Stop playing with your food and eat it! You may recall a time in your childhood when eating was only a secondary objective when you had a plate of food in front of you. Admit it or not, every kid has had a moment where they’ve had a little fun with their breakfast, lunch or dinner rather than consuming it.
You don’t have to be a kid to continue using food for purposes other than eating. There are plenty of ways to repurpose your food into tools for cleaning, decorating and getting other things done around the house.
Here are 5 easy DIY lifehacks that require no more than one or two food ingredients, a few simple steps and a resourceful attitude!
1. Remove Broken Light Bulbs with Potatoes
If a lamp topples over and the bulb cracks or shatters, it’s almost impossible to unscrew the bulb without cutting your hand or potentially tearing up the lampshade or material surrounding the bulb.
Unless, of course, a handy potato is there to take the brunt of the damage.
First and foremost, unplug the lamp from the outlet to prevent it from shocking you. Then, slowly jam the potato far inside the socket and unscrew the base of the bulb. Toss the broken pieces and potato in the trash, and replace the broken bulb with a new one.
Both you and your lamp escape unscathed.
2. Clean Your Microwave Using Lemon & Water
Let’s be honest — we’ve all had something explode in the microwave. Whether it’s reheated coffee or uncovered sauce, it’s only natural that your microwave retains bits and pieces of your food and beverages in the heating process.
Microwaves can get pretty grimey if you go without cleaning them for a week or longer. This makes it even more difficult to remove the stains when you finally get around to wiping down the interior.
Luckily, there are ways you can soften the remains of your food to make it easy to wipe it off.
Just fill a bowl with half a cup of water, then cut a lemon in half and squeeze the juice into the bowl. Microwave it for three minutes until the water boils. Then let the leftover steam sit for five minutes after it’s done.
Remove the bowl and turning plate and wipe the inside with a paper towel. Good as new!
3. Cheap & Easy Home Decor Using Food
Why shop for store-bought home decor when you can make your own with items in your fridge or cupboard?
A batch of dried lemon and orange slices can be transformed into table centerpieces or door wreaths with just a few simple steps.
Make your own bottle decoration by gathering a handful of uncooked beans, peas and grains, funneling them into an empty bottle, then filling the bottle with vegetable oil.
With autumn just around the corner, now’s the perfect time to try out a fall-specific DIY project to ring in the new season. You can also be thinking about how you want to carve your Halloween pumpkin.
And, when the holidays roll around, you can use dried fruit as part of your stringed garlands or Christmas ornaments.
4. Get Rid of Water Stains with Grapefruit
Did you know you could use grapefruit as a stain remover for metal, glass or porcelain surfaces?
It works on areas that typically amass water stains, such as sinks, faucets, bathtubs, wine glasses or mason jars. The citric acid from the grapefruit will wipe away these stains and leave a shiny surface in their place.
Simply cut the grapefruit in half, sprinkle some kosher salt on top, then scrub the surface. Immediately rinse off the area with water for a polished look.
5. Make Your Own All-Natural Air Freshener
You can also make earthy candles and air fresheners using fruits, vegetables and cheap pantry items.
A variety of natural air fresheners can be made with lemons and rosemary or instant gelatin.
Half an orange peel can easily be turned into an earthy candle — just scoop out everything but the center stem, then fill the peel with vegetable oil and light the stem with a lighter.
There are also tons of DIY ideas on how to make your own homemade potpourri, as well as air freshener pouches for your closet.