10 Things to Do with Beer Other than the Obvious: Fun Green House Cleaning Tips and Uses For Beer

Who doesn’t love a good beer? Cold and frosty or, if you’re in England, warm and nearly flat. But beer has many uses beyond its traditional use. Just for fun, I thought I’d give you some fun green house cleaning and other ideas of other ways you can use some of those left over beers from Mardis Gras.

#1 – Loosen rusty bolts

Put away the Coca Cola (which can also eat away rust) and pour a cold one on those stubborn rusty bolts that won’t loosen even with a wrench and a big strong man.

#2 – Shine up your copper and brass pots

OK, I’m not sure how many people might have these kinds of pots around the house, but the process is simple. Pour some beer on a soft cloth, rub it into the patina of the pot, let it sit for a while and then rub off with a new soft cloth. Rinse and dry. Beer’s chemical compounds apparently are good for taking away the discoloration that afflicts pots like this.

#3 – Shine up your gold

While I’m on the subject of shiny objects, beer is an eco-friendly way to shine up your gold jewelry. Just pour some in a bowl, plop in your jewelry, let it sit overnight and then rinse and shine up with a soft cloth.

#4 – Spruce up your wood furniture

Over time, wood furniture can become dull with residue from commercial cleaners and polish. Beer cuts through all that and brings back the luster of the wood. Simply apply with the ubiquitous soft cloth (it’s a theme), rub until dry. You will likely notice a subtle color change. Your wood furniture will thank you.

#5 – Eliminate coffee and tea stains

It never fails. I wear light colored pants and somehow coffee ends up on them. Beer is a great stain remover (be sure to spot check first). Pour beer on the stain, let it soak for a while and then rinse with soap and water. If the stain is still there, pour on more beer. Yes, it really works.

#6 – Indoor plant food

Believe it or not, your houseplants will love your for giving them a shot of beer. Make sure it’s flat and only give them a tiny amount. It will feed them by providing valuable nutrients. Just don’t overdo it. Nobody likes seeing a drunk philodendron.

#7 – Green up brown spots in your lawn

The acids in beer actually can kill fungus and other pests while feeding the grass nutrients they need.

#8 – Cure insomnia

This one could be a bit dubious, but I’d be willing to try it. The smell left after washing your pillowcases in beer supposedly has a calming effect, which helps lull us to sleep. The smell comes from hops, a main beer ingredient. Just be careful if you have any allergies to hops. This could aggravate them.

#9 – Soothe tired feet

Feet tired after walking around all day? Soak them in a bath of ice cold beer. Between the cold and fizzy of beer, your feet will begin to feel like their old selves. I don’t recommend drinking the beer after you’ve used it this way.

#10 – Put out a fire

Didn’t see that one coming did you? It’s true – if a traditional fire extinguisher is unavailable and you have a small grill fire, shake up a cold one and let it spray. Beer does contain alcohol, which is flammable, but beer is actually mostly made of water, which is why it works.

There are many more uses for beer, but we’ll stop there.