Brilliant uses for ice cubes you’ll wish you knew sooner

Yep, that block of frozen water can do a lot more than just cool down your drink.

If you’re constantly reaching for the step stool to water hard-to-reach hanging plants, ice cubes can help. Just toss several cubes into the pots. The ice melts and waters the plants and does it without causing a sudden downpour from the drain hole. This is also a good way to water your Christmas tree, whose base may be hard to reach with a watering can.

If you’ve recently rearranged the furniture in your living room, you know that heavy pieces can leave ugly indents in your carpet. Use ice cubes to remove them. Put an ice cube, for example, on the spot where the chair leg stood. Let it melt, then brush up the dent. Rug rehab completed.

You’re caulking around the bathtub, but the sticky caulk compound keeps adhering to your finger as you try to smooth it. If you don’t do something about it, the finished job will look pretty awful. Solve the problem by running an ice cube along the caulk line. This forms the caulk into a nice even bead and the caulk will never stick to the ice cube.
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So your ready-to-wear shirt is full of wrinkles and there’s no time to wash it again. Turn on the iron and wrap an ice cube in a soft cloth. Rub over the wrinkle just before you iron and the shirt will smooth out.

No matter what flavour your local pharmacist offers in children’s medicine, kids can still turn up their noses at the taste. Have them suck on an ice cube before taking the medicine. This numbs the taste buds and allows the medicine to go down, without the spoonful of sugar.

Parental challenge #573: removing a splinter from the hand of a screaming, squirming toddler. Before you start jabbing with that needle, grab an ice cube and numb the area. This should make splinter removal more painless and quicker.

Imagine what it’s like to wear a fur coat in the middle of summer. Your rabbits and guinea pigs and gerbils will love your thoughtfulness if you place a few cubes in their water dish to cool down. This is also a good tip for your cat, who’s spent the hot morning lounging on your bed, or your dog, who’s just had a long romp in the park.

Learn the 15 daily habits of great dog owners.

Do you want to make your homemade salad dressing as smooth and even as the bottled variety? Try this: Put all the dressing ingredients in a jar with a lid, then add a single ice cube. Close the lid and shake vigorously. Spoon out the ice cube and serve. Your guests will be impressed by how creamy your salad dressing is.

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Want to get as much fat as possible out of your homemade soup or stew as quickly as possible? Fill a metal ladle with ice cubes and skim the bottom of the ladle over the top of the liquid in the soup pot. Fat will collect on the ladle.