This post may include affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy for more information.
Flour never made it to my list of WWII frugal living tips until just recently. I was working on my post for sugar when the thought hit me that maybe flour had some unique household uses as well. So I sent an email out to my family, to see what they could come up with and to my amazement they came up with 16 uses, the 17th was mine.
Did you Know?
Wikipedia
- Flour was discovered around 6000 BC.
- Flour with a high protein content is great for breads, it produces crusty and chewy breads
- Flour with a low protein content is perfect for cakes, cookies and pie crusts.
- Flour dust suspended in air is explosive.
Beauty
- Acne – to reduce swelling,
mix equal parts flour and honey and apply to the infected area. Apply before
going to bed and cover with a bandage. - Face – to minimize facial
hair, make a paste using flour and water. Apply the paste to your face and
allow it to dry. Rinse and repeat 3-5 times per week. - Hair – to remove oil, make a
dry shampoo by sprinkling your roots with a little flour and then brush it
out after about 30 seconds.
Cleaning
- Copper – to shine, mix
together equal parts flour, salt and vinegar. Apply the paste to the copper,
allow it to dry and then buff to a shine. - Stainless Steel – to shine,
buff with a soft cloth and dry flour. Rinse with clean water.
Outdoors
- Ants – to divert, sprinkle a
think line of flour wherever to see them coming in or leaving. - Garden – to control pests,
sprinkle potato and squash plants with a thin layer of flour.
Playing
- Clay – to make your own, mix 3 cups flour , 1 cup
water, ¼ cup salt, 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil and a few drops of food
coloring. Knead all of the ingredients together. To harden bake in a 250 degree
oven until hard. - Glue – to make your own, bring
1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. While the water begins to boil whisk
together 3 tablespoons flour in 4 tablespoons cold water, being sure to remove
any lumps. Once the water boils slowly whisk the flour mixture into the water.
Heat the mixture until it thickens and then remove from heat. Now stir in 1
tablespoon sugar and let cool. Store the glue in an air tight container. - Paper Mache – to make your
own, bring 1 cup flour, 5 cups water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil, stirring
constantly until it creates a thick paste. - Play Dough – to make your
own, mix 2 cups flour, 2 cups warm water, 1 cup salt, 1 tablespoon of cream oftartar and a few drops of food coloring. Store in an air tight container. - Spray Adhesive – to make
your own, bring 3 cups water and 1 teaspoon of salt to a boil. Lower heat to
medium and slowly add 3 tablespoons flour. Let it cool and then mix in 1 cup
rubbing alcohol. Pour into a spray bottle and shake well before using.
Miscellaneous
- Bowls with Lids – to loosen
tight lids, dip the edge of the lid in some flour before attaching to bowl. - Cards – to keep them from
sticking together, place loose cards in a bag containing about a ½ cup flour.
Give the bag a good shake and let the cards remain in the bag for about 1/2 an
hour. - Diaper Rash – to soothe, powder
your babies bottom with a mixture of equal parts flour and brown sugar that has
been heated in a skillet and then cooled to room temperature. Store the mixture
in an air tight container. - Fruit – to ripen, place
fruit in a paper bag with a cup of flour for 24 hours. - Starch – to make your own,
bring a ½ cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan. While the water begins to
boil, mix together ½ cup cold water and 1 tablespoon flour. Now slowly whisk
the flour mixture into the boiling water until it becomes thick. Pour the
cooled mixture into a spray bottle and lightly spray clothes before ironing.
What unique household tips do you have for using flour?
What a fantastic post! I had no idea flour had so many versatile uses beyond baking. The tips on using it for cleaning and even for craft projects are particularly helpful. I can’t wait to try out some of these ideas at home! Thank you for sharing these unique tips!
What a fantastic read! I never knew flour could be so versatile beyond baking. I’m definitely going to try some of these tips—especially the one about cleaning greasy surfaces. Thanks for sharing these unique ideas!
Thank you so much for your kind words! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the read and found the tips helpful. Flour really is such a handy ingredient for more than just baking! I hope the cleaning tip works wonders for you—it’s a game-changer for greasy surfaces. Let me know how it goes, and feel free to share any creative uses you discover! 😊
I never knew flour had so many unique uses beyond baking! The tip about using it as a natural insect repellent is a game changer for me. Can’t wait to try out these tips in my own household! Thanks for sharing such creative ideas!
Isn’t it amazing how versatile flour can be? I’m so glad you found the insect repellent tip helpful—hope it works great for you! Thanks for stopping by and sharing your excitement!
I absolutely loved this post! It’s amazing how something as simple as flour can have so many unexpected uses. The tip about using it to clean windows was a game-changer for me! Can’t wait to try out more of these unique ideas. Thanks for sharing!
I’m so happy that you found this post helpful.
Wow, I never knew flour had so many uses beyond baking! The tips for using it as a natural cleaner and insect repellent are especially interesting. I can’t wait to try some of these ideas out around the house. Thanks for sharing!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the post! It’s amazing how something as simple as flour can be so useful beyond the kitchen. Thanks so much for stopping by!
What a creative list! I had no idea flour could be used for so many household tasks beyond baking. I especially love the tips on using it for cleaning and crafts. Can’t wait to try these methods out! Thanks for sharing such useful insights!
This is such an interesting read! I never thought of using flour for anything beyond baking. The tip about using it to clean windows is a game-changer. Can’t wait to try these unique uses—thanks for sharing!
I loved this post! I had no idea flour could be used for so many things beyond baking. The tips on using it for cleaning and even pest control were eye-opening. Can’t wait to try some of these unique uses around my house! Thank you for sharing!
What a fascinating take on a common ingredient! I never knew flour could be used for so many things beyond baking. The tips about using it for cleaning and even as a pest deterrent are brilliant. I can’t wait to try some of these out, especially the homemade playdough idea! Thanks for sharing these unique uses!
I loved these creative uses for flour! I never thought of using it for cleaning or as a way to remove stains. The historical context from the WWII era makes it even more fascinating. Can’t wait to try these tips in my home! Thanks for sharing!