In addition to preserving food and extending its freshness, refrigerators have numerous unexpected uses that are not widely known. For instance, they can be used to kill bookworms and facilitate quick parking.
Restore Moisture
Certain seeds such as melon seeds and sunflower seeds tend to become moist and soft when exposed to air for a prolonged period. However, by placing these seeds in the refrigerator for a few hours, they can become dry and crispy again.
Preserve the Shape of Boiled Egg Yolks
After boiling eggs, cutting them in half with a knife immediately can easily cause the yolk to become distorted and deformed as it sticks to the knife. To ensure smooth, well-shaped cut yolks and present beautifully boiled eggs, it is recommended to refrigerate the eggs for approximately 1 hour before cutting them.
Accelerate Bean Ripening
To expedite the ripening process of beans, simply place them in a pot, add water, and bring to a boil. After boiling for a while, turn off the heat and allow the beans to cool before refrigerating them for approximately 2 hours. Once removed from the refrigerator, the beans will be tender when cooked for about 10 minutes.
Facilitate Easy Chestnut Peeling
Boiled chestnuts often stick to their shells, making them difficult to peel. However, by cooling the boiled chestnuts in the refrigerator for a few hours, they become much easier to peel.
Improve Fried Rice Quality
Prior to frying rice, refrigerating it for a few hours ensures that the rice grains remain firm. This results in delicious fried rice with a texture comparable to that of restaurant-style fried rice.
Reduce the Bitterness of Bitter Melon
To minimize the bitter taste of bitter melon, it is recommended to refrigerate it for a few hours. This will allow you to enjoy the cooling and refreshing fruit without experiencing an overwhelming bitterness.
Prevent Tears when Cutting Onions and Garlic
Many individuals experience stinging eyes when peeling or cutting onions and garlic. A simple solution is to refrigerate these ingredients for a while before using them. This will help alleviate eye irritation.
Preserve Fish Freshness
To maintain the freshness of fish for a specific period before cooking, you can pour water into the fruit tray in the refrigerator and place the fish in it. When you’re ready to cook, you’ll have a fresher fish to work with.
Straighten Wrinkled Clothes
Fabrics such as cotton and silk tend to become wrinkled after washing. To resolve this issue, place the slightly damp clothes in a plastic bag and refrigerate them for a few hours. When you remove the clothes from the refrigerator, they will be flatter and more presentable.
Eradicate Bookworms
If you’re dealing with bookworms in your books, simply place the affected book in a thin plastic bag and refrigerate it. Within approximately 12 hours, the bookworms will be eliminated.
Restore Soap Hardness
Soap left in humid conditions for a prolonged period tends to soften and melt easily. By placing the soap in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes, you can restore its original hardness.
More Useful Advice for Homemakers (Part 2)
Have you heard of the surprisingly easy tips to make cooking and household chores simpler? White radish eliminates the acrid taste of salted meat, adding alum to raw shrimp helps soften it, and adding cold water when frying eggs can make them crispy – these are just a few of the tricks to make your life easier.