Our appliances are essential to our lives and can be a huge time and money-saver. But if you’re only using them for the purposes they were intended for, you could be missing out on a lot of usability. Here are some easy appliance hacks to make your life easier!
Use the Coffee Grinder for Breadcrumbs
Hauling out your big food processor to make breadcrumbs or buying the expensive ready-made crumbs from the grocery store? Save time and money by using your coffee grinder and a fresh (or even slightly stale) loaf of bread. You can also use your coffee grinder to chop nuts, pulverize graham crackers for a cheesecake crust… you get the picture!
Dry Fruits and Meats Without a Food Dehydrator
Do you and your family love beef jerky and dried fruits? Most people think you need a dehydrator to make these snacks. If you don’t have one, though, you can still do it. Just stack a few cooling racks on top of each other and separate them by sticking balls of aluminum foil in the corners. Put them in the bottom of your oven and set your temp to 200 degrees. Layer in your fruits or meats and, in about four to six hours, you’ll have perfectly dehydrated treats!
Cook with a Keurig
It’s going to sound pretty obvious when you hear it, but most people never consider that they can make quick and easy meals with their Keurig. If you’re eating some ramen or instant oatmeal and you don’t want to go through the hassle of boiling water, and just run a cycle in the Keuring with no K-Cup. You can let the water flow right into your food cup and save lots of time. This is an ideal hack for workplaces or dorms that don’t have stoves or microwaves.
Put Tennis Balls in the Dryer
Want your clothes to dry faster? Just throw in a couple of tennis balls! These fuzzy spheres knock around with your clothes and expose the fabric to more hot air. This prevents wrinkles and removes any leftover moisture. You can also do this with homemade yarn balls.
Use Your Dishwasher for Things Other Than Dishes
Sure, your dishwasher does a good job on plates and silverware, but did you know you can also use it to clean everything from fan grilles to vacuum hoses to baseball caps? Some even swear by the power of dishwashers when it comes to cooking food!
Use the Microwave for Your Kitchen Sponge
Kitchen sponges get really nasty really quickly, even if you’re frequently switching them out. If you don’t squeeze your sponge out and dry it every time you use it, it becomes a smelly breeding ground for bacteria. If your sponge is smelly icky and you’re not ready to toss it, try this: wet the sponge and place it in a microwave safe bowl. Heat it for two minutes and voila! You’ve killed 99% of all the bacteria in your sponge!
When you think outside the box, you can use your appliances for a lot more than what the manufacturer intended. Of course, your appliances have to be in working order for them to perform their tasks. If you have an appliance issue that needs fixed, give the experts at ASAP a call!
