10 Household Headaches You Can Solve with Aspirin

From patching holes in drywall to removing bathtub rust spots, aspirin has some surprising household uses beyond the medicine cabinet. Next time you're looking to clean, soothe, or sow, consider harnessing the power of your generic headache helper to get the job done.

By Anja Sonnenberg | Updated Jan 13, 2017 01:05 PM

Patch It Up

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Patch Small Drywall Holes with Crushed Aspirin

If you need an in-a-pinch solution for patching drywall, look no further than your handy aspirin bottle. Crush a few pills and mix with water to form a paste, then apply the paste to the hole as you would spackle. Once dry, this strong solution forms an adhesive that can fix any patchy problem. 


Related: 10 Easy Repairs Never to Pay Someone Else For

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Car Juice Boost

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Use Aspirin to Jumpstart a Dead Car Battery

If you find yourself stranded on the side of a road with a dead car battery, don’t fret. Two aspirin dropped into the battery cell will react with the sulfuric acid and create a charge to jump-start the battery—which should provide enough juice to get you to the nearest gas station.


Related: 23 Brilliant Hacks to Help You Weather Winter

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Resist the Itch

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Mix Aspirin with Water to Stop the Itch

A minor insect bite can be an irritating nuisance, but once scratched it can become utterly unbearable. If you find yourself without an alternative remedy, soothe your itchy spot with an aspirin. Simply pop a pill out of the bottle, pour a little bit of water on it, and rub it over the bite.


Related: 10 Plants to Grow for a Pest-Proof Yard

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Beautify the Bathroom

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Make a DIY Bathroom Cleaner with Aspirin

If you've resolved to clean your bathroom only to discover that you've run out of supplies, don't postpone your chores. Instead, dissolve two aspirin in warm water to form a mixture that, when applied like any other bathroom cleaner, works quite well to remove soap scum and grime from counters and tubs.


Related: 8 Unusual Tips for Your Cleanest Bathroom Ever

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Soak Up Sweat Stains

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Pre-Treat Sweat Stains with Aspirins

Sweat stains can be embarrassing to have, and they're tough to get rid of. If you’re out of regular stain remover, crush several uncoated aspirin and mix with warm water. Apply the paste evenly to the affected area, and let it sit for a few hours before you throw the garment in the washing machine. You'll be amazed when your fabrics emerge both clean and stain-free. 


Related: 7 Smart Ways to Cycle Through Laundry Faster

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Preserve Cut Flowers

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Preserve Cut Flowers with Aspirin

It's always disappointing when a vase of fresh-cut flowers wilt after only a few days. To help blooms last longer, mix a crushed aspirin into the water before adding the bouquet. When you change the water, don't forget to add more headache helpers to keep your bouquet beautiful. 


Related: How to Help Your Houseplants Survive the Winter

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Help Ingrown Hairs

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Treat Ingrown Hairs with Aspirin

Ingrown hairs can become quite painful, but here's a remedy that will help reduce the irritating inflammation. Make an aspirin paste from crushed pills and water straight from your bathroom faucet, then apply it to the ingrown hair to aid in eliminating anything trapped in and around the follicle. This technique also works well on pimples.


Related: 9 Home Repair Remedies to Borrow from Your Medicine Cabinet

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Remove Rust Spots

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Remove Bathtub Rust with Aspirin

Bathtub rust spots are unsightly, but you don't need to make an extra trip to the store for a specialized stain-busting solution. Instead, crush up a few aspirin, wet the rust spots in the tub, and sprinkle the powder on top. Leave the coating on for 10 minutes before wiping away the paste—and the rust spots—with a damp cloth.


Related: 21 Ways to Spring Clean Your Whole House—Naturally

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Treat Tough Calluses

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Soften Calluses with Aspirin, Lemon Juice, and Water

To soften calluses, crush a couple of aspirin and mix with ½ teaspoon each of lemon juice and water. Rub the formula on the callused skin, wrap a towel around the area, and then cover with a plastic bag. Ten minutes later, wash the paste away, and rub the softened calluses with a pumice stone.


Related: 12 Ways to Clean House with Citrus

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Grow the Garden

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Mix Aspirin with Water to Combat Garden Fungus

Gardeners have been successfully using aspirin in the backyard for some time now to combat garden fungus and stimulate growth. For an effective plant fertilizer, dissolve one aspirin in a liter of water and distribute sparingly over the soil. Be careful not to use too much in one spot, as it can cause the plants to burn instead of thrive.


Related: 10 "Zero Dollar" Garden Hacks

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