We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn More ›
Patch It Up
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.
Car Juice Boost
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.
Resist the Itch
Flickr via carolmartinez
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.
Beautify the Bathroom
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.
Soak Up Sweat Stains
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.
Preserve Cut Flowers
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.
Help Ingrown Hairs
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
Remove Rust Spots
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.
Treat Tough Calluses
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
Grow the Garden
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