Isn’t it funny how the tricks our parents and grandparents have taught us are the ones that seem to work the best? Useful knowledge gets passed down from generation to generation, and the particularly special tips are the ones that stick around. Here are 8 “old-fashioned” life hacks that are still totally effective today.

1. Ketchup Polishes Copper

It may sound weird, but if you put a bit of ketchup onto a cloth, sprinkle salt on top, then rub the solution onto your copper, it will polish it right up.

To safely and effectively pick up broken glass, use a damp cloth to pick up the little shards. This is truly the best method there is!

3. Zip Up Zippers Before Washing Them

Always remember to zip up your zippers before throwing items in the wash! The teeth on zippers catch on other clothing, and will cause them to rip and wear more easily.

4. Get A Rain Barrel

Every home should have a rain barrel in the yard. If you place a rain barrel directly under your eavestrough spout, you’ll have free, recycled water to water your garden with.

5. Check Your Batteries

To find out whether or not batteries are still good, try out this trick. Hold the battery about one to two centimeters in the air, then drop it on to a flat, hard surface. If the battery bounces and lands on its side, it’s no longer good. If it lands upright, it’s still good.

6. The Knuckle Trick

If you’re wondering how many days are in each month, refer to this trick. Each knuckle and coinciding “valley” on your hands represents a month. The knuckles are months with 31 days, and the valleys are months with 30 days (or less, in February’s case).

7. Spelling Tip

Let’s face it — spelling isn’t always easy! To simplify things a bit, remember this saying: “I before E, except after C.” It will help you when spelling words with i and e, since it can be difficult to remember which letter comes first.

8. Disinfect The Proper Way

To get the most life out of your sponge as possible (or anything else made of fabric), simply dump it in a pot of boiling water for about 10 minutes. It will be disinfected after that.