Do you want more reasons to love potatoes? This vegetable is already our favourite one to eat. From crispy snacks to wholesome soups, potatoes can be used to make a wide variety of delicious treats. But that's not all they're good for. The particular composition of potatoes, scientifically speaking, makes them a great solution for several household problems. All the more reason to always keep them stocked at home! From stain removal to puffy eyes, potatoes can actually help you in numerous instances. Check out some of them below.
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Here Are 6 Non-Food Uses Of Potatoes That May Surprise You:
1. To shine your cutlery
Use the water leftover after boiling potatoes to make tarnished silverware shine again. Photo Credit: iStock
Don't throw away the water after boiling potatoes. Soak your pieces of silverware such as forks, spoons, butter knives, etc. in the water and keep them there for around an hour. Later, rinse them well and wipe them clean. You will notice that any tarnish has been removed and that they have a nice shine to them! The next time you run out of silver polish and need a quick alternative, you now know what to do.
2. To remove stains and rust
You can use potatoes to remove food stains from hands, grime from glass surfaces/windows, as well as a little rust from tools and utensils. In all three cases, all you have to do is cut the potato in half and rub it on the stained/rusted part. Then use water to rinse as required. The oxalic acid of potatoes helps get rid of the rust, and you can also add salt for better results.
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3. To make hot or cold compresses
Don't have a hot water or ice bag for your compresses? No problem! Just use potatoes instead. Wrap a boiled potato in a clean cloth or sock to make a hot compress. Similarly, use a wrapped frozen potato for a cold compress. Simple and handy, this method has been traditionally used to ease many ailments.
4. To reduce puffiness of eyes
Place potato slices on puffy eyes for quick relief. Photo Credit: iStock
Puffy eyes or eye bags are a common problem. A simple hack to ease puffy eyes is to lie down and cover them with cooled potato slices. They have a soothing effect that can help reduce puffiness and bring some quick relief.
5. To prepare face masks
Mashed potato paste as well as potato juice can be used as ingredients for homemade face masks. They both can help you get glowing and supple skin. The juice may even aid in tan removal. Click here for some DIY masks that feature potato juice.
6. To absorb excess salt
This use is food-related, but not in the conventional way. Apart from actually making dishes with potatoes, they can also help you reduce the saltiness of other preparations. For instance, adding just a few slices of potato to your curry, soup, or stew can allow them to absorb excess salt and restore balance in the flavours. You may also choose to add bigger pieces of potato.
Have you ever tried using potatoes in any of these ways? Let us know in the comments below.
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