7 Surprising Uses for Garlic

Besides its amazing benefits in cooking and medicine, garlic offers several other advantages you might be thrilled to learn about:

1. Natural Pest Repellent

Do you have plants that attract a lot of insects, but don't want to use chemicals? No worries. Garlic handles it all: Chop two cloves of garlic into a jar, add boiling water, and seal it tightly. The next day, drain the liquid into a spray bottle. Use it to water your problem plants, then store the bottle in the freezer until you need it again. (This prevents the solution from spoiling.)

2. Surface Cleaner

A mixture of five chopped garlic cloves, white vinegar, and lemon makes an excellent cleaner for stubborn stains on marble surfaces.

3. Natural Sunscreen

Garlic contains allicin, giving it its strong smell and taste. In complementary medicine, pills made from hot peppers and garlic help protect skin from sun damage. However, apply it with caution, as it can cause burns and sores; consult your doctor first.

4. Natural Mosquito and Fly Repellent

Summer's here, and are the bugs biting? Garlic, dear friends, garlic. Nothing withstands its strong scent—flies and mosquitoes will flee without needing to chase them all day. Chop some cloves and place them around the house where mosquitoes commonly enter, and see how effective it is.

5. Aiding Hair Loss Prevention

Recent studies suggest garlic can also hasten hair growth and prevent hair loss. Experts recommend grinding garlic to extract pure oil, then massaging it into the scalp.

6. Preventing Athlete's Foot and Treating It

A compound in garlic known as ajoene has proven effective in tests for preventing and even treating athlete's foot. Crush two cloves in a basin with warm water and a capful of chlorine. Soak your feet for half an hour for a better solution than many available creams.

7. The Cherry on Top - Removing Splinters

If you've ever had a splinter, you know how unpleasant it is, especially when removal attempts fail. A remarkable and simple trick is cutting a slice of garlic (as thin as possible) and securing it with a bandage near the splinter. Within hours, the splinter will surface, and relief will follow.