If you love eggs, you probably go through
lots of them every week. They’re so important for cooking, from a simple
hard-boiled egg to a fancy pavlova. The eggshells, however, often get
discarded with no second thought, like yesterday’s newspaper. That's a
crying shame because the shells have so many uses...
1. Skin-tightening face mask
Clean and dry the shells, then grind them with a mortar and pestle into a
powder. Mix the powder with an egg white, and then apply the paste to
your face and wait for it to dry. Wash it off, and you’ll be able to
feel the difference.
2. A household abrasive
Use crushed eggshells and soapy water to clean the insides of
containers, as well as pots and pans. Simply put the solution into the
container and shake it well. Oh, and it’s eco-friendly.
3. Clean your drain
Consider keeping some crushed eggshells in
your sink’s strainer – they’ll add another level of straining, and as
they break down, they keep the drain and pipes clean.
4. Help seedlings grow
Fill shell halves with soil and add your choice of seeds, place in an
egg carton and let it grow. Once the seedlings are ready, transplant
them with the shell into your garden to give them fertile ground to
start from.
5. Take the edge out of coffee
If your coffee tastes too bitter, just add a
clean, dry eggshell to your filter. The shells contain calcium
carbonate, which neutralizes the acidity in the coffee, thus reducing
both the bitterness and acidity levels in the coffee.
6. Compost enhancer
Eggshells break down rapidly in compost piles, adding some much-needed
calcium to the mix. Add the coffee grounds from #5 for even better
results.
7. Keep your garden free of slugs and snails
Sprinkle crushed eggshells in your garden to
deter slugs, snails, and even cutworms from eating your plants. If you
have deer in the area, you’ll be happy to know that they hate the smell
of eggs too.
8. Skin irritation remedy
Use apple cider vinegar to dissolve an eggshell (this should take about
two days), and then apply the mixture onto the irritated area for quick
relief.
9. Use the membrane
The membranes inside the eggshells are incredibly useful for a variety
of home remedies:
Apply to boils to make them go away
Apply on splinters or glass shards that you can’t easily remove with
tweezers – as the membrane dries out, it will pull out the splinter,
making it easy to remove.
Similarly, use on blackheads or to clear out pimples.
Place the wet side of the membrane on cuts or scratches, and let it
dry. Doing this will hasten the healing process and minimize scarring.
If you accidentally peeled skin from the sides of your fingernails,
apply the wet side of a membrane and let it dry. This should stop the
pain and help it heal quickly.
10. Turn them into fun molds
Blow out the egg and rinse the shell, and then fill it with chocolate or
Jell-O. Serve it to your guests peeled, or leave it in the shell and
let them discover the surprise on their own.