TikTok is filled with genius hacks that claim to make everyday life easier, faster, or just more fun. With millions of videos showing quick fixes and clever tricks, it’s easy to believe they all work perfectly, but that’s not always the case. Some look impressive on screen, but don’t hold up in real life.
Instead of guessing which ones are worth trying, I decided to test a few popular TikTok hacks that I’ve come across on my For You page myself. From shrinking stretched-out hair ties in boiling water to putting a towel next to an onion being cut, I put these viral ideas to the test.
Here are the random TikTok hacks I tried so you don’t have to.
- ) Boiling Hair Ties
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I love using fabric hair ties. They hold my hair way better than regular rubber bands, which always seem to snap at the worst possible time and turn into a whole situation. Fabric ones feel softer, don’t tug as much, don’t dent my hair as much, and just work better overall for keeping my hair up throughout the day. But the downside is they stretch out pretty fast, and once they do, they get loose and stop holding my hair the way they used to.
I’ve tried just dealing with it or doubling them up, but that never really gives the same hold as a new one. So when I came across a TikTok claiming you could shrink the stretched-out fabric hair ties back to normal by boiling them, I was definitely curious. It sounded almost too easy, and I wasn’t sure if it would actually fix them or just ruin them completely. Still, it seemed worth a try. Surprisingly, it actually worked! After boiling them for a few minutes and letting them dry, they tightened back up and felt just like they did when they were new. This is one of those rare TikTok hacks that actually lives up to the hype.
Original photo by Jessica Pizzimenti - Microwaving An Oreo
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This TikTok hack claimed that you could turn an Oreo into an Oreo Cakester (a soft, cake-like dessert by the Oreo brand) just by adding milk to a cup with the Oreo and microwaving it. It sounded kind of weird, but also simple enough that I figured it was worth trying. If it actually worked, it would be such an easy way to make a quick dessert without putting in any real effort or making a big mess.
The idea was to put an Oreo in a small cup or bowl, add a little milk, and microwave it for a few seconds. I followed the steps exactly, expecting it to at least be somewhat close to what was shown in the video. But when I tried it, it didn’t really turn out like that at all. Instead of a cakester, I got a soggy Oreo.
Sadly, this one was pretty disappointing. It looked promising on TikTok, but in reality, it’s just a warm, soggy Oreo and not really worth trying unless you’re okay wasting a cookie.
- ) Cut Onions Without Crying
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Cooking is one of my favorite things to do. But I hate cutting onions because I always end up crying. Anyone who cooks knows how annoying it is when you cut an onion and immediately start tearing up, no matter how careful you try to be. It’s one of those kitchen tasks that always seems to come with an unwanted side effect. This TikTok I came across suggested keeping a wet paper towel near you when cutting onions to stop your eyes from watering.
This one sounded a little random, and I wasn’t totally convinced a damp paper towel could make that big of a difference. It didn’t really seem like it would stop the onion from reaching your eyes, but it was simple enough that I figured it was worth testing anyway. I just placed a wet paper towel next to my cutting board while I chopped, expecting it to make very little difference.
Surprisingly, this one actually worked. I’m not saying it eliminated the irritation, but it definitely made a noticeable difference. My eyes didn’t water nearly as much as they usually do, and the whole process was way more manageable.
I would say that this hack lived up to the hype. It’s super simple, doesn’t require anything special, and actually helps. definitely one I’ll keep using.
Alex Frank / Spoon - ) Sealing Food With a Straw
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This hack that I found was a way to vacuum-seal food using just a straw. The idea is pretty simple: you put food into a zip-top bag, seal it almost all the way, insert a straw, and suck out the air before quickly closing it shut. It’s supposed to work like a mini vacuum sealer and help keep food fresher for longer.
When I tried it, it actually worked better than I thought. It’s not perfect and definitely not as strong as a real vacuum-sealed bag, but it does help. This hack is especially useful for sealing things in ziplock bags that would normally go stale or go bad quickly, like snacks, baked goods, or even some leftovers. It’s a simple trick, but it can make a small difference in keeping food fresher without needing any special equipment.
After trying all of these TikTok hacks, it’s clear that not everything you see online works as perfectly as it looks—but some of them are actually worth it. A few, like fixing stretched-out hair ties and using a wet paper towel when cutting onions, genuinely made a difference and are things I’d use again. Others, like the microwaved Oreo, didn’t live up to the hype at all and were more of a disappointment than anything.
Overall, it really comes down to trial and error. TikTok can be a great place to find creative ideas, but it’s not always realistic. Some hacks are helpful, some are harmless to try, and others just aren’t worth your time. If anything, testing them out gives you a better idea of what actually works and saves you from falling for every viral trend you see.