Homes

8 surprising uses for eggshells

You'll never throw them in the garbage again.

Take the tang out of coffee. Simply grind an eggshell in a mortar and pestle, then add to the coffee grounds before you brew. The shells cancel out the bitterness, giving the coffee a gentler taste.

Use in the garden. Once you’re done with your morning cuppa, throw the coffee and shell mixture straight onto soil for a quick and easy compost. Alternatively, use a blender to grind the shells into a fine powder, then sprinkle it around the base of your plant for a slow-release fertiliser.

Keep away pesky pests. Scatter crushed shells around your plants to keep slugs and snails from reaching them.

Use as seedling pots. Half shells make perfect starter pots. Balance them in an egg carton and fill with soil and seeds. Once the seedlings are ready to be transplanted, crush the shell gently and take some of the bottom pieces away so the roots can grow through. Then pop it into your garden. As the eggshell decomposes, it feeds the seedling with extra nutrients.

In your beauty regime. Whisked egg whites make a fantastic face mask, but did you know that adding shell into the mix will give your skin a good buff while you’re at it? The next time you’re getting egg on your face, pop in one or two finely ground eggshells. Any dead skin will be exfoliated and the calcium from the eggshell also helps to boost cell regeneration.

To whiten linen. Crush the eggshells and tie in a calico bag, then boil with your yellowed linen.

As a cleaning aide. Baking soda is my go-to abrasive for household cleaning, but for those jobs that require something a little gentler, ground eggshell is an ideal alternative. Just mix with a little bit of soapy water and you’re away!

Dirty nooks and tight spots. Do you have a tall vase that is perfect for holding lilies, but grime builds up in the neck? It can be tricky to clean because the inside of the neck is so slim, but pop some ground eggshells inside it with soapy water, then give it a good swirl.

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