How to use a famous soft drink as a household cleaner
Every second, more than 23,000 pints of Coca-Cola are drunk around the world, which adds up to enough to fill 14 Olympic swimming pools per day (source).
Mexicans drink the most — 224 pints per year per person and Americans are the second most frequent consumers at 210 pints per person. But do we know exactly what is in cola? What appears to be the original ingredients of Coca-Cola show us why its a household product, but given what it can be used for, you might want to keep it under the sink instead of inside the fridge. Its removal powers, especially against rust, are already famous. We can do a lot of different things with a glass of Coke, but maybe we should think twice before we drink it!
1. Descaling a kettle
Coke has the same qualities as white vinegar. You just need to pour some inside the machine, boil it, throw away the hot Coca-Cola and rinse. Rub with a small brush if there is still some calcium residue and repeat if needed.
Tip: Coke also removes calcium left on the stainless steel sink very easily.
2. Restore burnt pans
It can happen… You're thinking about something else and forget the veggies in the pan. When you've realized that your lunch is screwed up, throw away what you can't save and pour Coca-Cola in the burned pan or pot. Warm it up on a low heat for 20 minutes. Then a sponge should be enough to give your pan a second life. Repeat the process if necessary.
3. Cleaning dirty dishes
You just need to mix a bit of Coke, dishwashing liquid and hot water together in the bowl. Then let it soak few minutes. Rinse and it’s clean!
4. To remove fat stains, blood, paint, ink and grease
For most people, when oil gets splashed on their t-shirt or they drop their toast butter-side-down, that's it! They say goodbye to their clothes or carpets. But let's see what you can do with Coke! For carpets, pour some of the liquid directly on the stain, let it soak in for 2 hours then clean it off with clear water. For clothes, pour a glass of Coca-Cola into your washing-machine along with your usual washing product. At the end, you will have your clothes back!
5. Remove chewing gum
Whether you have chewing gum stuck in your hair, on your clothes, the carpet or whatever, before you decide to cut it out, try this trick instead: Moistening the chewing-gum with Coca-Cola and letting it soak. You should be able to remove it without any problems! For the floor, add a little talcum powder to the mix.
6. Clean the toilet and bath tube
Take a can of Coca-Cola, open it, and pour it into the toilet. Wait between 30 minutes and 1 hour according to how dirty the toilet and brush are, then flush! The result is like an advertisement for a chemical household cleaner!
7. As a hair bleach
Your last appointment with your hairdresser wasn’t as expected? Or hair coloring attempts from the last costume party are still visible on your head? Coke removes (or at least blends) the color, meaning you'll be able to go out in public again. Clean your hair with 2 pints of Coke. It's not the easiest, but for the best results, soak your hair in a bucket for a few minutes. Then, wash your hair a second time with your usual shampoo.
8. To make your bumper shiny again
To clean metal, nothing is better than a bottle of Coke! Take a sponge and pour the drink directly on the metal. Rub it and it’s perfect!
9. Make the windows and windscreen shiny
After driving for a long time on the highway or after few months without cleaning the windows of your place, it can be hard to see what is going on outside. Pour a bit of Coca-Cola on your windscreen and let it soak for a few minutes. Rinse by rubbing and the flies will be removed like magic.
For windows, it's the same process. Just put the Coke into a spray bottle, so it’s not so messy!
10. Clean stains from red fruits or paint out of wood
The acid components of sodas will dilute the paint after few hours. For fruit stains, rub with Coke. Do not forget to rinse with clear water because it could also spoil the wood.
So, do you still want a glass of Coca-Cola?! It’s incredible to think it can do all this, but you find it in the "beverage" aisle. Maybe I'll think twice before drinking another one.