Rice is a great additive to many meals, and is often used as a filler. However, there are many other uses for this food that don’t involve consuming it. I personally have had success with #1. My phone fell in the creek behind our house and was acting weird. I put it in a bowl or rice and now it’s working fine!
I’m also love to use tip #6. I have a few vases that are long and thin which makes them hard to clean. The rice trick works almost every time! I’m also intrigued my #5. I’ll be trying that tip pronto because our blender blades have definitely seen better days!
1. Dry out water damaged electronics – Dropped your phone in the toilet? Tried to wash it in the washing machine? We’ve all done something of the sort and freaked out when we realized that our precious device was water damaged. Don’t fret! Any electronic device that has gotten water damage may be able to be revived by being placed in a bowl or container of rice. Rice absorbs humidity and liquids and depending on the severity of the damage, it may be able to bring your device back to life if you let it sit in it for 12 to 24 hours.
2. Create a rice hot/cold pack – Sew a small pouch with some fabric (many people use a pillow case corner because two of the edges are already sewn for you), you can make it as small or as large as you’d like. Fill it with rice and seal it by sewing the last edge. You have now created a hot or cold pack. It can be placed in the freezer to become chilly for reducing swelling or fevers, as well as in the microwave to heat up for muscle aches and cramps.
3. Prevent salt clumps – Putting a few grains of rice in a salt shaker or container can prevent it from clumping up when it’s humid. This is especially helpful in areas where it is often humid outdoors. The rice soaks up the humidity and allows the salt to stay in its normal un-clumped form. No more hitting the salt shaker on the table to get the salt to break apart!
4. Test oil temperature when frying things – When frying any type of food, you can test the oil by throwing in a grain of rice. If it floats to the top and bubbles, the oil it ready to use. If it sinks to the bottom, the oil needs more time to heat up.
5. Sharpen blender blades – Is your blender not working like it used to? Leaving chunks in the liquids? Throw in a few cups of rice and blend for 2 minutes. It should sharpen those blades back to a state where they will blend smoothly again. (Use only rice when doing this, do not add anything else.)
6. Clean a dirty vase – Dirt in the bottom of a vase that you can’t fit your hand into and you can’t find a scrub brush to fit? Add a handful of rice and some water. Swish and swirl it around for a minute or so, then then rinse it out. The dirt should be gone.
7. Create a cat toy – Tired of buying cat toys that either get destroyed quickly or keep getting hidden? Use an old pill bottle, or similar small tight fitted cap container, and put some rice in it. Your cat will go crazy trying to figure out what’s in it and how to get it out.
8. Ripen fruit faster – Place fruit in a container of rice when you would like it to ripen faster. Be sure to check on it two to three times a day to be sure that it does not become overripe. The great thing about this is that you can still eat the rice after using it for this as no harm is done and no chemicals get into it.
9. Prevent rust – Have rusty tools? A great way to prevent tools from rusting is to place a small uncovered container of rice in with them. The rice will absorb the humidity and moisture so that the tools never rust.
10. Make your skin glow – When done cooking rice, if you’ve used too much water and there is some left over, massage the rice water into your skin with a wash cloth. It will make your skin radiant! It can even be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days.
What is your favorite unusual use for rice? I’d love to hear more fabulous ideas!
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My rice-hack is:
Blend 3 cups of rice to fine grain and then mix it with 1 cup of baking soda and use it to dehydrate flowers – the cheapest way to preserve beautiful flowers. I use it to make resin jewelry with the dried flowers, because they look like fresh flowers but are completely dry…
Do you use this mixture more than once?
Which mixture are you referring to?
To keep old hanging prints and pictures from being destroyed by moisture, add a couple of grains of rice at the bottom of the frame, tucked in below sight level. Replace as needed. The rice will absorb moisture and keep it away from the print. It also works for books. I keep a few grains of rice on the bookshelf to absorb moisture instead of my prized collectible books. Just discard and replace when dusting.
Those are great tips Jeanette! I’m going to try that on photo frames!
I store my oil based pastels in containers that hold rice. (plain uncooked) The rice keeps the pastels “clean”. It keeps the pastels from marking each other. This storage system works well for colored chalks as well.