WE FOUND A FIX

9 Tricks to Improve Your Life*

1 Clean Cat Hair in a Pinch

pets We love our pets, but removing their fur from every piece of fabric in the house can be a major pain. Try this: Grab a dryer sheet (either new or used will work), and swipe it across whatever piece of furniture or item of clothing you’re trying to clean. The textured cloth will suck the fur right off.

2 Remember More of What You Read

learning With so much information available online, it’s easy to pick up a few new facts each day. But how many of them do you remember? If your answer is “not many,” consider converting your Internet browser’s font to Sans Forgetica. This new typeface is just hard enough to read that it prompts your brain to engage in deeper processing, and that, according to researchers at RMIT University in Australia, can help you remember more. Download it at sansforgetica.rmit.

3 Avoid Dry Eyes

health Decongestants decrease mucus production to help a runny nose, but there’s also a mucus layer in the “tear film” of your eyes. That means drying out your nose can lead to dry or itchy eyes, says Ray Chan, MD, an ophthalmologist at Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital. If your eyes itch more than usual while you’re taking a cold or allergy medication, try a different one.

4 Stop Businesses from Spying on You

privacy You may know that companies use “cookies” to track your online behavior and show you customized ads. You might also like to know that you can stop at least some of those companies from spying on you by going to networkadvertising.org. Click on the Consumer Opt-out button, and follow the prompts.

5 Don’t Use Dish Soap on Your Vehicle

auto Is your car’s exterior fading? You might be washing it with the wrong soap. Though many people use dish soap on their cars, it can strip out the waxes, oils, and resins that protect the paint from UV light. Better to invest in authentic car wash soap, which is designed to get rid of dirt and grease without removing the surface waxes and oils from the paint.