For nearly a century Alka-Seltzer has been helping those who struggle with indigestion and heartburn. However, you may be surprised to discover that its advantages far surpass curing an upset stomach. The medication's citric acid and baking soda make it a great pick for cleaning, while the aspirin content provides relief from various aches and pains. Run it through your coffee machine, brighten your clothes, and even catch fish with the household staple. Read on for all more details on these and more Alka-Seltzer life hacks.
Attract Fish To Your Line
For those who love to catch fish, Alka-Seltzer may help you attract some to your line. There are two ways to go about it. One option is to cast your line first, and then toss a tablet into the water near the spot that your line ended up.
For more precision, the second option is to break up the Alka-Seltzer so that it will fit into a tube jib. Once the tablet is in the water, it will cause bubbles to appear where the hook is which is attractive to fish.
Calm Insect Bites
Alka-Seltzer's citric acid and baking soda provide a gentle and effective way to clean insect bites. The aspirin will also gently alleviate some of the discomfort. Simply drop a couple of tablets into a glass of warm water.
Once they've dissolved completely, take a cotton ball and dip it into the solution. Hold the moist cotton ball to the insect bite for 30 minutes. You should start feeing better by the time your half an hour is up.
Get Out Tupperware Stains
Tupperware is notorious for keeping stains. That's because they are used to store prepared food for a while. Unlike most of your other dishes, which typically only have food in them for a few hours at most, Tupperware has days to absorb the leftover's juices.
No matter how much you clean Tupperware, it sometimes can still look dirty due to stubborn stains. This is especially embarrassing when someone is using your Tupperware for leftovers. An easy fix is to soak the Tupperware in warm water and Alka-Seltzer. After half an hour, you should be able to wipe those stains right off.
Eliminate The Toilet Ring
Cleaning the toilet bowl is one of the dirtier household duties, especially when there's a stubborn ring stain where the water fills to. Rather than breaking out the cleaning tools every time the stain comes back, just keep a few Alka-Seltzers in the medicine cabinet.
Simply drop two tablets into the bowl and let it sit for 20 to 30 minutes. Afterward, give it a quick once over with the toilet brush and you should notice a vast improvement. The Alka-Seltzer will also help neutralize any lingering smells.
Brighten Your White Clothes
White clothes are perfect for any time of the year because they are cool in summertime and festive in the winter. What's not so perfect is how easily they stain or turn yellow from body oil. Rather than using something as heavy in chemicals like bleach, try Alka-Seltzer.
To try the hack, just fill a bucket with one gallon of warm water. Add two tablets and let them dissolve, then throw in the clothing item(s). Let them soak for about half an hour, and then hang them to air dry.
Clean Your Dentures
White clothes aren't the only thing you wear that can be impacted by pesky stains. The one thing worse than having to wear dentures is having to wear yellow dentures. Give them a quick and hassle-free boost with Alka-Seltzer.
Drop a tablet into a glass of warm water along with your dentures and watch them gradually turn more white. The best part? It's a far less expensive alternative to some denture cleaning products, and more convenient to find at the store.
Relieve Withdrawal Symptoms
Whether you're withdrawing from caffeine, sugar, or a more difficult substance to kick, the symptoms can be gruesome. While trying to quit something, the last thing you need is a reason to give up all because you don't feel well.
Fortunately, Alka-Seltzer is comprised of various ingredients that can help improve nausea and headaches, as well as other symptoms that may be associated with them, such as fatigue or anxiety. So long as you don't have any medical conditions that could be negatively impacted, you can take Alka-Seltzer semi-regularly.
Polish Your Jewelry
When it comes to glistening gems like diamonds, the last thing you want is for them to become dull over time. Polishing jewelry can be easy and inexpensive thanks to Alka-Seltzer. As many of these hacks call for, all you need is warm water and a couple of tablets.
Soak them for 20 minutes and then dab them off with a soft cloth to dry them. The end product will be as shiny as when you first got them. Just be sure to avoid placing pearls and opal jewelry in the solution!
Clean Stubborn Food Residue
Whether you left a dirty dish in the sink for too long or have some burnt-on food residue, getting tough particles off of your dishes can be a tough job. Especially when it comes to baking sheets or frying pans, it can seem like no amount of scrubbing is enough.
You'll obviously want to soak the dishes in warm water, but next time try dropping a tablet or two in there, as well. The acid can help break down some of those particles. You can even plug up the sink and do an entire batch at once with five or six tablets.
Scrub Away Grime
The same effect that Alka-Seltzer has on your dishes it will have on tough grime. Whether it's the area around your sink handles or the little creases between tile, it can be difficult to get certain spots back to an immaculate state.
As an alternative to expensive cleaning agents that are riddled with chemicals, try dumping a handful of Alka-Seltzer tablets into a bucket of warm water. You can pour the water directly onto tile floors and mop them afterward, or use a rag for smaller areas.
Run It Through The Coffeemaker
Coffeemakers are one of the more difficult things to clean because many of them do not come apart easily. Rather than run the risk of breaking something, simply run the machine a few times and let the hot water do the rest.
For a more thorough clean, add a couple Alka-Seltzer tablets into the water chamber. The ingredients will aid in killing bacteria without placing anything toxic into the machine. Just be sure you let it run one final time before brewing your next batch of coffee.
Clean Out Your Thermos
A dirty thermos can be hard to avoid since they aren't the easiest to reach down into to clean the very bottom. They also can be difficult to see into since they are long and made of a thick material that doesn't allow light to pass through, especially if the inside is black.
In order to ensure that your thermos is clean before its next use, just fill it up with warm water and throw in a couple of Alka-Seltzer tablets. Let it soak for at least 10 minutes before pouring it out and then rinse with water.
Remove Coffee Stains From Mugs
Another bright white item that can get easily stained is coffee mugs. Similar to toilet bowls, they tend to get a ring where the leftover coffee sat for a while before being poured out. Even after a clean or two, the mark may not come out.
As an extra stain-fighting boost, just throw an Alka-Seltzer tablet in there and let it soak. Another idea is to put all of your stained dishes-- thermoses, mugs, and Tupperware-- into the sink and plug it up. As with Tupperware, you should be able to wipe the stain away after the soak.
Unclog Drains
Say goodbye to expensive products like Draino and hello to Alka-Seltzer tablets for your clogged drain needs. Place four tablets down the drain along with one cup of white vinegar. Then boil a pot of water.
The solution needs to sit for ten minutes before you add the hot water, so the timing should be just right if you place the pot on the burner after you've dumped the solution down the drain. After the boiling water is poured down the drain, you should notice a faster drain time.
Neutralize Fridge Odors
Baking soda has often been the go-to for a smelly fridge, but the problem is that you need to need to leave it in there 24/7 and replace the box every month or so. For a cheaper and easier alternative, dissolve a tablet of Alka-Seltzer into a glass of water.
Then, place the glass into the fridge and let it remain there for about half an hour. You can also use the solution to wipe down the fridge as a more food-friendly cleaning agent. Place a glass with a fresh tablet into the fridge afterward for double the odor-fighting power.
Clean Your Cooler
The next best thing to a fridge is a cooler for those outdoor days when the weather is too perfect to be inside. The problem is that coolers can get dirty easily when you have sandy or dirty hands reaching into the ice.
Once all of the ice has melted and the water has gone warm, just drop four tablets directly into the cooler. After 30 minutes to an hour, let the water pour out along with the solution. Give it a quick rinse and a wipe down and it will look like new.
Soothe Your Muscles
Muscles can cramp up or become sore during or after a workout. Rather than missing several consecutive days at the gym, or walking around limp all week, try utilizing the power of Alka-Seltzer.
Some who have tried this trick have said it works better than taking aspirin alone. The addition of citric acid and baking soda is a powerful aid for the body when used at the right dosage. Plus, the tablets dissolve in the water before you consume it, so it's that much faster and easier to digest.
Make A Toy Rocket
Many kids experience making bottle rockets at some point or another, be it for a science class or just for fun. Alka-Seltzer rockets are easy to make and involve household items that you probably already have lying around.
First, create a rocket shape out of a bottle or film canister, forming the tip of the rocket out of paper. Then, fill it 2/3 of the way with water. Throw in a tablet, shut the lid, and stand back. The pressure will build until the rocket shoots up.
Ease UTI Symptoms
One of the more uncomfortable things a person can experience in their life is a urinary tract infection, or a UTI. For anatomical reasons, they are more common in women. Some people never get them, while others get them all of the time.
If you find yourself in the unfortunate position of being in the latter category, you may be growing tired of racing to the doctor. As a preventative measure or to ease symptoms, try taking some Alka-Seltzer the next time you feel one coming on. It's a home remedy that some swear by.
Revitalize After A Night Out
As you may or may not know, Alka-Seltzer can be used after a night of too much drinking. The medication targets many of the symptoms that happen to arise when the negative impact of having a few too many start to kick in.
From your stomach pain to your throbbing head, waking up after a wild night can be unpleasant. Alka-Seltzer combats the problem in multiple ways, rather than just putting a bandaid over the pain. You may also find that the fizzy water is easier to get down than flat water, as well.
