They say any meal tastes better with an egg on the top. If you’re in love with eggs, then you probably go through at least a dozen every week. But ever wonder about the eggshells that you toss out every time you make a sunny side up?
Throwing away eggshells while working with eggs is probably second nature to you, but that’s not how it has to be. When you think about it, eggshells can be quite versatile in their applications owing to their calcium content, as well as shape and structure.
For example, if prepared well, eggshell powder can act as a natural calcium supplement for you or your pet. Or, you can make organic calcium-rich fertilizer with them.
While you can always put eggshells in your compost pile, there are other fun ways to recycle eggshells. Did you know that you can take the edge off the bitterness in your coffee simply by adding eggshell powder to the coffee grounds before brewing the coffee?
We have come up with six similar hacks that show you how to use eggshells in the garden and to make fairy lights, candles and more. Try out these hacks at your leisure, though some of them are too fun to resist.
Contents
Method 1: Eggshell Fairy Lights
Ostrich eggshells have long been used to make artistic lamps, but you don’t have to go that far. If you have some eggs in your refrigerator, you can use their shells to give a truly magical twist to a string of fairy lights.
All you need is a string of fairy lights, a hot glue gun, and eggs and you’ve got easy egg-themed lighting for your next Easter party.
Note: Kids should use hot glue gun under adult supervision. Use LED fairy lights for this project as normal lights will heat up the eggshells, causing cracks to appear in them.
Things you’ll need:
- Eggs
- Hot glue gun
- LED Fairy lights
Step 1. Make a hole at the end of the egg
- Poke a hole at the end of the egg with a needle. A sewing needle would work well and allow you to control the size of the hole.
- The size of the hole should be just big enough to insert the small bulb of the fairy lights.
Step 2. Drain the contents of the egg
- Hold the egg over a bowl with the hole facing down and allow the whites and the yolk to drain into the bowl.
- Repeat the process with all the eggs.
Step 3. Clean and dry the eggshells
- Rinse the empty eggshells and let them completely dry.
Step 4. Secure the bulbs of the fairy lights into the eggshells with hot glue gun
- Insert the LED bulb of the fairy lights into the eggshells through the hole.
- Secure the bulb in place with the hot glue gun.
- Repeat with the remaining lights till you’ve covered each of them with empty eggshells.
- While hot glue dries in less than 1 minute, set the arrangement aside for 5 minutes to let it dry completely.
Test out your eggshell fairy lamps in a dark room.
Method 2: Eggshell Candles
If you are into candle-making and were impressed by eggshell fairy lights, then you will also love learning how to use eggshells to make candles. All you need to do is use empty eggshells as the containers to hold the wax. You can go with any candle-wax mixture, but we’re using beeswax and olive oil.
The length of the wick should be more than you actually need. That’s because you can trim extra wick when you’re done, but you won’t be able to compensate for short wick in the middle of the process.
Toothpick has many handy hacks including helping you keep your wick centered. A chrome nut can help you weigh down the wick, so it won’t float about on the melted wax.
Things you’ll need:
- Empty eggshells, clean and dry
- Beeswax – 8 oz
- Olive oil – ¼ cup
- Wick
- Toothpicks
- Chrome nuts
Step 1. Tie chrome nut and toothpick to either end of the wick
- Tie an end of the wick to the chrome nut. This will help anchor the wick to the bottom of the eggshell.
- Tie the other end of the wick to a toothpick. The length between the chrome nut and the toothpick should be the actual length of the wick you need for your candle.
Step 2. Set the wick into the eggshell
- Place the cleaned and dried empty eggshell in an egg cup or any handmade candle-stand that can hold the eggshell upright. You can also use a DIY plastic bottle candle-stand for this purpose.
- Lower the chrome nut of the wick into the eggshell and rest the end of the toothpick over the rim of the eggshell.
- Make sure that the wick stands in the center of the eggshell.
- Prepare as many eggshells in this manner as you need to make the required number of candles.
Step 3. Melt olive oil and beeswax together
- Pour ¼ cup of olive oil into a Pyrex cup.
- Add 8 oz of beeswax into the cup.
- Pop the cup into the microwave and melt the wax and oil together.
Step 4. Pour the melted wax into the eggshell and let it cool
- Carefully pour the melted wax–olive oil mixture into the empty eggshell.
- Set the eggshell aside to let the wax cool down.
Step 5. Trim the wick and light up your eggshell candles
- Once the wax solidifies, trim the wick to a length of ½ inches from the surface of the wax.
Light up the wicks and enjoy your eggshell candles.
Method 3: Eggshell Toothpaste
If you’re into making DIY toothpaste, you’re going to love making this eggshell toothpaste. Eggshells are a ready source of calcium carbonate – a form of calcium that is easily absorbed by the body.
Eggshells also contain 27 crucial minerals that help strengthen enamel through tooth remineralization. They can also decrease plaque buildup on teeth and gums, which often leads to gum disease.
Besides eggshells, this recipe contains baking soda and coconut oil that are very beneficial in maintaining oral health. Coconut oil helps draw out harmful bacteria from the mouth, whereas baking soda can help whiten your teeth by removing plaque buildup and surface stains.
Things you’ll need:
- Organic eggshell powder – 2 tablespoons
- Organic coconut oil – 1 tablespoon
- Baking soda – 2 teaspoons
Step 1. Combine eggshell powder and baking soda in a bowl
- Pour 2 tablespoons of eggshell powder into a bowl.
- Add 2 teaspoons of baking soda to it.
For best results, the eggshells should come from organic, free-range, or pastured eggs. Simply boil the eggs and peel off the shells. Dehydrate the shells in an oven and grind into fine powder.
Alternatively, you can boil raw eggshells, and then dehydrate and powder them.
Step 2. Mix and use
- Pour in 1 tablespoon of organic coconut oil.
- Mix the ingredients together with a spatula.
- Use this DIY eggshell toothpaste as you use your regular toothpaste. Simply, apply the required amount on your toothbrush with a clean spoon or spatula, and brush as usual.
Method 4: Eggshells for Pest Control in Garden
If slugs are overrunning your garden and you still prefer to stay organic, eggshells are your best bet to protect your baby spinach from pest damage. Slugs and snails are soft bodied and have trouble maneuvering around eggshells.
Eggshells work quite like diatomaceous earth to deter slugs and beetles alike from laying waste to your kitchen garden. They will also enrich the soil with calcium, which can be especially helpful if your tomatoes are suffering from blossom end rot due to calcium deficiency.
This recipe also contains baking soda that further helps control garden pests and keep fungus and mildew at bay. So, continue reading below to find out how to use eggshells in the garden.
Things you’ll need:
- Baking soda
- Powdered eggshells
Step 1. Mix baking soda and powdered eggshells in equal amounts
- Pour some powdered eggshells into a jar.
- Add an equal amount of baking soda.
- Mix the powders.
You don’t need to boil the eggshells for making eggshell powder to use in your garden. Just place the eggshells under the sun for 4 or 5 days. Once dry, the eggshells crumble easily.
Step 2. Apply the pest-control powder on your plants
- Sprinkle the eggshell-baking soda powder on the soil around the plant to keep the slugs and snails away.
- Sprinkle generously over the foliage infested with beetles or fleas.
- If there is heavy rain, it may wash away the powder, and you may need to go for another application.
Method 5: Eggshell Mini Planter
Mini planters make for adorable little displays, which are perfect for any eco interior, especially if you love gardening but don’t have space. Using eggshells as mini planters is quite an eco-friendly practice that will go well with any interior.
But if you do have a vegetable garden, these eggshell mini planters can also double as seed starters. You can even transplant the seedlings along with eggshells for slow-release organic calcium fertilizer.
Things you’ll need:
- Empty eggshells
- Fertile garden soil
Single-Step Method: Fill the eggshells with soil and plant herbs or succulents
- Clean and dry the eggshells you intend to use as planters. Remove only one-third of the eggshell from the top while breaking the egg.
- Make a small hole at the bottom of the eggshell to facilitate drainage and add the garden soil.
- Plant succulents or add herb seeds to the eggshell planters.
- Put the eggshell planters back into the egg carton. This way the planters won’t fall over. You can also make small cardboard rings to keep your egg planters upright.
- Place the eggshell planters in a sunny spot, and water regularly.
Method 6: Eggshell Scouring Powder
Eggshell powder can also help you ease the task of scouring the pots and pans in your kitchen, no matter how scorched they are.
Things you’ll need:
- Eggshell powder
- Household sponge
Single-Step Method: Scrub the burnt pan with a household sponge and eggshell powder
- Cover the burnt food marks completely with eggshell powder.
- Scrub on the stains with a household sponge till the greasy food particles leave the pan.
- Wash and rinse with dish soap as usual.
Tips
- Use colorful fairy lights and eggshells of different shapes and sizes to make a variety of eggshell party lights.
- Make scrambled eggs from egg whites and yolks drained from the eggshells for making eggshell fairy lights.
- You can also add a few drops of food grade peppermint essential oil to DIY eggshell toothpaste.
- You can also place a little cotton at the bottom of an eggshell before filling it with soil and adding a plant. This will aid the drainage in the eggshell planter.