Alternate Uses for Eggs & Eggshells

We’ve all seen the commercials by the egg producers (the people, not the chickens) but it’s not just the incredible “edible” egg. There are alternate uses for eggs you may not have tried; along with some obvious ones.

1. Heal diaper rash – Separate the egg and let the white come to room temperature (you can use it cold but sore little bottoms will appreciate the warmer whites). Apply the whites to diaper rash and, if you need to dry it quickly, use a blow dryer set on the very lowest setting. It is absolutely amazing how quickly the diaper rash is gone!

2. Make birds happy – Crushed eggshells are a bird treat and they’re very good for female birds that are preparing to lay their own eggs. Put some crushed shells near a bird feeder or just scatter them where you know birds tend to peck at the ground.

3. Keep deer away from your gardens – Deer hate the smell of raw eggs. Break a few eggs to keep them away from your flower and vegetable gardens. A word of warning; the smell of raw eggs left in the sun isn’t the most pleasant odor for us, either.

4. Start your seeds – Break eggs in the middle and then wash them gently. Poke a small hole in the bottom of each half with a needle. Fill the shells with potting soil for the seeds you start indoors.

5. Leather cleaner – The sticky quality of egg whites also makes them good at cleaning leather. Separate eggs and use the whites to gently rub onto shoes, bags or even sofas, and then wipe off with a cloth. Egg whites also form a protective covering for leather.

6. Fabric whitener – Put rinsed eggshells into small cotton bag and add it to your laundry to whiten your whites.

7. Nourish your plants – Use the water in which you’ve boiled or poached eggs to give your plants a boost. Let the water cool and then use it to water your plants.

8. Nourish your hair – Eggs are a natural moisturizer, making it a great to make shampoo. Combine an egg yolk with olive oil and water. Wait for it to lather. Use the shampoo just as you would any other shampoo. The egg’s fat and nutritional contents will add shine and bounce to your hair and is perfect for hair damaged by pollution, chlorine, and the drying effect of the sun.

9. Nourish your body! Eggs are packed with protein, riboflavin, iron, folate, phosphorus, zinc, and vitamins B6, B12, E, and D; yolks are high in lutein and zeaxanthin, which protect vision. You can also bake empty shells for 8 minutes at 350°F then let them cool. Grind them into a fine powder in a blender (but be aware, when you open the blender you’ll get a “poof” of powder). Add the powder to juice or smoothies for a boost of calcium! You can even add the powder to your dog’s food to give him a boost.

10. Make an egg shaker instrument for kids – Create an egg shaker by emptying an egg through a small hole you make in the top of the egg. Put two teaspoons of uncooked rice inside the shell. Cover the opening with tape. Surprisingly, many adult bands are using egg shakers in their live acoustic performances!

11. Make candles – Use the eggshell as a candle mold. Pour melted candle wax inside an emptied eggshell and add the wick. You can even add a little perfume or scented oil. When the wax dries, crack the eggshell open. Viola! An egg shaped candle. To stand the candle on its own just carefully cut a bit off the bottom to make a flat surface.

11. Clean your silver jewelry – The Sulphur in eggs is wonderful for cleaning silver jewelry. Hard boil an egg and then crush the yolk into a small container with a tight-fitting lid. Place a paper towel over the yolk and set your silver jewelry on top of the towel. Seal the container a leave it for 24 hours. When the time is us just wash your jewelry carefully with soap and warm water. Dry it well. Although this method is a bit smelly it really works!

13. Cover a cut – The membrane from a hard boiled egg has healing properties which makes them great bandages. Just cover a small cut with a bit of the membrane and let the healing begin!

14. Glue stuff – Brush a thin layer of egg whites between the layers paper and light cardboard to glue them. This is a great substitute if you don’t have school glue. And it’s non-toxic, making it a good glue for little kids!

15. Clean metal – Crush eggshells finely to use on dirty pots and pans. The abrasive quality of the shells will scour them clean. Rinsing them down the drain afterward will also help clean the pipes.