If you’ve read any of my other articles like 10 Unusual Use for Toothpicks or 6 Unusual Uses for Paper Clips That Will Boggle Your Mind!
then you know I like to think outside of the box. But when I heard about some alternative uses for Coca-Cola, I had my doubts. My curiosity got the best of me, so, I did some research on my own. Read this interesting article and find out 5 of the strangest uses for Coca-Cola you’ve ever heard of! And, find out the results of my experiments!
1. Coca-Cola Allegedly Cleans the Stains in Your Toilet Bowl
The rumor is, to remove stains in your toilet bowl, all you need is a 12-ounce can of Coke and a brush. We’re fortunate to have good, clear well water. That is, it doesn’t contain iron or minerals that leave deposits and stains in the toilet bowl. For this experiment, I had to enlist the help of my elderly friend Earl. Actually, I just borrowed the toilet in his apartment. I flushed it, then I poured a can of Coca-Cola around the inside of the bowl and let it set. After one hour, I vigorously scrubbed his toilet bowl with a brush. I then flushed it to rinse. The results? The black stains in the toilet bowl remained intact. There were some thick lime or calcium deposits that the Coke didn’t budge either. Hmm.
The Phosphorus Acid, Citric Acid and Carbonic Acid in Coca-Cola may actually work on lesser toilet bowl stains. But, on Earl’s old commode. I didn’t see any improvement.
I have to add here, that Earl became so interested in my experiment, he bought a bottle of The Works. This product did a marvelous job of cleaning his toilet bowl- it even removed the black marks!
2. Coca-Cola Allegedly Cleans Up Pans That Have Crusty Food Remnants
The story is, if you pour a can of Coke into a pan that has crusty food remnants in it, and boil the soda pop on the stove, the pan will become sparkling clean.
It just happens that I did have a crusty stainless steel pan in my sink. So, I poured a can of Coke in it, and placed it on my stovetop. Even as the soda became heated, it still continued to fizz. Since the soda was only about an inch deep, I carefully swished the cola around so it splashed up on the inside of the pan as well.
As time went on, I could see that more and more of the dried food was coming loose and floating in the liquid. Finally, when the Coca-Cola came to a boil- I had it on medium-low heat- I let it boil for 15 minutes.
When I removed the pan from the heat, I swished the soda around the inside one more time before I poured it out. Every bit of crusty, hard food was gone, and the stainless steel shined. Impressive!
3. Coca-Cola Allegedly Makes Brownie Box Mixes Moist
I heard that stirring Coca-Cola in with the powdered ingredients of a brownie mix makes a moist, tasty treat. I want to make this recipe clear- you skip adding any other ingredients such as eggs, oil, water, et cetera. The soda takes the place of all other ingredients.
I decided not to try this recipe. I just can’t imagine baking a batch of chocolate brownies using only Coca-Cola. The brownies would have to be flatter than normal, physically, as well as in taste. So, I can’t say one way or the other if this strange use for Coca-Cola works. I’m going to play it safe and follow the box directions. Has anyone else tried it?
4. Coca-Cola Allegedly Removes Battery Corrosion
Anytime you notice corrosion on the terminals of your car, truck, motorcycle or tractor battery, just reach for a can of Coca-Cola. I’ve done this before, so I already know it works.
First, unhook the battery wires from the terminals- be sure to remove the negative one first. Then,
I simply pour Coca-Cola on the ends of the wires and the terminals. Let them set a few minutes, then scrub them clean with a stiff wire brush. Finally, I wipe the wire ends and the terminals off well with a old, clean rag. Attach everything again, and, this dirty job is done!
5. Coca-Cola Allegedly Cleans Greasy/Oily Laundry
The story is, if you dump a 2-liter bottle of Coke into your washing machine along with a greasy/oily load of laundry and your regular detergent, the soda will remove the stubborn grime. I decided I had already scarified enough Coca-Cola, so I decided not to perform this experiment. It may actually work, but I must say, I do have my doubts. First, I can’t see adding sticky sugar and caramel coloring into a washer load of clothes I’m trying to get clean. Second, Coca-Cola contains Phosphorus Acid, Carbonic Acid, and Citric Acid, but these would become diluted by the water and the detergent. Third, according to Snopes.com, using plain soda water would be better since it wouldn’t leave a sticky residue behind. So, when it comes to this strange use, decide for yourself.
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