The ubiquity of the freezer as we know it has a surprisingly short history — only since the post-war era of the 1950s have most households owned a freezer. But, boy, is it hard to imagine life without one now! Ice cream and cold drinks at the drop of a hat! The life of perishable foods measured not in days or weeks but months or years! Indeed, there’s a lot to love about freezers.
There’s more you can do with your freezer than making ice and storing TV dinners, though. From craft projects to laundry, read on for some surprising ways you can get the most out of your freezer.
FASHION
Make Your Tights and Hose Last Longer
There’s nothing worse than getting a rip in your stockings — but tossing ‘em in the freezer can actually help extend their life. Get your new tights wet, squeeze out as much water as you can, stick them in a plastic bag, and freeze for about 12 hours. Let them dry and come to room temperature before your first wear.
Stretch Out Shoes
Just had to buy those perfect flats on mega-sale even though they’re a little snug, huh? Luckily, you can stretch them out a bit. Fill a sealable plastic baggy with water, seal tightly, stick it in the shoe and put it in the freezer overnight. The baggy will probably be stuck to the shoe, so carefully remove it (use a butter knife if need be) without letting the bag break. Repeat process once more if necessary.
Remove Gum from Your Shoe
Uh oh — stepped in gum? One easy way to remove it is to put a piece of paper over the gum and freeze the shoe for 1-2 hours. The frozen gum should come off your shoe with ease.
Freshen Shoes
Smelly shoes can be remedied by sticking ‘em in the freezer. Put the offending pair in a sealable bag,
Prevent Fuzzy-Sweater Shedding
Love that comfy-cozy fuzzy sweater, but don’t love how much it sheds? Put your favorite cardigan in a sealable plastic bag and freeze it overnight. It’ll help prevent those stray fibers from ending up everywhere.
BEAUTY & HEALTH
Keep that Lipstick Fresh
Lipstick does best when it’s stored in cold temperatures — so the freezer is the absolute best place for it! Store your tubes, especially those wild colors you only wear occasionally, in the freezer so it stays nice and fresh as long as possible.
Sharpen Eyeliner Like a Pro
Before you sharpen your pencil eyeliner, stick it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. That way, when you sharpen it, the point will be as precise as possible.
Soothe Sunburns
One great way to soothe that horrible burn? Freeze aloe vera in ice cube trays! It’s the ultimate way to relieve the pain.
Store Natural Beauty Products
The preservatives and additives rife in conventional beauty products are not typically so rife in natural products. That’s why storing them in the fridge (or, if you use them more sparingly, the freezer) will extend their lifetime.
FOOD
Salvage Practically-Burnt Food
Your last ditch effort for salvaging that nearly-burnt food? Put it in the freezer ASAP! The temperature shock will stop overcooking dead in its tracks and, hopefully, prevent it from ending up in the compost. Working quickly, transfer the almost-burnt food item to a plate, bowl or what have you that isn’t hot and stick it in the freezer for a few minutes.
Make the Ultimate Iced Coffee and Tea
Freeze cubes of coffee and tea and stick ‘em in your next iced drink for maximum flavor potential.
Stock Your Kitchen
Sauces like marinara and pesto, stocks, broths, wine, buttermilk — these perishables can be easily frozen and are great to have on hand in the kitchen. It’s best to work based around what you can’t freeze — watery vegetables like cucumbers and celery, eggs in the shell, soft cheeses and emulsions like mayo and cream.
Make Individual Smoothie Packs
Love a morning smoothie but don’t love the time it takes to measure out all of those ingredients? Do it ahead of time! Measure out the fruits and veggies you desire in individual plastic bags (you can reuse them later!) When morning comes around, toss all of those ingredients along with 1 or 2 cups of liquid and enjoy!
OTHER GREAT USES
Salvage Your Hard Drive
Did your hard drive crash? One time-honored remedy for recovering it is to pop it in the fridge. You need to be very careful, here, however — it’s not just as simple as tossing it next to the frozen peas. Read all about what to do here.
Restore Water-Logged Books
Books damaged by water can be helped, at least a bit, by the freezer. You can read more about the process here.
Extend the Life of Batteries
Storing unused NiMH and NiCd batteries in the freezer to drastically lengthens their lifespan; regular ‘ol alkaline batteries will also last longer in the freezer, but not by nearly as much. Be sure to bring them up to room temperature before using the batteries, though!
DIY Stencil Art
Design your own awesome tops, tote bags and more with a little help from the chill!
Kill Bed Bugs
Let’s hope this is one tip that you’ll never have to use. Freezers can actually kill bed bugs, as long as you follow specific instructions, like making sure the freezer temperature is below a certain degree, that you leave items in long enough, and more. Read all about how to kill bed bugs in the freezer here.
Prolong the Life of Candles
Freezing candles before use can actually extend their life quite a bit — up to double the burning time!
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