1. Storing batteries in the fridge
It doesn’t help. A cold battery is a weaker battery, and when it warms up in the room it collects condensation on the case, which can cause the leak it was meant to prevent. A dry cupboard at room temperature is better.
2. Tapping the remote to wake it up
There’s a little truth in it. A tap on the end of a remote can nudge a tired cell against the spring contact for a moment. But it’s a short-lived trick, and it never makes a dead battery usable.
3. Rice fixes a wet phone
Rice does very little. It cannot draw moisture out of a sealed device, and starch can get pushed into the ports. Air the device out instead and give it a day or two before you try it.
4. Taking the tab off hearing aid batteries early
Pulling the tab starts the reaction, so a battery stored that way is slowly dying. Leave the tab on until the moment the battery goes into the aid.
5. Batteries die faster if you use them
They don’t. What really happens is that you notice a device working less well at the same time as the battery nearing the end of its life. The two just happen together.