31 Things You Had No Idea You Could Do With Coca-Cola

Clean a Toilet Bowl

The picture has circulated around the internet for some time and it turns out Coca-Cola can clean rust spots on your toilet. The slight acidity of Coca-Cola can remove stains of all kinds. These are the facts you never knew about Coca-Cola.

 

Make a Barbecue Sauce

A little Coca-Cola can add just the right flavor to a barbecue sauce. It’s a popular ingredient to use for a barbecue sauce and make grilling a little more refreshing. Find a recipe at right here at Taste of Home.

Fertilize Plants

Some plants love the delicious taste of that caramel-colored soft drink Coca-Cola. Well, some plants like azaleas and bergenias like the light acidity of the drink in the soil. If you’re thinking of getting houseplants, read these tips for keeping them alive in winter.

 

Clean Milk Stains from Clothes

It seems unusual that a dark cola could remove a milk stain but the claim exists. After letting the milk stain soak in Coca-Cola for around five minutes, just throw it in the wash. This is why Coca-Cola tastes so much better at McDonald’s.

Clean Eyeglasses

Have dirty glasses? Just pour some Coca-Cola over your lenses, wipe dry and repeat with water to get rid of any sticky residue. Here’s why Coca-Cola’s logo is red.

 

 

Tenderize Meat

Coca-Cola can do wonders in the kitchen, especially with meat. Its acidity can tenderize meat and work as one heck of a marinade. Check out this ribs recipe. If Coca-Cola makes you feel like a kid again, take a look at some vintage kitchens.

Loosen Rusty Bolts

The little amount of phosphoric acid a can of Coca-Cola contains can produce big results with rust. Let some Coca-Cola soak on a rusted bolt for a while and then try to remove it. If that can of cola doesn’t provide the answer then check out sure-fire ways to loosen bolts.

Neutralize Skunk Odor

According to some, Coca-Cola has the power to remove the oils from a skunk spray. It seems a bit dubious but you’d better exhaust all options if you’re having trouble getting rid of the smell of a skunk. Here are more ways to banish bad smells from your home.

Soothe a Jellyfish Sting

The exact healing capabilities of Coca-Cola on jellyfish stings remains a topic of debate, but according to an Australian study from 1993, Coca-Cola reduced the pain and the reaction to a sting between 25 to 75 percent. Vinegar is the best option, but who’s running around with vinegar in their bag at the beach?

Window Cleaner

The Coca-Cola formula even extends into cleaning windows. The citric acid works like other cleaning products with citrus fruit to remove smudges and streaks from windows. Take a look at these other tips for clean windows.

 

Bug Control

Coca-Cola is great at bug control it turns out but for different reasons than you might think. The sweet syrup of Coca-Cola and other soft drinks attract ants, which feed on the larva of pests that plague crops. A 2004 article by BBC News said farmers in India turned to soft drinks as pesticides because they were cheaper than pesticides.

 

Gum Remover

Since Coca-Cola contains phosphoric acid, it neutralizes the stickiness of the gum. After soaking the affected hair in Coca-Cola for a few minutes, the gum should slide off. Bookmark this page and learn how to get gum out of anything.

Dish Washer

Much like removing rust, Coca-Cola can clean up cast-iron skillets in a jiffy. Check out these other tips for cast-iron skillet care.

 

Compost Invigorator

A sluggish compost pile can be energized with a shot of Coca-Cola. The citric acid will spur decomposition of organic material and attract the micro-organisms that help compost piles. Not familiar with composting? Find out how to start composting at home.

Paint Remover

The chemical makeup of Coca-Cola makes it a viable option to remove paint as well from metal objects. Or if that fails, try soaking the piece of metal in hot water.

Oil Remover

The phosphoric acid in Coca-Cola proves tough on oil stains around the garage. Pour some room-temperature Coca-Cola over a stain, let it soak overnight and soak it up the next day by blotting the area. Coca-Cola’s new Insiders Club is an all-access pass to the latest drinks.

Coca-Cola Cake

Coca-Cola isn’t a just a delicious drink, it can transform into a delicious treat you can eat. Countless recipes incorporate Coca-Cola but one in particular sounds extra tasty: Coca-Cola cake.

Lawn Care

Coca-Cola combined with other unusual ingredients can help a lawn, according to Wise Bread. A can of cola, a can of beer and a ½ cup of liquid dishwashing soap, along with a ½ cup of household ammonia and a ½ cup of mouthwash will keep a lawn green. The soap helps the mix penetrate the roots and the ammonia promotes growth to keep a lawn green. These other pantry items can help your garden grow.

Get Rid of Hiccups

Everyone has a cure for the hiccups and for every person there seems to be a special cure. Coca-Cola, when gargled, can cure the hiccups. Avoid these baking hiccups the next time you’re making a cake.

Clean Tile Grout

Coca-Cola’s magical cleaning powers extend into tile grout as well. Let the grout soak with Coca-Cola for a few minutes and then wipe it up. Check out more tips for cleaning kitchen grout.

Remove Stains from Vitreous China

Like using Coca-Cola to clean a toilet bowl, the soft drink can be used on other vitreous china surfaces around the home like a sink. This clever toilet paper trick can refresh your entire bathroom.

Remove Marker Stains

Coca-Cola will help remove permanent marker stains and pen marks. Soak the stain and scrub to remove it. Here’s some advice for getting your spring cleaning done more quickly.

Add to Sloppy Joe Mix

A cup of Coca-Cola can spice up a sloppy Joe recipe. This recipe from The Cake Chica sounds delicious. We blind taste tested cola brands to settle which was the best, once and for all.

 

Glaze a Ham

Ham tastes sweeter with a couple of cups of Coca-Cola. This recipe from Lake Geneva Country Meats in Wisconsin calls for two cups of Coca-Cola.

 

Chrome Cleaner

Mythbusters tried using Coca-Cola as a chrome cleaner and found when used with aluminum foil it did a better job than the leading chrome cleaner. Try it out for yourself. Also, make sure you’re not cleaning your car with a Magic Eraser.

Remove Glue

Folk stories of using Coca-Cola to remove glue are out there. Whether it’s floor glue or super glue, the soda can break down the adhesive properties of glue and save you some money along the way.

Relieve a Headache

Coca-Cola was invented as a headache cure when it first hit the market. The caffeine in Coca-Cola can help relieve a headache by reducing inflammation and making aspirin, ibuprofen and acetaminophen work faster. Peppermint can also help ease a headache.

Clean Mold and Mildew from Clothes

Putting Coca-Cola in your washing machine doesn’t seem like a great idea but a can of Coca-Cola with the usual laundry detergent can remove mold and mildew from clothing. It’s also pretty good with stains and grease.

Make Beans not so Magical

Soaking beans in water or Coca-Cola can reduce gassiness from consuming beans. Here are 7 surprising foods that can make you gassy.

Plastic Bag Dispenser

To make it easy to stow and reuse plastic bags, make a dispenser from a discarded 2-liter soda bottle. Cut off the top and bottom with a razor knife. Trim any jagged edges so you don’t tear the bags when you pull them out, then screw the dispenser to a cabinet door or closet wall (or attach with hook-and-loop tape). Click here for more kitchen storage ideas.

Instant Tool Holder

Store chisels, files, large drill bits, screwdrivers and other long tools so they’re both visible and close at hand. Simply cut off the top from a clear 2-liter plastic soft drink bottle, leaving a flap for hanging. Use smaller bottles, which are extremely common household items for smaller tools. Next, read about 12 more ways you can cook with cola.

The post 31 Things You Had No Idea You Could Do With Coca-Cola appeared first on Taste of Home.

Nick Gerhardt