Rare Uses Of Sugar

1. Ease The Pain Of A Tongue Burn

Image Source / HealthlineThere's nothing worse than burning your tongue, whether on your morning coffee or that slice of pizza that looked too delicious too wait. Well sugar can help ease the pain if you sprinkle a bit on your tongue afterwards.

2. Make Your Own Hair Gel

Image Source / WikipediaIf you like DIY beauty products to save a bit of money, you can make your own hair gel at home. Just mix a teaspoon of sugar with a cup of warm water and wait until it dissolves. You can then dip your finger in the mixture and apply your gel as you usually would!

3. Make Your Lipstick Last Longer

Image Source / WikipediaExtend the wear of your lipstick by applying a sugar mixture over the top of your lipstick. Apply your lipstick like you usually would, then put a sprinkling of sugar over the top. Dab some warm water over the top to get rid of the sugar residue. All done!

4. DIY Body Exfoliator

Image Source / HealthlineYou can put a teaspoon of sugar into a bottle or glass and mix up with the shower gel you usually use. Mix together and then you can apply to your body as a scrub - the coarse sugar granules will exfoliate your skin.

5. Or, Use As A Face Exfoliant

Image Source / IPSYIt's important not to use on your face the previous method, whilst in the shower or otherwise, because shower gel shouldn't be used on your face. Instead, you can mix a small amount of sugar with olive oil as a gentle face scrub/exfoliant.

6. Get Rid Of Hard Skin On Your Feet

Image Source / NHSExfoliate the hard, dead skin on your feet, too, by mixing sugar with any gel soap or shower gel you like. You can then use a pumice stone to rub in the exfoliant mixture and buff away the hard skin.

7. Fix Self-Tanning Mistakes

Image Source / The SunIf you've gone a bit wrong with the self-tanner and have certain bits that look blotchy or weird, sugar can help! Mix 1 tablespoon of sugar with a 1/4 cup of coconut oil and then apply and scrub to the areas where your self-tan hasn't applied correctly. It will buff away the excess self-tanner.

8. Wax Away Unwanted Hairs

Image Source / PinterestYou can mix 2 cups of sugar with 1/4 cup of lemon and 1/4 cup of water in a steel pot over the hob. Warm until the mixture turns dark amber in colour. You can then use this as wax with waxing strips, or to pull off without, to get rid of those unwanted hairs (but make sure to cool before using!).

9. Help Your Cuts To Heal

Image Source / WikipediaYou don't want to rub salt in your wounds, but sugar can sure work. You can sprinkle sugar over any small cuts and take advantage of the antiseptic properties of sugar. It can act as a mild disinfectant and may help to stop infection from spreading while helping the wound to stop bleeding.

10. Keep Your Flowers Fresh

Image Source / Sherwood FloristYou can make your own flower food by mixing 3 teaspoons of sugar and 2 tablespoons of vinegar to each 1/4 cup of water. You can then add to your flowers to keep them fresh and prevent bacteria from growing.

11. Remove Grass Stains

Image Source / RedditIf you've got grass stains on your trousers or anywhere else, you can make a DIY paste using sugar. Simply combine warm water with some sugar and then rub onto your stain. Let the mixture soak in for at least an hour and then wash your items as normal.

12. Pest Control For Ants

Image Source / National GeographicIf you're having a problem with ants in your home and need to tackle them, you can combine a mixture of sugar, water and borax salt (in equal parts) and then soak cotton balls in the mixture. You can then place the balls in the places where ants are entering your home. It'll attract them and kill them.

13. Trap Wasps

Image Source / Bob VilaObviously not for recreational purposes, but if you want to attract and trap wasps into a jar outside if you want to keep them from bothering you. You can make a syrup-like mixture by combining water and sugar, then put it into a jar outside.

15. Tackle Cockroaches

Image Source / WikipediaYou can mix baking power and the same amount of sugar to make a mixture you can pour over the areas of cockroach infestation. The sugar will attract the roaches and the baking powder will then kill them.

16. Stop Flies From Collecting

Image Source / WikipediaYou can make a strip to attract and stick flies to stop them flying about by creating a sticky mixture with sugar, honey and water. You can then prepare some strips of tape - brown tape is ideal - and put some holes in it with something on one end to hang it (like string). Then dip the strip in the mixture and hang wherever it is the flies collect.

17. You Can Melt Away Ice And Snow

Image Source / Ipswich StarMelt away ice on your car windscreen, or tackle any places around your home that you could do without snow or ice, like your doorstep or garden path. You can use sugar in the same way as you would salt - both work just as well.

18. Clean Your Coffee Grinder

Image Source / HomeGroundsKeep your coffee grinder squeaky clean by pouring 1/4 cup of sugar directly into the grinder. This will stop oils and bad odours from developing. You can also use the same method to clean nut grinders.

19. Create Fake Blood

Image Source / InstructablesPerfect for your next Halloween costume, or if you need to make your home look like a crime scene for a Halloween party. You can mix coffee water and corn starch with sugar to make a syrup. Then put in the fridge to let it cool and add whichever food colouring you like to create your chosen shade of blood.

20. Make Fake Glass

Image Source / EtsyMaybe it's another party prop or part of a creative hobby. Either way, sugar can help. Mix 3 1/2 cups of sugar with 1 cup of corn syrup, 2 cups of water and a 1/4 cup of cream of tartar. Boil the mixture (slowly) and prepare a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray. When it's ready, pour the syrup onto the sheet and allow it to cool (be careful! Even fake glass can still be sharp).

21. Make Your Own Sugar Skulls

Image Source / The Spruce EatsThe clue's in the name, so why not! Sugar skulls are traditional Mexican artworks from the Day of the Dead celebration. You can make your own skull sugar molds by using sugar, meringue power and water. Dry overnight and then decorate.

22. Make Sugar Cubes For An Artistic Hobby

Image Source / InstructablesYou can create sugar cubes and then use them for building objects or structures, like fun igloos for winter - perfect if you have kids to entertain (or entertain yourself, why not). You can stack them, dye them or glue them.

23. Make Your Own Charcoal

Image Source / RedditIf you want to make your own charcoal then mix sugar and concentrated sulfuric acid, in equal parts, in a safe beaker and create your own charcoal!

24. Use Sugar-Water For Babies Or Toddlers

Image Source / TechiescientistIt's true that a spoonful of sugar really does help the medicine go down. You can give sugar water to babies or infants before they have their shots to help ease the pain of the injection or make it a little easier.

25. Keep Your Baked Goods Fresh

Image Source / InsiderIf you're a fan of baking at home, whether cupcake delights or fresh bread, you can help keep everything fresh by adding some sugar cubes to an airtight container and then placing the baked goods inside.

26. Remove Dirt And Grease From Your Hands

Image Source / YouTubePerfect if you work with dirt and grease all day, like as a car mechanic; you can make a solution of sugar and a small amount of olive oil and rub the mixture over your hands to get rid of the dirt and grease build-up.

27. Stop Your Cheese From Going Off

Image Source / Business InsiderIf you're a fan of the stinky blue stuff, you can stop it from moulding by getting another airtight container and using sugar cubes to keep your favourite cheese freshly sealed inside it.

28. Soothe A Sting

Image Source / BeehiveHeroIf you're suffering through an irritating sting, like an ant or maybe a bee sting, you can soothe it by mixing sugar and water in equal parts and then making a paste to apply onto the sting. Leave the solution on the sting for 20 minutes to ease the irritation.

29. Keep Your Left Over Food Fresher For Longer

Image Source / Yahoo NewsIf you've made a batch of food that you're hoping to keep fresh for longer, such as work meals or leftover dinners, then you can find an airtight container (you'll need a lot of those for the food hacks on this list!) and add some sugar cubes to it so that the cubes can absorb extra moisture that could spoil your food.

30. Help Light Your Next Barbeque

Image Source / SheKnowsIf you've made all the arrangements for an awesome BBQ only to suddenly realise you're out of lighter fluid, as long as you've got sugar, you'll be all right. You can sprinkle some sugar onto your BBQ coals and light up. The sugar will be quick to catch light.