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29 surprising uses for shampoo
Have you ever found yourself wondering: What else can I use shampoo for, other than the obvious? Nope, me either. But maybe we should because according to the web it has many, many uses.
Why would you want to use shampoo for anything except hair washing? Well, in some situations it can act as a substitute product. Or maybe you’ve got some shampoo you simply don’t like but don’t want to throw away. You never know when this list might come in useful…
Some tips I found on how to use leftover shampoo are useful, some are strange and some are questionable. Regardless, here they are, all in one place ready for you to try!
There are actually 30 uses for shampoo?!
Yes there is. Let’s go!
1. Washer of dishes
If you find yourself without washing up liquid but need to wash up… shampoo is your friend. It cleans hair, so surely it can clean dishes too? Just make sure you give everything a good rinse afterwards. Apparently it’s much friendlier on the hands, too!
2. Cleaner of makeup brushes
It’s important to keep makeup brushes nice and clean to fend off any festering bacteria. Clean them easily by adding shampoo to warm water and giving them a good wash.
3. Cleaner of hairbrushes
Hairbrushes can get clogged up with all sorts; hair follicles, hair product, dead skin cells, need I say more? Give your brush the blast of freshness it deserves by getting rid of any hair clumps and then soaking the brush in a bowl with shampoo and warm water.
4. Defogger of mirrors
Does your mirror become a steamy nightmare after the shower’s been used? Are you unable to see your lovely reflection? We can’t have that. Try rubbing a bit of shampoo over the mirror with a paper towel, and then buff it off with a sponge or cloth. Magic!
5. Substitute of shaving cream
Many people already use conditioner as a substitute for shaving cream, but shampoo can be a good back up too. This is a handy tip if you’re heading off on a short trip and need to pack light.
6. Provider of manicures
Fancy a manicure without the price tag? Simply fill a bowl with warm water and add some shampoo. Soak your hands for a bit and they’ll be soft as ever. I’m guessing this works for your feet too. Mani-pedis all round, eh?
7. Cleaner of nails
While we’re on the subject of cleaning hands, you can clean your nails with the help of some trusty shampoo too. And your cuticles. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.
8. Fixer of zips
Zip feeling stiff? Is it a burden to fasten? Do you not bother? Are you cold as a result? Change your life by rubbing a bit of shampoo onto the zip to loosen it up again. Hooray, no more inconvenient draught!
9. Remover of plasters
Removing a stubborn plaster is never a good experience. Make it easier by putting shampoo over the adhesive parts to loosen it up. Hopefully it’ll glide off (as much as a plaster can glide…)
10. Bubble-r of baths
Fancy a bubble bath but is a lack of bubbles getting in your way? Use shampoo instead and enjoy a good soak.
11. Remover of laundry stains
Got a stain you can’t shift? Dab shampoo onto the offending stain and then pop it in the wash. Apparently that should do the trick…
12. Cleaner of floors
Apparently you can use shampoo to clean wooden and tile floors. I imagine the results would be quite slippery… but then I’ve used washing up liquid to clean a floor before and all was fine. So maybe not?
13. Replacer of shower gel
Hopped into the shower and horrified to discover you’ve run out of shower gel? A true nightmare… or is it? Use shampoo as a substitute. Again, this proves particularly useful if you’re going away and don’t want to lug a load of toiletries with you. Also, doesn’t men’s shower gel often double up as a shampoo anyway? Hmm, interesting.
14. Washer of hands
Run out of your trusty hand wash but need to wash your hands? Try using shampoo as a substitute until you’ve got more in.
15. Washer of delicates
If you have something you need to wash by hand, you can use shampoo instead of buying specific hand washing detergent. Who knew? I wonder if this works with colourful shampoo and white clothes? Hmm.
16. Cleaner of paintbrushes
If you’ve have a bit of a painting session, you can make your brushes nice and clean again by washing them in a bit of shampoo. A clean paintbrush is a happy paintbrush.
17. Ridder of squeaks
Got a squeaky hinge that’s driving you up the wall? Put some shampoo on it to stop its whining.
18. Cleaner of house plants
Are dirty house plants a common problem for you? Me too (not really, but I get the feeling you needed to hear that). Solve that problem with ease by washing their leaves with a bit of shampoo and water… seems like a lot of effort to me. Am I just gripping at straws now?
19. Loosen-er of nuts and bolts
If you’ve got a bolt you need to loosen but it won’t budge, add a bit of shampoo to the base. Leave it for a while and it should (hopefully) loosen it up a bit for you. Anything for an easier life!
20. Resizer of shrunken jumpers
Ever suffered the cruel fate of a shrunken jumper? What a disaster. But wait! Apparently you can restore the sweater back to its normal size by using shampoo. Fill a tub with warm water and add some gentle shampoo. Leave the jumper to soak. After a bit, take the jumper out of the water and soak up any water using a towel. Then lay the jumper out and slowly pull it back to its original size.
21. Buffer of shoes
Nothing ruins a party quicker than some poor fool showing up in dirty shoes. NOTHING! Cleaning leather shoes with a dab of shampoo will help to spruce them up a bit.
22. Creator of bubbles
If, during the summer, you find yourself with a lack of bubbles simply mix some shampoo with water to create a bubble mix. Find a bubble wand and you’re set.
23. Preventer of snorkel mask fog
Ah yes. A very common problem indeed… Much like with the steamy bathroom mirror, your snorkelling mask can fall victim to becoming too foggy. So, once again, dab a paper towel in shampoo and rub it on the mask front. Clean it off with a sponge. Enjoy the view!
24. Cleaner of bath tubs
When it’s time to give the tub a clean, apparently shampoo can give you a helping hand. Put shampoo around the tub, leave for a bit and then rinse away. My sources tell me this works in the shower too?
25. Cleaner of carpets
Small stain on the carpet? Try spot cleaning it with a dab of shampoo, rinse it with water and then pat it dry. Always do a bit of research on the kind of carpet you have before attempting this. I don’t want to be held responsible for your priceless Afghan tapestry being ruined forever by shampoo suds!
26. Degreaser of kitchens
If you’ve got splatters of grease on your kitchen tiles, dab a cloth into some shampoo and give it a scrub. It should remove it with ease. Got a particularly stubborn patch of grease? Mix shampoo with our old friend, baking soda to create a super team.
27. Remover of paint
Always end up with paint on your skin when you’re painting? Scrub the paint with shampoo first and then rinse it off. Unless of course, that was your intention all along…no judgment here.
28. Remover of eye makeup (?)
Rumour has it if you mix a little bit of baby shampoo (I’m guessing that’s important because baby shampoo is gentler?) with water, you can use it to remove eye makeup. I don’t think I could put shampoo on my eyes… however this blogger tried it and survived to tell the tale.
29. Washer of faces
Some people swear by using baby shampoo as an alternative to a face wash. I guess if you combine this with the above, you can wash your face and remove your make up all at once. Convenient!
30. Washer of hair
Bonus use! Use it for washing your hair. Of course this isn’t a ‘surprising’ use for shampoo at all, so it doesn’t make it onto the list. Here’s a tip though: Rachel’s mum-in-law says that anti-dandruff shampoo can lighten your hair if you leave it on for a few more minutes than usual. This is handy to know if your hair comes out a bit too dark after a dyeing session. Shampoo is good for getting rid of dye stains on your skin, too.
There you go. I’ve managed to find 30 uses for shampoo across the internet. Would I try them all? Probably not. But it’ll be good to know in some situations that I can use shampoo as a substitute for certain products.
Have you got any more to add to the list?
