Solving Everyday Problems With The Noble Cucumber

Recently the New York Times higlighted creative and fancy ways to solve common problems with the cucumber. I learned so much from this, and hopefully you will too. Using the cucumber to solve many household problems will save you lots of money, so give the amazing cucumber a try.

1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day. Just one cucumber contains B1,B2, B3, B6, folic acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium and zinc. Who needs a multi vitamin?

2. Try a cucumber as an afternoon snack for a quick pick me up. Cucumbers are a good source of B vitamin.

3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up when you take a shower? Try rubbing a cucumber slice on the mirror. It will elminate the fog and add a soothing, spa-like fragrance.

Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices of cucumber in a small pie tin. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.

4. Do your shoes need a shine? Rub a freshly cut slice of cucumber over the shoe. It's chemicals will provide a shine that not only looks great but also repels water.

5. Looking for a "green" way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean. Not only will it remove years of tarnish but it will bring back the shine.

6. Made a mistake using a pen? Use the outside of the cucumber as an eraser. It also works great on crayons and markers.

7. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeeky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub on the squeeky area. Voila! The squeek is gone.

8.Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out to the pool, try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along the problem area for a few minutes. The phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming the outer layer and reducing the visibility. It works great on wrinkles, too. Sorry, it's only temporary.

Oh, by the way, the cucumber is also great to eat. It's a wonderful diuretic and cleanser. I cannot vouch for the reliability of any of these remedies, but heck, I'm willing to try them.