Ketchup: a cupboard staple in the majority of households. Burgers, chips, bacon butties, would they really be the same without this classic, American condiment?
Turns out, ketchup is not only amazing as a condiment, but in many others ways too. There are loads of useful ways to use ketchup around the home, from cleaning to pet care, and even first aid!
Continue reading to discover 11 amazing new ways to use ketchup today.
Hey you! Before continuing, make sure you sign up to the Expert Home Tips newsletter to get all the best home hacks, living tips, competitions and more.
1. Clean your jewellery with ketchup
Jewellery looks so much nicer when it's nicely polished. You don't need to pay for it to be done professionally as ketchup will do a great job for you at home.
To try it out, place your items of jewellery in a small dish, and cover with Ketchup. Massage the ketchup in a little to ensure it reaches all the little crevices. Wait for 10 minutes, then rinse with cold water and dry.
You'll be amazed by how much ketchup makes your jewellery sparkles!
2. Correct green coloured highlights
If you're a faux-blonde, no doubt you've experienced a discolouration mishap or two in your time. If you're suffering from green-tinged highlights, the fix could be easier (and cheaper) than you may have thought.
All you need to fix this problem is ketchup. The acids in tomatoes and vinegar in ketchup contain acids which neutralize the chemical reaction that causes hair to turn green.
To fix your hair catastrophe, apply ketchup all over hair, wait for 30 minutes then wash as normal. The green should have completely vanished and, in its place, there will be golden locks galore - phew.
A little dubious? Check out the amazing results Fashionista got using the method above.
3. How to make fake blood uses ketchup - perfect for Halloween
Halloween can be an expensive time - all those wizards' wands soon add up! Keep costs low, plus have a little fun with the kids by making your own fake blood.
This tutorial from Celebration Joy is foolproof and produces really realistic results. Why not have a go yourself?
4. Ketchup can be used to clean copper pans
Copper pans look amazing when they're clean, and they're so on trend right now! Ketchup is the secret ingredient when it comes to getting copper pans sparkling clean.
Squeeze ketchup onto a cleaning cloth, and sprinkle with coarse salt. Massage onto copper pots and pans in circular motions, leave to sit for five minutes, then wash off.
When you're done they'll look almost too good to cook with!
5. Put pancake batter in your ketchup bottle
A ketchup bottle is the ultimate pancake batter dispenser. For drop scones and American style pancakes that require a smaller circumference, a ketchup bottle will give you the control you need.
Just be sure to thoroughly clean it out first, unless ketchup-flavoured pancaked are what you're going for of course!
If you enjoyed learning about these weird uses for ketchup, I know you'll enjoy these foods that make surprisingly great cleaning products too.
6. Ketchup as a marinade
Ketchup is so much more than just a condiment.
This marinade from The Spruce uses classic cupboard ingredients including soy, ketchup and honey to really amp up your meat.
Whoever said ketchup wasn't sophisticated?
7. How to remove the smell of fox poo
Dogs do love to get mucky, so it's a good idea to have some cleaning tricks up your sleeves. Apparently, the reason dogs love rolling in fox poo is scientific. All we know, is that it's gross, and any tips to help get rid of the smell are welcome.
The secret ingredient to remove the horrendous smell once and for all is ketchup. Following a thorough deep-clean with your usual doggie shampoo, apply ketchup liberally to your pup. Leave for thirty minutes to fully permeate the smell, rinse, and wash again with shampoo.
8. Ketchup can remove rust from garden furniture
When iron becomes oxidised, rust occurs - bad news for your garden furniture.
The trick to getting outdoor furniture shining for Summer could be hiding in your cupboard. The acetic acid in ketchup converts the iron oxide into iron acetate that you can wash away, removing the rust to reveal the shiny metal beneath.
To try this amazing trick out yourself, apply ketchup to rusty areas. After just a few minutes, the rust should come clean off when wiped with a cloth.
Loved those new uses for ketchup? Try these unusual uses for a ketchup bottle too for even more ways to use your favourite condiment!
9. Use a ketchup bottle to make DIY bowling pins
Bowling is so much fun. Don't save the fun for the alley exclusively - why not try this game out at home using ketchup bottles?
Empty and cleaned ketchup bottles filled with sand can be lined up and used as bowling pins. Start collecting yours today for hours of fun with the kids (or adults!)
10. Use ketchup sachets as mini ice packs
Full-sized ice packs are often too big for little bumps on little people. A great way to reduce swelling is by using ketchup sachets as ice packs instead.
Throw any sachets you have from your last fast-food trip into your freezer now for future use. Place onto the skin when mishaps happen, and as they melt, they'll become soft and mouldable - much more comforting than a bulky ice pack.
Wow! Those are some seriously amazing uses for ketchup. Do you have any more to add to the list?
I'm imagining my dog spending 30 minutes whilst covered in ketchup - one almighty mess would ensue :-)
Hi Julie. Best to do it outside I think!
Why not put washing liquid in toilet system it flushes your bowl clean for a while.
That's not a bad idea!
My dog regularly rolls in poo be it fox or any other animal's. I keep a bottle of supermarket-own ketchup in my wetroom for exactly this purpose. I find the cheap supermarket stuff works better than the more expensive branded stuff, I think it's the higher vinegar content that makes it so a better job. My dog is a predominantly white with black patches/spots cocker spaniel. I take him into the wet room, sit him behind the water barrier gates and squirt the ketchup onto him, don the rubber gloves and massage it into his hair for about a minute. I leave him trapped in there for about 10mins then go back and shower him down (water only), no more smelly dog! I guess it might take a little longer on a bigger dog but it's worth keeping a 75p bottle in the bathroom.
Using ketchup to clean your dog after it rolls in poo may not be the best option, as it's not a pet-safe product and could potentially cause skin irritation. It's recommended to use a pet-safe shampoo or cleanser instead and prevent the behaviour by keeping your dog on a leash or under close supervision.
I've been using the ketchup for fox poo for years. I've tried many different brands and methods and have discovered that the best way is to remove any big blobs or lumps of poo with tissue. Don your rubber gloves and liberally plaster the cheapest possible ketchup all over the dog (the cheap stuff is best as it seems to have a higher vinegar content), give it a rub and leave for 10mins (I've got gates across my shower, so it's safe to leave my dog sitting behind them, looking all sorry for himself), then rinse off with warm water. It takes away all the poo, and poo and vinegar smells, and there's no need to bath the dog with anything else afterwards unless you want them to smell of the dog shampoo.
Using ketchup to remove fox poo from a dog is a commonly shared tip among pet owners, and many people have reported success with this method. The acidity of the vinegar in the ketchup helps to break down the enzymes in the fox poo, making it easier to remove.