Alum Uses In Kitchen: I saw my grandfather using alum in my childhood. He often used to apply it on his face after shaving. He used to say that it disinfects the minor cuts made during shaving.

I also know that alum is used to purify water. But do you know that it can be used for many purposes in the kitchen? Yes, with a piece of alum you can do everything from cleaning vegetables to washing utensils.

Not only this, adding a piece of alum while heating water can also help you in solving many of your problems. Let's know what happens when alum is boiled in water and what are some of its amazing kitchen hacks that you must try.

What happens by boiling alum in water?

Many times the water becomes dirty due to change in weather. Now the filter does clean the water, but the filtered water cannot be wasted again and again for small tasks. In such a situation, you can use alum. When you boil alum in water, this water gets detoxed naturally. Alum has anti-bacterial and anti-septic properties, which help in purifying the water.

This kills bacteria and impurities. It also removes foul smell from water. It works like a natural water purifier. You can complete small tasks with this.

For this, just add a small piece of alum in one liter of water and boil it for 5-7 minutes. Let it cool and filter it and use it.

Use alum in the kitchen in this way-

1. To remove odor from water bottles or containers

We use steel bottles or plastic containers for a long time. Many times we are not able to clean them properly. In such a situation, a strange smell of dampness or staleness settles in them. This smell does not go away easily even with a normal dishwash. Alum contains natural odor-eliminating elements that kill bacteria and remove the bad smell from the root.

What to do-

• Take lukewarm water in a bowl. Put a small piece of alum in it and let it dissolve.
• Now soak your bottles or containers in it. Remove after 15–20 minutes and clean gently with a brush and wash.
• This makes the odor disappear and the bottle looks like new again.

2. To clean and remove odor from kitchen sink

The kitchen sink is used a lot, from washing utensils to cleaning vegetables. Due to being constantly wet and dirty, a strange odor starts coming from its drain pipe, due to which the whole kitchen starts smelling bad. Alum water deodorizes the sink by killing bacteria and fungus.

What to do:

• Take a mug of hot water. Add half a teaspoon of alum powder to it.
• Pour this solution slowly into the sink and do not run the water for an hour. Then add cold water.
• The smell coming from the sink will go away and the pipe will also become clean.

3. Natural cleaner for washing vegetables and fruits

Nowadays, the vegetables and fruits in the market have chemicals, wax and dirt on them which cannot be completely removed even with water. In such a situation, alum water works as a natural and safe cleaner. Alum removes the harmful bacteria and chemicals present in the water and makes the fruits and vegetables clean and edible.

How to use:

• Fill a large vessel with water. Add about 1/4 teaspoon alum powder to it.
• Soak fruits and vegetables in it for 10-15 minutes. Later wash them with clean water and store or cook them.
• This method is especially effective for leafy vegetables, grapes, tomatoes and apples.

4. To remove smell like tea or turmeric from the containers

Tiffin or spice boxes often smell of tea, turmeric or a particular vegetable. This smell becomes more bothersome when you want to store something else in the same box. The anti-oxidant property of alum eliminates the fine particles that cause odor.

What to do:

• Wash the container with hot water. Then pour the alum water in it and put the lid on and shake it.
• Open it after 10 minutes and wash it thoroughly. The smell will disappear and the box will look fresh again.

Did you see how easy it is to use alum? Not just one but many small problems can be solved with this.

Image Credit: Freepik