15 Surprising Uses for Potatoes

Potatoes form part of the staple diet of many people around the globe, and they are tasty however they are cooked, but did you know that there are many more uses for them than just eating them?

Here are 15 ways you can put potatoes to good use:

1. Soothe Burns

If you get a minor burn, apply a slice of raw potato in a compress to help relieve it.

2. Craft Stamps

I’m sure most of us remember using potato stamps to paint with as kids, but you can actually create grown-up textile patterns using them too.

3. Absorb Salt

If you over salt your soup or casseroles, don’t panic. Cube some potatoes and put them in, preferably in the pot while the food is still cooking. They will absorb a fair amount of salt, then you can just discard them.

4. Reduce Puffy Eyes

If you don’t have any cucumbers to put on your eyes, try slices of raw potato instead – they’re just as good at reducing puffiness around the eyes.

5. Remove Skin Stains

If you have stained your hands during food prep with foods like beetroot or turmeric, rub the stained skin with a piece of cut raw potato.

6. Cook Muffins

You can make muffins with sweet potatoes, and they give the cake a moist yet filling texture.

7. Shine Silverware

Rubbing tarnished silverware with cut potato is a great non-toxic and eco-friendly way to clean it, instead of using chemicals. You can also soak silverware in cooking water left over from boiling potatoes.

8. Geranium Growing

If you grow geraniums, try sprinkling some shredded potatoes around the soil they’re planted in – it will help them thrive.

9. Make Creamy Soups

If you’re looking for a non-dairy alternative to cream in soups, try some pureed potato instead. They give a creaminess to soups without extra fat and cholesterol, and you can leave the skin on for fiber and B vitamins too.

10. Remove Rust

To remove rust from metal, rub with a bit of cut potato to bring back the shine. If there’s a lot of rust, add some salt for extra scouring power, but test a small area first to make sure the salt won’t scratch the metal.

11. Potato Face Mask

Puree some raw potato with water to form a paste, then spread over your face. Leave for around half an hour, then rinse off thoroughly.

12. Remove Broken Lightbulbs

Can’t get a broken lightbulb out of the socket? Cut a potato in half, then press gently onto the remaining glass and carefully unscrew. More glass may fall when you press the potato down, so make sure you’ve got something underneath to catch the glass.

13. Soothe a Headache

It may be a last resort, but if you have a headache and no medication to take for it, try massaging your temples with slices of raw potato.

14. Soothe Itchy Skin

Apply sliced raw potato under a compress until the itchiness is relieved.

15. Natural Glass Cleaner

Take the smudges and grime off glass with raw potato, then wipe the residue away with a clean cloth.