When you think of TikTok, images of dancing pre-teens probably come to mind. But for us, TikTok is a reminder that there is so much out there on the internet that we have yet to learn.
From dismantling a toilet seat in seconds to growing your own dragon fruit at home, TikToks never fail to make us feel today years old.
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The proper way to use a gift bag.
Spoiler alert: we’ve been using gift bags wrong this whole time. The correct way, according to one TikToker, involves taking each end of the bag’s ribbons and threading them through their opposite holes.
Once complete, simply pull the closed end of the ribbons away from each other to effortlessly seal the bag shut. In doing so, you’ll eliminate the need for tissue paper. How clever!
Cut a bell pepper from the bottom, not the top.
It seems like every week there’s a new video revealing to the internet just how wrong they’ve been doing things, like cutting veggies. Instead, they suggest an easier alternative.
Take a look at this 10-second video that demonstrates the proper way to cut a pepper — from the bottom down. In doing so, TikToker @tonyconradskitchen was able to easily slice a green bell pepper into three equal pieces which he then stuffed with cream cheese and everything bagel seasoning.
This trick to get a stuck ring off your finger.
We’ve all at one point in our lives experienced the panic of having a ring become literally one with our finger.
In that moment, there’s likely a small list of solutions that come to mind. These include rubbing butter on your finger, submerging your hand in ice water, and the last resort, cutting the ring off.
What that list probably doesn’t include is enlisting the help of Windex. Yup, we were just as skeptical until the TikToker who suggested the idea demonstrated how easily her stuck ring slid off after spraying her finger with the window cleaning solution.
Grow green onions at home in a jar.
TikTok user @alie.eats revealed the handy trick and we have to say, we’re truly mind blown by how simple the hack is.
After chopping the white stems off store-bought green onions, the user placed them in a mason jar filled with a small amount of water. Within a week, new onions begin to sprout.
The video caught the attention of another TikToker who decided to give the hack a try, and to her surprise, it did in fact work. User @itssimplyritch_ duetted the original video showing off her baby green onions.
The magic dry-erase hack that’s a boatload of fun.
If the previous examples haven’t solidified this point, we’ll reiterate: TikTok is a great place to learn new things! And it’s precisely where this user learned the dry-erase hack that brings your drawings to life.
To begin the magical trick, you’ll need to relocate to a bathroom sink. With only a dry-erase marker, let your inner van Gogh out as you draw a masterpiece directly onto the sink bowl.
When you’re ready, run the water and your drawing will literally pop off the sink’s surface and float around. How cool!
A super easy way to crack open the shell of a pistachio.
Yup, there’s even a proper way to open up pistachio. The hack comes from TikTok user @kk_gibson1315 who shared her simple trick with the internet.
The TikToker reveals that instead of forcing the shell of a pistachio apart, it’s much easier to snap the nut’s connected edge by pushing the separated shell ends together.
Of course, this hack won’t work for every pistachio but it’s nonetheless still helpful!
Three brilliant hacks in one.
What’s better than one genius hack? How about three hacks in one clever video.
The triple threat of tricks and tips comes from TikTok user @lindsayroggenbuck, whose video surpassed 200,000 likes and it’s a no-brainer as to why.
Her first hack sees a bandage’s adhesive tabs being cut in halves. In doing so, the user DIYed a bandaid that when wrapped around a knuckle allows the joint to freely bend.
The second trick reveals how to light a three-wick candle by setting aflame one wick first and then tipping the candle so that its side is parallel to the floor until the remaining wicks catch the flame.
And lastly, a boiled egg’s shell can be easily removed by placing the oval in a jar and shaking it around. When you pull the egg out, the shell peels right off.
The trick to folding a fitted bedsheet by yourself.
When the time comes around to change your bed sheets you may be filled with a sense of absolute dread. We get it, we’d much rather be doing anything else.
Luckily, one TikTok couple shared a simple hack that allows anyone to fold a fitted sheet by themselves. Take a look at their video which makes changing a bed anything but a total dread-fest.
This genius aluminum foil hack for baking pans.
Long gone is the frustration of spending what feels like an hour trying to perfectly fit a piece of aluminum foil or parchment paper into a baking pan.
Instead, all you have to do is place your foil or paper around the outside of the pan to shape the baking material. Once molded, simply place the paper or foil into the tray and it should lay snuggly in your pan, ready for use.
Take a temporary tattoo off in seconds.
Yup, it’s true! All you need for the hack is a piece of transparent tape. Simply apply the tape onto the tattoo, take a deep breath in, and rip away.
As for the good news, this hack also works on dried temporary tattoos. Although, a couple of pieces of tape may be required to get the job done.
“This would’ve been good to know [five] or so years ago,” writes user @kkurtas in the comment section under the TikTok. Our sentiments exactly!
Create stunning glasses out of used alcohol bottles.
The next time you finish a bottle of alcohol, don’t throw it out. Instead, turn the glass vessel into a cup.
TikToker @genevavanderzeil shared the clever hack with the internet and it unsurprisingly went viral.
To begin the DIY, the user removed all the labels. She then scored the bottle all the way around with a glass cutter. Alternating between hot and cold water, the TikToker poured each liquid over the glass until the bottle’s top popped off.
She gave the glass a light sanding and the cup was ready for use!
The secret to keeping food at a cookout cool for longer.
Well, this cookout trick isn’t exactly a secret anymore.
The clever hack which sees an aluminum tray filled 1/3 of the way up with water and then stuck in the freezer until it’s solid was viewed over 14 million times.
TikTok really does love keeping food fresh longer!
Cereal can *also* be kept fresh for longer with this clever trick.
Veggies aren’t the only food getting special treatment, cereal is also jumping on the ‘tricks to stay fresher’ bandwagon.
TikToker @latoia_murphy demonstrated a super simple way to seal a cereal box so that — yup, you guessed it — it stays fresh for a longer period of time.
Take a look at the 20-second video, which involves plenty of folding and tucking of cardboard.
Grow your own dragon fruit plant with ease.
Who knew it was so easy to grow dragon fruit at home? We sure didn’t. But fortunately one TikToker did.
User @growithjessie revealed her process of collecting dragon fruit seeds and then letting them germinate for five days in a dry place.
Once the seeds had what appeared to be little tails stemming out, the TikToker planted them in a cup. Over the next few days, she shared her dragon fruit sprouts begin to grow into adorable cacti plants.
This adorable way to keep your pups from executing a great escape.
What’s the most creative thing you’ve done to keep your furry friends from trying to escape your outdoor space? Well if you’re anything like this dog parent, you’d tie wooden spoons to your fur baby’s collar.
As the TikToker’s 15-second video reveals, the spoons prevent her tiny dogs from squeezing through the gaps of her fence. What a super brilliant idea that looks so sweet on any canine!
Use a whisk to scoop up powder ingredients.
Were you also today’s years old when you found out that you can use a whisk for another purpose other than just stirring?
Yup, that’s right. You can indeed enlist the help of a whisk to pour your powdered ingredients into your mixing bowl.
Admittedly, this may not be the best solution for when you need exact measurements. But in those baking situations where you have free rein to ‘eyeball it,’ this whisk scooping hack saves you from having to wash a gazillion utensils.
Easily detach your toilet seat without the need to whip out a screw driver.
Seriously, it’s that simple! As the TikToker demonstrated, all you have to do is pull up the plastic tabs that hold the toilet seat lid in place and your seat should slide right out.
From there, get to work giving your toilet the proper scrubbing it deserves, especially considering everything it endures.
Don’t flip the grilled cheese sandwich, flip the pan.
Odd? Yes. But effective? Absolutely!
We just have a couple of questions:
Let’s just hope the answer to number three is a solid no. The rest of the questions, however, are all fair game!
Paint deck boards with a broom.
What do you do if your deck boards need an update but all you have for the project is a can of leftover stain from your last deck makeover?
Luckily, this TikToker has the answer — use a broom to apply the paint. In theory, this deck painting hack seems like it shouldn’t work. The number one reason being the assumption of ending up with a streaking mess.
But as the user shares, in practice, using a broom to paint deck board gets the job done exceedingly well.
