Many Americans shower everyday and might think it is weird or gross not to.

But it turns out, over-showering can dry out your skin, removing healthy bacteria and it can even cause skin problems.

Unless you’re sweaty, stinky, or grimy, a few short showers per week should be sufficient for most people, according to Harvard Health.

Recycling

Recycling is great if you do it right. But most people don’t.

Turns out, there are pretty strict guidelines as to what can and cannot be recycled.

If you’ve ever chucked colored paper, non-empty aerosol cans, or greasy pizza boxes in the recycling bin, you may be doing more harm than good.

Recycling prohibited items can damage equipment in the recycling centers and cost them extra money to sort out.

To make things even more complicated, some recycling centers don’t accept all recyclable items.

Make sure you read up and follow the recycling rules set out by your local and state governments.

Most Oreo lovers use their fingers to dip their Oreos into milk, creating a milky mess.

Sophisticated Oreo eaters don’t do that.

Instead, they stick a fork into the soft stuffing and dip the fork into the milk.

Loading your dishwasher

Most people don’t realize that where you place your dishes in the dishwasher matters.

A study from the University of Birmingham showed that the force of the sprayer varies at different positions in the dishwasher.

Because of this, dishes with remnants of carb-heavy foods should be placed near the center of the dishwasher, while protein-packed scraps are better off situated on the bottom edges.

You should also avoid washing large kitchen knives in the dishwasher. The heat and chemicals can dull the blade.

No need to clutter up your kitchen with a grilled cheese maker.

Instead, simply turn your toaster sideways, slide in a piece of bread topped with cheese, and let your toaster work its magic.

Just be careful with your cheese placement. If it oozes onto the metal deep in your toaster, good luck cleaning it off.

Cleaning your jeans too frequently

The more often you wash your jeans, the faster you’ll wear them out. Does that mean you’re stuck wearing dirty jeans?

No.

A study by the International Journal of Consumer Studies showed that jeans washed after 20 uses did not have a significantly higher bacterial load than jeans washed every two uses.

Another University of Alberta study showed no harmful bacteria on skin-tight jeans that were used for 15 months without washing.

So, they’re not as dirty as you think.

Cutting a cake with an unwieldy knife leaves it ugly and messy.

Instead, try slicing it with dental floss. It sounds weird but it works.

Wrap unflavored dental floss around your hands on both ends so the floss essentially acts like a wire.

Then you can pull it tight, press down in a line across your cake and gently saw through it to cut it into clean, even slices.

This trick also works for soft cheeses.

Plunging a sink with a toilet plunger

If a toilet plunger can unclog a toilet, it should work to unclog a kitchen sink too, right?

Wrong.

First of all, that’s gross. Second, kitchen sinks are shaped differently than toilet bowls. Toilets require a flange plunger, while sinks need a cup plunger.

Sick of your Starbucks cup leaking liquids all over your table? Then take off the lid, flip it over, and use it as a coaster.

They seriously need to start printing this tip on these things.

Brushing your hair

You might focus your hair-brushing energy on the tangles near the bottom of your hair, but this isn’t the best strategy.

By starting near your scalp and brushing all the way down, you spread scalp oils throughout the entire length of your hair. This gives hair extra shine while removing grease build-up near your skin.

There’s nothing worse than a warm drink. And if you forget to chill your bottle of beer or champagne ahead of time, your first instinct may be to put it on ice or in the freezer.

But there’s a better way.

Mixing salt into ice water lowers the temperature below that of ice alone, giving you more cooling power. For maximum cooling, gently stir your beverage around in the salt-ice bath.

Eating an orange

There are probably people who refuse to eat oranges because they’re too much of a hassle to peel. But if you do it right, there’s no hassle at all.

Instead of gunking up your fingernails with orange peel, grab a knife, slice off the top and bottom of the orange, make a slit down the side, then unroll it into a convenient row of slices.

Handling aluminum foil can be a pain. If you open the box too far, the roll falls out. If you don’t open it far enough, it shreds as you unroll it.

But if you take time to slow down and confront this pesky problem, you’d realize there are two tabs on each end of the box.

Push the tabs in, and the foil locks into place. Voila!

Softening ice cream

When you’re craving some ice cream, the last thing you want is a rock-solid carton that’s impossible to scoop.

You could nuke it in the microwave to solve your scooping struggles. But why not prevent it from happening in the first place?

Store the container inside a sealed freezer-safe plastic bag, and it’ll never be too frozen again.

Most people don’t use enough sunscreen to adequately protect themselves from the sun.

Nobody likes squirting on too much sunscreen and have it take forever to rub in. But for proper protection, you need a decent amount.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, that’s approximately a shot glass-sized amount of lotion for your entire body.

Most people only use 20% to 50% of the amount needed to reach the SPF protection level of their sunscreen.

Peeling bananas

When you peel bananas from the top, you waste some at the bottom. If you peel from the bottom up, you won’t have that problem.

Just pinch the bottom with your thumb and forefingers with each hand, then separate.

For some reason, monkeys know this, but most humans don’t.

If you wash your blender in the dishwasher or by jamming your hand to the bottom, you’re doing it wrong.

Simply fill it with some water and dish soap, turn it on for a few seconds, then rinse it out.

Easy peasy.

Using Chinese takeout boxes

Chinese takeout boxes are not ergonomic for eating, especially if you’re chopstick challenged.

To make life easier, unfold the box into a plate.

You won’t be able to store leftovers as easily, so only do this if you’re hungry enough that you won’t have leftovers.

If you’ve ever accidentally stabbed yourself underneath your fingernail with a key ring, this tip is for you.

For injury-free key transfers, use a staple remover to open the key ring.

This will save you the frustration of pinching your fingers or struggling to get the small ring open.

Using your microwave efficiently

There’s only so much you can fit on your microwave’s spinning plate. What if you need to heat up food for multiple people?

To nuke two bowls of food simultaneously, move one bowl to the far left side of the microwave, put a coffee mug on the right side, then set the second bowl on top of the coffee mug.

The food will take longer to heat up. But it’ll be ready at the same time so you can enjoy your meal together.

Common sense tells us that we should store eggs and dairy products in the fridge’s egg and dairy holder.

The problem is, the door is one of the warmest areas of the fridge where food is more likely to spoil.

For cooler temps and longer-lasting food, store anything spoil-prone on the bottom shelves in the back.

Holding a glass of wine

Most non-wine snobs don’t know how to hold their glass properly.

When you touch the bulb of the glass with your hand or fingers, it heats up the wine and changes the flavors.

To avoid modifying the wine’s intended temperature, pinch the stem of the glass with your thumb and forefinger.

And if you’re feeling really sophisticated, roll the stem between your fingers to swirl the wine before taking a sip.

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to wait for hot food to cool before storing it in the fridge. According to the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, you should do the opposite.

Refrigerating food as soon as possible (two hours max after it’s done cooking) helps prevent it from slipping into dangerous temperature ranges to prevent bacteria growth.

And if it’s a large batch, separate it into smaller containers for faster cooling.

Using your ceiling fan

Most people use ceiling fans to keep cool in the summer, but they can actually be useful all year round.

If you flip the switch on the fan’s housing and set it to spin in the opposite direction, it will redistribute warm air around the room in the winter months.

Just remember: Clockwise for warm air, counterclockwise for cool.

Despite what your gym teacher and soccer coaches told you, pre- and post-exercise static stretching does not affect sports-related injuries, according to a study by the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Some studies even recommend against static stretching before physical activity, as it seems to actually hurt performance.

26 Simple Car Cleaning Hacks That Cost Almost Nothing

Cleaning your vehicle doesn’t have to be time-consuming. And it doesn’t have to be expensive.

Well, at least not with these cheaper tips and tricks.

Turns out, most of the materials you need for a squeaky clean car are already laying around your house.

So before you load up on expensive car-washing equipment, give these 26 clever hacks a try.

The “magic” in a Magic Eraser works like a charm to remove pesky scuff marks on your vehicle’s vinyl and leather.

Just be careful. Used correctly, a Magic Eraser is a quick and easy way to detail your interior. But on certain surfaces — like anything with a clear coat of paint or old, worn-out leather — its micro-abrasion can cause damage.

2. Spray out dust vents with compressed air

Vents can be a pain to clean. If using your fingernails doesn’t cut it, you can either buy a special vent brush or use a can of compressed air.

Normal compressed air should remove any dust gunking up the vents.

But for an even deeper clean, you can pick up aerosol sprays designed specifically for cleaning vents and killing odors.

If you have a few stains in your carpet, there’s no need to buy an entire jug of car carpet cleaner. Instead, make some yourself.

Mix together a solution with one part hydrogen peroxide, two parts water, and one drop of lemon essential oil per ounce of solution.

To prevent the peroxide from breaking down, you either need to mix your concoction inside the original peroxide bottle or find another dark-colored bottle.

Douse the stained area with your DIY carpet cleaner, wait a couple minutes, and scrub it out.

Not only does the mixture lift out tough stains, but you’ll also have plenty of essential oil left over to freshen up your home or body — much more useful than a jug of car carpet cleaner gathering dust in your garage.

4. Condition your dashboard with Vaseline

Vaseline has over 100 uses. One of those uses is conditioning your vehicle’s dashboard.

Instead of buying pricey car detailing wipes or sprays, simply smear a little Vaseline around your dry dashboard using a microfiber cloth. You don’t need much.

When you’re finished, fold the cloth and store it in your glove box.

The Vaseline won’t dry out, and if your dash starts losing its shine, you can wipe it down again using the same cloth.

All leather fades over time. But if you don’t take care of it, you can extend its lifetime.

Sure, you can treat leather with expensive leather cleaners. But if you want to save money (and a trip to the store), just use olive oil.

Dab a rag with olive oil, and massage the leather in a circular motion to work it into the material.

When you’re finished, wipe away any extra oil and let it dry — you don’t want it on your clothes.

6. Clean cup holders the easy way

Cup holders are magnets for crumbs and gunk. Fortunately, cleaning them is a cinch.

Grab a travel cup that fits snugly in your cup holder, cover it with a clean sock, spray the sock with Windex, and twist it around inside the cup holder.

This hack is especially useful if you have giant hands that don’t fit deep into the cup holder.

When cleaning your car, kill two birds with one stone by drizzling baking soda over your seats a few minutes before vacuuming.

Baking soda reacts with acidic and alkaline molecules (AKA stinky stuff) and neutralizes them.

So not only are you vacuuming up crumbs, but also the stench.

8. Wash the floor mats in your machine

Dirty floor mats can ruin the aesthetic of a nice car.

The problem is, unless you have a No Shoes policy in your car, they’re nearly impossible to keep clean.

That’s where your washing machine comes in. Instead of breaking your back trying to wash them by hand, just shake them out, squirt on stain remover, and throw them in the washing machine with normal detergent.

Every car owner should have a microfiber mitten and a stock of microfiber cloth.

Microfiber mittens soak up tons of water, allowing you to quickly hand wash your car.

Sure, automatic car washes are convenient, but they’re also notorious for leaving scratches. And when you consider the time it takes to drive to the car wash, wait in line, wash, and drive home — you could have just done it yourself and saved 10 bucks.

That said, finishing with streak-free windows can be a challenge. You might be tempted to reach for the glass cleaner, but resist the urge. Instead, just wipe your windows with a damp cloth, then use a dry microfiber cloth to dry them.

10. Roll those windows down

If you’re going to wash your car, mind as well do it thoroughly. Most people forget to roll the windows down to clean the dirt off the top of the window.

It might not seem like a big deal. But if rain causes that hidden dirt to streak down the side of your car, all your car-washing effort will have been in vain.

Just don’t forget to roll them back up before spraying off the rest of the car.

Splattered bugs and stubborn bird droppings usually don’t come off with your typical soap-and-water wash.

You need to bring in the heavy artillery: WD-40.

WD-40 can remove just about any type of gunk from your paint and grill without causing damage. Just make sure to rinse with soap and water when you’re finished.

12. Make those headlights sparkle with toothpaste

Foggy and yellow headlights are not only unattractive, but they are also dangerous.

A study by AAA showed that cloudy headlights can reduce the effectiveness of the lights by up to 78%.

One solution is to replace your headlights, but that can cost hundreds of dollars.

To save money, you can clear up those cloudy lights by squirting on some toothpaste made with baking soda, smearing it around with a cloth, then rinsing with water.

Bumper stickers are fun to put on, but not fun to take off.

The trick to loosening them up is to use heat.

Grab a hairdryer and heat up the sticker, starting in the center, then moving out to the edges. Once it’s nice and hot, slip a credit card underneath the edges and slowly work them up, reheating as needed.

If the sticker is on your window, a razor blade works even better. Once the sticker is off, wipe off any remaining residue using distilled vinegar.

14. Rubbing alcohol can get those wiper blades clean

There’s nothing more annoying than wiper blades that leave huge streaks across your window. Most people assume the solution is to buy new wiper blades, but not so fast.

Sometimes the wiper blade itself is fine — it just has dirt or dried soap gunking it up.

To remove it, dip a microfiber cloth in rubbing alcohol, then run it along the blade. If it removes the streaking, you just saved yourself a trip to the store.

If you’re not careful, car clutter can go from zero to code red very quickly, especially with kids.

The solution is to have a home for everything. Cars don’t come with much organizational space, but you can install your own.

Two easy solutions to organize your space are shower caddies and shoe organizers. Hang them on the back of your seats, and say goodbye to clutter forever.

If you’re feeling extra inspired, you can even label each pocket with stickers.

16. Hide your change in an old container

There’s nothing more stressful than holding up traffic at a toll booth or parking lot as you tear apart your car hunting for coins.

To avoid this, grab an old container from your house — preferably one that fits in a cup holder — and use it as your car’s piggy bank.

Old gum containers work great because they look natural in a car, but any old food jar with a cap will do the trick.

When you get hungry on the road, you’re more likely to eat unhealthy food. The Taco Bell drive-thru is just too convenient.

To avoid wrecking your diet, keep a basket full of healthy snacks and water at arm’s reach.

Stock it with food that won’t go bad in extreme temperatures like sunflower seeds, nuts, and dried fruit.

18. Make a DIY trash can

An ATM receipt here, a cheeseburger wrapper there — this is how your car gets out of hand.

The solution is a non-spillable trash can. Plastic cereal containers work like a charm. You could also stick a Command hook to your dash and hang a grocery bag from it.

If you can’t be bothered to make your own garbage container, you can get a headrest trash can on Amazon that will run you less than 10 bucks.

Cup holders tend to get grody with spilled drinks and crumbs. They’re also a pain to clean.

One way to solve the cup holder conundrum is to line them with a silicone cupcake holder. Whenever they get grimy, just throw them in the dishwasher.

They can come in a pack of 24, so you can put them in all your vehicles and still have some left over for cupcakes.

20. Smell fresh with essential oils

Remember that essential oil from the DIY carpet cleaner?

You should have plenty left over to use as a DIY air freshener.

Simply put a few drops on a clothespin, then stick it in your car vents.

Keep the bottle of essential oil in your car, and whenever the smell fades, add more drops.

Sometimes no matter how much air freshener (or essential oil) you use, your car still smells funky.

When that happens, it’s time to check the cabin air filter. A quick Google search should tell you if your vehicle model has a removable cabin air filter, and how to change it.

Dirty air is constantly moving through these filters. And over time, they can start to stink.

22. Get a pet seat hammock

In the past, you had to choose — travel with pets, or have a clean car.

Now, with the new pet seat hammock, you can have both. It easily attaches to the headrests of the front and back seats, creating a waterproof “hammock” where your furry friend can roll around without destroying your car.

Instead of cleaning your backseat every time you take Buddy for a ride, you can simply toss the hammock in the washing machine.

A microfiber cloth is an essential piece of your car-washing toolkit. But not for washing your dashboard and center console. They are notorious for leaving tiny pieces of lint everywhere.

When it comes time to dust, use a coffee filter instead. The material picks up dust without leaving a lint mess.

24. Clean out crevices with a screwdriver

Grime has a way of building up in all the nooks and crannies at the edges of panels in your center console.

You could grow out your fingernails to scrape off the crud, but there’s a better way. Pick up a flathead screwdriver, cover it with a cloth to prevent scratches, and scrape away.

Putting down a blanket to protect your car seats from pet hair only gets you so far.

If your pet travels with you regularly, it’s only a matter of time before those seats get coated in hair.

And pet hair is stubborn. If the vacuum cleaner doesn’t do the trick, try spraying your seat with water, then using a squeegee to collect all the hair.

The water dampens the hair so it lumps together, making it easy to gather.

26. Wrap your rearview mirror in a plastic bag

Ziploc bags aren’t just for food storage — they’re super useful for keeping your car mirrors clean in winter.

There’s nothing worse than getting ready for work on an icy January morning only to discover your rearview mirror’s been encrusted with ice and snow overnight.

To prevent the extra cleaning work, especially when you just don’t have time, wrap your mirrors in a Ziploc bag or even a regular plastic bag.

The covering helps keep most of the snow from sticking, and it’s a great hack for when you can’t park your car in a garage.