October 4, 2023, 11:22 am | Read time: 4 minutes
Potatoes are not only healthy, but they can also be used around the house–such as for cleaning. You don’t even need to use the potatoes themselves. The water in which they are boiled is enough.
Whether as pancakes, mashed, chips, or traditionally boiled: Potatoes can be prepared in many ways. When you boil them, the water can still be put to good use. myHOMEBOOK presents five different ways to use potato water around the house.
Table of Contents
Watering plants with potato water
Saving water is always a good idea, not just during hot and dry summer periods. And if you water your plants with the water from boiled potatoes, they will be doubly grateful. The potato broth contains many minerals, such as magnesium, iron, and phosphorus.
For plants, it’s like a natural fertilizer. The nutrients help them grow and support flower development. However, it’s important to ensure the water is unsalted. It can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days. The water from peeled potatoes can be wonderfully used to thicken sauces or stews.
Also interesting: You can make valuable liquid fertilizer from banana peels
Using hot potato water as a weed killer
Weeding has driven many hobby gardeners to madness. Just when you finish one corner, it sprouts merrily in another. However, you can pour hot potato water on the weeds. It’s a mild remedy against unwanted plants. The hot water attacks the above-ground parts of the plant and destroys the plant cells. The starch from the potatoes clogs the plant’s pores, causing it to wither.
Getting rid of garden pests
After boiling potatoes, the water contains solanine, making it an excellent pest control agent. Aphids and other small nuisances are repelled by this substance. It’s best to use a spray bottle to target the affected plants.
Using potato water as a beauty product
Rough hands, dry hair, or acne will soon be a thing of the past if you treat these issues with potato water.
- Rough hands: The unsalted potato water should only be lukewarm, then you can do a hand bath. You just need to hold your hands in the water for ten minutes. The starch helps the skin absorb more moisture. Additional care comes from vitamins and minerals. After the bath, you should only pat your hands dry so the starch can work longer. As a supplement, you can apply hand cream overnight.
- Getting rid of pimples: This can be done with lukewarm water from peeled potatoes. The starch from the potatoes absorbs oil and soothes inflamed areas. Additionally, the potato broth contains salicylic acid, a well-known aid in treating acne. Simply dab the affected areas with a cotton pad. This procedure should be repeated daily until the skin calms down.
- Hair treatment: Since potato water has moisturizing properties due to the starch, it is perfect as a hair treatment. Here, you use the broth from boiled potatoes. After washing your hair, apply the cooled potato water to your hair and let it sit for a few minutes. Then, rinse your hair with clear water.
8 Uses for Pasta Water – Don’t Throw It out
3 Ways to Use Leftover Vegetables
Potato water as a cleaning aid
Our grandparents already knew this trick. You can clean windows with potato water. Simply clean the glass panes with the potato water, wipe them dry, and polish. This method also works for mirrors. A clogged drain can also be effectively flushed with hot potato water. The hot water, along with the starch, dissolves the dirt. However, be cautious with plastic pipes, as they can be damaged by water that is too hot.
Also interesting: Should you start cooking potatoes with warm or cold water?
Do not use potato water for cooking
Although it’s a sustainable idea to reuse potato water in the kitchen, it should be avoided. Potatoes belong to the nightshade family, a plant family known for producing solanine. Solanine is toxic to humans and pets like dogs and cats. That’s why the potato was named the Poisonous Plant of the Year 2022.
The level of toxins is particularly high when potatoes are stored improperly: If you keep your potatoes in a bright place, you’ll eventually notice green spots. These contain especially high amounts of solanine.
When you boil potatoes in water, an exchange of substances occurs. Thus, potato water contains not only starch but also solanine. If you reuse the water to cook something else, there’s a risk of poisoning. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, or headaches. In larger quantities, solanine can even be fatal to humans.