Written by: Giulia Simolo
Think ice cube trays are only for ice? Do you see wine bottles as nothing more than needing to be thrown into the recycling bin once they’ve been emptied of their contents? If so, then it’s time to open your mind! There are some great eco-friendly uses for common kitchen items just waiting to be discovered. The bonus is that they might make your life a little easier. Here are some treasures lurking in your kitchen.
Beer as a cleaning agent
Eco-friendly living means that you want to use harsh chemicals as little as possible, especially when it comes to cleaning in the kitchen. Beer is surprisingly a great way to polish pots and leave them shining without requiring chemicals. It also doesn’t cause any damage to metal. The ideal way to clean your pots with beer is to use a soft cloth dampened with the liquid and gently buff away.
Vinegar to de-germ
This is a great multi-purpose cleaner. Mix with water in a spray bottle and use it to clean many areas of your home, such as stovetops, toilet bowls and floors. Besides for being a great cleaning product, vinegar also kills germs. The best part is that your living space won’t smell like vinegar because the scent vanishes once it dries.
Baking soda to freshen up
To keep your linen or clothing closet fresh and clean, keep an open box of baking soda in the cupboard. This will prevent any musty smells from developing and it’s a much healthier option than using fragrances which seep into linen and clothing.
Tin foil when painting
When painting your home it often happens that you end up splattering paint all over other surfaces, such as doorknobs or window sills. To prevent this from happening, wrap some tin foil over doorknobs or sheet it across windowsills.
Easy highlights with lemons
Using hair colour can lead to scalp allergies and there have been claims that it could even lead to illnesses such as cancer in the long run. If you have light hair and you’d like to freshen it up with some subtle highlights, let two sliced lemons simmer in hot water for about an hour, then pour the liquid into a spray bottle. Apply it on dry hair and sit outside in the sun if you want to speed up the process. You’ll end up with lightened hair that doesn’t require a trip to the salon or the use of harsh chemicals.
Ginger those burns
When you get a nasty burn, don’t reach for your medicine cabinet. Rather take some ginger root and apply some fresh juice onto the burn. Ginger is known as a great skin healer and it helps to reduce inflammation.
Use bottles as bookends
If you’re bored with your shelf or you don’t have enough books on the shelf so they keep falling over and looking messy, use old bottles as bookends. These are great because they add something eye-catching on the shelf. You could even go one step further and cover the body of the bottle with some pretty wrapping paper.
Ice cube trays
If you’re sick and tired of losing small items like safety pins, tiny hairclips, beads and buttons, store these types of assortments in a colourful ice cube tray. This will make them easier to find and it gives your ice cube tray more usage.
Olive oil as a beauty treatment
We are always told about the amazing benefits olive oil can have to our wellbeing thanks to its healthy fats, but did you know it can also be used as a beauty treatment? For starters, olive oil can be used to de-fuzz your hair. Just comb some olive oil through your hair when it’s dry to keep frizz at bay on humid or cold days. Don’t use too much, though, as you don’t want any excess oil to be left behind and cause your hair to look or feel greasy. Another beauty treatment is to use olive oil for your cuticles. Simply rub a bit of olive oil over your cuticles to keep them soft or soak your fingers in oil and water before getting a manicure so that your hands will be smooth.
The liveeco team
