@bustayes.com 1 year ago
Also in most cars there's a circle in front of the driver - turning this circle turns the car in the same direction!!!!!!!!!!
Ace 1 year ago
Modern cars mostly have this built-in electronically, with a small switch to disable the feature when you don't want it. For values of 'modern' that include at least 15 years ago, maybe only on higher-specced cars and not low-range ones, I dunno.
Zephyr343 1 year ago
My 2023 altima doesn't, my 2014 did though. It is the top trim line also. They only have the manual switch.
Load More Replies... #67
A US dollar bill is exactly 6 inches. So if you needed to measure something you can use that. Fold it in half to measure 3 inches, etc.
Justin Tyme 1 year ago
According to the US government, the length of a dollar bill has been 6.14 inches since 1929. Next time try checking your facts first before writing. https://www.uscurrency.gov/denominations/1#:~:text=In%20an%20effort%20to%20lower,than%207.375%20x%203.125%20inches.
Kel_how 1 year ago
Well I frequently need to measure 3.7", so still works for me, mate
Load More Replies... Unemployed Panda 1 year ago
Not exactly, but they do weigh approximately a gram…for those individuals who might need to know that handy fact…
#68
Most smartphones have a lock out sequence of button presses that disables your biometrics in the phone. This forces the user to type in the password to unlock it. Handy tip of you are ever pulled over or arrested as the courts have ruled that it takes a warrant to force you to unlock your phone via biometrics and they can’t force you to provide your passcode.
Taibhse Sealgair 1 year ago
It does. And even in the US the courts have ruled that you can be compelled to unlock your phone using your password and then hand it over. You don't have to _provide_ your password, but you have to unlock the phone for them.
Load More Replies... quentariel 1 year ago
How often people are getting arrested to consider these kind of tips useful? I mean I can see it has some uses, but against police?
pasej41913@bustayes.com 1 year ago
Try being black in the United States (or Palestinian in Israel)
Load More Replies... #69
Gas station pumps - next to the screen, the second button down on the right usually mutes the annoying tv.
Peter Parker 1 year ago
The what on the what? I'd be seriously pissed if they started playing ads on the gas pump.
Diolla 1 year ago
TV on a gas pump? AM sooo happy my country is backwards enough to not have this "feature'.
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Greenmantle 1 year ago
Thank God I can refill in peace. TV at petrol stations? Thankfully not a thing here
Dre Mosley 1 year ago
I deliberately don't go to gas stations where I know those "fancy" pumps exist. Thankfully there are plenty of stations that don't have them.
pasej41913@bustayes.com 1 year ago
I've tried this and it doesn't work, at least not at the stations near me
#70
On modern pin pads to open garage doors from the outside, if the door is open already, you can close the door by just pressing enter. There’s no need to enter the PIN number to close it.
Taibhse Sealgair 1 year ago
There is if you work for the Department of Redundancy Department.
Load More Replies... #71
Toasters have a hidden compartment underneath them so they can be easily cleaned.
Ace 1 year ago
TBF they're not always obvious. Also true that not all toasters have them though.
Load More Replies... keyboardtek 1 year ago
Then I take my toaster outside and use my compressor to blow the remaining crumbs out of it.
#73
If you screenshot a webpage on your iPhone you can swipe left on the screenshot to switch to a capture of the entire webpage rather than the piece that fit on your phone screen.
Candid Panda 1 year ago
On my iPhone once you take a screenshot of a web page a tab appears at the top that says 'full page'
#74
My stand mixer has a plug where you can insert all kinds of attachments like a pasta roller, meat grinder, cheese grater, even a food processor.
Amanda Rose 1 year ago
KitchenAids have multiple attachments like that. Works well for pasta especially.
M O'Connell 1 year ago
I have a meat grinder, and AN ICE CREAM MAKER. It's pretty awesome.
Load More Replies... #75
Can Openers - on bottom before the handle is a bottle opener. I learned about this at 24 years old….
Katrina Nixon 1 year ago
Mostly just for fun! I mean sometimes I use my teeth but I only have a few left from doing that so the bottle opener has been a game changer.
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#76
Chinese take-out boxes open into a plate.
#77
Many toasters have a Bagel Button. It causes there to be heat on only one side, since the outside of the bagel is already cooked. There's probably also an icon that shows you the orientation. This leaves you with a bagel that has a crispy surface but soft underside.
Regina Holt 1 year ago
when you toast bagels the outside of the bagel should facing each other, the cut side should be facing out.
#78
90% Isopropyl alcohol is great for cleaning vulcanized sidewall rubber on Vans and Converse style shoes. Also for getting sticky label residue off CD/DVD Cases. But be careful, it may take color off certain things. Test in a small spot first. Also good for cleaning tape deck/VCR heads and CD/DVD laser lenses.
keyboardtek 1 year ago
I was a pro-audio repair tech for 40 years. Isopropyl alcohol contains water. For cleaning tape deck heads, use denatured alcohol. WD-40 works great to remove sticky labels and duct tape residue.
Keith Jenkins 1 year ago
In the US, denatured alcohol has additives to discourage consumption, because it is poisonous. If one is looking for the purest alcohol that will leave the least amount of residue on tape heads, etc., use the highest proof grain alcohol that you can obtain. Since it is marketed for consumption, grain alcohol has a higher purity level that either isopropyl or denatured alcohol, and will evaporate without leaving a residue. 40 years ago, I maintained tape data recorders whose heads were to be cleaned with nothing else but grain alcohol, per the manufacturer of those recorders.
Load More Replies... Geoffrey Scott 1 year ago
I vape, the contacts on the device and charging cord port should be Q-tipped with alcohol when contact is spotty/does not work.
#79
A lot of people don't understand the broil function of an oven. The reason the door can be left propped open several inches* is for use with the broiler. It's the flame or heating element coming from the top (the door props open because the heat should spill out as you are cooking with radiant heat rather than convection like with baking/roasting) and can be used for all sorts of things. As a simple example you can seriously impress your friends with a killer plate of nachos when they come over to watch the game and they are easy as hell to make. *edit: This can be different for some ovens as there can be a broiling drawer under the oven so that the oven only needs one burner for the oven when it's built or it can have a vent that exhausts the heat out of the oven leaving the radiant heat as the mode of cooking.
Geoffrey Scott 1 year ago
And for goodness sakes use the timer, I have a rep as the garlic bread burner. Turn on broil, set timer for 5 mins...
George Hylands 1 year ago
US Broil = UK Grill (and other parts of the world) US Grill = UK Barbecue (again, also other parts of the world) We are all speaking English, but need to learn each other's language.
#80
There is a knife sharpener on the back of most electric can opener’s. A s****y knife sharpener, but a knife sharpener nonetheless.
HurlWurk 1 year ago
Or maybe mind you own business, I don't like using manual can openers.
Load More Replies... #81
On the calculator app on iPhones, you can edit/delete numbers by swiping left on the number(deletes the lowest digit) or swiping right (deletes the highest digit). You do not need to press AC to re-enter the entire number or restart a calculation.
#82
The little tab on the top of nail clippers locks them closed so you don’t cut yourself. Not the big piece that is used as a pinching mechanism. There’s a tiny clip.
Regina Holt 1 year ago
I love that little button! it is the piece that swivels it open or closed
#83
The holes in the pot handle. You can put the spoon in there in between stirs.
Toothless Feline 1 year ago
Only some of them are the right size for this. They aren’t designed with this function in mind; the hole is meant for hanging the pot from a hook.
#84
(Red) Solo cups lines ; the line at the very bottom measures a 1-ounce pour of liquor, the next line a 5-ounce serving of wine, and the line closest to the rim for 12-ounces of beer.
#85
Xbox lets you record up to 10 minute clips at a time and a diligent content creator can use the feature to build small scale content I also think this is advice a boomer would give to this question but pull the bottom tray out from your microwave* and scrub it. It is removable. It’s not a hack. It is a feature. Please, just scrub that tray, man. Edit: toaster oven, not microwave, your microwave needs the circular dish scrubbed, but not the bottom tray (it’s good practice to disinfect that bimonthly, imo, but I’m not educated on that). If you cook with it, please f*****g clean it.
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What do you think ?
Mike F 1 year ago
So many grumpy people today! Jeez, if you don't find something useful, scroll down. Hells bells, even I'M not that grouchy all the time!
Jesha 1 year ago
You should see how some people get if there's a minor swype typo (a swypo if you will). Reading comprehension tanks, they start foaming and slapping the keyboard furious, FURIOUS that someone dared to not write things with absolute precision for such as a twitter or reddit post.
Load More Replies... Guess Undheit 1 year ago
Android phones include a Right To Left mode for left handed users and those using rtl languages. Search for "Build Number" if it's different than these steps: (1) Click "Settings" (2) Click "About" (3) Click "Build number" seven times" (4) Go up to "Settings" and select "Developer Options" (5) Click "Force RTL". [ ... ] The advantage of RTL is that the select buttons are now on the opposite site for those holding the phone in the left hand. This reduces the chance of accidentally activating something. Now if only mobile browsers would allow "Force Align Right" so that lefties don't accidentally hit links while scrolling.
FreeTheUnicorn 1 year ago
Please stop spreading safety myths, BP, you can't call 911 if you don't have signal, you can only do this if your network/credit has run out but another network is connected. This is a dangerous lie to spread. People remember this and rely on it. It is incredibly irresponsible to let this post and so many like it appear regularly. Put all the frivolous stuff on here you want, but please take down wrong emergency procedures.
James Doe 1 year ago
Nope it isn't. You can dial emergency service without a Sim card and use all networks with signal (not only the one you subscribe to). So it's very sound advice to 1. Be careful that your small kid can call emergency service even without Sim. And 2. You should always try to reach them, even if your phone says no signal.
Load More Replies...
Gavin Johnson 1 year ago
iPhone users. There’s a double / triple tap option. If you want quick access to a feature you can turn it on and assign the torch or take a screen shot or whatever to it. A quick double tap on the back of your phone and it’ll do your bidding. Settings > Accessibility > Touch then scroll to the bottom, you’ll see back tap, it takes some getting used to, give it time and it’ll become second nature.
Ole Peder Amrud Hagen 1 year ago
Most of these are Americans trying to take feeble, little steps into the modern world. There are too many to go into detail about, but this is one that stands out: 'a pointy thing on the cap that allows you to pierce the tamper resistant packaging'. 🤯
Mike F 1 year ago
So many grumpy people today! Jeez, if you don't find something useful, scroll down. Hells bells, even I'M not that grouchy all the time!
Jesha 1 year ago
You should see how some people get if there's a minor swype typo (a swypo if you will). Reading comprehension tanks, they start foaming and slapping the keyboard furious, FURIOUS that someone dared to not write things with absolute precision for such as a twitter or reddit post.
Load More Replies... Guess Undheit 1 year ago
Android phones include a Right To Left mode for left handed users and those using rtl languages. Search for "Build Number" if it's different than these steps: (1) Click "Settings" (2) Click "About" (3) Click "Build number" seven times" (4) Go up to "Settings" and select "Developer Options" (5) Click "Force RTL". [ ... ] The advantage of RTL is that the select buttons are now on the opposite site for those holding the phone in the left hand. This reduces the chance of accidentally activating something. Now if only mobile browsers would allow "Force Align Right" so that lefties don't accidentally hit links while scrolling.
FreeTheUnicorn 1 year ago
Please stop spreading safety myths, BP, you can't call 911 if you don't have signal, you can only do this if your network/credit has run out but another network is connected. This is a dangerous lie to spread. People remember this and rely on it. It is incredibly irresponsible to let this post and so many like it appear regularly. Put all the frivolous stuff on here you want, but please take down wrong emergency procedures.
James Doe 1 year ago
Nope it isn't. You can dial emergency service without a Sim card and use all networks with signal (not only the one you subscribe to). So it's very sound advice to 1. Be careful that your small kid can call emergency service even without Sim. And 2. You should always try to reach them, even if your phone says no signal.
Load More Replies... Gavin Johnson 1 year ago
iPhone users. There’s a double / triple tap option. If you want quick access to a feature you can turn it on and assign the torch or take a screen shot or whatever to it. A quick double tap on the back of your phone and it’ll do your bidding. Settings > Accessibility > Touch then scroll to the bottom, you’ll see back tap, it takes some getting used to, give it time and it’ll become second nature.
Ole Peder Amrud Hagen 1 year ago
Most of these are Americans trying to take feeble, little steps into the modern world. There are too many to go into detail about, but this is one that stands out: 'a pointy thing on the cap that allows you to pierce the tamper resistant packaging'. 🤯
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