138 Useful Household Tips Everyone Should Know

To prevent silver jewelry from tarnishing, place a small piece of camphor with it.
To get rid of an ant hill, sprinkle some asafoetida powder on it.
To deter ants, mix four tablespoons of salt in a glass of water and sprinkle it around the edges of the room.
To prevent flowers in a lamp from falling, wrap a rubber band around the top of the lamp.
To remove oil or grease stains from clothes, add a few drops of eucalyptus oil while washing.
To restore the shine of your silver-plated utensils, polish them weekly with vibhuti (sacred ash).
During summer, it’s important to include a vegetable salad in your lunch and avoid deep-fried foods.
To repair a hole in a plastic bucket, melt the tip of an old toothbrush over a flame and apply the melted plastic to the hole.
To prevent insects from infesting shoes that are not used frequently, place a camphor ball in each shoe.
To make your clothes smell fresh, reuse empty shampoo sachets by adding them to your laundry.
Don’t keep the pressure cooker lid closed when not in use.
To prevent idli or dosa batter from turning sour without a refrigerator, store it in an airtight plastic container or bucket.
If you don’t have a refrigerator, wrap vegetables in a damp cloth to keep them fresh.
To protect items from termites, sprinkle powdered camphor around them.
To protect silver items from tarnishing, place a piece of camphor in the storage box.
To remove the strong smell from utensils after cooking meat, rub some tamarind on them before washing with detergent.
Wrap ginger in a damp cloth and place it on top of a water jug to keep it fresh for up to ten days.
Place dried lemon or orange peels in your cupboard to keep insects away.
Dissolve a commercial ant repellent in water and pour it over an anthill to eliminate the ants.
To make vegetable soup more appealing to children, add grated cashew nuts and fried bread pieces.
Soak silver utensils or jewelry in buttermilk (sour milk) for half an hour, then polish them to restore their shine.
After cleaning white washbasins, bathrooms, tiles, and sinks with a cleaning powder, rinse them with water mixed with a few drops of blue dye to enhance their shine.
When performing religious rituals with fire (homam), place a fan near a window facing outward to prevent smoke from spreading indoors.
Adding salt to butter helps preserve it for a longer duration.
To keep flies away during summer, add a bit of salt to the water you use for cleaning your house.
Soak vegetables and fruits in a solution of cold water and vinegar for a few minutes to kill germs.
To remove the strong smell of garlic or onion from a knife, rub it with a little salt and rinse with cold water.
To prevent milk from sticking to the bottom of a pan, wash it thoroughly with cold water before use.
Placing a bunch of fenugreek leaves in a container of wheat will prevent insects from infesting it.
Sprinkle a small amount of bleach powder in the toilet and bathroom before bed to prevent cockroaches.
Mixing a small amount of butter with chopped onions will keep them fresh for a longer time.
Soaking coconut hair in water or rubbing it with salt will prevent it from spoiling.
Wrapping jewelry in cotton will keep it looking new.
Using dark green or dark blue curtains on your windows can help reduce heat from sunlight.
To save fuel while cooking, cover the pot with a lid, except when cooking leafy vegetables.
To clean mosaic floors, scrub them with a sponge dipped in warm water mixed with baking soda and detergent, then rinse with clean water.
Clean your kitchen sink with old newspapers to remove dirt and grime.
Heat a knife before cutting bread for a cleaner cut.
To remove the fishy smell from utensils, scrub them with tamarind and fish soap powder.
Soak a dried lemon in boiling water for five minutes before squeezing to extract more juice.
Cooking pulses in rainwater will reduce cooking time and enhance the flavor.
Use a wooden spoon to stir pickles.
Dry yogurt or buttermilk containers in the sun to remove any lingering odors.
Remove the unpleasant smell from a flask by washing it with vinegar.
Cover curry leaves with an aluminum pot to prevent them from wilting.
Dry small onions in the sun and store them to prevent them from sprouting for up to a month.
Soak a lemon in water for an hour each day to keep it fresh for up to a week.
Store ginger in damp sand.
Soaking plantains in water will prevent them from spoiling for up to a week.
Trim the stem and top of okra before storing to prevent it from ripening too quickly.
To prevent cooking oil from going rancid, add a pinch of tamarind to it.
Add a few drops of scented oil to a lit bulb to fill the room with a pleasant fragrance.
To make it easier to sew nylon fabric, dip the needle in soap frequently.
To extract the last bit of toothpaste from the tube, place the tube in warm water for a few minutes.
To remove blood stains from clothes, soak the stained area in cold, salted water.
Adding a small amount of cooking oil to mango pickle will help preserve it and prevent insects.
Add a little table salt to the water when washing white clothes to keep them bright white.
Clean mirrors with tea leaves to remove smudges and restore their shine.
Coriander leaves and curry leaves should be used raw in dishes to retain their nutritional value.
Avoid using excessive oil when cooking root vegetables to aid digestion.
To increase the brightness of a candle, place a mirror behind it.
Adding ghee to sweets made with jaggery enhances their flavor.
To make it easier to cut wilted carrots or beets, soak them in salted water.
Soak dirty clothes in lukewarm water before washing with soap to make them easier to clean.
Store biscuits in a container with a little sugar to keep them fresh for longer.
Reuse the water used to rinse rice and vegetables to nourish your plants.
To store chili peppers for a longer duration, remove the stems, wrap them in paper, and refrigerate.
Washing utensils in the water used to boil potatoes will make them shine.
To reduce smoke in a room, hang a damp cloth.
Remove stubborn stains from aluminum utensils by rubbing them with salt on a paper towel.
Clean your kitchen stove with a mixture of equal parts coconut oil and kerosene.
Place aspirin tablets in the refrigerator, store room, and bathroom to deter cockroaches.
To remove the strong smell of raw onion from your hands, soak them in salted water before eating.
Place a piece of newspaper under onions to catch any dirt or moisture.
Wrap bananas in a damp cloth to prevent them from turning brown quickly.
Avoid storing apples and carrots together in the refrigerator, as the gas released by apples can cause carrots to lose their flavor.
Add a little lemon or tomato juice when cooking beans or okra to reduce cooking time.
Soak onions in lukewarm water before chopping to prevent tears.
Add a peeled potato to a dish that is too salty to reduce the saltiness.
Clean your table with a mixture of vinegar and olive oil to give it a shine and remove odors.
Apply a mixture of water and mustard oil to wooden furniture with a soft cloth to give it a polished look.
Place a few tobacco leaves in your bookshelf to protect books from insects.
Clean glasses with the peel of a boiled potato to make them shine.
Rub a small amount of refined oil on eggshells to preserve them for longer.
Rub a few drops of cooking oil on your hands before cleaning fish to prevent the smell from lingering.
Place a few cloves in a sugar container to keep ants away.
To prevent socks from becoming loose, sew a rubber band around the top edge.
Rub a small amount of petroleum jelly on incense sticks to make them more fragrant.
If you have a small amount of food to grind in a mixer, place a lid on top of the jar to prevent spills.
Clean white telephone receivers with nail polish remover to remove stains and restore their shine.
Reuse plastic jugs: Cut the top half of a used plastic jug to create a mini trash can or a planter.
Clean the stove burner tube with soapy water to prolong its life and keep it clean.
Apply paint to wooden furniture handles to protect them and prevent insect damage.
Place a piece of chalk or charcoal in your toolbox to absorb moisture and prevent tools from rusting.
Rub a candle on the sole of your shoes to make them more durable and prevent wear and tear.
To prevent insects in your wardrobe, place a few used dryer sheets between your clothes.
Repair small holes in mosquito nets using cellotape.
Fertilize curry leaf plants with sour yogurt or buttermilk.
Repurpose old baby mosquito nets as decorative covers for your TV.
Remove hair dye stains from fabric using nail polish remover.
Revive a dried-out rubber stamp ink pad by adding a few drops of blue ink.
Brush your teeth with the inside of a pomegranate peel to strengthen and whiten your teeth.
Add a little coconut water to a lime container to prevent the lime from drying out quickly.
Clean a dusty fan by wiping it with a cloth dampened with kerosene, then polish it with a clean cloth.
Add a few tablespoons of vinegar to a bucket of water when washing jeans to prevent color fading.
To remove the smell of paint from a newly painted room, place buckets of water in the room.
Dip a nail in coconut oil before hammering it into a wall to make it easier to drive in.
Clean greasy areas in your kitchen with a mixture of lime and kerosene.
Rub coconut oil on sharp knives to prevent them from becoming dull.
If you don’t have time to boil milk immediately, store it in cold water and boil it within three hours.
Apply a thin layer of honey to sweets to prevent them from drying out.
To prevent milk from curdling, add a pinch of baking soda before boiling.
Heat the bottom of a coffee filter before pouring coffee to improve the brewing process.
To keep ghee fresh for a longer period, add a piece of jaggery to it.
Soak tomatoes and lemons in salted water to preserve their freshness.
Add a pinch of salt to wheat flour to prevent insect infestation.
Add a piece of coconut to yogurt to prevent it from souring.
To make a tangy pickle, peel and chop apples, then mix them with salt, chili powder, fenugreek powder, and asafoetida.
Soak a coconut in water before breaking it in half.
Wash coriander leaves thoroughly, dry them, and store them in an airtight container to preserve their freshness.
Soak vegetables in cold water with a few drops of lemon juice to keep them crisp.
Line a salt container with a plastic sheet to prevent salt from hardening.
Add a few basil leaves to your water pitcher for a refreshing taste.
Make a delicious dosa with leftover rice by grinding it with rice flour, green chilies, salt, curry leaves, coriander, and yogurt.
Wrap rotis in silver foil to keep them warm.
To prevent matchsticks from getting damp, place a few grains of rice in the matchbox.
Make vegetable fritters by mixing grated vegetables with besan (chickpea flour) and deep-frying.
Soak grains and pulses for eight hours, drain, and place them in a hot pack to sprout.
Wash wheat thoroughly, soak it for four hours, dry it, and grind it to make soft rotis.
If your food is too salty, add milk, cream, or yogurt to balance the flavor.
Here are the English translations for the remaining Tamil household tips:
To prevent banana flowers and stems from discoloring and turning bitter, soak them in buttermilk immediately after cutting.
When blueing laundry, add a little washing soda to the blueing solution for an even distribution of color.
To make butter and buttermilk simultaneously, blend buttermilk or yogurt in a bottle.
To keep curry leaves and coriander fresh, wrap them in a banana leaf.
If you forget to soak rice for idli batter, soak it in hot water for ten minutes instead.
To repair the base of an iron that has worn out from ironing nylon fabric, heat the iron and rub it on a fresh banana leaf.
To remove stains from coffee or tea cups, rub them with a cut onion. To remove the unpleasant smell from a flask, wash it with vinegar.