Give Your Blender A Second Life With Eggshells

Blenders are neck and neck with microwaves for the honor of being the most useful kitchen appliance. Don't believe us? While over 90% of Americans have a microwave sitting on their kitchen counter (via U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics), the same impressive percentage of cooks throughout the U.S. own some version of a blender (per Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers). After all, aside from being the perfect way to churn out a classic margarita recipe or a healthy smoothie, a blender can help you prep ingredients for more in-depth dishes. And Leaf reports that you can even use your blender in place of a food processor if you're hoping to whip up a small portion of a creamy recipe like pesto.

But if you're one of the many cooks who use your blender on a frequent basis, there is nothing worse than when its blades start to dull. Because when a blender's dulled blades render it tragically ineffective at cutting food, what was once your favorite kitchen appliance may become your worst culinary enemy. However, you don't have to buy a sharpening stone to bring your blender back to life.

As it turns out, eggs are still useful even after you crack them into your vanilla cake batter. So while you can make sure your coffee is never too bitter by brewing up a cup infused with eggshells, there's another reason you shouldn't throw your eggs' leftovers in the garbage. According to The Kitchn, eggshells can easily sharpen your blender blades. The outlet reported that all you need to use this blender hack is to collect and freeze your leftover eggshells in an air-tight container. Once your eggshells are frozen, The Kitchn states you should throw a small amount of eggshells into the blender. After covering the shells with water, you will then need to blend the eggshells until they are entirely ground up to properly sharpen the blades. Eating Well advises that for the most effective sharpening job, you should blend the shells on your appliance's highest setting.

Once your eggshells are thoroughly chopped, you will need to be mindful of how you dispose of them. The Kitchn explains that you should never pour the eggshells and water down your kitchen drain as the blended eggshells can stop up your sink. Instead, you should toss them in your trash can or garbage disposal. Once you've properly disposed of your eggshells and cleaned out your blender, it will be able to effortlessly slice fruit once again.