7 Unusual Uses for Raw Potatoes
1. Safely Remove Broken Lightbulbs
I learned about this use when the bulb in my porchlight became lodged in the fixture. First, I shut off the power at the breaker box. Then, I tried to remove the bulb by twisting it with a gloved hand. The glass part broke off, leaving the base in the fixture. I then cut the top part off a raw potato (so I ‘d have a flat surface) and I planted it firmly onto the base. I twisted the potato, unscrewed the base of the lightbulb, and safely removed it.
2. Cure Common Warts
Raw potatoes are chock full of Potassium, Vitamin C and Iron. If you have a common wart you want to get rid of, cut off a piece off a raw potato. Rub the flesh side over the wart so it’s completely covered with the juice. Then, discard the potato piece. Don’t rinse the juice off. Do this daily until the wart is gone.
3. Soothe Minor Skin Burns
Another unusual use for a raw potato is to treat minor skin burns. The next time you get a burn, peel and dice up a small potato- or use a piece of a peeled potato, depending how large the affected area is- into fine pieces. Add a bit of tap water, just enough to make a paste. Apply the potato paste to the burn and let it set undisturbed for several minutes. You should feel relief from the pain.
4. Remove Berry Stains From Your Hands
Wash and cut up fresh berries, and you know your hands are going to end up being the same color as the berries. Berry stains on your skin are tough to remove. Soap and water just doesn’t cut it. But if you rub the stains with a peeled, raw potato, they should come right off! Finish by rinsing the juice and the berry stains off your hands with plenty of tap water.
5. Remove Excess Salt From Soups and Stews
You taste the soup or stew you’re cooking on the stove and you notice it tastes too salty. What to do? Simply cut up one or two washed, raw potatoes and drop them into the pot. Allow the potato to cook for several minutes, then use a slotted spoon to remove the pieces. Then, taste your cooking again. The potato will have absorbed the excess salt, and your soup or stew should be fine now!
6. Get Rid of a Throbbing Headache
The next time a headache has your head pounding, don’t reach for the aspirin. Reach for a raw potato instead. Slice the potato in half and place a piece on each temple. Gently rub your temples with the potato until the pain lets up.
7. Give Your Geraniums a Nutritional Boost
If you’re planting young Geranium plants, or you have existing plants that are looking a little anemic, a raw potato can help make them grow better. Just cut up a small raw potato and place it into the hole along with the plant. To give existing Geranium plants a boost, dig some of the soil out and away from the stem. Place the pieces of raw potato around the stem, then replace the soil.
