Each year, we consume on average nearly 220 eggs. And we throw away so many shells! These envelopes, composed of 95% minerals (calcium and magnesium carbonates and phosphates), can nevertheless be very useful to us at home and in the garden. Here are some good reasons not to put them in the trash anymore!

1 – TO CLEAN THE PIPES

These get clogged easily! But you can clean them with well-crushed eggshell, soap and warm water. All the dirt lurking in your pipes will go away.

2 – TO CARE FOR A SMALL CUT

Did you cut yourself while preparing food? No need to look for a plaster. Here’s how to do it:

• Crack an egg.
• Peel off the membrane that covers the inside of the shell.
• Cover your cut with this membrane.
• The eggshell membrane has surprising properties. It will harden and prevent blood from flowing. Furthermore, it will also naturally protect your cut from bacteria and infections. Finally, the membrane will allow your cut to breathe to heal it more quickly.

3 – BLEACH THE LAUNDRY

Another 100% natural grandmother’s tip. To preserve the whiteness of your laundry, all you need is a few eggshells combined with a slice of lemon. Place these ingredients in a closed fabric bag which you place in the drum of your machine, then wash as normal. The shells and lemon will prevent the linen from tarnishing.

4 – PROTECT FRUIT TREES

To protect fruit trees from certain diseases such as blisters, budding gardeners recycle their eggshells. Coarsely crushed and hung from tree branches in small nets, the shells are said to keep the tree healthy. However, the tip is only valid with fresh eggshells which have not been cooked beforehand.

5 – CLEANING PRODUCT FOR PANS

Crushed eggshells are used to clean pans that have food stuck to the bottom or sides.

The next time you have to wash the dishes, use an eggshell to, if necessary, clean the bottom of your pans.

6 – 100% NATURAL CALCIUM FOOD SUPPLEMENT

Naturally enriched with calcium (90% calcium easily absorbed by our body) and minerals, eggshell is a very healthy food supplement. The Food Development Center of Canada has proven that the shell provides digestive benefits and also strengthens bone density.

To make a calcium supplement, you must reduce the shell to powder. To do this, boil the empty shells for 10 minutes, without removing the membrane which contains essential nutrients. Let the shells dry on absorbent paper. Break the dry shells into small pieces and crush them in a food processor to grind them, until you obtain a powder (similar to flour). Store the powder in a glass jar, away from light and humidity.

For this type of food supplement, it is preferable to use organic eggs or eggs directly from your henhouse, to be sure to have all the nutritional values.

7 – IMPROVEMENT OF THE TASTE OF COFFEE

Boiling an eggshell in coffee helps reduce its bitterness.

Remember to wash the shell well and filter the coffee.

8 – LIGHTEN YOUR SKIN WITH EGGSHELLS

Place an eggshell in a small container of apple cider vinegar and let it soak for a few days. Dab the mixture on minor skin irritations or itchy areas of the skin.

9 – NAIL TREATMENT

If we have fragile, damaged or poorly growing nails, the solution is in our fridge! And yes: when we grind eggshell, we obtain a powder which, mixed with our varnish, transforms into a 100% effective and free nail strengthener! Perfect when you don’t have time to go to the manicurist…

10 – SHARPEN THE BLADES OF A BLENDER ROBOT

Little surprising but super effective tip: to sharpen the blades of a food processor (Thermomix type) without bothering to take it apart, simply place an eggshell (or two) in the bowl, close it, and mix at full power for a few seconds. Very surprising, but after that the blades automatically return to their original sharpness!