Useful Tips From Our Wise And Experienced Grandparents

by Shelley Thompson

Grandparents are the most important members of any family. They are present from the moment we are born and throughout our lives. Every good memory and funny anecdote will always remain in our hearts and be linked to our beloved grandparents. One of the things we appreciate most about them is their endless wisdom. Being from other generations, they have more experience and know many things we do not. Most of the time, they teach us tricks to make life less complicated, such as secrets for cooking a good meal or decorating a house. This article collects some of the most valuable hacks our grandparents have to offer. We can assure you that they will remain in your memory for a long time.

Forget about having smelly shoes

The nasty smell inside our shoes can be very embarrassing. Imagine going to a sleepover, and someone points out the bad smell of your feet; it would be really awkward. But with this easy hack, having smelly feet will be a thing of the past.

Grandparents are always coming up with ideas to save us from facing these embarrassing situations. To get rid of the smell put a little bit of salt inside a fabric bag and then place it inside your shoes. It will absorb the moisture and odor from them—no more worries.

Stain free mugs

After using your favorite mug a lot, you may start to notice that some disgusting coffee stains have formed inside. You don't want to throw it away, but those stains don't come off with any product. So what else can you possibly do to clean it? We can give you the answer you need.

The absolute secret to getting rid of those stains is to mix warm water with baking soda. Pour the mixture into the mug and scrub it gently. Once you're done, you'll notice your favorite mug looks as good as new.

Goodbye broken eggshells

No matter how many scrambled eggs we prepare for breakfast, there will always be a piece of eggshell that gets mixed with the yolk and the white. And trying to remove that little piece can become quite an odyssey. But thanks to our grandmas, there is an easy way around this problem.

To prevent this from happening, you must break the egg on a flat surface; your kitchen counter, for example. This trick may not work perfectly, but if a piece of shell falls into the pan, take it out with your fingers. It will be much more difficult if you try to do it with a spoon.

Make your dishes sparkle by using baking soda

Imagine that you and your family get together one night to enjoy a delicious meal. After you finish, you know that it'll be your turn to wash the dishes. When you go to the kitchen, you notice that there's tons of fat in the pans and pots—what a tedious scenario.

If you want to finish this task quickly to continue having a good time with your family, you just have to sprinkle baking soda on the dirty surface. You will see that it immediately begins to bubble. Then wash the pots as you usually would, and that's it. As simple as that.

How to clean jewelry that has lost its shine

Most people are not used to cleaning their jewelry since they think it looks shiny enough and does not need cleaning, but they are wrong. Fortunately, our grandparents weren't so carefree about their jewelry, and they have a tip to keep them looking perfect.

Just put some toothpaste on an old toothbrush you no longer use. Then rub the brush on any piece of jewelry; rings, pendants, and more. You will notice there is a lot more shine under the dirt and will start cleaning your jewelry more often.

Get Rid of Awful Smells From Your Kitchen Sink

Your disposal needs to be always clean if you want to avoid nasty smells in your home. You may need a hand to help you find a way to have it smelling nice, and that's where our grandmothers make their entrance.

The trick is to cut slices of any citrus fruit such as orange or lemon, put them in the freezer for a few hours, and then place them at your disposal. The citric liquids will absorb the bad smell from food scraps completely. Now, you have a fantastic home deodorizer.

If you ever get hurt, bacon can heal you

There is nothing more delicious than bacon. It's so yummy that we wished every meal had crispy bacon on it. We love bacon, and for that reason, this grandma's hack is excellent for us. Have a look at it; you won't regret it.

If you ever get hurt and have a splinter in your skin, put some bacon fat on the wound and stick it with a band-aid. Leave it overnight, and, magically, the splinter will have come to the surface where you can remove it without pain. Who would have known you can use bacon for wounds, too? Only our wise grandparents, obviously.

Here's how to water your plants on vacation

Having plants at home is a task that requires the same care and love as if you had a pet. So what can you do when you're going on vacation and don't have someone to care for your plants while you're away? You certainly can't cancel the trip you've planned for so long, right?

Plants are much easier to care for than you may think, so don't despair. You just need a thread of yard and a bucket with water. Many yarn threads will connect the bucket to the plants, watering them anytime they need it. You can now leave your home in peace and enjoy your trip.

How to clean a blender in one minute

Nowadays, blenders can be used to make the best smoothies. A banana and strawberry smoothie with two tablespoons of sugar sounds perfect during a hot day. However, after drinking a delicious smoothie, we don't always feel like cleaning the blender.

Luckily, we remembered one of our grandparents' advice. Put some water and dishwashing liquid inside the blender and turn it on. The blender will wash itself, and you won't have to do anything. Just turn it on and let it do its work. Easy peasy!

Granny's tip to prevent cracks while boiling eggs

In terms of culinary art, boiling an egg is one of the easiest things to do, or so we thought. Each person gives the egg the cooking time they consider necessary. Sometimes, the egg starts to break and causes a mess inside the pot.

To avoid this from happening, you just need to add a little salt to the boiling water. It will speed up the solidification process of the whites, and you will be able to enjoy your boiled eggs sooner without having to deal with a mess.

A simple trick to improve your handwriting

Handwriting says a lot about people, don't you think? Some say you can tell by someone's writing whether that person is a man or a woman. You can also deduce if they are tidy or not. You can figure out many things just by looking at someone's handwriting.

If you want to have more stability in your handwriting to be more organized in your notes, take a rubber band and tie it to a pencil. Then connect it to your wrist and watch the magic happen. Once again, we give credit to our grandparent's wisdom.

How to clean your microwave without chemicals

Have you ever looked at the greasy and disgusting stains that have formed inside your microwave, and all you could think about is how to clean them as quickly as possible? Don't worry; just take a look at this lifesaving grandmother's hack.

Just grab a bowl and pour hot water with some lemon slices and juice inside. Then place it inside the microwave and let the magic trick do its thing for about three minutes. You won't be able to recognize your microwave. It will look and smell as fresh as a lemon!

The easy trick to get rid of onion smell on hands

If there's one thing our grandmother taught us, it is that the onion smell belongs in our cooking, not in our hands. Onions make every dish better, but how do you get rid of that awful smell afterward? No worries, Granny's got you covered.

Your hands will thank you when you use the salt soap hack for odor removal. Mix 2 tablespoons of hand or dish soap with 1 tablespoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of baking soda, and wash your hands with the paste that was created. 

Here's how you know which months have 31 days

Apparently, you don't need a calendar as long as you have two hands. This trick helps you know how many days each month has without looking at an actual calendar to check. 

You can visualize the 12 months when you close your hand in a fist. The first bump is January; the first valley is February, etc. Each knuckle represents a month with 31 days. That's easy to remember because a higher-up means more days. Months with 30 days are the wells, with February as the only exception. Easy, right? 

Why you should put baking soda in your fridge

When we go on holiday, it is relatively common to forget some food in the fridge and then realize it is now rotten. You have lost your food, and now you have a horrible smell in your fridge and don't know how to make it disappear.

Fortunately, our grandparents' wisdom is here to save us. Once again, we need to thank holy baking soda for its mere existence. That product can solve almost anything, and this is not an exception. Just place a bag of baking soda inside your fridge; it will absorb the bad smell completely.

DIY: How to get rid of yellow and stained nails

The main factor that causes yellow nails is nail polish, and especially dark nail polish colors. Luckily our grandmother found a way to get rid of those yellow stains quickly at home just by using lemons and baking soda. This is how it's done.

Mix 1 tbsp baking soda and 1 tsp lemon juice together. Apply the mixture on your nails with a nail brush or soft toothbrush and leave it for 5 minutes. In the end, rinse it off with warm water and admire your shiny nails. 

The world’s simplest pancake recipe

Grandmother always taught us that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but we don't have much time in the morning. Luckily, this recipe only takes 10 minutes! It is incredibly tasty, nutritious, and requires only two ingredients.

The secret to this pancake is that one banana replaces the flour and baking powder. Blend one mashed banana with two eggs, and that's it! You can add coconut oil to the batter, or honey or chocolate chips as toppings. However, even the quick basic version is delicious.

Get bright and beautiful underarms

We know how embarrassing stained underarms can be. We understand that feeling, and for that reason, the best idea we have is to share with you an excellent grandma hack to solve that problem that bothers you so much. You'll stop feeling ashamed, for sure.

To have bright underarms again, grab a potato and cut it in slices, then rub those slices all over your armpit. Repeat this process a couple of times, and soon enough, you'll realize this is the magical solution you've been searching for.

Remove stains from the carpet with some salt

One of the worst things that can happen to you is buying a good-quality carpet for your new home and watching it get dirtier and dirtier over time. Many would advise you to buy another one. Still, our grandma gave us a tip that will make your carpet look as good as new.

Imagine having stains of spilled red wine. First things first: don't panic! You have the solution right in your kitchen. Grab salt and cover the stained area thoroughly. Let it sit for a couple of hours, and you'll be able to enjoy your beautiful carpet again.

Cut your sponge

Our grandparents were always experts in taking advantage of everything they had and making the most of them. Of course, they had to give us an excellent tip related to cleaning. While most people use a single sponge to clean the kitchen, our grandparents recommend cutting it in two.

Turning a single sponge into a double one will extend its use, so you won't have to spend money unnecessarily. It will also take up less space in the sink and dry faster after you finish using it.

Cook many eggs at once

When it comes to large groups of people gathered together during holidays, our grandmothers are the cooking experts. They know how to cook food for everyone in the family, and this time, they taught us how to effortlessly prepare many eggs at once.

All you need is muffin tins. Place six eggs with seasoning in each space and put them in the oven for about ten minutes. This way, you will have several delicious cooked eggs that everyone will enjoy. We can't deny that this tip never fails.

Get cold wine really fast

If you ever need wine or any drink to be cold quickly, you must memorize this grandmother's advice. Putting the bottles in the freezer may not be the best option if you don't have the necessary time, so you better try the next trick.

Deep a towel in cold water and wrap it around the wine bottle. This way, the drink will be cold in just a few minutes. Knowing this, you no longer have to worry about running out of cold beverages anymore.

Remove gum from your hair with peanut butter

Anyone who had gum stuck to their hair know that it is one of the most annoying things that can happen to you in the whole world. Without a doubt, the solution is to cut the hair. What do you think? Is there another way to solve this problem?

Of course, there is another way. You don't need to chop your hair off. Just grab some peanut butter and put it over the gum. Let it sit for a few minutes, and voila, you can leave the scissors in the drawer. As always, grandmas know best.

Use ketchup to clean pots and pans

In general, after using your pans and pots a lot, you notice that the bottom turns brown and yellow from the fire and food they are exposed to. You probably have tried to clean them without success, but that ends today.

It may be hard to believe at first, but if you pour some ketchup on the surfaces affected by the fire and rub it with a sponge, your problem will be solved. And your pans and pots will shine like never before.

Remove stains with salt

If your favorite t-shirt got stained and you don't know how to get the dirt out, we are here to help you. At first, it may seem like we will never get rid of that accidental food or drink spill, but you only need one product to get your t-shirt looking new again.

Cover that stain with a handful of salt and rub it in gently with a brush. After a few hours, you will see that the stain has come off entirely. You can now use your favorite t-shirt for any important event.

Separate glasses using physics

When you see two glasses stuck together, you usually try separating them yourself, but that can end very badly since it rarely works out. The glass might break in your bare hands, and you could get hurt. You better use physics to separate them while you enjoy the show.

When physics and grandparents intertwine, we can learn many things, and separating glasses is one. Fill the top glass with cold water and put the lower one inside a bowl with warm water. The opposite temperatures will collide, causing both glasses to separate easily without you risking getting cuts all over your hands.

Check the clouds to learn what the weather is going to be like

One of the first things we do when we wake up is to check the weather forecast to plan our day. We plan our day's outfit or organize a trip around town depending on what we see. For example, if it's a rainy day, we choose to stay at home and watch movies while eating popcorn. But hey, you don't need to turn on the TV or check your phone to see the weather; you can be your own weatherman if you do the following.

Go outside, and if the clouds are completely covering the sky, it means you should stay at home and watch a lot of movies. But, if you don't see any clouds but the bright sun instead, you can plan a picnic with your friends at the park. But if it starts raining all of a sudden, don't blame us, blame our grandparents.

Take care of your jars and vases with sand

Ornaments are great items to have around the house as they are elegant and practical, especially jars and vases. The only bad thing about them is that you have to be extremely careful when moving them around. You must also choose a safe space to place them, which can be annoying.

Isn't it amazing that our grandparents have discovered a way to prevent our ornaments from being shattered into a million pieces? Just put a little sand inside your jars and vases. It will give them more weight, so they will not move at all. What a stylish way of protecting your ornaments!

Keep your couch clean with vinegar and baking soda

If you don't want to waste money on cleaning products that you know will be useless, but still, you need to clean the couch immediately because some friends are coming over later, don't worry. We are here to show you a DIY you will treasure forever.

You will only need three things: vinegar, baking soda, and a dry cloth. Mix vinegar with baking soda and pour it all over the stained areas of your sofa. When the stains are completely gone, just rub the surface with the dry cloth, and you'll be good to go.

Say goodbye to stained pots

It doesn't matter if you like cooking or not; if it's your turn to wash the dishes after a family dinner, you know that the worst thing that can happen to you is having to clean burnt pots. Unless you follow this helpful tip, making them look shiny again will take many hours in the kitchen.

All you need to do is first fill your pots with hot water. Then, add three teaspoons of salt and let it sit for a few minutes. When you come back, you will find that the stains are going away until they are gone completely. Quick and easy!

Perfectly sliced bread using hot water

Everyone loves bread. Its spongy texture is perfect for any meal. If there is one sure thing, bread can't be missing at lunch with family or dinner with friends. However, at times, it can be challenging to cut it neatly. You just have to watch this trick to learn how to do it.

To get good slices of bread, you need to dip a knife in hot water and let it warm up for a few seconds. This temperature will ensure the cut is neat. Now you can enjoy bread differently and share this secret with whoever you want.

Tell the time by looking at the sky

Although technology has made significant advances in human life, we are always curious about how life worked in the past. Well, apparently, we can learn to tell the time using a grandpa's trick – by looking at the sky. Find out how with this next trick.

Raise your hand to cover the sun and count fifteen minutes for each finger. It may not be the most accurate, but you can have fun and then check your cell phone to see if you got it right or not. You will feel like an adventurer in a movie, like Jumanji.

Cleaning with oranges and vinegar

We already know that vinegar isn't just used for salads. It can also be a refresher, a deodorant, or even a cleaning product that will surely help you eliminate the stains that cling to the objects you value most. This grandma's advice is here to save us.

Even though we love vinegar and all its uses, we have to admit it doesn't smell very good. To make this scent disappear, you need to place orange peels inside your vinegar bottle. Two weeks later, you will notice a fresh scented vinegar.

Using acetone to bring nail polish back to life

We all have a nail polish we love very much, and we wear it only on special occasions such as dates, meetings with friends, or holidays. But, one day, you might notice that your nail polish is dry and won't know what to do to fix it. Let us help you revive that beautiful nail polish with this next grandmother's tip.

This is undoubtedly one of the most popular and practical tips of all. You need to pour a few drops of acetone into the nail polish and shake it for a few seconds. Magically, your favorite nail polish will come back to life, so you can keep using it. You should try it out!

White vinegar can help clean showerheads

Showerheads are essential in our bathroom, even when we don't pay attention to them. We will replace them quickly when they get clogged, and not enough water comes out. But, thanks to our grandmother, we know that white vinegar is the solution to this issue.

The solution is easier than you think. Fill a plastic bag with white vinegar and tie it with rubber bands to your showerhead. Let it sit for about two hours. This trick will release all accumulated deposits, and the showerhead will work as well as before. Repairing a showerhead has never been so easy.

Make your pots look good using aluminum foil

Suppose you ever begin to notice that your silver pots and pans are tarnished. In that case, you don't need to go to a professional to repair them since you can do it yourself at home. What would we do without our grandparents' helpful advice?

You just need to mix water with a few tablespoons of baking soda and a piece of aluminum foil in a rounded shape. Then, you're going to boil these three items together, and your silver pots will look as good as new.

Moisturize your elbows with this beauty trick

We all know that having dry elbows can be pretty uncomfortable. Almost every person has them or has had them at some point in their lives. Let's learn how to get rid of them since they don't look so nice.

What if we told you there's a beauty trick that could help you? Of course, it involves baking soda, and that's why people love it so much. Make a paste by mixing water and baking soda, then apply it to your elbows. Once you've rinsed it, you'll notice a smoother texture to your skin.

Making grease fire vanish with an unexpected extinguisher

Grease fires are much more common than you think, and they don't necessarily happen to bad cooks. When these appear, you may get scared, but you need to make them vanish as soon as possible, and this is the way our grandmas do it.

If the fire hasn't yet spread all over the kitchen and it is still manageable, a little baking soda will make it disappear, and you'll be perfectly safe. But always, be careful, and don't pour hot water inside the pot, or it'll be catastrophic.

Clean stains on your outfit with dish soap and vinegar

We all know that we have to look nice when we have dinner with our moms or grandmothers. That means that the outfit we choose must be spotless, literally. We are cautious not to get stained with food or drinks, but what should you do if you get accidentally stained?

Go to the closest toilet and blot out as much moisture from the stain as you possibly can. Then mix two tablespoons of dish soap with white vinegar and pour it all over the stain. After fifteen minutes, any evidence will have vanished from your outfit.

Bake like a professional using toothpicks

Working with pastry is considered to be pretty challenging. It is almost like science. If you don't measure the ingredients correctly, you will cook a disastrous cake. One of the most challenging things to do is get perfect layers on your cake, right? We need to be thankful that our grandmas have been baking for many years and know all the secrets about pastry.

To be extra precise when cutting your sponge cake and achieving even layers, you need to place a few toothpicks in the places you will later cut. The toothpicks will guide your way through the cake. You'll impress all your family, especially your grandma.

Use a potato to avoid feeling itchy

Mosquitos are already annoying because of the buzzing sound they make next to our ears. But, there's something more irritating: having mosquito bites. Not only do they get red, but they make us feel extremely itchy. According to our grandparents, there's a way to get rid of that feeling really quickly.

You can ease the itching and swelling by cutting a potato slice and placing it on the affected area. We can't help but laugh when we imagine someone with a potato attached to their skin walking around the street. But we can't deny that our grandparents have the craziest tricks.

Saving irons with salt

After using our irons a lot, they no longer slide so easily through our garments, which can be annoying since they are not doing their job. But you don't need to buy a new one; that's not what our grandmothers would have done. Check out this tip instead.

Place a towel on the garment you are about to iron. On top of the towel, add a teaspoon of coarse salt and turn on your iron. You will save time and money since you will not have to buy a new iron. Thanks, grandma!

Baking edible cups

Edible cups are one of the best creations in the world. Imagine eating some berries with cream on top, and later, when you're about to finish, you find out that the bowl is also edible. It is so much fun, right? Well, now you can make them at home.

Turn your muffin tray over and place the cookie dough over it. Give it the shape of a mini bowl and bake them for thirty minutes. You can fill these edible cups with some leftover cake or candy. It's simple, delicious, and fun!

An easy way to clean range hood filters

Range hood filters exist only to collect grease. They help you have a healthier life, so you should clean them often so that they work correctly. And we know grease doesn't come off quickly, and so did our grandmas, so they made this handy hack.

First, fill a pot with hot water and mix one cup of baking soda and three tablespoons of dish soap. Then, you need to submerge your hood range filters in it and let them sit for about fifteen minutes. The grease will come off quicker than you expected.

Use lemon juice to remove beet stains

If you love beets as much as we do, keep reading. Its characteristic color gives the food a unique and excellent aesthetic. But it is precisely this color that leaves our hands stained. How can we wash our hands quickly and effectively?

This trick will help you remove that color from your hands. You just need to soak your fingers in lemon juice for a couple of minutes. The beet stains will come off in seconds.