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Usually products are designed and created with a specific purpose in mind. They are perfected to deal with a particular issue or they are just commonly used for one thing. If you need your windows cleaned, there’s a specific product for that. You use salt to season your food and usually use bleach to take out stains from white clothing.

But all these products can be used for different intentions. A person whose nickname is secondhandsisters probably had that thought and went to Reddit to ask people “What are some lesser-known secondary uses for an everyday product?” And that created a big and very useful thread with people sharing so many products that don’t have to be used just for what they were initially intended to.

Do you have any advice that really works on how to use everyday items or products? Tell us about it in the comments and then upvote the answers that you will try out yourself!

More info: Reddit

This post may include affiliate links.

#1

30 People In This Online Group Share Lesser-Known Secondary Uses For Everyday Products Condensed milk for those with chronic vomiting. Not only is it great for cooking, but I had a pharmacist tell me about adding some water till it is the consistency of thick soup. Get the person to sip small amounts of it slowly. It helps line the oesophagus to reduce vomiting, and allowing medication time to hit the stomach and work. Also provides much needed sugar. I’ve used it on kids and adults and it’s worked a treat every time

[deleted] , Ming Xia Report

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Lisa Bond
Lisa Bond
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Good to know. My mom always used Jello water. Diluted about same maybe a little thinner. But this was used after the violent bout when nothing stays down. This coats stomach & hydrates.

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#2

30 People In This Online Group Share Lesser-Known Secondary Uses For Everyday Products add salt to your hand wash to get gasoline smell off

Love,

Dad

bloodflart , Francesco Alberti Report

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mcborge1
mcborge1
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And salt (or suger) mixed with washing up liquid is great for getting machine oil off your hands.

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#3

30 People In This Online Group Share Lesser-Known Secondary Uses For Everyday Products I carry a garlic press in my purse so that when I'm out at a restaurant I can make a small amount of baby food out of any steamed vegetable.

crinnaursa , Jakub Sisulak Report

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#4

30 People In This Online Group Share Lesser-Known Secondary Uses For Everyday Products As a mechanic, a flat-head screwdriver is a pry-bar, package opener, square-head (Robertson) screwdriver, hose-pick, a punch, test-lead, electrical bridge, scraper, chisel, and least importantly, a flat-head screwdriver.

newzer0kanada , Connie Posites Report

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Xottel
Xottel
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I inherited some kind of multi-purpose tool from my grandpa. It's basically a flat steel on a handle and became one of my favourite tools within days.

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#5

30 People In This Online Group Share Lesser-Known Secondary Uses For Everyday Products Corn starch is a good blood coagulant if you need to stop bleeding

drdoom , kalaya Report

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#6

30 People In This Online Group Share Lesser-Known Secondary Uses For Everyday Products Clean mascara wands are used in animal shelters to soothe the animals by brushing, and to remove fly eggs and larva from fur.

Drink-my-koolaid , Pxhere Report

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#7

30 People In This Online Group Share Lesser-Known Secondary Uses For Everyday Products If you have a landline telephone, the dial tone is a concert F.

By holding the phone to your ear and your finger on the first fret of the first string of your guitar (for example) you can use the dial tone as a reference pitch and accurately tune up without a tuner

KnitBrewTimeTravel , Keith C Report

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NsG
NsG
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Now this is a random extra use I didn't see coming!

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#8

30 People In This Online Group Share Lesser-Known Secondary Uses For Everyday Products Coffee grounds are quite versatile. Among other things, you can use them for:

A soil additive to improve the pH balance for plants

Place them in a refrigerator to neutralize odors

Scour pots and pans

De-icing your steps and driveway

An ant repellent

An exfoliating scrub for your skin

DeathSpiral321 , thena Lam Report

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#9

30 People In This Online Group Share Lesser-Known Secondary Uses For Everyday Products Hair conditioner as shaving cream

RobynRuLo , Supply Report

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#10

30 People In This Online Group Share Lesser-Known Secondary Uses For Everyday Products Any kind of cooking oil will easily get pine sap off of your hands. Just use it like soap.

OxfordBombers , Roberta Sorge Report

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Ariel
Ariel
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Good for getting sap off dog fur too if you rub it in for a few minutes.

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#11

30 People In This Online Group Share Lesser-Known Secondary Uses For Everyday Products I wrap those thick rubber bands (you know the ones that come around broccoli crowns) around tight jar lids to make them grippy and easy to undo.

CLNA11 , Harry Somers Report

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Elsker
Elsker
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

this is neat to. But what works great woth jars for me: sticking a tableknife or back of a teaspoon between the edge of the lid and just twist it a little to break the vacuum, and then you can twist of the lid easily.

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#12

30 People In This Online Group Share Lesser-Known Secondary Uses For Everyday Products Blue Dawn dish soap works really well on clothing stains.

PresidentSuperDog , amazon Report

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Warloew Brinn
Warloew Brinn
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I spent years in the Marina Industry and it works really well for zipping people down water slides as well.

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#13

30 People In This Online Group Share Lesser-Known Secondary Uses For Everyday Products Vagisil for chafing. It's antibacterial, lubricating, and an anesthetic. I learned that in the army

Churonna , Harry Somers Report

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#14

30 People In This Online Group Share Lesser-Known Secondary Uses For Everyday Products Vinegar is amazing. It can be used as a cheap household cleaner, refresh the coffee maker, and it can cure foot fungus and jock itch.

Mystic_Squirrel , Caroline Attwood Report

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H Edwards
H Edwards
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Please note that this refers to white vinegar (white wine or cider vinegar can work too) and definitely NOT balsamic like the picture. I use diluted vinegar with a few drops of essential oil as a spray for the garbage bin, and you can put it in the washing machine to get rid of musty smells in clothes. I always have a massive jug of white vinegar in the house, it's very useful. Oh, and for cleaning glass.

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#15

30 People In This Online Group Share Lesser-Known Secondary Uses For Everyday Products Your library card can do a lot more than let you borrow books.

It allows you to take free courses on Lynda, or learn a language, and even stream movies. A lot of libraries also have video game rentals, which a lot of people don't know about.

-eDgAR- , Sarah Report

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#16

30 People In This Online Group Share Lesser-Known Secondary Uses For Everyday Products Bottom shelf cheap VODKA.... Put it in a spray bottle and squirt in on your bathroom walls to kill mold, squirt it on clothes to remove any odors, use it to clean mirrors, glass, windows.

Squeaks23 , Dmitry Karyshev Report

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Skull in Sky
Skull in Sky
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you do put vodka on clothes, you will smell like vodka. Is that a win?

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#17

30 People In This Online Group Share Lesser-Known Secondary Uses For Everyday Products Peroxide gets blood stains out

dovesandravens , foodless Report

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Karina Henschel
Karina Henschel
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

baking powder does the job as well. had some bad blood stains on my favourite pants due to bleeding while pregnant. when I came home after an emergency c-section I restored said pants the their former glory. but you have to put it in cold water beforehand.

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#18

30 People In This Online Group Share Lesser-Known Secondary Uses For Everyday Products Liquid Laundry detergent glows under blacklights but is clear under normal light. You can dip a qtip in some detergent and draw/write on your walls and only see it with a blacklight on. Different brands glow different colors. Lots of fun in dorm rooms.

SWtoNWmom , Mike Mozart Report

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Lisa Bond
Lisa Bond
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Reminds me of vintage black light posters, lava lamps & strobe lights.

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#19

30 People In This Online Group Share Lesser-Known Secondary Uses For Everyday Products Scissors make for an excellent pizza cutter

elenapng , fifa ltec112 Report

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Burs
Burs
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I actually prefer to use them. You have more grip and control, with the pizza cutter I always make a mess

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#20

30 People In This Online Group Share Lesser-Known Secondary Uses For Everyday Products WD 40 removes old adhesives from any thing with out damage or staining or discoloration

kwtransporter66 , ajay_suresh Report

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#21

30 People In This Online Group Share Lesser-Known Secondary Uses For Everyday Products Use vet wrap instead of sports tape. It's basically the same thing but much less expensive.

bgharambee , Karen Report

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Caro Caro
Caro Caro
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Use it for fingertips so less slippery and protection when having chemo and your finger tips are sensitive.

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#22

30 People In This Online Group Share Lesser-Known Secondary Uses For Everyday Products If you have a French press for coffee, you can also froth milk in it after. Pour in hot milk and raise and lower the plunger until the volume of the milk has about doubled.

ThatIndianBoi , Izzy Rivi Report

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Skull in Sky
Skull in Sky
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you happened to buy the toy for frothing milk Ikea sells, you will do much better if you take quarter cup of milk, heat it for 10s on 800W in microwave and then froth it. (the milk does froth at about 40°C because the proteins start changing their shape and actually allow longer strands that are necessary to make the structure last.

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#23

30 People In This Online Group Share Lesser-Known Secondary Uses For Everyday Products put a somewhat thick layer of vaseline on the skin around your hairline and ears and neck when dying your hair. if you accidentally get dye on your skin, you can easily wipe it off.

[deleted] , Kai Hendry Report

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Nugua Nugua
Nugua Nugua
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3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My hairdresser always does this, for people who get perms too.

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#24

30 People In This Online Group Share Lesser-Known Secondary Uses For Everyday Products Keep a bag of cat litter in the trunk of the car, in case you need extra traction if you get stuck in ice or snow.

Back2Bach , Rain Rabbit Report

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#25

30 People In This Online Group Share Lesser-Known Secondary Uses For Everyday Products Bleach to keep away cockroaches. I used to get big ass cockroaches in the summer that came up my drain.

My exterminator told me to pour 1 cup of bleach down my drain each week. You have to pour it down the drain in the room you see them. I started 18 months ago and haven't seen a cockroach since.

(Don't do this if you have a septic tank)

moochello , Sarah Report

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#26

30 People In This Online Group Share Lesser-Known Secondary Uses For Everyday Products If you have a highlighter that's dying, take the "pen" part of it out of the casing and soak it in nail polish remover. It will revitalize it to working like new

llcucf80 , Mitchell Luo Report

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Skull in Sky
Skull in Sky
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

this will work only when the highlighter has dried out and the pigments are still in it. If you do use it out and do try this, it will eventually stop highlighting.

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#27

30 People In This Online Group Share Lesser-Known Secondary Uses For Everyday Products Any cooking oil is a great way to remove the residue from stickers.

Idk if this is recommended but if you get scratches on wood furniture I've always taken a matching washable marker, colored over the scratch, and then wiped it with a damp cloth (to effectively stain the wood back to match).

Underratted , Eric Astrauskas Report

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Andy Acceber
Andy Acceber
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I use sharpies on wood scratches. They come in lots of colors, and if you're quick, you can still wipe away excess to get a nice blend. They're permanent, so there's no need to worry about it coming off on people's hands or washing away.

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#28

30 People In This Online Group Share Lesser-Known Secondary Uses For Everyday Products Makeup remover wipes are really good at getting bike chain grease off your hands.

Leucippus1 , Katya_Ershova Report

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Pau Tea
Pau Tea
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

To be honest, make-up remover wipes would be a very unlikely item I would have around when needing to remove bike chain grease.

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#29

30 People In This Online Group Share Lesser-Known Secondary Uses For Everyday Products A jeweler's loupe can double as a macro lens for your cell phone.

[deleted] , Thirteen Of Clubs Report

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mcborge1
mcborge1
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I used to have one of these for examinig electronics, I lost it ages ago and I need to get another one.

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#30

30 People In This Online Group Share Lesser-Known Secondary Uses For Everyday Products Shaving foam reducesstops misting on bathroom mirrors and car windows.

wirral_guy , Tarah Dane Report

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White Paper Tsuru
White Paper Tsuru
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Also good for when you have a really sticky poop that you just CANNOT get off no matter how many passes you make with TP. Pop some cream on your TP, lather it around and prepare for a much easier job. Even works with hairy butts. (The only reason I needed to know this is because I'm a nurse and I wipe a lot of butts!)

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