20 Uses for Flour (Besides Cooking)
Posted by Prepper Ideas
Everyone has flour in their home and do not realize that there are more uses for this age old grain product besides cooking. Here are 20 alternative uses of flour
1. Make modeling clay.
To make a simple clay, just mix 3 cups flour with 1 cup water, ¼ cup salt, and 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil. You can add a few drops of food coloring, too. Knead the dough until it’s uniform, then mold it into whatever shapes you desire. Bake in the oven for an hour at 250 degrees to harden. We did this for Christmas ornaments one year and it was easy and adorable!
2. Make play dough.
Similar to modeling clay but not meant for baking, play dough is easy to make and lasts a lot longer. To make, just mix 2 cups flour with 2 cups warm water, 1 cup salt, and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. An optional tablespoon of cream of tartar will improve elasticity, while food coloring can be added for fun variety. Store your play dough in an airtight container or plastic bag.
3. Make cloud dough.
Cloud dough is a fun and funky sensory experience for children. Just mix 8 cups flour with 1 cup baby oil. Cloud dough feels a lot like flour, but it’s moldable!
4. Deter ants.
You can help keeps ants at bay by sprinkling a thick line of flour wherever you see them entering or exiting. Supposedly, they won’t cross the barrier. Supposedly. A professional exterminator might work better.
5. Buff steel.
You can use dry flour and a cloth rag to buff your stainless steel sink, appliances, etc. Apply it dry with elbow grease, then rinse it off and let it shine.
6. Polish copper.
You can also polish copper using a mixture of equal parts flour, salt, and white vinegar. Apply the paste to your metal, allow it to dry, then buff it off. The copper beneath should be shiny like new.
7. Refresh a deck of cards.
You can spruce up an old playing deck by dropping the entire thing (loose) into a paper bag with about a ¼ cup of flour. The thirsty flour will soak up all the oils and grime from years of dirty fingers, greasy snacks, etc.
8. Make homemade spray glue.
This stuff is great to have around on hand for a cheap, nontoxic adhesive. Find easy instructions here.
9. Make paper-mache.
We all did this in elementary school, right? Well, this is a bit more advanced than the standard balloon globe. For example, these gorgeous bowls using vintage paper!
10. Sprinkle it on squash or potato plants.
Many gardeners swear by this old, all-natural pest control tip. To rid yourself of buggy predators, simply sprinkle the squash or potato plants with a fine layer of flour.
11. DIY Spray Adhesive - This spritz glue is great for when you want your adhesive to go on evenly with fewer ripples and bubbles.
12. Make Salt Dough – Think of this as DIY modeling clay. Sculpt, shape, bake, and you’ve got yourself a keepsake!
13. Natural Fabric Stiffener – You seamsters know that some sewing projects are a lot easier with fabric stiffener, but it usually comes in an aerosol spray bottle. Here’s an alternative!
14. Red Grape Face Mask – Take advantage of the natural antioxidants and amino acids in red grapes with this homemade face mask.
15. Natural Acne Serum - Mix up equal parts of flour and or honey agave nectar, and apply a dab of the mixture to the pimple. Cover with a band aid overnight, and in the morning the swelling should be reduced considerably.
16. Chickpea Flour Face Mask - Chickpea flour – also called besan – is the key ingredient in this traditional face mask recipe. You can use almond milk in place of the dairy milk to make this vegan.
17. Put out a grease fire House fires many times start in the kitchen from a grease fire on the stove. If grease spills on your burners, turn off the burners and grab your flour pour it on the fire, before it gets out of hand. The flour will smother the fire out. It makes a mess though and you will have to clean your stove after wards.
18. Get Rid of Flies – Put flour and a pinch of black pepper on the dirt around your perennials to keep away the flies and other garden pests.
19. Dry Shampoo Alternative - When you don’t have time to wash your hair, sprinkle a little flour into the hair and brush through. This will get rid of oil and dandruff.
20. Loosen a Lid. Sometimes lids get stuck. And that’s okay. If you have a few stubborn jars in the fridge, don’t resign yourself to a mini-battle every time you want a snack. Instead, outsmart the problem with a little bit of flour. The next time you struggle with a lid, wipe the container’s edge with flour before replacing the lid. It will be a cinch to open the next time around!