Five Alternative Uses for Potatoes

Did you have your fill of mashed potatoes this holiday? Do you simply not want to have potatoes for quite some time (until Christmas and New Year's anyway).

Nevertheless, what about all those potatoes that you still have leftover? Rather than have them be ruined and rotted from non-use, here are some alternative ways to use potatoes.

Alternative way to use potatoes- erasers

Family and friends may love your blackberry cobbler or cherry pie, but your hands, not so much. The fruits can leave food stains. Rather than scrub your hands raw, rub the flesh of a raw potato on the stains. Potatoes contain a lightening enzyme, catecholase, which breaks down anthocynins, the dyes in staining fruits. After rubbing, rinse and your hands will be like new: at least they will be stain free.

Alternative way to use potatoes- doctors

Who has time to go see a doctor about a wart removal? Those over the counter wart remedies can have a medicinal lingering odor. You might want to try this: slice up a raw potato. Take one piece and gently rub it over the wart, until the entire area is covered with the potato juice. Store the other pieces in a small plastic bag, and repeat daily for one week. Potatoes contain phosphoric acid that can kill the bacteria around the wart. In addition, the iron and the potassium potatoes also contain, dehydrate the virus naturally. Consequently, no more warts.

Alternative way to use potatoes- chef

Have you ever cooked dinner whilst talking on the phone, helping your children with their homework, folding laundry, paying bills; you know- every day? Sometimes we have 'oopsed' on the salt and shaken too much in the stew. One taste bite and you realize your children will find this stew too seasoned, and even getting them to take a 'No, thank you' bite will prove to be difficult and possibly even cruel. Grab a potato and cut it in to pieces. Drop the large pieces into the stew. After ten minutes, remove the potato pieces. Potatoes have natural glucose molecules, which can neutralize sodium. Kids will want to eat more than a 'No, thank you" bite after all.

Alternative way to use potatoes-defogger

Are you tired of foggy windows on mornings you just happen to be running a tad late? To foil the foggy windows, the night before cut a raw potato in half and rub the flesh part over the inside of your windshield. The potato will coat the window with a starchy clear film that deflects vapors that impair visibility from surfacing.

Alternative way to use potatoes- florist

You have finally created the perfect floral centerpiece. However, the arrangement does not seem to want to remain together. What can you do? Cut a raw potato in half, and then set the flat side in the bottom of the vase. With a vegetable skewer or ice pick, poke holes in the potatoes. Place the flowers in the potato and voila, you have a perfect centerpiece that will not crumble. Moreover, potatoes contain complex sugars, sugars that can keep your flora thriving for up to five days longer than without.