As scrumptious as it is, garlic can be used for much more than culinary aid. Surprisingly, it has a myriad of practical, medicinal, and cosmetic uses that can make life a little easier and safer for your entire household. For example: did you know that putting a slice of garlic between splinter-laiden skin and a bandage will draw the wood from your body, or that holding a half-clove against a cold sore for just 10 minutes a day will heal your lip after just a few times? Below are 10 more incredible ways that garlic can help you spice up your day-to-day.
1) Glass Repair
Thoroughly crushing a clove and applying its sticky juice to hairline cracks in glass can help keep the glass together, preventing further damage. While this won’t work for major jobs like cracked windshields or shattered window panes, it might keep those spectacles together just long enough to drive to the eye doctor and get a new pair.
2) Homemade Glue
Similarly, the adhesive properties of garlic juice can be applied to light-weight adhesive needs, such as arts-and-crafts or literal cut-and-paste paper jobs. Again, avoid heavy-duty jobs. This is only handy when the objects are light-weight.
3) Hair-Loss Prevention
If you’ve been waking up with a hairy pillow, clogging up the shower drain, or cleaning out your brush a little more often, invest in a bottle of garlic oil. Massaging the scalp with garlic oil has been reported to slow the hail-loss process down considerably, and is recommended by many experts over more expensive chemical alternatives.
4) Fish Bait
Roll some dough-balls or marshmallows in cracker crumbs, cat food, and crushed garlic; it’s time to catch dinner! Oddly enough, the scent of the strange mixture seems to attract several species of fish, such as Bass, Catfish, and Trout. Yum!
5) Acne Treatment
Forget expensive cleansers like Neutrogena, Clearasil, and Proactiv. If regularly rubbed on affected areas, a half-clove of garlic will help acne-related complexion issues due to its high antibacterial properties. At a fraction of the cost, this is one remedy worth serious consideration.
6) Cough Syrup
Boil raw, minced garlic for five minutes, strain into your favorite mug, add honey for flavor, and relax. This garlic tea/cough syrup combo will help relieve inflammation and eradicate mucus; you’ll be breathing again in no time. Seriously, don’t forget the honey!
7) Mosquito Spray
Mince several cloves and place in an ounce of mineral oil. Let that sit for at least 24 hours, then strain into two cups of water. Squeeze a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice into the mix, pour into a spray bottle, and viola! Homemade mosquito repellent. You may smell like pasta afterwards, but that’s ok. I’ll take pasta smell over chemical smell any day.
8) Athlete’s Foot Combatant
Soak those puppies in warm water filled with fresh, crushed garlic for half an hour. After a few days, Athlete’s Foot will begin to clear the field. Garlic is a powerful and natural antifungal, and does wonders for this sort of ailment.
9) DIY Aphrodisiac
Not in the mood? Well, light some candles, draw a hot bubble bath, put the kids to bed, and eat some garlic (immediately followed by an intense toothbrushing; your partner will thank you). Garlic aids in circulation to the extremities. Among other benefits of this property, it serves as a sexual enhancement catalyst for men. Garlic is believed to not only incite initial arousal, but improve sexual longevity as well. You’re welcome.
10) All-Natural Pesticide
The same way garlic can be used as mosquito spray, it can also be used as a pesticide for your garden, though the process is a bit different. First, make a simple soap spray by mixing two tablespoons of liquid soap with one quart of water. Be sure to use real soap, not detergent. This is very important as the chemical compositions of each are very different. Next comes the garlic. Chop two heads of fresh garlic and boil some water. Make sure it’s enough water to completely submerge the chopped garlic. Let that mixture sit for at least eight hours. Finally, combine the two in a spray bottle. If you have any left over after use, be sure to freeze it. The garlic in the mix will rot otherwise, and you’ll have to start over.
The Takeaway
Practically, medicinally, and cosmetically, garlic has evolved to be planet Earth’s primo life-hack vegetable (not to mention what it does for flavor). A few cloves of garlic can replace harsh household chemicals, battle fungus, bacteria, and sickness, lure food, prevent baldness, and fix things, making your home a much safer and happier place. Buy some fresh garlic today, and see the difference it can make!