Alex O'Brien
Beauty & Style

9 surprising things you can do with shampoo

We are all very accustomed to using shampoo to wash our hair. We all do it numerous times a week without any thought. But did you know that shampoo is somewhat of a wonder product when it comes to multi-tasking?

If you have a bottle of shampoo that you can't stand the smell of and it's slowly gathering dust in the bathroom cupboard, try using it on some of these arduous household tasks – we promise you'll love the results.

1. Shaving foam

If you fancy a super-close shave and silky smooth legs post shaving, then shampoo is going to be your new go-to. Instead of soap, reach for the shampoo suds and you'll never both with soap again.

2. Hairbrush cleanser

Just as shampoo cleanses your hair, why not cleanse your hairbrushes? Old hair clogging the bristles along with product build-up can make your hairbrush pretty unpleasant. Give it a good wash with some shampoo to remove all the yucky stuff.

3. Body wash

You've just jumped in the shower only to realise you're out of your body wash – but skip the tip-toeing across the bathroom dripping wet to locate some more by using your shampoo. It'll lather up nicely and is gentle enough not to irritate your skin.

4. Bubble bath

The kids are whining about getting into the bath and, to add fuel to the fire, you used the last of the bubble bath yesterday. You guessed it – shampoo is a great alternative. Just watch they don't use up your whole bottle.

5. Laundry soak

Hard-to-budge marks and stains will lift with the help of a little squirt of shampoo in some warm water. Leave to soak to allow the shampoo to work its magic.

6. Plastic remover

There aren't many things worse than the anticipation of having to pull a plaster off – you know it's going to hurt, yet it has to be done. Add a drop or two of shampoo ontop of the plaster and allow it to sink in before lifting off with no pain whatsoever.

7. Make-up brush cleanser

Dirty make-up brushes are a beauty sin – they can become a breeding ground for bacteria so it's important to keep them hygenic and clean by giving them a good wash every week or two. Shampoo is perfect for this – not too harsh, but great at lifting old make-up and grime.

8. Hand wash

Don't know how to wash your favourite silk top? Shampoo is a great product to use for items that need to be hand-washed. A small squirt is all you need along with water to help keep your delicate items clean and cared for.

9. Shoe shine

You have a 9am meeting and you're running late. Your leather pumps are looking particularly dull and lacklustre, but where is your shoe shine? A cloth and a dab of shampoo will have your shoes shining like the top of the Chrysler Building in no time. Crisis averted!

Written by Sarah Simpson. First appeared on Stuff.co.nz.

Related links:

12 tricks to save every last drop of beauty products

How to make your own shampoo

Household items you should use as beauty products

Tags:
beauty, bath, hair, bathroom, shower, shampoo