Life

14 "Life Hacks" That Don't Really Hack Jack
by Megan Grant
A girl's hand holds a lemon in front of an empty fridge. Food concep
Manu Vega/Moment/Getty Images

One of the best hacks I ever picked up was to roll my clothes while packing a suitcase, instead of folding them. The space-saving hack is also a real lifesaver when traveling long distances; but all aren't created equal. There are some life hacks that don't work, according to the users on Reddit. In fact, some are downright hogwash. Save yourself time and energy and just take their word for it (although one Redditor says that my favorite suitcase-packing hack is a load of bull — I beg to differ, friend!).

Hacks are usually quick and cheap do-it-yourself solutions to common, everyday problems. For instance, I keep dog food in a cereal container because it's easier to work with than the monstrous bag it comes in. To me, this hack seems like a no-brainer; but others might leave you scratching your head. Without giving away any spoilers, they involve things like cucumbers peels, spoons, and lemon on and around your face. (Why, why, why?)

It's tempting to try crazy hacks, because there's always that little voice in the back of your mind asking, "What if this actually works?" I'm all for trying new things, but here are 14 hacks you might want to rethink.

1

Pine Needles To Keep Cats Out Of Gardens

"Saw a tip to keep cats out of the garden by spreading old pine needles around the perimeter, since cats apparently prefer to walk on soft surfaces. I put down a dense layer of them, and as I finished one of the outside cats came over, walked directly onto the pine needles, then proceeded to roll around on them in ecstasy."

2

Lemon Juice For Skin Care

"Anything that involves putting lemon juice on your body or face. Sh*t burns."

3

Cutting Ice Cream Tubs In Half To Make Bowls

To paraphrase, the user said something along the lines of, "just take off the lid" — except using some, er, colorful language to express the sentiment. (To be fair, ice cream is a passionate topic.)

4

Concealing Alcohol In Sunscreen Bottles

"Emptying out old sunscreen bottles to sneak booze onto the beach. Anyone up for a Coppertone-tinged vodka shot? Just be a regular person and pretend you didn't know booze was against the rules."

5

Asking For Unsalted Fries At Fast Food Restaurants To Make Sure They're Freshly Made

"You're just wasting everyone's time and any salt from a packet it just going to bounce off of your fries and settle on the bottom. The salt that the workers use is much finer and sticks much better."

6

Using Cucumber Peels To Get Rid Of Ants

"I tried this and all the ants just walked around the cucumber peels. Maybe if I just built a counter out of cucumbers it would work."

7

Turning Your Hoodie Around And Using The Hood As A Bowl

"Sure, you can put your snacks there, but not only do you look like a moron, now you've got a greasy hoodie to wash. How is that easier than just using a real bowl??"

8

Treating Mosquito Bites With A Warm Spoon To Destroy The Enzymes That Cause The Itch

"It's all bullsh*t[,] if the spoon was hot enough to destroy anything it sure as shit would burn the shit out of your skin."

9

Eating An Apple From The Top Down So You Don't Waste Any

"I will eat the apple the normal way like a person, god dammit!"

10

Setting Your Clock Five Minutes Ahead

"Unless you're an idiot you'll remember it's fast."

11

"Cleanses"

"Starving yourself for a week and only drinking fruit water is going to do more harm than good. Any 'toxins' in your body are still going to be there. However, in the spirit of fairness, bring me hard evidence and I will admit defeat. Good luck though."

12

Driving In Reverse To Undo Mileage

"Driving in reverse doesn't roll back your odometer."

13

Rinsing Freshly Painted Nails Under Cold Water So They'll Dry Faster

"You get cold fingers with still wet nails."

14

Mug Cakes

"Your supposed go-to 'convenient' snack is a waste of both time and money and everyone pretends they like it but no. It's DIY ClayDough in the microwave if anyone's interested."