10 helpful uses of eggshells

MANILA, Philippines – For most people, eggshells are meant for tossing. Many of us recognize the egg as a good source of protein and cholesterol, but only a few people know that the calcium-packed eggshells have also plenty of uses. The next time you are frying eggs for breakfast, you might not want to toss those shells in the trash.

Plant Fertilizer
About 95% of an eggshell is calcium carbonate. A medium eggshell has about 750 mg to 850 mg of calcium. Aside from calcium, it also contains a lot of minerals. Grind them up and sprinkle them into a hole right before planting to fertilize the soil. Do it every two weeks.

Face Mask
Pulverize clean, dried eggshells for your skin’s radiant glow. Mix it with egg white and generously spread on your skin. Let the mixture dry and rinse it with water.

Pest Control
Crush eggshells around vegetables and flowers to keep away snails, slugs, and cutworms. These pests don’t like crawling over the chalky sharpness of ground eggshells. Sprinkle the eggshell on the stems of your plants to keep the destructive critters away.

Cleaning Pots, Pans and Vases
Egg shells act as a nontoxic abrasive. Use it to scratch the stubborn spots on your pots. Add a little amount of soap for powerful cleaning. It may also be used to clean those vases with narrow opening where your hands do not really fit. Just put warm water in the vase and add crushed eggshells and soap. Shake it for a minute or two and rinse it with water to remove the eggshells and soap.

Treat Skin Irritations
Relieve those skin irritations naturally by mixing crushed eggshells with apple cider vinegar and dabbing it on your skin.

Unclog and Clean Sink
Putting eggshells on your sink will help trap those excess food that usually clog your sink. Eggshells will also clean your pipes on their way out.

Coffee Sweetener
Add ground eggshells to the filter in the coffee maker. The eggshell would balance the acidity; thus, lessening the bitterness of your favorite cup of coffee.

Powdered-calcium Supplement
Wash or bake the eggshells at 350 degrees to prevent ingesting any bacteria. Grind them to a fine powder and add it to your smoothie or juice once a day.

Calcium Boost for Pets
Adding pulverized eggshells to your pet’s food provides extra calcium for bone health. Just make sure to sterilize the egg shells first to prevent them from ingesting any harmful bacteria.

For Making Arts and Crafts
All you need are colored shells, card stock, a design, glue and tweezers to make your own eggshell mosaic. You may also use eggshells as gelatin molder and as chocolate treats molder by carefully cracking it in half and pouring the gelatin mixture or melted chocolate.