8 Extraordinary Uses for Garlic

Cooking is one of the most common uses you are likely to find for garlic. It is actually a species of onion that produces a bulb with a distinct flavor. It is often used to add taste to many different types of dishes. It is also common to find garlic as an ingredient in herbal medicine. You can do much more with garlic than simply eat it or steep it in a tea, however. Here are eight extraordinary uses for garlic you probably haven’t heard about before.

1. Use as an Adhesive 

When you crush garlic, you might notice that it has some juice that comes out of the cloves. When you rub this between your fingers, you’ll notice it is a little sticky. This juice can work as a sort of glue or resin in a pinch. You should be able to use it on light paper crafts. You can even rub the juice into hairline cracks on glass to help the glass stay together. Just wipe away the excess juice after rubbing it on.

2. Treat Icy Surfaces

If you have a driveway or a sidewalk by your home that gets slippery from moisture and cold temperatures in the wintertime, garlic salt is a great way to create traction on such a surface. Most people use special rock salt or sand to help de-ice their driveways, but what if you don’t have any on hand? Just sprinkle the garlic salt on the surfaces you wish to de-ice.

3. Create a Natural Pesticide

Using one to two tablespoons of liquid soap and a quart of water, you can create a natural pesticide to help control the pests invading your garden. This pesticide works by dehydrating insects through cell membrane disruption. If you put one to two heads of garlic in a jar and cover them with boiling water, then put a lid on the jar and let it sit overnight, you can add it to the soapy mixture in the morning for an even stronger natural pesticide. When you use the garlic variation, make sure to freeze any leftover soap, as the garlic will decay if left out.

4. Mosquito Repellent

Mosquitoes have a natural aversion to garlic, which is probably where the rumor started that garlic repels vampires. Crush up some garlic and rub it on your skin to create a natural bug repellant. If you don’t feel like rubbing it on your skin, you should also be able to repel plenty of mosquitoes by just leaving cloves out in areas where you don’t want mosquitoes to bother you.

5. Treat Acne or Cold Sores

Garlic contains antibacterial properties, which can make it a possible solution to fight acne or cold sores. Just cut in half one clove of garlic and rub it over the area you wish to treat. It may help to clear up your complexion, or it may work as well as some commercial treatments for cold sores.

6. Fight Athlete’s Foot

There are many commercial products available to treat athlete’s foot, but have you ever tried garlic? Garlic hates fungus. All you have to do is crush some cloves and add them to warm water. Soak your feet in the garlic water for at least 30 minutes to help treat your foot fungus.

7. Create a Natural Disinfectant

If you’re one of those people looking for a natural way to clean your counters and various surfaces in your home, garlic makes a great disinfectant. Combine three to four cloves of garlic and a few drops of lemon oil in a spray bottle of white vinegar. Use it on any surface in your home that needs a little disinfecting.

8. Use for Overall Good Health

One reason why garlic is so popular in cooking is that it is good for your health in general. It is thought to help prevent cancer, fight off viruses, boost your metabolism and even be good for your liver and heart. Cooking minced garlic in hot water for five minutes, then straining out the garlic and drinking the water is even thought to help with colds. For the best health results, you should eat one to two cloves of garlic every day.

Find a New Use for Garlic in Your Daily Routine

There are a variety of ways you can use garlic. Remember that while it is great for you, it is inadvisable to feed garlic to your pets, as it can be unhealthy for animals. Try adding one of these extraordinary uses for garlic to your daily routine. The results might surprise you.