Sweet, sweet sugar. Is there anything you can't do?
Depending who you listen to (i.e. your mum and the Daily Mail) you’ll know it’s responsible for everything from childhood obesity to the unstoppable rise of the Illuminati.
What you won’t know, however, is that this crystallised carbohydrate is also quite handy for other lesser-known day-to-day uses - the very handiest of which have been compiled for a brand new video by HouseholdHacker.
But then you’re a person who doesn’t have time to watch videos. You’ve got a bag of Tate & Lyle to buy - so, the nice chaps we are, we’ve whittled the highlights down to show you the best alternative uses for the white stuff.
Make flowers last longer
Not only does it help medicine go down, adding a tablespoon of sugar every time you change the water can also extend the life of flowers.
Super boost your grass
When mixed with soil, sugar can enrich its microbial life within soil and be a powerful condensed source of energy. This also works for the blades of grass too.
Prevent baked goods from going stale
Storing baked goods can be a hassle. We’d much prefer eating them. But if you insist, storing them in an airtight container with a few sugarcubes will go miles to stopping them from getting mouldy. This even applies to cheese, weirdly.
Eliminate grass stains
Ruined your jeans pretending you’re Lionel Messi in the back garden? Fear not - add half a cup of sugar into a bowl along with enough water to make it into a paste, apply this to grass-stained clothing, let it sit for 30 minutes and wash it like usual. The sugar contains enzymes that break down the chlorophyll pigments in grass. Obviously.
Easily get dirt/grease/oil off your skin
OK, we’re starting to sound like domestic demigod Barry Scott now. Just bear with us. Mix equal parts sugar and liquid soap, rub it together in your hands and you’ll be able to help remove oil and grease in the wake of some emergency bike/car repair. Why? Sugar is just abrasive enough that it’ll help pick up speckles of dirt the soap can’t, and also leave your hands feeling nice and soft.
Get rid of wasps
Worried a winged menace will ruin your barbecue event? Mix half a cup of sugar with two cups of water in a pan and bring it to the boil. Throw a little black pepper in there too. Let the mix cool, pour inside an open bottle or jar. Soon the wasps will gravitate to the sweetness and find themselves trapped in the sticky liquid as opposed to smack bang in the middle of your overcooked hotdog.
[Images: HouseholdHacker, Shutterstock]
