20 Amazing Military Hacks To Make Your Day-To-Day Life That Little Bit Easier

Most of us would find it difficult to even think about doing the kind of work that servicemen and women take on to keep our country safe. But it turns out that there are many things you can copy from the military on a day-to-day level. Here’s a look at 20 hacks that will help make your life that little bit easier – taking in everything from preventing blisters to fixing loose threads.

20. Use duct tape to prevent blisters

If you enjoy spending your downtime walking across national parks or running half-marathons, then this tip could be a godsend. Shoes that are worn in the military aren’t exactly renowned for their high level of comfort. And so servicemen and women will often resort to a staple of the hardware store for help.

Yes, the humble roll of duct tape can be super handy when it comes to keeping blisters at bay. All you need to do is stick some over the spots on the feet where your sneakers, shoes or boots are most likely to rub against. For some extra protection, place a Band Aid on the same area beforehand.

19. Powder wound with sugar

You might want to make sure you always have a bag of C&H’s finest in your cupboards for emergencies. And we aren’t just talking about whenever a neighbor pops around to borrow a cup of sugar. Apparently, the sweet stuff can also be very useful when it comes to treating wounds.

That’s right: sugar can serve as an unlikely kryptonite when it comes to dangerous bacteria. Powdering an open wound with some may stop infection from spreading, until more conventional treatments can be applied. And it can be in its usual form or as a paste, too.

18. Shine your shoes properly

Military men and women pride themselves on looking the part whenever they’re on duty. And that extends to their footwear, too. It’s very rare to see a member of the armed forces without shoes so gleaming that you can almost see your reflection in them. But how can you achieve this?

Well, all you need to do is leave your everyday shoe shine on a little bit longer than you normally would – a quarter of an hour or so. Then place a heat gun or lighter over the surface and see it shine. You can also use a damp cloth as a final polishing trick.

17. Use Vaseline to start a fire

Starting a fire’s always one of the first lessons when you’re learning how to take on the great outdoors. But if you haven’t yet mastered this skill, then help is at hand. And you don’t need to head to Target to buy a fire-starter, either.

In fact, all you need to do is look inside your medical supplies cupboard. And if you happen to have some cotton wool and Vaseline, then you’re in luck. Simply scrunch the former into a ball and soak it in some of the latter. Then add a naked flame and you can keep warm for at least a few minutes.

16. Use maxi pads to treat wounds

There are several everyday items that you can use to treat a wound while you wait for trained medics to come to the rescue. Take maxi pads, for example. The sanitary product can help stem the blood from flowing if it’s fixed over the affected area using some duct tape.

In fact, maxi pads are much more versatile than you may think. As well as serving as a makeshift dressing for open wounds, they can be used to improve foot hygiene as well. Just leave one in your footwear and it’ll help with sweat absorption.

15. Adopt the military tuck

Forget Tan France from the hugely successful Netflix reboot of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. The military got there first when it came to tucking in your shirt in the most effective way. And it’s particularly useful for anyone who’s been on a diet or bought the wrong size.

If you find yourself getting ready for an important meeting, job interview or date and suddenly find that your shirt’s a little on the big side, fear not. Just use the fold-n-tuck method adopted by the armed forces. It’ll soon look as though it was made to measure.

14. Lose your tail

Now hopefully you won’t ever have to resort to this hack. But if you do find yourself wondering whether another vehicle’s been following the same route as you for a suspiciously long time, then try not to get too worried. There’s a simple way to determine whether you’re really being pursued.

All you have to do is make a turn, and then another, and then a further two in quick succession. Should that same vehicle still be in your mirror, then it’s time to seek help. Either phone the emergency services or head to the closest police station immediately.

13. Cure athlete’s foot

We can only apologize for including this particular military hack. Even more so if you’re currently tucking into your lunch. But as gross as it may sound, peeing while you’re scrubbing up in the shower can apparently be an effective way of treating the condition known as athlete’s foot.

And now for the slightly complicated science bit. Urine contains a substance called urea, which can actually be found in several anti-fungal medications. That’s because it helps with smoothing out the skin and enables the cream to work its magic.

12. Make your bed the military way

Making the bed’s one of those household chores that sounds relatively simple but often ends up taking much longer than you expect. And a lot of the time it barely looks any better than when you first got out of it. But the armed forces have this particular task sorted.

To achieve the tidiest look possible, simply fold the sheet’s side section before tucking it in. Once you’ve folded its footing part, use its side to form a straight angle and then also tuck that in. And voila, you now have a bed that’s fit for the neatest of soldiers.

11. Use a shirt garter

This particular military life hack will probably require you to make a new purchase. But if you’ve recently lost a lot of weight, then it’ll also save you from forking out much more of your hard-earned cash for an entirely new wardrobe. And it’s all to do with keeping your shirt in place.

Yes, if you’re struggling to get to grips with tucking your shirt in the right way then there’s another tactic you can use. Buy a garter and you never have to worry about anything spilling out over your trousers again. Military men and women often wear one during their working days.

10. Soak your footwear in water

You certainly don’t join the military if you’re looking for a job that requires sitting down constantly. Whether they’re marching around or training for combat, those serving in the armed forces will often spend the majority of their working days on their feet. And inevitably, shoe bites and blisters will form.

Thankfully for the servicemen and women who’re put through their paces every day, they’re able to prevent these types of foot sores. And all they do is use water to soak their boots in. It’s a softening method that anyone going for a long walk or run can use, too.

9. Preserve your night vision

Military men and women will often have to operate in the dark during their service. And many adopt a clever tactic whenever their night vision’s in danger of being compromised by an oncoming vehicle. It may sound risky, especially if you’re behind the wheel, but it involves closing your eyes.

If you find yourself about to pass a car with strong beams on the other side of the road, simply shut one eye. Then quickly do the same with the other once the vehicle’s gone out of view. This’ll help your eyes readjust from being exposed to the bright lights.

8. Tie your shoelaces properly

When you’re in the zone on a lengthy run, there’s nothing worse than noticing that your shoelaces have come undone. But the armed forces have mastered a way of tying them that should ensure you never have to worry about stopping mid-flow again. Oh, and it’ll reduce the chances of you falling flat on your face in public, too.

Yes, it turns out that all these years you may have been doing up your laces wrong. The best way’s to tie the knots above the laces. And if you also do so at the middle of the shoe then you can stop them from slipping to either side.

7. Use socks to keep drinking water cool

Keeping your drinking water cool when you don’t have a fridge to hand can be a difficult task. Most of us don’t tend to lug about a cool-box unless we’re going on a picnic or a camping trip. But it turns out that the things we use to keep our toes toasty can help.

That’s right: all you need to do to avoid drinking lukewarm water is find a spare sock – if possible a clean one, obviously. Then soak it in some good old H20 and place your water bottle inside it. This hack can come in particularly handy if you’re in terrain that’s very dry.

6. Efficiently pack your clothes

Men and women serving in the armed forces could even teach Marie Kondo a thing or two when it comes to saving space. The military are experts in the art of storing clothes. Just take a look at how they roll trousers, fold shirts and even make their underwear as tightly sealed as possible.

Of course, there’s a very good reason why this particular profession’s mastered clothes storage. Armed forces personnel have to be able to pack up and move with barely any warning. By minimizing the volume of luggage, servicemen and women can relocate with much less fuss than the average traveler.

5. Make your bed quickly every morning

You’ve hit the snooze button several times, wearily dragged yourself out of your pit and are just starting to feel slightly human again after a shower. Making the bed before you head out to work’s probably the last thing you feel like doing. For the military, though, it’s a vital part of beginning the day. But why, you may ask?

Well, just listen to the speech Admiral William McRaven, an ex-Navy Seal, gave to the University of Texas in 2014. He said, “It will give you a small sense of pride and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another. By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter.”

4. Use your diet to beat jet lag

There’s nothing worse as a traveler than enduring jet lag after a lengthy flight criss-crossing time zones. But there’s a way you can beat all the headaches, sleep disruption and general sense of bleugh: the four-day Argonne Anti-Jet-Lag Diet. And it was devised by none other than the U.S. Department of Energy back during the 1980s.

The diet involves repeatedly switching between the salads and soups of light-fasting days and the carbs and proteins of feast days. In 2002 military research concluded that adoptees were far less likely to suffer jet lag when heading on a westbound flight – seven times, to be precise. And you might be surprised to learn that number more than doubled during trips heading east.

3. Wear runners’ tights

Anyone serving in the military must face the outdoors in all kinds of weathers. And when it’s particularly cold, they have a secret weapon up their sleeves – or on their legs, to be exact. Yes, people in the armed forces swear by what are called running tights.

You mightn’t know that running pants will heat you up more than the majority of thermal items on the market. Even better, they’re easy to wear beneath standard clothing. And despite their name, you definitely don’t need to be a runner to feel the benefit.

2. Shower the military way

For some people a long, hot shower’s the perfect way to kick-start a day or to end one. But if you’re more of an in-and-out kind of person, then this military tip may appeal. And it’ll also help spare both water and expense.

So what does the armed forces guide to daily showering actually involve? Well, all you have to do is turn the shower off once your body’s entirely wet. Soap up without any H20 sprinkling from above and only turn the shower on again to clean away the suds.

1. Use fire to fix threads

The temptation to pull out a loose thread from a favorite item of clothing can be overwhelming. But in a YouTube video, military man Austen Alexander revealed there’s another method that doesn’t involve yanking it out with your bare hands. And it’s much more likely to keep the rest of the material intact.

Alexander explained that whenever he sees a loose thread in his uniform, he reaches for a lighter. He then burns off the stray piece of material. Of course, anyone trying this at home is advised to do it as quickly as possible to avoid setting the entire item alight.