11 Surprising Household Uses for Boiling Water

For the most part, when we tell you about the unexpected household uses for everyday objects, you just use them as they are. Hairspray, vodka, Windex — they’re all multi-use and simple. But then, there’s water. You already use water every day; we don’t need to tell you water is objectively good. Unlike other surprising substances we highlight for their household uses, though, water needs just a little tweaking in order to become something new and useful: You have to boil it.

Here’s what you can do around the house with boiled water.

Get rid of weeds

Old-timey wisdom holds that boiling water and dumping it on weeds is a great way to kill them without the use of chemicals. Once they’ve cooled, yank ‘em out and they shouldn’t grow back. If they do, you can repeat the process. Eventually, you will succeed in burning them to death.

Unclog drains

Another way to replace chemicals with a free alternative is to use boiling water to unclog drains. Melt whatever gunk is stopping the passage of water through your pipes. According to Bob Vila, however, you need to be sure your pipes are metal before you do this. If they’re PVC, just use regular hot water so you don’t damage them.

Thaw frozen foods

If your microwave is already in use and you don’t have the time or space to stick frozen foods under running water in your sink, boiling water is your solution. Dunk your frozen foods in for a few seconds at a time, removing the container fully from the water each time and shaking it around. The food will thaw quickly without turning to mush, which is a risk you take with the microwave option, per Bob Vila.

Make your home smell great

Boil some water and toss in natural aromatics like cinnamon sticks and orange peels to fill your home with a delicious scent. Whatever you do, though, don’t boil actual air fresheners.

Shine up silver

According to The Kitchn, you can put baking soda, salt, and vinegar in an aluminium pan, then pour in boiling water to make a bath just perfect for shining up your tarnished silver.

Give yourself a facial

I use this trick all the time: Boil water on the stove, add it to a bowl, and place your face in the steam to open up your pores. Put a towel over your head to trap the steam in, too. This is what that steam machine at your local facialist does for you, too, but this is free. From there, you’re free to carry on with your self-care routine, so keep your best cleanser nearby.

Clean your microwave

The Kitchn suggests boiling a cup of water in the microwave until the device is full of steam. From there, you can wipe any splatters or stunk-on gunk. They’ll be nice and loose from their steaming.

Clean food stains

Don’t use hot water on protein-based stains like blood, but feel free to use it to get food stains, like those from berries, out of fabric. Dip soiled fabric into a pot of boiling water until the stain is removed, per The Kitchn. If the stain is on something that can’t be dunked, like a cushion, pour drops of boiling water over top and remove excess with a sponge or clean cloth.

Open your sinuses

According to Bob Vila, you can use the face-steaming technique we’ve already gone over to unclog sinuses, too. It’s the same process: Boil your water, add it to a bowl, put a towel on your head, and breathe in the steam.

Clean your gutters

Just as you can use boiling water to unclog regular drains, you can use it on the big guys, too. Your outdoor gutters and drains can get clogged, but you don’t necessarily need special tools to fix them. Pour a few pots of boiling water in there to loosen up the junk. If it doesn’t all come out after that, try going in with your hose to push the rest out.

Spiff up your garage floor

According to Bob Vila, you can also use boiling water to remove oil stains from your concrete. Just pour the boiling water over the stains. If they don’t come out, give them a good scrubbing with a stiff brush you’ve also dipped in boiling water.