You can use this household staple for more than baking. Here's our list of clever sugar uses and simple DIY projects!
8 Brilliant Sugar Uses That Have Nothing to Do with Baking
Updated on Jan. 19, 2024
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Sugar plays a role in sweetening everything from chewy cookies and our best brownie recipes. Sugar also caramelizes while baking, which creates that beautiful golden brown color on many treats. But sugar isn’t just for baking!
While we most often use sugar in the kitchen, this ingredient can be put to work in other rooms of the house, too. Read on for clever sugar uses that are sure to surprise you.
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Extend the Life of Flowers
Sugar can provide nourishment for flowers. Once you get home with a fresh bouquet, put it in a vase with 4 quarts of warm water. Add in 3 teaspoons of sugar and 2 tablespoons of vinegar. The vinegar will help keep bacteria from growing, while the sugar promotes the opening of blooms.
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Keep Cookies Fresh
Once you’ve baked a batch of perfect chocolate chip cookies, the last thing you want is for them to dry out. Soft, chewy cookies can be kept for days with the use of sugar. Store your cookies in an airtight container, and add a sugar cube along with them. The sugar cube will help absorb any moisture in the container that can cause cookies to lose their texture.
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Make a Quick Sugar Scrub
While sugar scrubs can be store-bought, they’re also quite simple to make at home. Mix together 4 teaspoons of sugar and 2 teaspoons of honey for a quick and easy scrub. Scrub it on your lips and then rinse with lukewarm water. The abrasive quality of the sugar will help to exfoliate lips.
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Remove Grass Stains
Have pesky stains on clothing? Grass stains are particularly tough to remove—but sugar can help. Mix together a paste of sugar and water. Scrub it on the stains, allow it to sit for 30 minutes and then wash the piece of clothing. The properties found in sugar can help draw out the stain.
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Scrub Your Hands
If you just finished a project, leaving your hands covered with paint, grease or other grime, it’s time for sugar. Sugar is abrasive, making it perfect for handwashing. Wash your hands as normal, but put a spoonful of sugar in your hands with your soap. It will help to remove dirt while exfoliating at the same time.
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Keep Cheese Fresh
Keep your cheese fresh and preserve its texture longer by adding sugar to the cheese storage container. Place a sugar cube in the airtight container or zip-top plastic bag you’re storing the cheese in. It’ll act as a sponge to help soak up the excess moisture, so your cheese doesn’t!
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Trap Bugs
Sugar can be one of the most helpful ingredients for trapping pests such as gnats and flies. Mix together apple cider vinegar, dish soap and a spoonful of sugar for a simple solution. The bugs will be drawn to the sugar in this DIY bug trap, ultimately getting stuck in the vessel.
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Clean Your Grinder
Do you use a hand-held grinder in the kitchen? While this gadget is most often used for coffee, you may need it for spices or other ingredients from time to time. Avoid having residue left in the grinder by cleaning it out with sugar. Grind a cup of white sugar to eliminate any lingering odors.
