| If you have been sharing in the Coupon “High” you probably have a stockpile of toiletries that you have gotten Free or really really cheap. What’s a person to do with all those items? Of course you can use them for their intended purpose or donate them, but you can also repurpose them. |
There have been quite a few Listerine coupons available lately and in our household Listerine is a staple, so I always have some on hand.
So continuing the Repurpose Your Stockpile series, here are 10 different uses for the Listerine in your stockpile. Since Listerine isn’t usually a freebie, you probably wouldn’t routinely use it as deodorant, but it could work well in a pinch.
- Used to Clean and Disinfect – Did you know t hat Listerine was originally marketed as a toilet cleaner, and then later a floor cleaner? To use Listerine as a surface disinfectant and deodorizer mix a half and half solution of Listerine and water into a spray bottle. To kill germs, let the solution stand on the surface for one minute, then clean the surface as normal.
- Topical First Aid Antiseptic – If you have a little bottle, store some in your first aid kit. Applying Listerine to a cut, burn, or other skin abrasion removes germs and reduces the possibility of infection until proper medical attention can be obtained.
- Use for Body Deodorant – If you run out of deodorant, use Listerine for a substitute. Just rub a few dabs under your arm with a cotton ball. Don’t apply too much because it may burn and cause under arm irritation.
- Cure a Sore Throat – I know my husband swears by this. He does it straight, but you can also mix together one teaspoon salt, 1/3 cup warm water, and 1/3 cup Listerine and gargle with this rinse three times a day for one minute.
- Control Dandruff – If you are prone to dandruff, use one capful of Listerine to control dandruff in your hair. Pour the Listerine in your hair and work it through with a comb, then rinse.
- Control Mosquitoes and reduce the itch of the bites – For this application you should use the original medicinal type. Fill a spray bottle with Listerine and spray around where you will be or when you see a mosquito. If you do happen to get bit, applying Listerine helps reduce the itch of the mosquito bite and also helps it go away quicker.
- Fertilize your garden with Listerine – In early May and the again in June, fertilize your garden with a mixture of one cup Epsom salts, 1 cup Listerine, 1 cup Ammonia, and one cup liquid hand soap. Pour this mixture into one quart jar, and fill the rest of the jar with beer. This solution covers 2500 ft. It is cheaper and safer then expensive fertilizer.
- Soften your Skin – Soft people find this works, and some don’t, but it’s worth a shot. If you want softer skin on your hands, elbow, knees or anywhere else, try rubbing Listerine on it.
- Provide relief for skin issues – I actually used this application the other day. I have some red, scaly, itchy skin on my fingers. I poured Listerine on them one day and noticed a reduction in the itchiness right away. The next day I noticed the redness and scaliness was reduced as well. It will also help with psoriasis, shingles, various rashes, particularly poison oak, poison sumac, and poison ivy, and even acne. If you can’t pour it on, rub it on with a cotton ball.
- Kill and Treat Lice – I can’t promise that this will work, but if it does it’s definitely safer and cheaper then the traditional lice removal method. Thoroughly spray down the hair and scalp and let it sit. If you receive the dreaded note from school saying that someone in your child’s class has lice, it would be a good idea to spray down the hair and scalp of your kids as a preventative method.
Thanks to Associatedcontent.com for many of these suggestions.
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:: Tip Me Tuesday hosted by Tip Junkie
:: Works for Me Wednesday hosted by We Are THAT Family
:: Thrifty Thursday hosted by Coupon Teacher
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m not sure why but this blog is loading incredibly slow for me. Is anyone else having this issue or is it a issue on my end? I’ll check back later on and see if the problem still exists.
It’s not on your end and I apologize for the inconvenience. I haven’t changed anything, but for some reason my host server is acting up. I’ve heard some others on the same host are experiencing the problem as well. I am working to try to get it fixed.
I read about Listerine as a deodorant last month. Like most people I used regular drug store deodorant then switched to natural ones when I started caring more about what I put in and on my body. I spent so much money not only testing useless (on my body) natural deodorants but worse scrubbing the pits of all my dress shirts in excess to get rid of not only my smell but musky or mucky natural deodorant smell. I don’t like smelling like patchouli or tea tree oil. I was walking around with my arms pressed down all the time. I had given up and bought some speed stick unscented about a month ago. I am sure it made the people at my dry cleaners happy.
THEN I read about Listerine! IT WORKS! my god it works. I didn’t believe it so much so when I read it that I tried it over a weekend while I worked out at the gym. It works it works it works. It really really really works. No stains in my shirts too. I wear a tiny bit of cologne on my chest so I smell how I want to smell if someone is close enough… but let me say again, this worked for me. I am a smell burger eating kind of guy and this worked.
I don’t know about Listerine, but my daughter’s pediatrician says to use mayonnaise on lice. Smother the hair with may and cover with a plastic shower cap. Leave on for several hours and it will smother the lice and kill them.