Onions aren’t just an easy way to add flavor to soup, a crunchy topping for your next sandwich or a great source of antioxidants with inflammation-reducing capabilities. These potent root vegetables actually have many strange uses that you’ve probably never heard of. From removing splinters to cleaning your grill, it’s time to take these eye-watering onions for a trip outside the kitchen.
Repel insects and pests
Though no one wants to walk around smelling like an onion, you can actually rub one on your arms and legs to help keep away flies and annoying mosquitoes when you go outside. Plus, if you forgot to apply adequate protection before braving the insect swarms of the great outdoors, rub a raw onion on the affected bite areas to instantly relieve pain and itching.
You can also try sprinkling chopped onion around your garden to help prevent unwanted visitors such as deer and raccoons from stealing a snack.
Splinter removal
Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, that irritating splinter just won’t budge. Instead of resorting to extreme measures to get it out, simply cut an onion in half and use heavy duty tape to secure it over the affected area. Wait about an hour and a half and the splinter should have been pulled out into the onion or be loose enough to remove.
Burn relief
When you burn your finger or hand on yet another hot pot or pan during dinner preparations, rub a piece of onion on the burn for instant relief. Plus, onions have antibacterial properties which can help clean the burn and prevent it from becoming infected.
Remove paint odor
There is nothing like a fresh coat of paint to brighten a room and make it feel like a new space. However, those heavy fumes can often be overwhelming and unhealthy, causing headaches and other ailments. Slice an onion and place it in a bowl of water in the newly painted room, leave it for about a day and you will notice a distinct decrease in the odor.
Clean your grill
It is easy to forgo cleaning your grill due to the hassle and effort it takes. Instead of ignoring it and letting rust build up on the grates of your grill, simply use a grill fork to stab a large onion and scrub away. You’ll be surprised at how well this works!
Keep avocadoes fresh
It can often be difficult to time the purchase of your avocadoes so that they are perfectly ripe when you want to use them. Don’t wait around and watch your expensive avocadoes turn brown. Stick them in an airtight container along with a slice of onion to keep them fresh.
Polishing metal
Over time, metal objects can lose their original shine. Things such as utensils, serving trays, or certain antique decor can be restored to a beautiful state with a little bit of onion polish. Chop up an onion and place the pieces in a bowl of water, then let it sit for a while and simply wet a cloth in the onion water and polish away. This trick can remove rust, wear, and even stains from metal. If you have a particularly stubborn metal object, let it soak in the bowl for a few minutes and wipe clean.
Frost prevention
Rubbing half an onion on your windshield before a cold night can help prevent frost from forming and make it easier to get to work in the morning without having to wait for your windshield to defrost.
Soothe a sore throat
Though it is not the most desirable drink, a glass of onion tea can do wonders for an uncomfortable sore throat. Using the papery skin of about four onions, and a cup of water, combine these ingredients on the stove and bring to a boil. Keep cooking until the water is tinged the color of the onion skin. Strain out the skins and drink your onion tea. The results will be well worth it!
Remove burned rice taste
Cooking rice properly is an art form, and we’ve all been guilty of burning the bottom of the pot. Unfortunately, this leaves a terrible burnt rice taste throughout the whole batch. Try cutting an onion in half and placing the cut side down on top of the rice. After a few minutes, you can enjoy your rice again without any burnt flavor.
-Susan Patterson