10 Surprising Uses For A Pumice Stone (Not Just For Feet!)

Most of us use one for to remove hard skin and calluses from our feet, but did you know that there are many more uses for a pumice stone? This little multi-tasking rock can help clean your home, boost your plants and more...

Editor's Note: This post was originally posted in March 2016 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness in January 2018.

1. Effortless oven & hob cleaning using a pumice stone

Pumice stone uses don't get better than this...

Cleaning the oven is our least favourite chore, but we recently found pumice stones make it much easier. In fact, they work better than most scourers. Make sure your pumice stone is wet and supple before getting to work with it. Use it to gently buff off grease and burnt on mess, continually wetting the pumice stone to avoid scratching.

Of course, you can use it with your standard oven cleaner, but some people think it's an efficient alternative to standard oven cleaning products. If you're going chemical-free, it's worth trying solo.

For more suggestions on how to clean your hob, check out the video below!

2. Use a pumice stone to de-pill your bobbly sweaters

After months of use during winter, you may notice that some of your favourite jumpers have started to 'pill' - also known as bobbling. This is when the fibres unravel and the loose ends form a ball on the surface of your jumper.

You can prevent pilling by turning garments inside out before washing, but to get rid of the balls without ruining your favourite jumper grab a pumice stone. The soft, porous surface is ideal for removing pills and lint from clothing.

Lightly run the pumice stone over the fabric and it should catch the balls easily. Some people like to use a razor but we find with an accidental heavy hand you could make holes in delicate fabrics like cashmere. Don't run the risk - grab a pumice stone instead.

3. Clean the dirtiest of toilets

Use your pumice stone (not the one you use on your body) to clean and remove mineral deposits from your toilet bowl.

Wet the pumice stone before gently scrubbing away at stains. You can use it alongside your usual bathroom cleaner to get rid of particularly bad areas.

4. Boost your soil's plant power 

Most green-fingered gardeners will know the key to healthy plants is good quality soil. Adding pumice helps the soil retain water and hold onto essential nutrients necessary for plant growth. The porous nature of pumice stone means it can help retain vital nutrients and it also works as a conditioner.

You can use small chippings of pumice in soil, using one part pumice for every four parts of soil. Alternatively, you can add smaller pumice stones directly onto the soil- for example, placed on top of the soil in potted plants or in terrariums.

5. Pumice stone hair removal

Ever tried natural hair removal? This sounds like a strange one, but you can painlessly remove fine body hairs with a pumice stone by following these simple steps from LiveStrong:

1. Exfoliate skin with a scrub and warm water to remove dead skin cells and soften hairs.
2. Lightly towel-dry your skin so it's still damp.
3. Rub the pumice stone onto hairs in a circular motion with gentle pressure until hairs rub off.
4. Moisturise thoroughly.
5. Repeat every few days until all hair is removed.

Are you meant to exfoliate before or after shaving? Find out in our other blog post.

6. How to clean up pesky pet hair

Pet hair can be a real nightmare to clean! When you can't vacuum easily or you need to get into small nooks and crannies (like the back of your car), grab a pumice stone. It's perfect for cleaning carpets. Wet it before you use and, in the same way you would use a squeegee, move in one direction to gather up all the hairs. They'll soon start to collect into a ball.

7. Use your pumice stone for DIY manicures

We're a huge fan of using olive oil as a cuticle oil and now we've found another alternative for the DIY mani-pedi.

You can use a damp pumice stone to soften hard skin - and calluses on hands - and gently remove excess cuticle skin around the nails. Work your way around the nail bed, gently applying pressure. Keep your hands and the stone wet as you buff and make sure you moisturise afterwards.

8. Distress your jeans

Love the look of distressed jeans but don't want to pay for pre-ripped, pre-worn looking jeans? We hear you, it seems unthinkable to the modern-day penny pincher. Grab a pair of your old jeans - We like to use ones that have faded in colour over the years, or developed the odd hole or rip already.

Take a pumice stone and start by gently rubbing the area you've chosen to distress and loosen the fibres in the fabric. Keep going over the same area and experiment with levels of force until small frays and holes start to form.

9. Essential oil diffuser

Essential oils create a lovely aroma in the home, but if you're a bit lazy when it comes to burning them, you need pumice stones! Filled with lots of air spaces, this volcanic rock is ideal for soaking up essential oils and slowly releasing them back into the air.

Pick up a small mesh bag from your haberdashery or Amazon and soak a pumice stone with around 30 drops of your favourite essential oil(s). Place the stone in the mesh bag and place or hang anywhere in your home. Replenish the oil when you need to and keep your home smelling nice and lovely all year round.

10. Beauty uses for a pumice stone

Pumice is great at exfoliating hard soles, but due to its porous surface, it's also very efficient at more gentle exfoliation.

Revive dull skin by exfoliating your face with a pumice stone - just ensure it's wet and gently rub it against your face in small circular motions. Use it once a week as a weekly exfoliating treatment and it will also help boost circulation.

Do you have any of your own pumice stone uses you'd like to share? Tell us all about them in the comments below!