13+ Life Hacks That Seem Fake But Actually Work, According To Reddit

Life is hard enough as is, so if we can make your day to day a little easier, we're here to help. Don't thank us just yet.

These hacks were shared on Reddit by everyday people who have tried them and seen them succeed. They seem quite simple but are effective in solving the minor inconveniences that add up and make you feel defeated by the end of the day.

How To Stop A Head Rush

man puts hand up to head by the window
Photo Credit: Matteo Vistocco / Unsplash
Photo Credit: Matteo Vistocco / Unsplash

"If you stand up too fast and your head starts to spin, rush, or blackout, tighten your abs as hard as you can and it'll help drastically reduce the head rush." —54turtlelord

Apparently, you can even prevent them if you do this before you stand up too.

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Windex Gets Jewelry Off

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Photo Credit: Serafima Lazarenko / Unsplash
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"If your ring gets stuck on your finger Windex will slide it right off. Worked at a jewelry store for five-plus years." —coykoi314

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We can only imagine how many people came into the store in a panic only for them to stop for Windex on the way home.

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How To Teach Your Pets Fire Drills

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Photo Credit: Jalen Hueser / Unsplash
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"Whenever you accidentally set off your smoke alarm, give your pets a treat so they learn to come to you when there actually is a fire and you need to escape." —kataklysmiknut

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It's better to be safe than sorry. Plus if a fire never happens, it's still an extra skill you can be proud of your good boy for.

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Dry Eraser Can Erase Permanent Markers

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Photo Credit: Thisisengineering Raeng / Unsplash
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"If you've written on a dry erase board (or any glossy surface) with a permanent marker (like a Sharpie), just draw over it with a dry erase marker and it will wipe right off." —Reddit

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This is actually a fun activity I used to do as a kid. It can be quite satisfying to look at the permanent marker coming off piece by piece.

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Hand Sanitizer Can Substitute Deodorant In Emergencies

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Photo Credit: Nathana Reboucas / Unsplash
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"If you have funky armpits and need to fix them fast, use hand sanitizer. I figured this out years ago when I remembered that the smell comes from bacteria reactions, which antibacterial hand gel kills stone dead." —Reddit

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It may not smell like lavender, but the smell only lasts about a minute. However, this can dry out the skin if used too often.

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You Can Crack The Stress Away

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Photo Credit: Damir Spanic / Unsplash
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"When you're freaking out or need to relax, a chiro recommends cracking your neck or wiggling your toes. Apparently, your brain can't do both, freak out and wiggle toes as it tenses up." —cheerylifelover123

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Think of it as a distraction. It doesn't have to be your toes or neck necessarily either. You can crack any part of the body that you feel like.

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Asking Someone's Name Once "It's Too Late"

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Photo Credit: Cotton Bro / Pexels
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"If you've forgotten an acquaintance's name, just ask them what their name is, and after they tell you, say "no, your last name." Works like a charm and they never suspect a thing." —maleorderbride

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This is especially helpful when starting a new job and getting o50 names thrown at you on your first day.

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Makeup Remover Works On Sweat Stains

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Photo Credit: Charisse Kenion / Unsplash
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"My husband has a lot of T-shirts with white and stained armpits. I gave it a shot and it worked." —kannakantplay

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In her case, she used remover wipes, but spreading some of the liquid on cotton pads should work too.

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Salt Can Fix Bitter Coffee

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Photo Credit: Kaboompics / Pexels
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This may sound counter intuitive but "if your coffee tastes too bitter, stir in a small pinch of salt."—neohylanmay

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The trick is to make sure you truly only toss in a pinch because anything more will just make the coffee taste overly salty and gross.

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Vinegar Can Work Better Than Bleach

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Photo Credit: Andrea Piacquadio / Pexels
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"Vinegar in a plastic bag with a rubber band tied around any faucet will make the faucet like new. I'm talking decade-old rust and stuff will be gone...and water flows like the first day." —Aakwanderer

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Vinegar is actually a great cleaner. You can toss anything in a bowl full of it and it will remove any stains.

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Count To 150 When You Can't Fall Asleep

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Photo Credit: Andrea Piacquadio / Pexels
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"Counting really slowly with the goal of reaching 150 is a decent way to fall asleep. If you have any thoughts during it just let them play out, and if you forget what number you're on just go from what you last remember. If you make any major movements just start again." —Solacekia

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The goal of this exercise to slow down the brain until it reaches a level of complete calmness. They say soon enough you'll be asleep without even realizing it.

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Crayons Can Be Used As Candles

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Photo Credit: Anthony / Pexels
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"Crayons are flammable and will provide about an hour of light as a candle if you light the top." —RockyL15

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If only we could get the flames to burn in the assorted crayon colors. It would make for quite the mood lighting.

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Preventing Tears When Chopping Onions

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Photo Credit: Mali Maeder / Pexels
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"Use a wet knife to chop onions. It reduces tears if you have sensitive eyes. I could barely make it through chopping half an onion without needing multiple breaks before I tried this." —1nd1anaCroft

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It's extra effective if you periodically dip it under the water after every couple of chops so it stays wet.

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"Pay Yourself First"

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Photo Credit: Olia Danilevich / Pexels
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" No matter how much or how little you make. Take 10% of your paycheck and put it in an emergency fund before you buy or pay for anything else. That strategy has saved me on numerous occasions." —Reddit

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Even a little amount adds up quickly. This is money that would otherwise be spent on a morning coffee anyway.

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Mosquito Bites Be Gone

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Photo Credit: Jimmy chan / Pexels
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"Heat the back of a spoon with hot water. Then apply the back of the spoon to the bite. I usually do it twice for good measure. The spoon needs to be hot enough to keep on the skin without burning yourself.

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Keep it on until the heat dissipates. The bite will stop itching almost immediately...then completely disappeared within an hour." —Needaslurpee

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Survive Allergy Season

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Photo Credit: Cotton Bro / Pexels
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"During pollen season...rinse your hair before bed. Otherwise, you're just depositing pollen on your pillowcase every night and then rolling your face in it all night. And then multiply that by how many nights you use the same pillowcase." —blanketsmellslikeham

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Plus it definitely would save on having to do laundry more frequently to wash those pillowcases.