top 7 ways to reuse egg shells
Nothing, I repeat NOTHING in this house goes to waste. Why should eggshells be any different? Before you toss them, consider the following seven suggestions on how to use eggshells. Be sure to add your tips in the comments below:
Tip #1: Most Obvious: The Garden
Plants such as tomatoes love eggshells. In fact, some people like to place a few shells in the hole when planting tomatoes. However, you can easily side dress the tomatoes with your crushed up shells.
How do I know? I planted my tomatoes earlier than usual. Then wouldn’t you know it. We had a freeze on Mother’s Day. Thereafter, my tomatoes just look sick. When I side dressed them with eggs, they perked up over the next couple of weeks.
Also, add eggshells to your compost. While you are at it, consider using the shells to start seedlings.
Tip #2: Slug deterrent
I have not spoken to a slug but the word on the street is they don’t like slithering across eggshells. You know how I abhor slugs and what they can do to your seedlings.
Some say eggshells deter other critters such as deer. I confess. I have never tried this strategy. If you have, let me know if it works.
Tip #3 Add to Your Broth
I make my own homemade chicken broth (from chicken bones) and vegetable broth (from leftover vegetable skins) Why not add some egg shells for added calcium?
Tip #4 Add it to Your Coffee.
Okay, don’t make that face. You know. The “ewww” face. Read here how to use eggshells to make your coffee . Apparently it clarifies the coffee and reduces bitterness. Any takers here?
Tip #5 Use for Cleaning
Use eggshells for cleaning:
- clean out your disposals with the shells.
- Make an abrasive powder to clean your pots and pans. See the recipe here.
Tip #6 Make Your Own Calcium Citrate
Make your own calcium supplement. See here.
Tip #7 Make Your Face Glow
According to Reader’s Digest, you can use egg shells on your face to make your skin glow. Clean, and pulverize eggshells with a mortar and pestle. I am sure you can use a coffee grinder too. Then mix it with some egg whites and spread over your face. Let the mixture dry and then wash.
How to Store:
If you want to store them, simply clean them and store them in the refrigerator. Once I amass enough, I use them. If I recall, I had them in the refrigerator for over 3 weeks and they didn’t go bad.
Join the Conversation:
How do you use your leftover eggshells?
Tiffany (NatureMom) says
Eggshells for cleaning the toilet maybe? Perhaps I should try. 😉 Thanks for sharing my seedling article!
Anna@Green Talk says
I bet it would work, Tiffany. Loved your article on growing in eggshells. Anna
Condo Blues says
Making the calcium supplement could be useful for lactose intolerance folks!
Anna@Green Talk says
Lisa, never thought about that! Thanks for bring that up. I hope you try it and let me know. Anna
kristina@The Greening of Westford says
I’ll try the coffee tip! Sounds interesting. I never thought about adding to broth. Great idea!
Anna@Green Talk says
Kristina, let me know if the coffee tastes better. Anna
karen says
Some people suggested adding crushed up egg shells to dog food. I tried it but my Rosey hated it. Left out all the shells and ate her food around them. But I heard others have done it.
Anna@Green Talk says
Karen, did Rosey give you that famous look? Anna
carol says
Karen: You need to grind the egg shells in a dedicated coffee grinder. I’ve been making my own raw food for my dogs for ages and there’s never a problem with the ground shell.
Adrienne says
You can also just eat them! It’s great for your teeth. You don’t need to make the calcium citrate if it’s difficult or expensive for you.
I have read that eating eggshells is particularly beneficial if you take fermented cod liver oil and/or eat grass-fed dairy at the same time.
Leigh @green-4-u.com says
I save my eggshells in a glass jar while I decide what to use them for. I learned some new uses here, I never thought about it as a abrasive cleaner!
Anna@Green Talk says
Leigh, do you wash them well, and then put them in the jar? Anna
Joy @ Joyfully Green says
You mean I can’t just use them for pulverizing into miniscule pieces to work out stress? 😉 All kidding aside, I love how eggshells work magic for my compost, and that’s great advice to add them directly to my tomato plant pots…although right now, my tomato plants are about 5 feet tall and counting, so I don’t think they need any more help!
Anna@Green Talk says
Joy, the tomatoes do love them. Anna
Susan Rasmussen says
Egg shells make beautiful mosaics. I just rinse them and let them air dry. It’s nice to have the colored egg shells. Crush them up for birds and chickens and they eat them. I put them in compost as well.
Susan Rasmussen says
I have heard about the eggshells in coffee back in the old days when they put the coffee in water and boiled. I heard it make the grounds stick to the shells and not be
in your cup. It does make sense that it could add calcium, I assume that is why chickens and birds will eat them. Particularly good for a hen that is laying.
Anna@Green Talk says
Susan, there is a whole debate about whether you should give chickens eggshells. Anna
C says
I washed and crushed egg shells to scatter around my hostas this year. Hostas are notoriously susceptible to slugs, and I was ready to give up on mine after two of the ugliest years. This year, having used the egg shells, my hostas are gorgeous–the best they have ever looked, and not one single slug to be found, and nothing eating through the leaves.
Anna@Green Talk says
C I wonder if this will work around kale, their favorite! Anna
Carol says
RE: Calcium to repel deer. I live in an area where the deer are like roaches. I use a product called NotTonightDeer, made here in CO I think that works very well. It’s very stinky (that’s the egg shell) and I spray it on my flowers, etc. As for the produce garden, i’ve got a 6′ fence around it.
Nico Morris says
Seeing as slugs can crawl across a razor blade,or broken glass,I think that there must be some other reason they don’t like eggshells like the leftover egg on them?
You cannot get calcium from a hardened calcium supplement until it is chelated Chelation is a process where acids or whatever gradually break down the calcium into a bio available material worm tea bios,mixed with mycorrhizal fungi for instance break down calcium for plant nutrient uptake ,eggshell compost verywell over time and benefit soil.
Jody says
I have kept a plastic ice cream bucket in the kitchen and just throw my egg shells in it as I cook. they have set out for months and not had any problems–no rot nor bugs! I crush them with a rock when my hubby starts commenting about the over flowing bucket–sorry honey :). Then I sprinkle them in my garden. Kind of a lazy person’s composting.
Anna@Green Talk says
Jody, love that idea! Anna
Nancy Anderson says
I too have been saving eggshells and coffee grounds for the garden. I now know how to bake and store my grounds but what about eggs? Do I need to refrigerate them in order to save for next spring for my hostas?
Anna@Green Talk says
Nancy, I make sure they are really dry and crumble them to store in a glass container. You can even grind them up so they don’t take up as much room. Anna