21 Ingenious Ways To Use Cornstarch Around The House

Cornstarch is one of the most common pantry ingredients — you probably have a canister of it sitting around your own home. In addition to serving as an emulsifier or thickener in culinary settings, where it facilitates yummy sauces and starchy desserts, cornstarch also has a hidden set of superpowers. This powder can used in a number of fascinating and useful ways around the house, thanks to its drying and absorbing properties. If you're looking for affordable alternatives to many household tasks and home-based needs, cornstarch might surprise you. 

Humble though it may be, you can invite the use of cornstarch into nearly every room of your home. You can use cornstarch to keep the bathroom sparkling clean as well as help you look and feel your best. You can use it in the kitchen to clear away oil splatters and polish your silverware. Inside the laundry room, you'll find that cornstarch can remove stubborn stains, can help you get an effortless at-home dry clean for your blazers, and will even lend a crisp effect to your ironing. Beyond these applications, however, cornstarch can also be put to work in your at-home pet grooming, pest control, and children's activities, making it perhaps one of the most versatile ingredients out there.

Cornstarch may always have been a pantry essential in your home, but it can also be used in a number of ways for beauty and self-care measures. Consider using it as a dry shampoo alternative (which is affordable and free from nasty additives), as a cheap face powder, or as a moisture-absorbing deodorant swap. You can also use it to create a matte look to your super shiny lipstick, if you're going from a more understated appearance.

If your special furry friend is in need of a bath but hates the water, you can use cornstarch as a liquid-free shampoo alternative. Similar to the ways in which it will help your own hair handle excess oils, it can keep your best canine companion fresher in between baths (ideal during winters when access to the outside hose might not be an option). Cornstarch can also help you work out those stubborn knots that tend to come with longer-haired breeds.

Whether it's a stiff knot in the rope that you need to hang a swing or the drawstring on your kid's joggers, you know that overly tight knots can make you feel absolutely powerless. Fortunately, you don't have to stay frustrated for long, as cornstarch can come in handy. Thanks to its unique properties, you can use cornstarch to loosen said stubborn knot by sprinkling a bit on the knot and working it into the fibers, which should then begin to loosen.

Few things are more frustrating than a grease stain on your favorite shirt. Rather than tossing it in a pile to be made into cleaning rags, you can save your clothing article by sprinkling the powder on your shirt, which will absorb the oil. After this, you'll rinse the shirt well, apply watered-down dish soap to the spot, blot well, and wash as usual. It's always best to check that the stain is gone prior to throwing the shirt in the dryer, lest you accidentally cause the stain to get baked into the fibers.

You know the pit-in-your-stomach feeling when that blouse you were planning on wearing reveals unsightly and disgusting sweat stains. As annoyed as you may initially be, everyone's favorite lowly pantry essential can help save the day, and your clothing. Make a basic paste out of cornstarch and water and apply it to the stained portion of your shirt. Allow it to dry fully, then shake or brush off the paste. Launder as usual and prepare to be amazed by the results. This is also a great solution for stubborn sweat stains on your collars.

Carpets and rugs are one way that we add comfort to our homes, from the plush surface to walk on to the noise-dampening qualities they bring, but these floor coverings can also be bringing nasty odors into your home. If these less-than-ideal scents are due to oil or moisture in your carpets, sprinkle some cornstarch onto the surface, leaving it for 15 minutes or so before vacuuming it up. This is a great resource for rugs that are too difficult to clean or those that have strict guidelines that preclude traditional washing techniques.

You may think that in order to get shining cutlery you need to resort to toxic silver polish, a substance that you should never dispose of down the drain. Think again. Cornstarch is a wonderful alternative that you can use to clean away tarnish that has built up over time. Simply make a mixture of the white powder and water, using a soft cloth to rub it into the stained pieces. Once the paste has dried, you can rinse it off, then thoroughly dry your newly sparkling piece before putting it away.

If you're worried about tossing your child's favorite — not to mention grimy — stuffed animal in your washing machine (as may be the case for older, more delicate stuffed animals), cornstarch can help immensely. Begin by grabbing said plush animal, then tossing it into a large paper bag. Give a generous sprinkle of cornstarch over the animals before sealing the bag and shaking it well. You'll next want to leave the animals in the bag for several hours before shaking them off (ideally outside), and vacuuming off the excess powder.

Your home library has been a labor of love, but one day you notice a musty smell emanating from the literature-laden shelves. Before you panic, cornstarch may have the secret superpowers you need to revive your beloved books. Sprinkle cornstarch throughout impacted pages and covers of your books and leave it for several hours or until the next day. Remember to thoroughly remove the cornstarch with a soft paintbrush or vacuum afterwards, as silverfish (a.k.a. public enemy number one for books) are drawn to starches.

If you're craving a fun and affordable activity for young kids, a light play dough alternative can easily be crafted with the help of cornstarch. Simply grab a bottle of hair conditioner (consider purchasing a bottle from the Dollar Tree to be extra frugal) and make a mixture of cornstarch and conditioner — two parts of the powder to one part of the hair product. Mix until it is completely incorporated and you'll be delighted to have created a fluffy and pliable compound. Remember to keep the dough in an airtight container to make it last longer.

Have you grown tired of oily fingerprints and smudges on your windows? Using cornstarch has almost certainly not come to your mind as a window-cleaning remedy, but it's a surprisingly effective method. To achieve stellar results, begin with a spray bottle, white vinegar, cornstarch, and some water. First, take a tablespoon of water, then mix it together with one cup of vinegar and twice as much water. Once fully blended, spray it onto your windows and wipe it with a clean cloth. You can also use it on your bathroom mirrors for shockingly clean results.

Looking for a crisp dress shirt but don't have any fabric starch on hand? You can make your own with just cornstarch, water, and a spray bottle. Mix a couple tablespoons of the starch with two cups of water, then mix well. You'll want the cornstarch to be fully dissolved, so some vigor may be needed in the blending stage. Once fully incorporated, spray the clothing that is to be ironed. Not only is this swap highly affordable compared to store-bought starches (which can easily cost over $3), but it's also free from chemical fragrances.

If you wear professional clothing on a regular basis, you know how expensive dry cleaning can get. While you might not be able to completely do away with this service, throwing some cornstarch into your laundering routine might help stretch the budget between dry cleanings. Spread out your clothing on a flat surface, then apply a light dusting with cornstarch to the article. After it has been on the article for several minutes, brush it off. In order to keep your home clean, place a sheet down first, then shake it outside afterwards.

If your wooden furniture is looking a bit dull, reach for the cornstarch. Thanks to its slight abrasive nature, it can help you to remove debris that is gunking up the surface of your wooden furniture. Just mix water and cornstarch in equal portions in a spray bottle. After blending completely, spray it on your wood and wipe it well. Once air-dried, it should look better than before.

You can banish funky shoe odors with the help of this common kitchen ingredient and a little time. Start by sprinkling a little bit of the odor-and-grease-absorbing powder into your shoes, then leave overnight. The next day, shake the shoes out, using a small vacuum attachment to suck up any lingering powder. If you want to neutralize extra-stubborn odors, you can add a bit of baking soda into the cornstarch, too.

While there are many inspiring wallpaper ideas that will add charm to your kitchen, this popular wall covering has an Achilles heel: it is prone to stains. Oil splatter in the kitchen, however, is unavoidable; it comes as great news, then, that cornstarch can help rid wallpaper of such stains. Making a paste of cornstarch and cold water, you'll want to wet a soft cloth with the mixture and blot the stained portion. You should see the oil stain lifting, and you can then gently brush off any remaining cornstarch.

You can banish roaches for good with a little help from this pantry ingredient. Mix cornstarch and plaster of Paris together in equal parts, then apply it to areas where you've seen roaches or suspect their activity. Thanks to the starchy nature of cornstarch, roaches will gobble it up. Unbeknownst to them, the plaster of Paris that it is laced with will solidify in their digestive tract when they drink water, resulting in game over for these disgusting household pests.

If you have a nasty bug bite that is causing you to itch and scratch, cornstarch is a cheap, safe, and effective solution. You'll need to make a thick paste of cornstarch and water (using three parts of the starch to one part of the liquid), then apply it to the insect bite. Allow it to dry and leave it on for as long as you like. You should notice that it takes the edge off of the irritation.

Rubber cleaning gloves can be a wonderful resource to protect your hands, but when they get moisture inside they can become practically useless. Instead of throwing them out, sprinkle some cornstarch inside the moist interior. The absorbent nature of the cornstarch will help wick away any unwanted wetness. Shake out the glove to remove any leftover powder afterwards.

Hard water stains can be a major pain, especially when you go to great lengths to keep your bathroom looking fresh and clean. Making a mixture of cornstarch and water (in equal amounts), then rubbing it onto the hard-water-stained fixture can gently lift the minerals responsible for the stains. Rinse and dry the area and you'll be left with a much cleaner result.

If ants are plaguing your garden, an application of cornstarch can prove instrumental in scaring them away. All you have to do is sprinkle it around the area you want to prevent them from accessing. Both insanely cheap and free from noxious chemicals, you can easily keep ants at bay with this practical use of cornstarch.