Every day, we go through our routines without giving them much thought—but some of those everyday tasks aren’t as effective as we think. Thankfully, making small changes is all it takes for us to simplify our lives. Here are ten tasks you’re probably doing wrong & how to do them correctly. Just remember that we’re not here to judge. Only to help!
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Brushing Your Teeth Right After Eating
While you might think you’re staying on top of dental hygiene, brushing your teeth right after eating wears down your tooth enamel. It’s better to wait about 30 minutes. This way, you allow your saliva to neutralize the acids & rebuild minerals in your teeth. You should also use gentle, circular motions with a soft-bristled brush instead of scrubbing hard.
Holding the Steering Wheel at “10 and 2”
Most of us were taught to hold the steering wheel at the “10 and 2” positions, picturing a clock face. However, safety experts now recommend holding it at “9 and 3” because this hand placement gives you better control over the car. You’ll also reduce the risk of injury if the airbag deploys. If your hands are higher up, the force of the airbag could push your arms into your face—or cause fractures.
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Using Too Much Detergent in the Laundry
Despite what you may think, dumping extra detergent into the washing machine creates more problems than it solves! Too much detergent creates excess suds that trap dirt & bacteria, which then redeposit on your clothes. It can also leave a residue inside your washer. Do you really want mold issues just because you didn’t check the recommended amount on the detergent label?
Washing All Laundry in Hot Water
Also, when you’re doing laundry, don’t use hot water for every load. Hot water causes colors to fade & fabrics to shrink or wear out faster—most modern detergents are designed to work well in cold water. That’s far gentler on your clothes and cuts down on your energy use, too! You should really save the hot water washes for heavily soiled items or bedding.
Charging Your Phone All Night
Leaving your phone plugged in might shorten your battery’s lifespan over time because keeping your phone at 100% charge for too long makes the battery overheat & degrade. Lithium-ion batteries in smartphones perform best when they’re between 20% and 80% charged. So instead of charging it all night, try giving it shorter charging sessions during the day. Unplug it once it’s finished.
Rushing Through Handwashing
Giving your hands a quick rinse doesn’t do much to get rid of germs—most people don’t wash their hands long enough for it to be effective. To get properly clean, scrub your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. An easy way to time it is by humming the “Happy Birthday” song twice! Don’t forget to wash between your fingers and under your nails.
Storing Bread in the Refrigerator
Putting bread in the fridge sounds like it’ll keep it fresh longer but it actually makes it go stale faster. The cold temperature makes the starches in the bread recrystallize more quickly. Instead, store your bread at room temperature in a bread box or a sealed plastic bag. If you need to keep it longer, freezing is the best option—as long as you slice it beforehand so you’re not dealing with a huge block of frozen bread!
Overstuffing the Refrigerator
Speaking of fridges, packing your fridge isn’t going to help you. In fact, doing so affects your fridge’s performance because refrigerators rely on air circulation to keep food at a consistent temperature. When the fridge is too full, cold air can’t move around properly. Eventually, you’ll have warm spots that’ll spoil food faster. Try organizing your fridge & leaving some space between items to keep everything evenly chilled.
Skipping the Preheat When Cooking
Even though putting your food into a cold pan seems like it saves time, it causes uneven cooking and sticking. Instead, preheating the pan allows your food to cook properly from the start. You’ll be able to get that nice sear this way—and lock in the flavors! Best of all, it also stops your food from soaking up too much oil.
Using Cotton Swabs to Clean Your Ears
How many of us have used cotton swabs to clean inside our ears? As satisfying as it feels, sticking swabs into the ear canal pushes the earwax deeper—which damages your eardrum. You should clean only the outer part of your ear & only use a damp cloth. If you have excess wax, speak to a healthcare professional rather than trying to remove it yourself.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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