11 Uses for Cornstarch

I regularly use cornstarch in two or three ways.  The first is to thicken gravies or pudding in cooking or I use it at school as a way of teaching plasticity in Science. I've used it when my children were young to help prevent diaper rash. Recently I heard of some interesting ways to use it outside of the kitchen or with kids.

Just a bit of background first. Cornstarch is made out of the finely ground endosperm of the corn.  It is ground, washed, and dried until it reaches a powdery state.


Did you know that you could use it to:

1. Remove an ink stain from cloth by making a paste of cornstarch and milk?  You make the paste, put it on the stain, let dry and brush off.

2. Kill cockroaches by mixing equal parts of plaster of Paris with cornstarch and spreading in cracks and crevices?

3. Stop floorboards from squeaking by applying cornstarch to the area of the seams where the boards rub together.

4. Create your own finger paint from a mixture of boiled cornstarch and water with food coloring added to it.

5. Soothes sunburn by mixing cornstarch with water to form a paste. Apply the paste to the sunburn or skin irritation, let rest till it is dry, then brush off.

6.  Helps in untangling knots.  Sprinkle cornstarch on the knot, rub in a bit, and the knot is much easier to take apart.

7. Create your own matte nail polish by mixing cornstarch with nail polish on a post it note, then apply to your nails.

8. Lift scorch marks from fabric by wetting the affected area, covering with cornstarch, let it dry and brush away.

9.  Getting rid of blood stains. Make a paste of cornstarch and cold water, apply to stain, rub it in, let it dry in the sun, then remove the dried cornstarch.  You might need to repeat.

10. Remove oil stains. Sprinkle cornstarch over the stain or smudge, let rest to give it a chance to absorb the oil before cleaning as usual.

11. To keep cards from sticking, put the cards in a bag with a couple teaspoons of cornstarch, shake well, remove cards and wipe the cornstarch off with a dry cloth.

Most of these uses, I'd never heard of before.  This list is going up on my refrigerator as a quick reference.  I sew a lot and the one for getting rid of blood stains is going to come in handy because I have yet to make anything where I don't shed blood on it.  Enjoy the list.