Top hacks of all time for the home

An empty toilet paper tube, a single rubber band, a ball of tinfoil. At first glance, most people write off these common household items as nothing more than throwaway items. However, these seemingly mundane everyday products can have alternative uses that far exceed their common use.

For instance, did you know an empty toilet paper tube could be turned into a vacuum extension or a rubber band could make a pair of DIY tongs? Did you know some tinfoil could actually help with your laundry? It might sound impossible, but you need to check out these extraordinary uses in the lists below.

Home lighting fixtures are prone to dust buildup. Over time, dust that accumulates on the walls, ceiling fans and air vents drops down and finds itself stuck to light bulbs. To keep lights bright and the home warmly lit, dab a little rubbing alcohol onto a cotton pad and run it over the surface of the light bulbs, as shown in the picture above. This method also provides a streak-free shine for a brighter bulb effect.

Rubbing alcohol — a simple liquid solution nearly everyone has on hand — is a powerful disinfectant that can serve many purposes in the home. Gentle on technology and effective on well-used surfaces, rubbing alcohol proves to be a versatile approach toward maintaining a pristine home and saving money at the same time. Check out these 17+ surprising uses of rubbing alcohol.

Plants such as tomatoes and cucumbers need a little extra support to grow properly. Use a zip tie to gently attach the vines to a stake, as pictured above. They hold up under the weather and you can cut off the ties easily after the growing season.

Unless you're an electrician, plumber or super spy, you might not have a lot of extra zip ties. Used primarily to hold items such as cable and wire, these handy tools can quickly fasten items together. If you think you don't have much need for these handy connectors, think again. Before you toss out that zip tie, check out these 16+ nifty uses of zip ties.

In addition to being sticky, fecal matter as well as dirt gets into the crevices of a shoe's tread. You could pick at each crease with a small sharp object, but that takes a long time. Lubricate the dirty area with WD-40 and let it soak in for a minute. Use dry paper towels to wipe the area, scrub with an old toothbrush or use the jet spray on a hose to power it off.

WD-40 was originally designed for mechanical uses, such as oiling squeaky door hinges or machinery. However, from easing stuck coat zippers to cleaning shower doors or helping to open stuck paint-can lids, WD-40 has numerous practical uses around the home. Be sure to check out these surprising uses of WD-40.

Vacuuming is essential to in maintaining a dust-free home while upgrading overall air quality. Just because it's important doesn't mean it's easy. From bed frames to air vents, many household places are seemingly impossible to reach. Skip the expensive, customized vacuum heads and instead, create your own with a toilet paper tube. A little tape will keep the tube in place while you mold the end to whatever unique shape or size is required to make the most of those cleaning moments.

With a simple toilet paper tube and a little time, a seemingly endless list of organizational and helpful possibilities is born. Feel free to feed the birds or put some order to Hot Wheels that somehow find their way into the living room each day. With a little tweaking and thoughtful placement, a toilet paper tube has the power to change the way you view your to-do list. Check out these nifty toilet paper tube hacks.

While Swiffer pads are a convenient solution to keeping floors shining and dust-free, replacing them can be an expensive task. Instead of investing in refills, reach for a baby wipe as an alternative. Tuck the four corners of a single wipe into the Swiffer head in the same way you would fasten a standard pad. Feel free to use them as normal cleaning pads for both floors and surfaces. The soft material ensures a scratch-free cleaning process while the baby wipe works to remove surface debris efficiently.

While baby wipes are often viewed as a product exclusive to children, baby wipes have alternative uses for both the home and personal care. Whether it’s removing makeup or keeping houseplants looking their best, baby wipes can transform these tedious tasks into stress-free moments. Using baby wipes to replace brand-name cleaning solutions at home is also a great way to keep a few extra dollars in the bank each month. Check out these top baby wipe hacks.

If you don't have a pair of tongs lying around but need them for a party, don't worry. You don't need to run out to the store. Instead, take 2 forks and secure them with a rubber band, like pictured above. You'll have easy, usable tongs in a cinch!

Rubber bands don't look like they can do much at first, but they are fabulously versatile. You can put them to a thousand different uses. Plus, rubber bands will last a long time, so don't think of them as disposable. Check out the top rubber band hacks.

Are you one of those people who always swings the car door open and hits the wall? Leave the days of scratched and dented doors behind by nailing half of a pool noodle to the wall. It'll absorb the shock and prevent any more damage.

Pool noodles are the ultimate fun summer toy. As kids, you splashed in the pool with them, had epic sword fights and even stuck the hose in them to create a big sprinkler. But, just because you're a grown-up doesn't mean you can't have fun with noodles again — or at least find helpful ways to use them around the house. Not sure how this would work? Check out these top pool noodle hacks.

If ou simply don't have enough room on the window sill, this is the perfect hack for you. Take your tension rod and place it in the window to hang tiny potted plants from hooks. This is an ideal spot for a mini-herb garden or some colorful flowers to add some eye candy to the kitchen.

Everyone uses tension rods to hang their window valances and shower curtains, but they actually have greater potential than that. The tension rod's ability to squeeze into tight, tiny and often unused corners means it's your perfect tool to better organize your home. Check out these top tension rod hacks.

Don't you just hate it when your clothes come out of the dryer all static-y? Throwing a couple of balls of tin foil into the dryer will keep your clothes static-free. You can also wrap a tennis ball with foil to have it hold its shape.

When it comes to tinfoil, most people agree it has some pretty versatile uses. However, most limit its use to the confines of the kitchen. The truth is, tinfoil can be incorporated into many areas of your home and can serve as low-cost household hacks. Check out these top tin foil hack ideas.

Some days you just don't have time to run your favorite outfit through an entire laundry cycle before you need to wear it again. Or it's dry-clean only, but you have to wear it tomorrow. If the clothes still look clean but smell a little funky, you can make a spray from 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 cup water. Spray the item all over and then hang it up to dry.

Doing laundry is one of those never-ending tasks that cuts into time you'd rather pretty much spend on anything else. It doesn't have to be like this! Laundry should be one of your simplest chores, not the one that takes up every spare minute of your time. So before you start yet another load of laundry, consider throwing in the towel. Literally. Be sure to check out these top laundry hacks.

While it’s probably your hair clogging the shower drain in the first place, you can make it up to your pipes by squirting a little conditioner down the drain. After letting it sit on the clog for a few minutes, run hot water down the drain. The conditioner, mixed with the hot water, will act as a lubricant and flush out the blockage.

Do you buy the shampoo alone next time, leaving the bottles mismatched, or is it best to always buy these items together? And if you buy both, what are you supposed to do with the leftover conditioner? Surprisingly, you can use hair conditioner for so much more than just making your hair silky smooth. It can be added to your laundry routine, help with various skin care regimens and even contribute to household chores. Be sure to check out these top conditioner hacks for the home.

Refrigerator maintenance is important for a bacteria-free kitchen environment. Once a season, spray the inside of your refrigerator with hydrogen peroxide. Let the liquid soak in for a few minutes, and then use a clean cloth to remove crud and fully disinfect.

You likely keep a bottle of hydrogen peroxide in your home to disinfect minor cuts. The chemical compound is also found in some teeth whitening and other bleaching products. You'll be surprised to learn there are oh-so-many-more uses for this magical product. Read on for top hydrogen peroxide cleaning hacks.

Most people don't know the proper care required for a streak-free car windshield inside and out. Their solutions might leave scratches or streaks. In reality, keeping your windshield clean is a vital part of car safety, as the driver must maintain a clear view at all times. It's important to know the right way to clean a car windshield.

No matter how hard you try to keep it clean, your car is bound to get dirty. Whether it's stains, crumbs, or an accumulation of dust and pollen when the seasons change, a dirty car is inevitable. There are a million car-cleaning products out there, but the problem is that they're filled with a lot of nasty chemicals. If you're looking to give your car a good spring cleaning — and do it naturally — this is the ultimate list for you. Be sure to check out these top car cleaning hacks.