Novel Uses For Old Or Leftover Wine (#6 Will Surprise You!)
Do you have wine that is past its prime or otherwise not going to be consumed? From cleaning your windows, sprucing up your salad, and even improving your skin, you’ll be surprised just how adaptable your favorite vino can be! So instead of pouring your leftover wine down the drain (assuming you leave any that is), put your wine to use in these seven unique ways.
Frozen Wine Cubes
First on our list is a tasty way to cool down your favorite wine without watering it down. Wine cubes are that “I should have thought of that” innovation that simply makes sense. All you need is your favorite wine, an ice cube tray, and a freezer. Now, your wine will be as cool as you are! Be sure to use unspoiled wine for this one, as you want to make sure when it melts, your wine cubes still have a pleasant taste.
Dying Shirts
All out of tye-dye paint and looking for a fun way to make that plain white tee a little more exciting? You can use red wine to dye your favorite shirt or piece of clothing. To begin, bring your leftover wine to a simmer in a large, nonreactive pot. Then, add whatever fabric you want to dye and stir for about 10 minutes. After allowing it to cool completely, you’ll have a fashionable new shirt that’s to dye for!
Catch Flies
Did you know that a bottle a day keeps the fruit flies away? Fruit flies are attracted to sweet, red liquids, so red wine will be an effective way to stop them in their tracks. All you need to do is take an almost-empty wine bottle with about an inch of wine in it and place a large paper cone in the opening of the bottle. Just place it in your kitchen or the offending area and it’s as simple as that! And don’t feel too bad about the flies, they enjoyed some great wine after all!
Bathe In It
Red wine is known for its antioxidants, but did you know that it’s also healthy for your skin? Anshul Jaibharat, a Delhi-based nutritionist pointed out that “the antioxidants like flavonoid, resveratrol, and tannin help fight aging by restoring collagen and elastic fibers.” And don’t worry about having to empty an entire wine cellar just for more youthful skin. All it takes is a bottle of red wine per bath and you’ll be feeling renewed in no time!
Remove Wine Stains
It’s not only red wine that can improve your life. When you’re not intentionally dyeing your clothes with it, a wine stain can be a hassle. Luckily its counterpart, white wine contains an enzyme that neutralizes the staining ability of red wine. Just be sure to pour white wine on the stained area and gently blot the area (don’t rub) with a damp cloth and it’ll be as good as new!
Clean Windows
The cleaning properties of white wine don’t end there! White wine has been shown to be effective as a glass cleaner and as a countertop disinfectant. Thanks to the alcohol and acidity of white wine, it is a great option for cleaning and for improving shine, but just avoid porous countertops such as those made of granite, as white wines can damage them over time.
Add To Compost Heap
When it comes down to it, sometimes we just have to dispose of our wine, especially if it is spoiled. If you have to, don’t pour it down the drain! Instead, add it to a compost heap as an environmentally friendly way to moisten the compost. As an added benefit, the nitrogen in wine is great at breaking down the carbon-based waste. So if you have some old wine and are looking for ways to contribute to a greener world, the solution is in your bottle. That’s something we can all toast to!
From cleaning windows to catching flies and even bathing in wine for your health, it’s pretty amazing how versatile wine really is. So next time you get to the bottom of a bottle, consider letting your wine go the extra mile in making your everyday life just a little bit easier.
Until then, if you’re looking for delicious handmade wines to drink or to use in any of the ways above, you can have them delivered right to your doorstep!
Ready to unbox, uncork and unwind with your favorite vino?