Mustard, known for enhancing the flavor of many meat products, is quite a popular condiment. It blends well with snacks like hamburgers and hotdogs, and formal entrees like steaks and salads. Given its ability to turn simple dishes into tasty delights, mustard is one of the most common items found in the cupboard. What most people don’t know is mustard doesn’t only enhance flavors, it can also make your domestic life a bit more convenient.
Mustard has a myriad of alternative uses, most of them health related. Surprisingly, the condiment can be used to prevent or relieve ailments and some diseases. Its medicinal value may not be as potent as a prescription drug, but it sure comes in handy during emergency situations. Mustard, aside from its therapeutic uses, can also function as a makeshift cosmetic product and an odor remover. With its overall usefulness, you’d be glad to have a bottle around. Here are 12 of the most surprising uses for mustard.
1. Sore Throat Relief - Mustard can be used as an ingredient of a natural sore throat relieving solution. Mix mustard with some lemon juice, a spoon of salt, honey and a half cup of hot water. Let the solution settle for about 10 minutes. Once done, gargle the solution until your throat clears. The solution’s effect should last for about a couple of days. If your sore throat returns, just make another batch of the gargling solution.
sore throat
2. Bottle Deodorizer - Many products are packaged with attractive bottles. The problem is, the substances previously held by those containers may not have pleasing aromas, which can still be smelled from inside the bottles. Mustard comes as your unconventional solution for this concern. Place a little mustard inside a bottle then add hot water. Shake the bottle vigorously. Once done, rinse off the mustard solution. The bottle’s stench will be gone right after.
3. Chest Decongestant - Mustard, for some reason, can help eliminate the buildup of phlegm inside the body. In place of a topical decongestant, you can rub mustard on your chest. Place a cloth, soaked in hot water, on top of the mustard. Within minutes, you will feel better. Do the same for your back and if you have sinusitis, your forehead.
cosmetic mask4. Cosmetic Mask - Aside from enhancing the flavor of food, mustard can also accentuate the beauty of your skin, particularly your face. Spread a thin layer of mustard throughout your face. Let it settle for a few minutes then rinse. After rinsing, your face will be smoother and will bear a nice healthy glow. Though, before proceeding with the facial treatment, make sure that your skin is not highly sensitive.
5. Skunk Smell Remover - Skunks are notorious for leaving a pungent aroma on random objects that they encounter. If you accidentally run a skunk over, your car will pretty much smell like a roving trash compactor. Remove the odor by mixing dry mustard with hot water. When the odor-removing solution is ready, splash it on your car or any affected object. Let the solution settle for awhile then rinse. The skunk odor will then be gone, down to the last bit. (More tips on how to get rid of skunk smell)
6. Stink Bomb - Want to play a prank on your dorky friends? Mix mustard with vinegar and fish sauce then place the smelly concoction in a small plastic bag. Inflate the bag then seal it. With the stink bomb ready, go to where your dweeby buddies are. Pop your annoying little creation then hide. Watch their faces form constipated expressions, as they gag on the stink bomb’s stench. (For more information on stink bombs, read how to make stink bombs
7. Muscle-Relaxing Bath - Athletes and old people often complain about their stiff and strained muscles. You can remedy this condition by tossing in mustard and Epsom salt to your bathwater. Mustard will amplify the therapeutic effects of the chemical compound, relieving you of muscle pains at a much faster rate than bathing with Epsom salt alone.
8. Relief for Tired Feet - A busy day may take its toll on your poor feet. Give your feet some TLC by preparing a refreshing mustard-based “footwash.” Mix two spoons of mustard with hot water in a pan or basin. Soak your feet in the solution for about half an hour, which is enough time to drown your foot aches and pains. When you step out of the basin, you will have a pair of clean rejuvenated feet.
foot wash
9. Backache-Treating Bath - Having a sore back is pretty discomforting. It restricts your movements while you endure the pain. You can end the agony by making a bath that remedies aching muscles, including arthritis and sprains. Fill the bathtub with hot water then add 8 ounces of mustard. Mix the two until they blend. Bathe in the solution for about 20 minutes. When you leave the bathroom, the aches and pains will either be gone or greatly reduced.
10. Weed Growth Prevention - According to scientists, the substances released by white mustard seed onto the soil can prevent the growth of weed and other pesky plants. Plant a handful of mustard seeds near your prized plants or scatter the seeds throughout your garden. Garden weed will still sprout but they’ll be significantly less in number. Just uproot them with your bare hands. Remember, before planting the seeds, you should do some research first. Some plants are harmed by mustard’s secretions, just like garden weed.
11. The Unwanted Scent of Men - Research says, sweat mixed with the body’s natural scent comes as a natural aphrodisiac, which works only for humans. For large garden pests like deer and other wild animals, that scent makes them flee properties. Recreate the scent of sweaty farm workers by placing a generous servings of mustard on several tin plates. Hang the plates around your garden or lawn. Upon smelling the mustard, Bambi and his fawn friends will instantly realize their limits, when it comes to grazing.
hair conditioner12. Hair Conditioner - Mustard oil, in terms of treating damaged hair, works like a top quality hair conditioner. Pour a generous amount of oil on your palm. Rub both of your palm together then scrub and massage your hair. Once done, leave the mustard oil on your hair for about eight hours, or for the entire day, if you choose. Rinse the oil with shampoo and conditioner. Upon rinsing, you hair will be softer and more bouncy, as if it came right out of a shampoo commercial.
Mustard, with its number of benefits, is more useful than what its appearance suggests. For a relatively cheap price, the remarkable condiment improves your health in more ways than one, and most of them aren’t found on the label. You will find mustard’s alternative uses just as wonderful as the distinct flavor that it possesses. So during your next trip to the mini mart, be sure to purchase an extra bottle.