This article was originally published on RealLifeDIY
Get Your Bathroom Crystal Clean
Generally speaking, Coke is an excellent cleaning solution. With its anti-grease and stain-removing properties, it’s always handy to have a bottle of Coca-Cola in your cleaning cabinet. So, of course, one of the best things you can do with Coke is to clean your toilet, especially if you’re trying to tackle tougher stains. Once a toilet stains, it can take a great deal of scrubbing and effort to get anywhere. However, Coke can make this process much more manageable.
Just pour a cup or two of the soda around the bowl, paying particular attention to your worst stains. Let this sit for an hour or two, then flush the toilet. Repeat this process for stubborn stains until you have a shiny-clean toilet bowl again.
Ditch Your Expensive Moisturizer
Keeping your skin moisturized is essential, but we all secretly resent the sinful amounts of money that go toward body lotions and fancy moisturizers. Suppose you’ve come to the end of your bottle of moisturizer on a particularly dry day or simply fancy a cheaper alternative. Why not reach for a bottle of Coke instead? Some people have claimed that leaving Coke on their skin makes it feel fresh and smooth.
So, try applying Coke straight after you step out of the shower. However, it’s worth noting that Coca-Cola themselves warned against using Coke as sunscreen, so be mindful not to step out into the sun with such a recipe on your skin.
Ward Off Critters
If your parents got mad at you as a child for spilling soda, you probably know that sugary drinks attract ants and can cause a whole lot of hassle when the stain is left alone. However, did you know that Coca-Cola can also be used to repel some insects? Some gardeners have been using soda as part of their routine for years. Leaving a bowl of Coke in your yard will ensure snails and other pests set their eyes on that rather than on your precious plants.
You can also use Coke as a wasp trap in the summer. Lastly, if all this wasn’t impressive enough, did you know that some Indian farmers use Coke as a pesticide in their fields? Pretty neat, right?
Clear Ice From Your Windshields
Winter is the season of coziness where we enjoy making the most out of staying at home, wrapped in blankets, with a nice cup of cocoa in our hands. Less comforting, however, is when you have to brave the outdoors and drive to work, only to find that your windshield has iced over. We've all been there, right? Unfortunately, defrosting an iced windshield can take forever - and is one of the least pleasant tasks to do early in the morning.
But, if you have a bottle of Coca-Cola to hand, you could save some precious time. Just pour the Coke all over your windshield, and allow it to work its magic all on its own. The Coke melts the ice so you can scrape it away with ease.
Settle an Upset Stomach
No one enjoys an upset stomach. Anything from slight nausea to belly aches can distract us from the more enjoyable things in life. If you regularly suffer from these issues, you might be in the market for new remedies to try. Did you know many people swear by slightly flat soda to settle an upset stomach? The key is not drinking too quickly or too much. Small sips, however, could make you feel better.
A little fizz helps settle the stomach, and the sugars help replace any glucose or fluids you might have lost throughout your illness. On top of this, Coca-cola is one medicine your kids won’t reject if they’ve been iffy about taking anything else!
Clean Oil Spills
Whether you are tinkering with your car engine or simply replenishing your vehicle with engine oil - this can frequently lead to a bit of spillage. It’s unavoidable, but nonetheless, a pain to clean up. Oil stains can leave unsightly marks in your driveway or garage. But, once again, Coke could have your back. Pour a can over the oil stain and leave it to soak in for a night.
After a few hours have passed, you can take a hose or pressure washer and rinse the mixture away. Voila - a clean driveway, free of oil stains. If this makes you wonder, the answer is yes: You can also use Coke to wash grease stains out of clothes.
Coca-Cola as a Shampoo
There is really nothing people haven’t rubbed into their hair before, and Coke is no exception. We ought to thank those experimental pioneers because, occasionally, a remedy sticks. No pun intended! Coca-Cola has found its way into the haircare routines of models and actresses, including Suki Waterhouse. She uses the soda wash once weekly because she believes it makes her hair wavy and tousled. Others claim hair treated with Coca-cola feels smoother and enables them to achieve more defined curls.
So if you are yearning for beach waves without the extra work or expensive salon visits, try washing your hair with Coke for extra volume and texture. Just be sure to thoroughly wash it out!
Fertilize Your Plants
It’s no secret that too much sugar is healthy for either you or your house plants. But did you know that this soda can be an excellent fertilizer for your plants when mixed with a great deal of water? So if you want to do the many plant babies you adopted during the Pandemic a favor, try mixing Coke with some water in a spray bottle. This mixture is especially effective in the earlier phases of your plant’s life.
It helps them grow like any other regular fertilizer. Just don't let them drink too much soda when they've grown to a riper age, as sugar can impede water intake.
Combat Jellyfish Stings
Here’s a truly unique application for Coca-Cola that, hopefully, you won't need. Suppose you regularly swim in the ocean or enjoy vacationing on the beach. In that case, you may experience a jellyfish sting. This is no pleasant affair and can be quite dangerous depending on what kind of jellyfish stings you. Hopefully, a lifeguard will be nearby to help. Alternatively, you may have to head straight to the emergency room.
But if this sting is not overly dangerous, rather just uncomfortable and/or painful, Coke is slightly acidic, which will help to relieve the sting, especially if the soda is kept cold.
Do The Dishes
Washing the dishes is one of those terrible chores that you have to repeat day in and day out. It’s a tedious affair, especially when faced with stubborn grime that won't come off your china. Fortunately, Coca-cola is an excellent addition to your dishwashing routine. It works wonders for soaking dirty plates, cups, and more. To tackle particularly tough stains, try mixing equal parts soda, water, and lemon juice to make a paste.
Then apply the paste onto the grime by hand or using a sponge, and let it sit for five minutes before rinsing it off. This should leave your dishes and kitchen surfaces looking as shiny as new.
Remove Blood Stains
Blood is a notoriously tricky stain to get out of clothes. There are dozens of tips and tricks that people recommend, including home remedies that have been passed down through the generations. But park these internet myths to the side because Coke is another remedy that could prove immensely effective. If it’s a surface you're cleaning, dilute the soda with some water and spray it on. Then, wipe it down with a soft cloth or, if appropriate, scrub with a brush.
Alternatively, if it is a clothes stain you're dealing with, pour Coke directly over the affected area and then add the item to your next laundry cycle. It’s that simple!
Rid Yourself of Hiccups
Our bodies are truly amazing, finely optimized organisms that often seem to function like well-oiled machines. That's until you swallow a little air, and suddenly you're plagued with hiccups that won’t seem to get away. Unfortunately, the cures for hiccups are also often unpleasant or cumbersome. Some swear by drinking water upside down, whereas others will jump out at you from around a corner, hoping to startle the hiccups out of you.
Try Coke if you're suffering from hiccups that seemingly won’t go away. Apparently, all you need to do is take a mouthful of soda to gargle with. You can also try drinking Coke through a straw or from the wrong side of the glass.
Get Gum Out of Your Hair
Chewing gum is a great way to relieve stress. That is until you blow a bubble and get some stuck in your hair - then it's a terrible hassle to deal with. For whatever reason, children are even more prone to suffering from gum-related accidents. Once upon a time, the only cruel solution seemed to be to cut the gum right out. However, Coca-cola presents a much more amenable solution.
Just soak your gum-stuck hair in a bowl of Coke. Or, if your hair isn’t long enough for that, pour Coke over the gum in your hair and let it soak in. After a while, you should be able to work it out using your fingers.
Say Goodbye to Milk Stains
If you’ve never had the misfortune of spilling milk onto your shirt or carpet, just take our word for it; milk is one of the toughest stains to remove. As a result, many an industrious person has wondered what to do about them. However, grabbing a bottle of Coke might do the trick. Coca-Cola helps you lift milk stains out of your clothing and is often easier to use than other stain-removing products.
All you have to do is add Coke to your wash alongside your detergent, and your clothes should come out clean. By the way, Coke is also great for removing lingering odors that might have clung to your clothes.
Pristinely Clean Tiles
Tiles are some of the most challenging things to clean in your home. Grease and dirt get stuck in tiny cracks and cling to the grouting, making it tricky to get rid of. As such, filthy tiles can make your home look untidy. While plenty of grouting cleaners are available in stores, they usually require a great deal of scrubbing and patience. Yet again, Coca-Cola could be an easier alternative. Just pour it onto your tiles and let it sit for a few minutes.
Then you can rinse it clean with water. However, if there are persistent stains, repeat the above in combination with an old toothbrush and some elbow grease to get the dirt out.
Tenderize Meat
You probably didn't think there would be a connection between soda and the cut of meat you were planning to throw into the frying pan later tonight. But according to rumors on the internet, Coke can be used to tenderize meat. As you'll hear throughout this listicle, Coke's soda recipe is acidic. So much so that some claim that it can dissolve meat altogether. But don’t worry; Coca-Cola won't completely dissolve your main dinner component.
The acidity helps make it soft before it's cooked. Just leave your meat soaking in Coke for a few hours to soak up the sweet flavor and grow nice and tender. Then, add a splash of ketchup to the marinade for a deeper taste. All that's left to do is enjoy your tasty dinner!
Coca-Cola Cakes
Baking is an excellent activity for unleashing your creativity, so it's no wonder that avid bakers have discovered the usefulness of Coke when baking cakes. Of course, a good cake's success depends on getting the ingredients and amounts just right for the chemical wonders of deliciousness to unfold. Some recipes use this soda because it already provides a good amount of sugar. Combined with flour, cocoa powder, and egg, you have all the ingredients for a decadent chocolate cake.
Many bakers also incorporate Coke into their frosting. There are even recipes that only need two ingredients, such as a bake mix and soda. In other words, coca-cola is an excellent addition to your pantry.
Polish Your Jewelry
Coke can be used to give a new shine and sparkle to old jewelry. When jewelry loses its polish from long-term wear, soaking them in soda can help remove the tarnish. You can use this technique on smaller pieces as well as chunkier necklaces. But avoid dunking gold in Coca-cola, as the acid can cause the color to significantly deteriorate. However, for optimum results, leave your non-gold jewelry in the soda for ten minutes.
Then remove your jewelry from the bowl and gently rinse in warm water. Then dry it off with a clean cloth. Voila, your precious jewelry should look as good as new!
Break Down Rust
DIY projects can quickly come to a halt if you encounter an old bolt that's so rusty you're having a hard time using your screwdriver or spanner to remove it. When faced with heavy rust, it’s challenging to determine which tools you’ll need for the job. Fortunately, there's no need to abandon your project if you have a can of Coca-cola to hand. This soda acts as a loosening agent.
You can soak a rusted bolt in Coke or use a scrubbing sponge doused with Coca-cola. Either way, the acid in the drink should cut through the rust and help you undo the bolt.
Use Coke Cans as Rollers
When it comes to curling their hair, beauty influencers worldwide, including Lady Gaga, have gotten creative. One nifty trick is to use Coke cans like rollers. Just wrap your locks around the can to give them definitive curls and volume. The best thing about this hack is that Coke-can-curlers don’t require any heat and are, therefore, much kinder to your hair. All you need for this hack is enough Coke cans to cover your head and bobby pins, hair ties, and hair spray to keep it in place.
Once the cans are secure on your head, leave them for a few hours. Then, when you take them out, you'll have newly curled locks cascading down your shoulders! Use empty, clean Coke cans - otherwise, you'll be carrying a heavy load!
Drink Coke to Remedy a Headache
When Coca-Cola was first invented, it was sold in pharmacies in Atlanta as headache medicine. Caffeine helps reduce inflammation and encourages other treatments, including painkillers, to work faster. But, of course, with the amount of sugar in Coke, it's not ideal for all health conditions and should be consumed in moderation. The ideal solution for drinking Coke to relieve headaches is to opt for a version with little or no sugar.
For instance, diet Coke or Coke Zero. Also, note that although caffeine can reduce headaches, it might trigger migraines for those that consume too much of it. So, again, we stress that for the best results, it's essential to use this hack in moderation.
Wipe Your Glasses Clean
If you rely on glasses for optimal vision, you're likely all too familiar with the frustration that is dirty glasses. Sometimes it can seem like no conventional way of cleaning your glasses gets them as clean and sparkly as you would like. This problem is exacerbated if you have oily skin or work somewhere where dust and grease frequently get your glasses mucky. Coca-cola works just as well for cutting through grease on glasses as it does anything else on this list.
So, clean your glasses in Coke and then with water. Ensure you let the water wash through all cracks and crevices to avoid stickiness. Then, give your glasses a dry and see how they look!
Give Your Old Coins a Shine
Old, grimey coins are a staple in cleaning adverts. You know the kinds we're talking about. Someone dips the dirty coin into a container of cleaning liquid, and they emerge as bright and as shiny as new. It looks like magic on TV, but it makes you wonder: Can you get your old coins back to that dazzling gleam at home? The answer is yes, and you don’t need fancy cleaning liquids for it. Instead, Coca-Cola will do it for you.
Just rinse the coin under clean water and then submerge it in Coca-cola for five minutes. Repeat this by rinsing with water again and returning the coins to the soda for another fifteen minutes. If there’s still dirt on your coins after that, gently brush it off with an old toothbrush.
Use Coke to Clean Your Chrome
Chrome is featured in many parts of your car and can get rusty and dirty over time. Unfortunately, this is notoriously difficult to remedy if you’ve been letting it sit for too long. Fortunately, Coca-cola truly is a miracle cleaning solution that, when combined with aluminum foil and rubbing alcohol, creates a deep cleanser. This mixture makes it much easier to remove rust from chrome than you might think. So next time your car needs a little love and care, just use a can of Coke.
Bumpers and grills rusting up? No problem. Dip the aluminum foil into the Coke and rub until the rest is gone. Coke isn’t a harsh chemical, so it’s pretty gentle on your vehicle.
Upgrade Your Garden With Greener Pastures
We’ve all heard the age-old adage: 'the grass is always greener on the other side.' Well, that might be because your neighbors already knew about this Coca-cola hack. But, fear not; we're about to let you in on the secret. Coca-cola forms part of a recipe that people claim leads to greener lawns. Add dish soap, mouthwash, and household ammonia to your shopping list, along with the soda. Bear with us!
Mix these ingredients in a spray bottle and dilute the solution with water. Then during periods of especially high heat, spray it over the grass for a lusher looking yard.
Neutralize Skunk Spray
Skunk spray and quicksand are up there amongst the threats childhood cartoons made us believe would be a more common issue than they actually are. However, of course, these threats largely depend on where you live. Some of you might have suffered a skunk spray attack in the past. If so, the best-known home remedy is to bathe in tomato juice. Nothing about this prospect sounds particularly pleasant. So we’re here to tell you there could be a better alternative: Coca-cola.
Wash in the soda for a few minutes, and then rinse yourself clean with water and soap to remove the stickiness from the sugar. This is just as effective for pets if they’ve gotten on a skunk’s wrong side.
Relieve Symptoms of Asthma
Over 25 million people in the U.S have Asthma. Interestingly, one thing found to help relieve symptoms is caffeine. The chemical helps open up airways, enabling you to breathe more easily. Many studies are looking into how this stimulant could even help prevent asthma attacks in the future. So while we wait for science to do its miraculous work, we can turn to Coke as a potential aid if you feel an asthma attack on the way.
However, inhalers are still your best bet, and you should always follow your doctor’s advice first and foremost. Perhaps there will be more caffeine-related treatments in the future. But, for now, a few sips of Coke won’t hurt.
Create a Compost Heap
If you have space in your yard, a compost pile is a great way to help the planet. Instead of food scraps going into landfill, you can utilize them by waiting for the food to decompose and then using the mixture in your garden to aid the growth of plants. In fact, some vegetables can even be grown directly in your compost pile. However, waiting for bio waste to compost naturally requires a lot of patience.
So, if you want to help nature along, pour some Coca-cola on top of your compost heap. The acid will help break down the scraps quicker. Of course, the amount of Coke needed will depend on your pile.
Whip up a Tasty BBQ Sauce
Coca-cola is a great ingredient for getting creative in the kitchen and putting a fresh spin on old recipes. So grab a can of Coke if you want to provide something novel and delicious at your next barbecue- or if you've just run out of BBQ sauce. This soda, combined with ketchup and a few spices, is excellent for mixing up a tasty barbecue sauce. Plenty of recipes on the web can instruct you on how to do this.
A Cola-based barbecue sauce isn’t just great for meat on the grill. You can also try it as a dip for food, a homemade pizza base, and pasta salads. Whatever you decide, you're bound to impress your guests!
Free up Garbage Disposal Blockages
You'll hear time and again throughout this listicle that the acid in Coca-has the magical ability to break down grease, grime, and dirt. So, unsurprisingly, Coke's also a great way to get rid of build-up in drains and garbage disposals that's caused them to get clogged. To hit the ground running with this hack, pour a generous amount of Coke down the garbage disposal and wait until the solution bubbles away.
To clear up after the treatment, pour boiling hot water down the disposal to remove any leftover residue. But don't pour boiling water directly over the device to avoid damaging any parts; let it hit the sink first and drain down.
Create Nostalgic Sepia Photos
Technology has spoiled us with how easy it is to apply a cool filter to our Instagram snaps. However, if your printed photography style is geared more towards an old-fashioned vibe, altering your photos to achieve this look is much more difficult. Fortunately, Coca-Cola can help. Just dip your snaps in a bowl of Coke to give them a beautifully nostalgic sepia tone. Just leave your photos in the soda for a few minutes, and allow the Coke to do its work.
Keep a close look at your pictures at all times to ensure they don’t soak for too long. Done well, you’ll be left with physical photos that rival Instagram filters.
Clean up Glue Stains
During craft projects, it’s all too easy to accidentally get glue everywhere and on everything that it doesn’t belong on. Once there, it dries quickly, making it terribly difficult to get out again. In many cases, people reach for sandpaper and paint thinner. Unfortunately, both are aggressive methods that can hurt your hands and damage the material/surfaces you’re trying to clean. In contrast, Coke is a safer way to break down adhesives.
It can also save you money in the long run, as some glue removers are pretty expensive. Let the Coke soak in on the glue drip for ten minutes before wiping it off with alcohol. This ensures the glue's removed with no residue left behind.
Create a Sugary Glaze for Ham
Foodies all over the web are going crazy for Coca-cola ham glazes - and with good reason! Ham tastes great when paired with sugary soda, so it’s no wonder this is a match made in culinary heaven. All that to say, we highly recommend trying this soda hack out for yourself at home. While Coca-cola sneaks its way into many a recipe, pairing it with pork seems to be an all-time favorite.
First, place your ham in a baking dish. Then mix together Coke, mustard, and brown sugar in a small bowl, and coat your ham. Finally, get cooking! It's that simple to do.
Erase Marker Stains From Your Walls
Pen marks are some of the most stubborn stains out there. They're notoriously tricky to get out of clothes. But, it might be even more worrying when you have to deal with the 'artwork' your children have left plastered all over your walls. To clean marker stains, mix Coke with soapy water in equal parts. Then apply the solution to the stain. Finally, scrub the stain with the mixture until the marker starts to fade, and reapply as necessary.
By the way, this also works for permanent markers. Before applying the solution over the stained area, just soak up all the excess ink first. Needless to say, the next time you get a marker stain, you’ll be glad to have a bottle of Coke in the cabinet!
Marinade Your Beans
Beans are exceptionally nutritious, but everyone knows they often have unfortunate long-lasting side effects. The best way to reduce the flatulence that comes from eating beans is to soak them in water first. But here’s an idea: Soaking them in Coca-cola does the same thing while also forming an excellent base for a delicious bean recipe. Pair this with ketchup, dijon mustard, molasses, bacon, garlic, and onions for a tasty bean dish.
Cook this in a pressure cooker or crockpot throughout the day. In the former case, allow the cooker’s release valves to work for ten minutes, then quickly release any build-up before you open the cooker.
Use Coke to Fade Unwanted Hair Dye
Although at-home hair-dye jobs are a great way to experiment with your self-expression and save money on expensive salon trips, it’s easy for them to go a little wrong. Maybe the color you’ve chosen didn’t turn out quite the way you expected, or perhaps you realized it simply isn’t the right tone for you. In those instances, Coca-cola is an excellent solution for helping you fade out the unwanted color.
First, pour diet-coke over your wet hair and leave it in for five minutes. Then rinse it off! This method works best on temporary hair dyes that you apply at home.
Make Some Fudge
Looking for a sugary treat? Yes, Coke is basically that in a bottle already. But why not get a little more creative by experimenting with Coca-cola fudge recipes you can make at home? Fudge is a great after-dinner dessert that satisfies a sweet tooth's cravings. The best part about this hack? It takes no more than ten minutes. To make this fudge, stir sweetened condensed milk into a mixture of Coca-cola and sugar and bring it to a boil.
There are many ways you can add extra flavor to your Coca-cola fudge. For example, marshmallow cream, chocolate chips, and even coca-cola extract. Once the mixture is finished, scrape it into a pan and leave it in the fridge for two hours to settle.
Use Coke Bottles as Storage Solutions
While this hack won’t blow any minds, it is good to remember that a good-sized coke bottle with its sturdy design can be used in various crafting projects. One of the simplest uses for an empty coke bottle is to use it as a storage container to keep your favorite crafting tools close at hand. All you need to do is cut a clear two-liter plastic bottle roughly in half.
Of course, this depends on how tall you want your container. Then, leave a flap where you can drill a hole to hang your container on the wall! While the bottom of the bottle is well-suited to storage containers, the top can be crafted into a DIY plastic-bag dispenser. Just cut off the bottle-neck end and feed your plastic bags into the larger opening at the top.
Remove Oil-Based Paint With Coca-Cola
Here’s a Coca-cola hack for DIYers and anyone on a cleaning frenzy. You can use Coke to help you remove unwanted paint coatings and stains. Just soak a towel in Coke and soap water and gently rub it evenly over the affected area. Of course, you’ll want to wait until the paint starts to warp so it's easier to scrape off. The best thing about this Coke remedy is that you can use it on so many surfaces.
You can clear paint from anything ranging from metal tools to furniture. So, if you're about to embark on your next paint job, have a couple of Coke bottles to hand in case of splatters!
Drink Coke to Relieve Constipation
There's nothing more uncomfortable than the belly aches and the lethargy that comes with constipation. If you struggle with this, you may be looking for cheap and reliable remedies. One such solution is to treat yourself to a glass of Coke. Thanks to this soda's caffeine content, you may find that drinking Coke help to get things moving again (if you catch our drift!). Interestingly caffeine can have a laxative effect.
However, we caveat everything we've just said by bringing to your attention that there isn't any scientific evidence to back this up. That said, having a small Coke glass certainly won't harm you.