The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

Our kitchens are packed with foods that have so much more use than for eating. That might be a strange idea in itself, but some are even more useful as powerful tools to use around the house than they are in cooking – people often forget that the food properties that are either have a negative or positive impact on our bodies, also effect other things.

From fashioning an ant killer solution out of pepper, to using mayonnaise as a moisturiser, here are eight foods whose uses around the house are just as effective as they are on your plate.

Peanut Butter as…Glue Remover

Besides acting as a source of vitamin E, magnesium and potassium, peanut butter is also a great gum and glue remover. Just let it sit for a few minutes on any gum or glue covered surface and its natural oils will help in loosening the sticky texture and easily wash it all away.

 

Cayenne Pepper as…Ant Repellent

Ants hate the smell of cayenne peppers, so the next time you find a line of ants marching at home, just sprinkle the pepper around them. You can also make a cayenne pepper solution where you pour hot water on a couple of sliced cayenne peppers then leave for 24 hours before you remove the peppers and use the solution.

Coffee grounds as…Odor Remover

Whether its your hands or your clothes, coffee grounds can kill malodorous smells by simply rubbing some ground coffee on your hands or placing them near the source of the bad smell and it will absorb the odors right away and leave a pleasant smell of coffee.

Ketchup as…Polisher

Love it or hate it on your food, ketchup can be used to polish copper and silverware and accessories. By applying ketchup in smooth and circular motions and letting it sit there for a couple of minutes before wiping it off with a wet cloth, your flatware will look good as new.

Eggs as…Hair Conditioner

Being an essential ingredient in baking and cooking, eggs play multiple roles outside of the kitchen as well. Egg yolks make for efficient hair masks that moisturise your hair as well as preventing hair-loss, whereas the whites mixed with honey make excellent facial masks that help in tightening and toning the skin.

Olive Oil as…Lubricant

Olive oil can be used as a lubricant for squeaky and creaky hinges, simply because of its slippery texture. It can also be useful in polishing furniture by mixing two parts olive oil with one part lemon juice and gently rubbing the solution in circular motion with a cloth for a polished look.

Lemon Juice as…Cleaner

Lemon juice is an excellent replacement for cleaners for its antibacterial and antifungal properties. Make your own lemon juice cleaner and spray it on top of dirty spots then let it sit there for a couple of minutes before washing it off with a damp piece of cloth.

Mayonnaise as…Moisturiser

It's beach season in Egypt and so sunburn is an issue that many will face. A quick and easy solution is gently rubbing mayonnaise over your sunburn; it will cool your skin as it acts as a natural skin moisturiser.