13 Ways to Use Potatoes Very Few People Know About

We all know that potatoes can be cooked in dozens of delicious ways - and maybe that's all. Yet it turns out this veggie can be used in for cleaning silverware, lightening underarms, and even creating some works of art.

Bright Side has made a list of 13 unexpected situations where potatoes can become your best friend. Enjoy!

1. Get rid of rust easily.

Well, this one happens to all of us. Metal rusts, and it's totally normal, but the question is how to remove this thing from a tap or one of your frying pans. Surprisingly, a potato can help you out.

• First, you need to cut it in half.
• Then take some baking soda, table salt, or dish detergent.
• Dip the cut part of the potato in what you've chosen and rub it over the rusty item until it's clean. If your potato has lost its magic properties, cut off a small slice, and repeat the process described above.
• Rinse your item with water and let it dry. Done!

2. Treat your burns.

Hey, this one is pretty serious. Note that the method described below is more suitable for sunburns, but don't worry: we'll tell you how you can change it to treat other minor burns.

• Take a couple of potatoes, wash them thoroughly, and cut them into thin slices.
• If you're not into cutting, you can grate it, or even blend it to get a juicy paste. These ways are messier but give your skin more of the nice cooling juice it needs. Use gauze and cotton pads to secure the compresses to your skin.
• Apply the slices (or whatever you've chosen) to the affected area, leave them for 10 to 15 minutes, remove, and wash your skin with cool water.

If you're dealing with boiling water or similar burns, potato slices won't do. Here the potatoes' juice works like magic (and slices can hurt badly), so go for a raw potato mash - it's the most delicate and "wet" way.

Gently apply the mash to the burn and leave it on until the pain disappears. It may take anywhere from 10 minutes to several hours, so keep calm, and change the mash when it turns brown.

Remember: the faster you react, the better the result will be.

3. Kiss stains goodbye.

Yep, we're absolutely serious. Potatoes may help you remove stains from different fabrics.

• To do this, wash a couple of raw potatoes and grate them in a bowl filled with 0.5 L (0.1 gal) of water.
• Then remove the grated potato and add the same amount of water. Wait for 10-15 minutes.
• Use a sponge to treat the stain with potato water, rub, and wash with clean cold water afterward.

If you've stained your hands with berries, beetroot, or other food, simply cut a raw potato into halves and rub your hands clean. Perfect!

4. Keep your leather shoes clean and shiny.

Leather footwear looks and feels great. It's both comfortable and long-lasting, but it can still get scratched or fade over time. A simple potato can fix it though. If your shoes look worn-out and dirty, try this:

• Cut a raw potato into halves.
• Rub over the entire surface of your shoes.
• Leave for 5 minutes. At this stage, they'll look matte and somewhat dull. Don't worry, it's absolutely ok.
• Wipe the shoes with a soft dry cloth until they're shiny again.

5. Save blackened silverware.

Everyone knows that silver has an annoying tendency to become darker and blacker over time. It's natural, but what if you want your shiny spoons back? Well, here's what you need:

• Cut and boil a couple of potatoes. When they're done, remove them - you'll only need the water.
• Put your tarnished silver into the potato water and leave for an hour.
• Take it out and use a soft brush to clean your silverware thoroughly.
• Rinse the items with clean water and let dry or wipe with a paper towel.

6. Lighten your armpits.

Summer is coming and we all want to look our best in tees and tank tops. If your underarms look somewhat dark, here are several ways to fix them with potatoes. Just don't expect immediate results, because all home remedies take time to work their magic.

Way #1:

• Wash a potato and slice it.
• Massage your armpits with the slices for about 3 minutes.
• Wait half an hour, to give the potato juice a chance to work.
• Rinse your armpits with cool water and gently dry with a towel.

Way #2:

• Cut and blend a clean potato until smooth.
• Put the potato mash on your armpits and leave for 10 minutes.
• Rinse with cool water and dry with a towel.

Both ways should be repeated twice a day for at least 4 weeks for visible results.

7. Make the headache go away.

Ah, these awful headaches! If you're tired of living on pills, or are totally for natural remedies, check this one out:

• Wash and slice a raw potato.
• Put slices on your temples and forehead and secure them with a gauze bandage.
• Lie down, close your eyes, and wait until the pain disappears.

8. Improve your health with potato juice.

Potato juice is packed with vitamins and minerals, including calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin C. Due to this, it strengthens your immune system and has a lot of other health benefits.

For example, the scientists from Manchester University have found that potato juice contains a molecule that cures ulcers and heartburn, and can even prevent the bacteria in your stomach from breeding. It can also lower your cholesterol, make you less prone to cancer, relieve constipation, and help you lose weight.

It's also easy to make:

• Wash and peel a raw potato.
• Cut it, put it in a blender, and blend until it becomes a liquid paste.
• Strain the paste through a piece of gauze to extract the juice.

It may not taste like heaven, so feel free to add fresh juice from other veggies to mask the taste.

9. Make your skin glow.

As weird as it may sound, potatoes are great for your skin. The antioxidants, vitamin C, and starch found in them can moisturize your skin and feed it with the necessary nutrients. Here are some of the benefits to your skin and the ways to make use of them:

• Removes dark circles and bags under the eyes. Take 2 slices of potato and put them over your eyes for 10 to 15 minutes. Wash your face with cool water afterward.
• Removes acne. Rub a slice of raw potato over acne and leave overnight. Wash your face as usual in the morning. This treatment is not instant, so repeat it every day until you get results.
• Fights dark spots. Peel and blend a potato. Apply the paste to your face using massaging moves. Leave for 5 minutes and rinse it off with cool water.
• Treats blemishes. Wash your face with some fresh and cool potato juice. Let dry and clean your face with a soft cloth.
• Relieves insect bites. Simply rub a piece of raw potato over a bite and let it air dry. Repeat several times a day.
• Moisturizes your skin and fights wrinkles. Grate a potato, add 1 tbsp of honey and 2 tbsp of olive oil. Apply the mixture to the skin for 10 minutes and then rinse with cool water.
• Treats oily skin. Grate a clean peeled potato, add some rosewater, and a teaspoon of lemon juice. Apply the mask for 15-20 minutes, rinse, and pat your face dry.

10. Say "no" to fogged up glasses.

If you're a fellow 4-eyes, you know how irritating it is when you can't even drink a cup of hot coffee or enter a warm room in winter without getting absolutely blinded for a couple of minutes. Don't worry, potatoes will come to our rescue.

Simply cut a potato into halves, rub over your glasses, and wipe with a soft dry cloth. A cup of coffee anyone?

11. Make your windows squeaky clean.

No more chemicals on your windows, ladies and gentlemen. Rub a potato half all over your window and wipe with a dry cloth until it shines. As simple as it sounds!

12. Make hot and cold compresses.

It's widely known that both heat and cold have incredible effects when applied as compresses: they can relieve cramps, muscle pain, improve blood circulation, relieve pain from bruises, and much more. Potatoes can perfectly be both the hot or cold compress.

• Scoop some cold potato and apply it to a bruise to soothe the pain. Just don't forget to cover it with gauze - otherwise, it'll be a mess.
• Bake or boil a potato, wrap it in a cloth, and apply to your skin as a hot compress. Potatoes are great at retaining heat, so your compress will last longer.

13. Have fun with DIY stamps.

Alright, let's finally change our focus from all this boring adult stuff. Do you remember playing with stamps in your childhood? You can make some DIY ones for your kid with a potato, a knife, and paint. Be creative and have some fun!

Use these colorful stamps to apply prints to your clothes, pillowcases, or to make colorful cards for your family - the sky is the limit when it comes to your imagination!

Which one surprised you the most? Have you tried any of these? Or maybe you know other awesome uses for potatoes? Share in the comments below!