As the weather gets warmer, your ice cube tray is probably going to become a bigger part of your life. Those precious cubes of polar cold are perfect for chilling your drinks, blending slushies, and even rubbing on the back of your neck when the AC hasn’t been fixed and it’s been four days and you don’t know why bad things happen to good people.
But did you know that ice is actually useful in other applications, as well? You can do a lot more than make things cold! And that’s pretty cool. (Sorry, I had to.)
1. Get chewing gum out of fabric.
Let an ice cube sit on the offending gum for a while to harden it. It will make it easier to scrape off. If the gum is on clothing, you can also stick the garment in the freezer.
2. Reheat rice in the microwave.
If you place an ice cube in the center of the rice and cover with a piece of plastic wrap before microwaving, your rice won’t get all dried out. (Just be sure to poke holes in the plastic, because no one likes an explosion.)
3. Make salad dressings thicker instantly.
Drop an ice cube into an oil-based dressing before shaking it up. The ice will cause the oil to cool and harden slightly, and you’ll have a thicker, creamier dressing.
4. Skim excess fat off soups.
Drop an ice cube (or two, depending on how much soup we’re talking about) into warm soup. Scoop them out a few seconds later with the hardened fat sticking to them.
5. Mask the taste of medicine.
Gross-tasting medicine is bad, but the lingering taste in your mouth afterward is worse. Suck on an ice cube after swallowing the medicine to both wash out the taste and numb your mouth slightly, which will diminish the taste even more.
6. Water plants without slopping water everywhere.
Place an ice cube in a potted plant for slow-release watering. It’s the perfect solution for when you’re going to be out all day. Just don’t let the cube touch the roots, because that can cause tissue damage.
7. Smooth out caulk and quicken drying time.
Run an ice cube along the caulk seam. This will both smooth out any imperfections and make it harden more quickly.
8. Steam away wrinkles in the dryer.
Toss a few ice cubes into the dryer with your clothes to create a steamy bath that will smooth out wrinkles in lighter fabrics. For heavier ones, stick to an iron.
9. Remove carpet dents.
Getting your carpet to recover after five years of a couch sitting in the same place is easy. Drop an ice cube into the dent and let it melt. Now that the carpet fibers are wet and pliable, brush out the dent.
(via Mashable)
Now that you know these little tips, you can show your ice cube tray a little love all year long.
