Any hand sanitizer with isopropyl alcohol works for this, so keeping a small bottle in the car during cold months means never getting stuck outside with a frozen car door lock.
A Frozen Lock Trick and a Faster Way to Slice Meat

A squirt of hand sanitizer on a frozen lock does more than clean hands. The isopropyl alcohol lowers the freezing point of water, melting the ice inside the lock within seconds.
Unfreeze a Lock With Hand Sanitizer
Freeze Meat Before Slicing
Meat that needs to be thinly sliced for grinding or a stir-fry is much easier to cut after 10 to 15 minutes in the freezer, even with a razor-sharp knife. The brief chill stiffens it up just enough.
Got a handy tip of your own?
Reply and let us know, we love hearing your tips.
This edition is part of the Genius House Hacks archive: 20+ years of tips, rebuilt from the original Handy Hints newsletter. Browse more hacks →