Do you use a lot of eggs?
As an incredibly affordable source of protein, my family eats an awful lot for breakfast each morning (around 6 to 8 eggs between the four of us).
Until my husband builds a compost bin later this spring, we’ve been wasting a lot of eggshells – especially since eggshells are made of calcium carbonate. All of that calcium (typically 750 milligrams per egg shell) could be helping around our home. Here are 3 ways to reuse eggshells:
Eggshells in the garden
Eggshells are a fantastic addition in the garden. Blossom end rot is common in tomatoes – and it’s caused by a lack of calcium. An easy remedy is to dig a hole for your tomato plant and toss some eggshells in the hole, too.
Tomatoes aren’t the only plant to benefit from eggshells, though. Here is a quick, easy and beneficial tip for gardeners:
First, rinse out your eggshells and bake them at 250 degrees for 10 minutes. Let them cool, and toss them into a food processor to crush.- Once crushed, sprinkle the eggshell pieces into each hole before planting your garden plants. (You also can add crushed shells to the soil of your potted plants.)
- Once your plants are planted, sprinkle eggshells around the base of plants every couple weeks.
The eggshells will add calcium to the soil and it will also keep garden pests like slugs, snails, and deer away. (The slugs and snails hate the sharp shells. Deer stay away from the smell of egg shells.)
By baking your eggshells, you’ll remove any bacteria. And by grinding them, they’ll decompose much quicker.
Eggshells and dish washing
Eggshells are handy when removing dish stains:
- For tricky containers like vases, a Thermos, or hummingbird feeders, first rinse with hot water. Fill the container halfway full with warm water and crushed eggshells. Shake, and rinse again. (The eggshells should scour the hard to reach scum.)
- If you have a stained coffee mug or tea pot, wash first, then add egg shells, hot water, and a squirt of dish soap. Let it sit over night – in the morning, the stains should disappear.
Creative craft
If you’d like to get all artsy with your eggshell repurposing, try to make sidewalk chalk. (I can hardly wait to try this craft with my children this spring! Bake at 250 degrees for 10 minutes, then finely crush a half a dozen eggshells. Mix with 1 teaspoon hot water and 1 teaspoon flour. Add food coloring if you’d like colored chalk. Pack this mixture into empty toilet paper rolls and let dry.
How do you reuse eggshells?
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