Most of us would never give eggshells a second thought. Why would we, when all we care is the content within, which would be the egg white and the yolk. The eggshells? Straight to the trash. But wait… did you know there are plenty of useful things you can do with eggshells? Well, here are 7 Reasons Why You Should Reuse Eggshells.
1) Separate Egg Whites From Yolks
There are plenty of methods to separate egg whites from yolks. Among them, of course, is the plastic bottle technique. But nothing beats the good old-fashioned way of using an eggshell. Here’s how it works: Get a bowl and simply crack an egg in half as usual. Then, gently pour the yolk from one half of the shell to another half and repeat until the egg white drips into the bowl below. Transfer the yolk in the shell into another bowl and there you have it.
2) Use Them As A Fertilizer
Did you know that eggshells are garden-friendly? They are packed with calcium, which is particularly vital for healthy plant growth. All you have to do is crush the eggshells into tiny bits using a spoon or food processor and sprinkle them into every digging hole or soil in a pot before planting. Then, followed by adding more crushed eggshells around the base of your plant.
3) Reduce The Bitterness In Coffee
If you ever find your coffee is too bitter for your taste, try this method. Add crushed eggshells to the coffee grounds prior to the brewing process. As odd as it may sound, the idea of mixing eggshells into the coffee grounds helps to make your coffee less bitter. Here’s why: The eggshell itself is rich in calcium carbonate. A compound that contains alkaline properties, which in turn, capable of absorbing and neutralising the natural acidity of the coffee.
4) Deter Garden Pests
If you have a garden at home, you will definitely understand the frustration of dealing with garden pests such as bugs, snails and cutworms. Try this method: Crush some eggshells and scatter them around the surface of the soil where your plant(s) at. The sharp edges of the crushed eggshells help to keep these garden pests away. Not to mention crushed eggshells contain no harmful chemicals, unlike the conventional store-bought spray.
5) Treat Irritated Skin
Okay, this doesn’t make sense at all. Some of you might be thinking who would be dumb enough to rub cracked eggshells directly on the skin. Except for the fact it doesn’t work that way. Instead, here is how you should use eggshells to treat skin irritation. Combine a half cup of apple cider vinegar and 2 crushed eggshells in a bowl or container. Allow them to soak for a few days. Then, dip a cotton ball into the mixture and apply it on the affected skin.
6) Remove Coffee Stains
Can’t stand the sight of coffee stains that appear on the bottom of your thermos flask or mug? You can get rid of it by using this simple trick. Rinse well with hot water, followed by adding some crushed eggshells into it. Close the lid, shake well for a couple of minutes or leave overnight. Then, pour the mixture away and rinse well before reusing it again.
7) Make DIY Calcium Supplements
Skip the expensive store-bought calcium supplements and try this money-saving method. It may sound weird for most people but here goes anyway: Start by baking the eggshells at 250 degrees F for 30 minutes or 350 degrees F for 8 minutes in the oven. Let them cool for a while before blending or grinding the eggshells into a fine powder. You can either use a blender, rolling pin or even a pestle and mortar. Add eggshell powder (According to Healthline, “roughly 2.5 grams should be enough to meet the daily calcium requirements of an adult”) to a smoothie or juice.
A word of warning, though: Eggshells may be potentially contaminated with bacteria, namely salmonella. So to prevent possible food poisoning, be sure to boil the whole eggs beforehand.
