Grandma's Life Hacks That Still Save Us Today

Did you ever wonder how your grandmother kept such a clean house without all of the modern appliances and products we use today? Check out this list of old-fashioned life hacks for some simple advice to make life easier. 1. SECURE A NUT You can further tighten a nut by inserting a pin through a hole bored into the nut. The nut should be as tight as possible before inserting the pin. 2. FIX A BROKEN PLATE If you break a piece of china, instead of replacing it, you can mend it by melting some common alum in an old iron spoon. Apply the molten alum to the pieces and then keep the pieces in position by tying a string around them until the alum hardens and sets. This bonding is dishwasher safe. 3. STOP YOUR GLASSES FROM STEAMING UP A little bit of daily maintenance will keep your glasses from steaming up. Wash your spectacles daily with soap and polish the lenses thoroughly. The soap will leave an invisible film which will stop condensation. 4. STOP FLIES FROM BUZZING AROUND YOUR GARBAGE Sprinkle a little borax powder on your dustbin every day to detract flies from your garbage. Click "Next" to remember more of grandma's handy dandy life hacks. 5. TREAT ANIMAL BITES Send for a doctor or get ready to go to urgent care or the emergency room. To stop the spread of disease, put a tight ligature between the bite and the rest of the body and clean the bite thoroughly. 6. REMOVE A SPLINTER Create a mini-vacuum by filling a wide mouth bottle with hot water. Tightly press the mouth of the bottle into the flesh surrounding the splinter. This will create a suction that will draw out the splinter. 7. USE YOUR WATCH AS A COMPASS You can point the hour hand at the sun, then lay a piece of wire or grass crosswise between the hour hand and 12. The piece of wire that lies between the 12 and the hour hand points due south. 8. MAKE A FIRE EXTINGUISHER Dissolve a pound of salt and a half pound of sal-ammoniac in two quarts of water. Store the liquid in thin glass bottles. If a fire breaks out, break one or more bottles into the flames to douse. Click "Next" for more fun life hacks that grandma taught us 9. MAKE PERFECT POTATOES Add a pinch of sugar as well as a pinch of salt to the water while boiling. When the potatoes are cooked, drain them, then return to the pan and return to the heat for a few moments, stirring or shaking occasionally. 10. FIT THE CORK BACK INTO A BOTTLE Roll the cork underfoot or with a rolling pin. This reduces the size of the cork without destroying its smooth surface. 11. SAVE CRACKED EGGS You can boil eggs with slight cracks in the shell by adding vinegar to the water to prevent the contents from escaping the shell. 12. PREVENT VASES FROM BEING KNOCKED OVER Partially fill vases and other delicate vessels with sand to give them heavier bases. Click "Next" to see more of grandma's best handy dandy life hacks 13. REMOVE STAINS FROM BROWN SHOES Prevent damage from ice, water, and salt by cleaning brown leather shoes with a mixture of washing soda and warm milk before polishing as normal. 14. CLEAN OIL PAINTINGS Cut a sliver of skin off of one side of a potato and rub the flesh over a well-dusted painting. As the potato become dirty, pare off the dirty part. Wipe the starchy later away with a soft rag. 15. DRAW A PERFECT CIRCLE Wrap one end of a wire around your pencil, keeping the rest of it straight and use the straight end like the point of a compass. 16. REVIVE CUT FLOWERS Place the stems of faded flowers into hot water and let them rest until the water cools. Then trim the stems and place into cool water as normal. For more of grandma's best life hacks, click "Next". 17. STOP RATTLING DOORS AND WINDOWS Glue pieces of cork between to the doorjamb. The cork will hold the door or window in place. 18. CUT THIN SLICES OF FRESH BREAD Heat the knife with hot water before cutting the bread. 19. CLEAN UP BROKEN GLASS Use a soft damp cloth to pick up glass splinters. 20. REMOVE TIGHT RINGS Lather up the finger with soap, using cold water to reduce any swelling and lubricate the finger. 46. Keep paint brush handles clean: Use a piece of card with a hole in it to act as a guard between the brush and the handle. 21. FIT LARGE CANDLES INTO SMALL STANDS If your candle is too large for the stand, warm up the end in hot water to soften the wax. The soft wax will move to fit into your candle holder.