6 TikTok Life Hacks That Actually Work

How aluminum foil, peanut butter, and more can be secret weapons

From the LifeMinute.TV Team

November 30, 2023

Social media is home to a myriad of questionable life hacks. We think we found some that work, so take a look.

Core a Head
There could be a quicker way to peel a head of iceberg lettuce: With the core facing downward, give the head a good smack against a cutting board. Turn it over, twist the core, and pull it out. The leaves should easily fold away. 

Glisten Silverware
Next time you run your dishwasher, crumple up a piece of aluminum foil in a ball and place it in your cutlery basket. Run your cleaning cycle as usual. The foil reacts with your dishwasher detergents, triggering an oxidization process. This helps remove grubby stains on silverware and makes them shinier.

Blow Off Stickers
Those annoying, hard-to-remove sticky labels and price tag adhesives on your merchandise can nearly ruin the joy of showing off that newfangled find. Turn your hairdryer to the highest heat setting and aim it one to two inches above the sticker for about a minute. Test a corner and see if it peels away easily. Dry it for 30-45 more seconds if needed. If the merch is heat-sensitive, try olive oil to soften the residue.

Melt Away Wrinkles
Add a few ice cubes to your dryer with wrinkled garments. Set the dryer to high heat and run it for about 10 minutes. The cubes will melt, creating moisture and a steam-like effect that should eliminate creases, leaving clothes wrinkle-free. Remove the garments and give them a few final shakes. This usually works best with just one or two pieces of cotton-based clothes.

Dissolve Gum-Stuck Locks
If your child (or you) end up with sticky chewing gum in their hair, your instinct may be to run water and conditioner through it. And if that fails, to reach for the scissors. Try peanut butter instead. PB and most chewing gums contain hydrophobic properties, which don't mix with water. They more easily stick to oily surfaces, allowing the oiliness of the PB to dissolve the gum. Water does the opposite – causing it to adhere to strands even more. And the conditioner usually doesn't contain enough oil. Cover sticky strands with a creamy PB, working it through with your fingers. After a few minutes, you should be able to slide out the gum.

Seal Banana Stems
There is usually a brief period to enjoy bananas before they start browning. That is because the fruit naturally produces a gas called ethylene, which causes them to ripen faster. The stems typically have the most ethylene. Covering them in plastic wrap helps prevent the gas from traveling down, giving your tropical bunch a few more days of freshness. Individually wrap stems or a bunch as a whole. When ready to use a banana, cut it underneath the plastic.

Foil Staticky Strands
Aluminum foil also comes in handy as a quick fix for staticky tresses. Static cling occurs in hair when it builds up an electrical charge, causing strands to repel each other, leading to the dreaded flyaway. The metal in the foil acts as a conductor, neutralizing the static and transferring away the electric charges. Gently sliding or rubbing hair with a sheet of foil in a downward motion should help smooth those unruly strands.