Top 30 Unexpected Uses for Coca-Cola
 Coca-cola is one of the most popular sodas in the world and with good reason.
It tastes great and can owe most of its success, just like most of the soft
drink industry, to an extremely effective global marketing strategy. However,
Coke can also be used in a number of unexpected ways around your home. Why?
Coca-cola
contains the ingredient sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) which is quite
effective for dealing with many things such as stains and odors. So, before you
reach for the heavy duty chemical cleansers or medicines in your home, try my
top 30 uses for Coca-Cola!
30. Prevent an Asthma Attack – Just as coffee was used to give to people with
asthma because it contained caffeine, two cans of coke apparently contain enough
caffeine to ward off an asthma attack.
29. Kidney Stone Prevention – According to some accounts, drinking one can a
day of Coke can help prevent kidney stones.
28. Flower Fertilizer – By adding Coke to flowers like Azaleas or Gardenias
its like zapping them with a safe, effective, fertilizer.
27. Marker Stains on Carpet – Apply
Coca-cola to the effected area, let soak, then
clean thoroughly with soapy water.
26. Hard Water Stain/Rust Remover for Pools – Add 2-liter bottles of
Coca-cola to
your pool water to help remove hard water stains and rust build-up.
25. Engine Block Cleaner – Use a small container of Coke and use a small
shrub brush to apply and scrub liberally to the entire engine block. Once the
entire area is covered, let sit for a few minutes and hose off with clean water.
 24. Exploding Coke Bottle Prank
– Add Mentos to a 2-liter bottle of Coca-cola, seal
the cap, and wait for a friend to try and open it!
23. Defrost a Frozen Windshield – Great for mornings in the spring and fall
when frost collects on your windshield. Don't think this remedy works too well
if the temperatures get too low during the winter months
22. Slug and Snail Killer – Leave a small bowl of
Coke out. The sugary
composition of Coca-cola will attract them, and the acids contained in it will kill
them once they climb into the bowl.
21. Penny Cleaner – Take old corroded pennies and put them in a bag filled
with Coca-cola. Let it sit in the solution for awhile then remove for shiny new
pennies.
20. Stain Remover – Coke removes stains from carpets, clothing and even oil
stains on the driveway. For use on clothes, simply pour a little Coke on the
stain and let soak for 30 minutes or so. The stain will become discolored. Wash
the clothing and the discoloration and the stain will be gone. For tough stains
on carpet, pour Coke onto the stain and allow the Coke to set. Then, gently
scrub the carpet and wash with warm soapy water or a carpet cleaner if you have
one. Oils stains in driveways can be really hard to get rid of, but Coke will do
the job. Cover the oil stain with Coke, soak for an hour and rinse with a hose
or bucket of water. Boom! Tough stains are a thing of the past.
19. Odor Remover – Coke effectively rids your body and clothes of nasty odors
caused by fish and even skunks! Wash affected clothing with Coke and laundry
soap and dry as usual. You may have to repeat this process twice to completely
remove the odor. If you or your pet gets sprayed by a skunk, grab some
Coca-cola and
head to the shower. Douse the area sprayed by the skunk with Coca-cola to help
eliminate the smell.
 18. Pain Reliever
– Being stung by a bee or bitten by a mosquito is not a
pleasant experience. Dab a little Coke on to the bite or sting to help reduce
the pain and itch. This also works on jelly fish stings!
17. Soothe an Upset Stomach – Ingesting
Coca-cola temporarily relieves nausea,
heartburn and a variety of other stomach ailments. For this to work, you need to
drink a teaspoon of room temperature flat Coke each hour. Don’t have time to
wait for the Coke to go flat? Add a teaspoon of sugar to your soda and it will
go flat in no time. This remedy also works for colicky babies. Give the baby
half a bottle of flat soda and burp as you normally would.
16. Age Photos and Paper for an Antique Look – Use
Coca-cola to give your photos
and papers a unique look and antique feel. Immerse your items in Coca-cola and allow
them to soak until the desired color is reached. Carefully remove the paper or
photo (be careful not to touch the front) and let drip dry. This is a really
cool and inexpensive way to give your scrapbook or child’s schools project some
pizzazz.
15. Rust Remover – Soak rusted items in Coke overnight. The rust will loosen
and can then be easily removed revealing clean, shiny metal.
14. Loosen Bolts – Coke dissolves rust so it is perfect for use on bolts that
have rusted and cannot be loosened. Apply Coca-cola to the bolt and allow the soda to
sit for several hours or overnight.
13. Deter and Kill Bees and Wasps – If bees and wasps are plaguing your
backyard BBQ, place a few Coca-cola filled cups away from your tables. The insects
will be attracted to the sweetness of the soda and will swarm those cups. When
they crawl in to take a drink they will die. You can also effectively destroy
any troublesome ant hills around your home by dousing them with a can or bottle
of Coke.
 12. Fade Hair Dye
– If you have dyed your hair and the color is too dark or
you simply do not like it, wash your hair with Coca-cola. The color will
significantly fade!
11. Restore Pots and Pans – Over time the bottoms of your pots and pans can
become blackened. Don’t spend hours scrubbing in vain. Pour enough Coke into the
pan to cover the bottom. Let soak overnight. Wash as usual. The blackened areas
will be easily removed and your pots and pans will be shiny again.
10. Coffee Pot/Tea Kettle – Lime scale from hard water can leave these looking
less than their best. Fill them with Coca-cola and let sit overnight. Rinse well and
wipe out your coffee pot or kettle to remove loosened buildup.
9. Car Battery – Corrosion buildup on your car battery can become a big
problem and lead to trouble starting your car. Disconnect the battery (negative
side first to avoid a shock) and apply Coke to the corroded areas. The soda will
bubble and begin to remove the corrosion. When the Coca-cola has finished bubbling,
use a wire brush to remove any leftover corrosion and wipe the area clean.
Reconnect your battery positive side first to avoid sparking. Then connect the
negative side.
8. Grout – Grout on tile floors can be difficult to clean and keep looking
new. Coca-cola is naturally acidic and can easily power through grimy grout. Pour
Coke onto a cloth and wipe down the grouting. Allow the Coke to remain on the
grout for a few minutes. Wipe up the Coke and wash the floor with warm soapy
water.
 7. Toilet
– The toilet is probably everyone’s least favorite area to clean, so
it stands to reason you don’t want to spend a lot of time trying to remove
stains and dirt. Pour a can of Coke into the toilet bowl and clean with a toilet
wand. The baking soda and acidity of the Coca-cola remove tough stains easily.
6. Remove Gum From Hair – Having gum stuck in your child’s hair is a
nightmare. The next time it happens don’t reach for the scissors, instead grab a can of
Coke. Pour Coke onto the gum covered hair and let it soak for 10-15 minutes. The
gum will loosen and can then be easily removed.
5. Hiccups – Gargle a mouthful of
Coca-cola to get rid of annoying hiccups.
4. Silky Skin – Is your regular lotion simply not giving you the soft skin you
desire? Add a spoonful of Coca-cola to your lotion and get silky smooth skin.
3. Tanning – Although I have never tried this I've heard it works well. Before
tanning, rub Coke onto your skin. The Coca-cola is supposed to give you a deeper tan
that lasts much longer than commercial tanning lotions and leaves your skin
feeling soft and supple.
2. Perfect Curls – For defined curls, pour a bottle of flat Coke onto your
hair. Allow the Coca-cola to remain in your hair for several minutes and then rinse. As your hair dries, your curls become bouncy and defined.
1. Marinade – You can use Coca-cola (with any other spices you desire) as a
marinade for chicken and beef. As the meat marinades, the acidity of the soda
tenderizes the meat. When cooked, the sugar contained in the soda caramelizes
and adds depth and flavor.
Final Words
As you can see, Coca-cola isn't merely just for drinking anymore. It is an
effective way to clean many surfaces, repel insects, relieve stings and soften
your skin. It’s amazing how useful this product has become!
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