Since this January I have decided to cut out the good old processed white sugar from my diet as much as possible, I thought I would look around for some alternative uses for the stuff. You know me, I do hate waste, so I’m not going to be cooking with it this month just what could I be doing with it?

Read on to find out just handy the dreaded sweet white stuff can be around the house and even in your beauty routine, who’d a thunk it!

So here are 10 great household uses for sugar!

1. KEEPIN’ IT FRESH

Keep bread, biscuits, cakes and even your favourite cheese fresher for longer by popping a few sugar lumps in your storage tins. The moisture drawing properties of the sugar will help keep those goodies fresh for a wee while longer.

2. HANDS ON CLEAN

Oily, greasy and just plain old dirty hands can be cleaned and soothed with sugar. Wet your hands and use about a tablespoon of sugar along with your usual soap. Massage all over the hands to get rid of that nasty oily or greasy mess.

3. SAY IT WITH FLOWERS

Help flowers stay fresh for longer by adding 2 teaspoons of sugar to 2 tablespoons white vinegar to your vase water. This dynamic duo beats bacteria and strengthens and flowers and lengthens their lifespan.

4. LOVELY LIPS

1. Stop cracked lips by mixing a little sugar with olive oil and spreading on your lips, leave for a few minutes before wiping off.

2. Make your lipstick last for longer by dusting lips with sugar after applying your usual lippy, leave it for a minute then lick it off. The sugar draws out moisture from the lippy leaving the colour intact and stronger and stops it being left on glasses and cups instead of your mouth!

5. HEALING WAYS

The sweetest way to heal wounds is an old African method of using sugar on open sores and wounds to kill bacteria and ease pain. As the sugar draws water from the wound it stops the bacteria (that requires moisture to breed) in its tracks. A 6-month Study At Birmingham University conducted on 21 patients whose wounds did not respond to conventional treatment showed that sugar was effective in curing painful infections.

6. BETTER YOUR BODY

Sugar Scrubs are often part of fancy spa treatments. You can easily make your own by simply mixing 2 tablespoons of sugar with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a few drops of your favourite essential oil. Use this to massage in circular motions all over your skin. It will remove dead skin cells and smooth the skin. Shower off and feel fresh all over.

7. GOURMET GRINDING

If you want to use your coffee grinder for herbs and spices but don’t want to transfer the smells to your favourite brew, simply load up the grinder with some sugar and grind for a few minutes/ pass through a few times for hand grinders. The sugar will absorb the smells from past usage and leave your grinder fresh for next use whatever it is

8. KEEP OFF THE GRASS STAINS

Grass stains on kids clothes can be a nightmare, but you can get them out easily by making a simple paste of sugar and water and rubbing this into the stains. Leave for an hour and then pop into the wash as usual.

9. CHILL OUT

Burned your lips or tongue on a hot cuppa or dreaded cheese toastie? Soothe pain instantly by reaching for either a sugar cube or a sprinkling of the white stuff.

10. BUG OFF

Kill ants and cockroaches by mixing equal quantities of sugar and bicarbonate of soda and placing it in their favourite café spots. They will be attracted by the sweet treat and die happy.

So there you are folks, ten great household uses for sugar, it’s not all bad that sweet white stuff, so don’t chuck it out of the kitchen.