6 Uses for Vanilla Extract

Many homes have a bottle of vanilla extract in the cabinet. Vanilla extract is just what we need in many baked goods and candies that we make. Below are 6 uses for vanilla extract that you probably did not know about.

Bug Repellant

Almost everyone likes the smell of vanilla, however bugs do not. Instead of spending $5 or more for bug repellant that smells awful, make your own that smells great. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to 1 cup of water. Wipe this mixture on your exposed skin. This will help leep the ticks, mosquitoes and other insects away.

Cool the Burn

The kitchen seems to be the spot where we all seem to get those burns that just burn more and more as we stay in the kitchen having to finish what we were doing, before we got burned. Whether you were splattered with hot grease or grabbed a hot pot handle, vanilla extract is just what you need. Grab the vanilla and dab it on the burn. The vanilla extract will immediately cool the burn.

Vacuum Vanilla into your home

Freshen your home, giving it the sweet smell of vanilla as you vacuum. If your vacuum has a filter just dab a little bit of vanilla onto the filter. For about 2 weeks each time you vacuum, you will be freshening, the air as you go. If you're vacuum cleaner does not have a filter then pour a couple drops into the vacuum cleaner bag. You can also use cinnamon in your vacuum cleaner.

Reduce the smell of paint

This is a tip that I love. If you hate the smell of paint in your home when you have to paint, you can neutralize the odor by mixing 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract into your paint can. Not only will you not have to put up with smell of paint but your home will smell delicious.

Take that smell out of the fridge

Sometimes we seem to get an odor in the refrigerator that will just not go away no matter how much we scrub the fridge out. If this is happening to you vanilla is the answer. Just wipe down the inside of the refrigerator with vanilla extract. If you really enjoy the smell of vanilla than soak a cotton ball with vanilla extract and leave it in the fridge to keep the smell of vanilla in the refrigerator.

Take the stink our of your microwave

Do you have a strong offensive smell in the microwave that you just can't get out of it? To get that smell out put a little vanilla extract in a bowl turn the microwave on high for 1 minute and the smell will be gone.