Household Tips: 30 Unusual Uses for Potatoes (WWII Series)

For this weeks WWII Household Tips we’re looking at potatoes. Potatoes are one of those vegetables that just about everyone likes. As a matter of fact, I don’t think that I’ve ever met anyone who didn’t like them. The great thing about potatoes is that they can keep for a very long time if they are stored properly, they’re cheap and really versatile. I guess that’s why they were served at almost every meal during WWII.

If you were to think about it, how many ways do you think you could come up with for serving potatoes? Off the top of my head, I came up with at least a dozen. As amazing as they are in the kitchen they are just as amazing outside of the kitchen. This week we came up with 30 unique uses that don’t require serving them for a meal time.

Health
Always consult a doctor before using potatoes as a treatment.

1. Bruises – to heal, apply potato juice to the area.
2. Burns – to soothe, apply a mixture of grated potato and
   water to the burn.
3. Compress (Cold) – to make your own, freeze a cooked potato
   and wrap it in a dish towel.
4. Compress (Hot) – to make your own, boil a potato and wrap it
   in a dish towel.
5. Headache – to relieve, rub your temples with a raw potato.
6. Heartburn – to relieve, drink a potato that has been juiced.
7. Insomnia – to relieve, eat mashed potatoes made with milk
   before bed.
8. Sprains – to heal, apply potato juice and wrap.
9. Toothache – to relieve, bite down on a raw potato for a few minutes.

1. Acne – to help control, rub the area with a cut, raw potato
   and allow it to remain on the area for 3-5 minutes before rinsing.
2. Blackheads – to remove, apply a cooked potato that has been
   mashed, to your face. Allow it to remain on your face for 30 minutes before
   rinsing.
3. Blemishes – to reduce, scrub the area with a mixture of
   mashed potatoes and lemon juice. Allow the mixture to remain on the area for
   15-20 minutes before rinsing.
4. Dark Circles – to reduce appearance, place thin slices of
   potatoes over the eyes for 15-20 minutes.
5. Eyes – to reduce puffiness, place thin slices of cold potatoes
   over the eyes  for 15-20 minutes.
6. Warts – to remove, rub the wart with a raw potato daily.
7. Whiteheads – to remove, apply a cooked potato that has been mashed,
   to your face. Allow it to remain on your face for 30 minutes before rinsing.
8. Wrinkle – to reduce, wash your face with water from boiled
   potatoes.

1. Berry
   Stains – to remove, rub with sliced potatoes.
2. Carpet – to remove stains, scrub the stain with a raw,
   grated potato. Rinse with warm water.
3. Glass – to shine, rub the glass with a cut, raw potato and
   then wipe with a clean rag.
4. Rust – to remove, cut a potato in half and rub it on the
   rusted surface.
5. Shoes – to shine, cut a potato in half and rub on the shoes.
   Wipe with a damp rag and polish.
6. Silver – to clean, soak silver in the water from boiling potatoes for 30-60 minutes. Wash
   and rinse.

1. Broken Light Bulbs – to remove, turn off the power press a
   potato into the base of the bulb and turn.
2. Diving Mask – to reduce fogging, rub the inside of the lens
   with a raw potato.
3. Flowers – to arrange, cut a potato in half lengthwise and
   place in vase cut side down. Poke holes where you want to place the flowers and
   fill with water.
4. Geraniums – to fertilize, place the stem of a geranium into
   a hole cut into a potato and plant.
5. Glasses – to keep from fogging up, rub them with a raw
   potato.
6. Ink Stamp – to make your own, cut a potato in half and carve
   a design onto the potato. Dip in paint or ink and apply.
7. Soup – to reduce saltiness, place a cut up potato into the
   soup and remove after 10 minutes.