We have previously published articles on unusual uses for peanut butter and beer which proved very popular – so today we are presenting another fun list of out-of-the-ordinary uses for a rather ordinary product: coke. Coke was introduced by the Coca Cola company in 1886 – making it a rather true and tested favorite of generations of people in over 200 countries (at least according to the company). This list should give you some ideas on how to get more from your coke than usual.

10 Rust Buster

Coca Cola is an excellent rust buster. If you have a bunch of small objects that need de-rusting, soak them in coke overnight and give them a good scrub in the morning. The properties of coke help to break down the rust particles, making cleaning much easier. You can also apply coke to a chrome finish which is rust spotted – pour some on a rough textured cloth and rub it in a circular motion. Be sure to throw out the used coke when you are done with it or you might be taking a trip to the doctor.

9 Clean a Window

Like the previous item, the citric acid in Coke makes for an excellent window cleaner. This is especially useful for car windows which can get tough buildups of gunk. Pour over the can of coke and rub the window – then wipe it off with a damp cloth (to ensure the removal of any sticky residue from the sugars in the drink). Think of this like a cheap alternative to the many citrus fruit based cleaners that are sold on TV.





8 Eat It

Coke can be used for a variety of cooking techniques. You can mix it half and half with BBQ sauce for an excellent marinade, and you can even casserole an entire chicken in it. Here is a tasty recipe for chicken pieces cooked on the stove top with coke – try it, you will be pleasantly surprised. The sugars give a deep glossy coating and caramelized flavor, while the citric acid (found in lemons) gives a nice tang. Coke also makes a great glaze for baked ham.

7 De-Skunk

For those of you who live in areas where skunk smells can be an issue from time to time, one can of coke added to a bucket of water with detergent really helps to break the odor down. If you have been sprayed, stand in the shower and cover yourself from head to toe with coke – wait for a few minutes, then rinse off. The added bonus is that coke is an excellent hair treatment so you get two tips for the price of one with this item!





6 Pain Killer

The chemicals in coca cola can be very effective to help neutralize the pain of jellyfish stings. The best thing about this is that while most people at the beach are unlikely to be carrying anti-sting lotions, they are likely to be carrying a bottle of coke. Just pour the coke over the area in which you have been stung and feel the relief. If you don’t happen to have any coke, the other alternative treatment is to pee on the stung part of your body – or to have someone else pee on it for you.

5 De-blacken Pots

Pots can sometimes get a black film on the bottom which is almost impossible to remove; this is caused by over-cooking or just natural discoloration due to highly acidic foods. To remove the black and restore your pot to new, pour in a can of coke (or as much as you need to cover the blackened area by an inch) and put it on the stove on a low heat. After an hour or so, wash the pot as normal.





4 Clean Clothes

Grease stains are famously difficult to remove from clothing and stain removers can be very expensive. Here is a cheap solution: empty a can of coke into your wash along with the usual detergent and run it through a normal cycle. This is also quite effective for removing blood and it helps to deodorize smelly clothes.

3 Kill Bugs

This item also appeared on the beer list – and it works just the same. Pour some cola into a shallow dish and place it in the garden near the problem area. Slugs, snails, and other bugs will go in for a drink and never come out again! This is a very good first line of attack in your garden and it can obviously save you an enormous amount of money by reducing the need for pesticides. You can pour the left over coke (minus the bugs) onto plants that like acidic soil like azaleas and gardenias.





2 Heal Yourself

Coca cola is useful for a variety of ailments. The most common is for soothing upset stomachs. Just slowly sip a glass of flat coke and it should help to alleviate nausea. It is also good for people suffering from diarrhea or a sore throat. I would say that it can also cure hiccups but, frankly, a glass of water should do the same thing, as the chemicals in coke don’t offer any special “anti-hiccup” magic.

1 Make an Explosion

Most people who have been around on the Internet for at least a few years will be familiar with the diet-coke-Mentos volcano. The idea is that you drop a Mentos into a bottle of coke and the chemical reaction causes the coke to spurt for miles (not literally of course). The video clip above shows a great example of this fun use for coke. Why not buy a bunch of bottles this weekend and see if you can do better than the efforts shown above?