To show our mothers support this Mothers’ Day, we tried out a number of tips (read: old wives’ tales) widely promoted by mothers. How relevant are these theories when applied to real life? We put them to the test, so you don’t have to.

By Deana Zafir

Mom Tip #1: Drinking Coke and salt can cure your cough, flu, and fever.

The secret ingredient to mother’s health mix is rum

Growing up, my mother used to feed us two magic elixirs she claimed could help cure our bouts of cough, fever, and flu. The first elixir was none other than her favorite orange flavored fish oil, the second was a strange mixture of coke and salt.

Not sure if any of mom’s elixirs ever worked but as I was recently plagued with a deadly combination of a cough and flu, I decided to test her theory out.

Did it work?

Did it work? Not really. Unfortunately, mother did not specify how much salt was too much leaving me to sputter and cough after mixing a tablespoon of salt in. Skip the traditional elixir and stick to hot tea instead.

Mom Tip #2: Dry your shoes by putting them under the fridge.

For the love of god, buy yourself another pair of shoes man/Photo: Twitter (@TheReal_Kwaku)

If, like me, you leave things to the very last minute, this one would sound like a pretty nifty trick. Mom came up with this idea to dry my shoes under the fridge once when they were wet and I needed to wear them the very next day.

Word of warning: if you do decide to try this out, please don’t experiment on your expensive kicks.

Did it work?

It works! The heat emitted from the refrigerator did help dry my shoes out. The only problem was that my sneakers ended up looking extremely dehydrated, almost crisp. So, experiment at your own risk, sneakerheads.

Mom Tip #3: No iron? No worries! You can straighten out crumples by stuffing your clothes in the fridge before smoothening them out.

What a disorganized fridge. Why would anyone keep food in …oh wait, it’s mine…

My mom claims that back in her high school days, she used to fold her clothes and keep them in the fridge overnight – after which she’d “iron” them using nothing but her hands or a book.

Today, we use a pretty expensive iron and garment steamer in our house to help straighten things out but if the tip works, maybe we could skip ironing our shirts before work, saving us a whole five minutes. Imagine that! Five extra minutes in bed. Bliss.

Did it work?

It depends on the material of your garment. It worked on thicker, cotton garments (i.e. sweaters, hoodies). But for clothes made out of thinner, polyester material, it’s best to invest in a cheap iron. Or, lose those five minutes of sleep. Sorry.

Mom Tip #4: If a person is choking while eating, knock a pair of chopsticks against an empty bowl held slightly above their head.

Brb Ashley, Mommy’s going to Daiso to buy a pair of chopsticks

According to one of my friends’ moms, people “back in her day” would hit a pair of chopsticks against an empty bowl to help alleviate choking from food. I replied to the theory with a contemptuous laugh, thus ruining our friendship forever. But while researching for this story, it turns out, the theory is pretty common.

I decided the story wasn’t worth actually choking myself for, but an opportunity arose over the weekend when my brother accidentally choked on a piece of chicken satay.

I watched as the kid coughed and clawed at his neck, deciding whether to test the theory out or actually pull the chicken out of his throat.

I decided to test the theory out (does that make me a bad person?). But when I came out of the kitchen with the utensils needed to run the experiment, he had already spat the piece of chicken out.

Did it work?

Inconclusive. Meh, see above.

Mom Tip #5: Insomnia can be resolved by removing a mirror and/or any reflective surfaces in front of you.

So much for an early night/Photo: Pinterest

I suffer bad bouts of insomnia, so bad at one point, I needed medication to go to sleep. Being the traditionalist my mother is, she made me quit the meds and told me to hide mirrors and other reflective surfaces before going to bed. A theory most Feng Shui practitioners are familiar with.

Did it work?

Gif Source: GIPHY

I’m currently writing this article with two types of energy drinks in hand, so no, mom’s theory about mirrors didn’t work.

Know of any mom tips that work? Share them with us in the comments below.

Read More: 5 Songs to Help You Celebrate Mothers’ Day