Sugar truly deserves its place of honor in pantries around the world. It’s indispensable for sweetening up beverages like coffee and tea, and it adds delicious flavor to baked goods. But did you know that sugar has myriad practical household uses as well? From healing wounds to eliminating pests, here are 10 weird ways you can use sugar—without giving into your sweet tooth.
By Jamie Birdwell-Branson
Clean Your Coffee Grinder
After heavy usage, coffee grinders tend to get dirty and smelly. By grinding one-quarter cup of sugar in the appliance, you’ll blast away stuck coffee beans, eliminate excess oils, and reduce odor. Then, with your grinder refreshed, it’s time to enjoy a fresh cup of joe!
Keep Flowers Fresh
To extend the life of fresh-cut flowers, combine three teaspoons of sugar (which nourishes blooms) with two tablespoons of vinegar (which establishes proper pH levels). Dissolve the mixture in a quart of warm water, and pour it into your vase for longer-lasting arrangements.
Wash Grimy Hands
If you’ve undertaken a particularly messy gardening project, clean your hands by adding a little sugar to your soap. The sweet substance acts as an exfoliant to scrub the dirt away.
Stops blood flow immediately
Sugar can immediately stop the blood flow by accelerating the blood clotting process from minor cuts. Just sprinkle some sugar and witness how quickly it can heal the wound, this happens due to the antiseptic qualities of sugar that act as a mild disinfectant, which further prevent infections by aiding the blood clotting process.
Trap Wasps
When you’re dining alfresco, nothing puts you and your guests more on edge than a swarm of wasps, especially if you’re allergic to the pests. Catch the buzzing insects in a homemade trap consisting of sugar, water, and a plastic bottle
Nurse a Burnt Tongue
If you’ve ever taken a big bite of piping hot pizza, you understand the discomfort of a burnt tongue. Soothe soreness by sucking on a sugar cube or placing a pinch of sugar in your mouth; the sweet substance will temporarily dull the pain.
Exterminate Roaches
Does the sight of creepy-crawly cockroaches send shivers down your spine? Fill plastic bottle caps with equal parts sugar and baking soda, then place them around the house for easy, though not particularly quick, roach elimination.
Banish Grass Stains
Whether you got them by diving for a baseball or roughhousing with the dog, grass stains can be pretty tough to clean. Luckily, the enzymes in sugar can break down the stains and get your clothes looking new again. Simply combine one-half cup of sugar with one-half cup of warm water to form a paste, then apply it to the stained area. Let it sit for about an hour before washing the garment.
Make Food Last Longer
Have you ever had to toss a block of cheese or batch of cookies that expired too soon? Next time, test out this clever food-saving hack: Add a few sugar cubes to an airtight storage container to absorb mold-causing moisture.
Gives you that instant bright look
Beauty enthusiasts swear by this amazing ingredient. Sugar is the best natural scrub for your skin and there are several ways to use it. Just add one tablespoon of sugar and mix it with 2 tablespoon of coffee and ½ teaspoon lemon and scrub it gently. The results will make you fall in love with sugar.
It heals tongue burns
Suffering from a tongue burn due to a hot drink you had? Try sprinkling some sugar on your tongue and the pain should go away.
