While we wouldn’t exactly recommend putting a sack of potatoes in your household cleaning kit (but we do recommend keeping them in the pantry and using them for meal planning!), you might be surprised to learn that basic spuds are good for making quick work of some household chores. Here are some smart ways to use potatoes for otherwise annoying or difficult cleaning jobs.
Clean a rusty cast iron skillet.
A quick science lesson: Potatoes contain oxalic acid, which helps to break down rust. So you can use a potato to restore a rusty cast iron skillet. Just cut the potato in half (lengthwise or crosswise), dip the cut end in dish soap or baking soda, and rub it over the rusty areas. If the end of the potato gets slick, slice it off and dip the newly cut end. Repeat until rust is removed and then rinse and dry the item.
Or rusty knives.
While you’re de-rusting, you can clean rust off of other things you have hanging around, too. This trick works on knives, scissors, baking pans, and other household tools.
Remove tarnish from silver.
Planning to boil some potatoes for dinner tonight? Save that starchy water when you’re done. You can drop in tarnished silver pieces and let them sit (for at least an hour). When you pull the pieces out, you’ll be able to wipe them dry and remove the tarnish.
Clean and de-fog your glasses.
If you wear glasses, you’re likely struggling with them fogging up while you’re out and about and wearing your face mask. Turns out, you can rub the lenses with the cut side of a raw potato and the starch will help reduce fog buildup without obscuring your vision.
Clean up broken glass.
Break a glass or a dish? You can (carefully) pick up the big pieces and sweep up the smaller ones. But those little shards that are almost impossible to see? Those can easily get left behind. Grab a raw spud — or really any other larger root vegetable — cut it in half, then press the cut halves around the area. The glass will stick into the potato. Note: We do recommend wearing cloves while you clean up broken glass.
Lift minor stains.
A potato isn’t going to lift an entire glass of red wine out of a white carpet, but dabbing the cut side of a raw potato or even some of that potato water on a small stain will help.
Bonus Idea: Use the mesh produce bag to make a DIY pot scrubber.
You know those mesh produce bags you get when you buy a big bag of potatoes? Instead of throwing them out, turn them into pot scrubbers! Place a sponge inside the bag, secure it with a zip tie, and clip the ends.
Patina With a Potato
Yes, you can patina brass using potatoes. First, cut a potato in thin slices and let the pieces sit out uncovered until they turn reddish-brown. Fill a glass or plastic container with enough vinegar to cover the piece of brass you’re wanting to patina. Next, add one tablespoon of salt for every 1/2 cup of vinegar. Add the potato slices to the container and let the brass sit in the mixture until a patina starts to form, typically about one to two days.
Starchy Stamp
Cut a potato in half and score the desired shape into the flesh. Next, cut the outside edge of the potato to expose the carved design. Cover your newly-created stamp in a layer of paint using a foam paintbrush, and stamp away.
All-Natural Glass Cleaner
Out of glass cleaner? Try a potato. Slice a potato in half, and rub the potato using a circular motion on the surface of the glass until it is covered in a starchy film. Next, spritz water onto the glass, and wipe the surface with a towel. The results will blow your mind.
Shattered Bulb Removal
Have you ever had a lightbulb break off in the socket? Never fear, potatoes are here. Slip on a pair of work gloves, cut a raw potato in half and you’re ready to take back your lamp. Press the raw potato into the shattered light bulb and once secure, simply untwist the light bulb and voila!
