12 Wacky Uses for Kool-Aid®

1. Clean soap scum from the tubes of a dishwasher. Empty a packet of Kool-Aid in the soap receptacle and run through the regular cycle without any dishes inside. The citric acid in the Kool-Aid does the trick.
2. Clean a toilet. Empty a packet of any flavor Kool-Aid into the toilet, scrub with a toilet brush, and flush clean. Soldiers in the military frequently use “bug juice” (generic Kool-Aid) to clean toilets and tank parts.
3. Clean rust from tools. Soaking tools in Kool-Aid and then scrubbing well cleans rust.
4. Make lip balm. Place three tablespoons Crisco Al-Vegetable Shortening in a ceramic coffee cup and heat in a microwave oven for one minute (or until the shortening liquefies). Empty a packet of your favorite flavor Kool-Aid into the cup of melted shortening and stir well until dissolved. Carefully pour the colored liquid into a clean empty 35mm Kodak Film canister, cap tightly, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, you've got tasty Wacky Usesmade lip gloss that moisturizes chapped lips.
5. Prevent chlorine from dying blond hair green. Empty a packet of banana-flavored Kool-Aid into the cupped palm your hand, add enough water to make a thick paste, and run the drink mix through your hair to return your green hair to its blond color.
6. Temporarily dye your hair purple. If you'd like to find out how you look with purple hair or rainbow streaks, mix the contents from a packet of any flavor Kool-Aid with a little water to make a thick paste and apply to your hair. The coloring is non-toxic and temporary, washing out after a few shampoos.
7. Color yarn to make yarn dolls. Mix the contents of one packet of Kool-Aid powdered mix with one cup warm water, and soak white yarn in the brightly colored liquid for five minutes, and then rinse and let dry. Use the colored yarn to make yarn dolls.
8. Make play dough. Mix one packet of any unsweetened, colorful flavor of Kool-Aid with two cups water. Then add two cups Gold Medal Flour, one cup Morton Salt, two tablespoons McCormick Alum, and two tablespoons Wesson Vegetable Oil. Mix well. Cook and stir over medium heat for three minutes (or until the mixture holds together). Let cool. Turn onto a cutting board or cookie sheet and kneed to proper consistency. Store this fragrant, colorful dough in an airtight container or a Ziploc Storage Bag.
9. Make colorful rock candy. Fill a clean, empty mayonnaise jar with one-quarter cup boiling hot water and slowly add two cups Domino Sugar and one packet of Kool-Aid (whatever flavor you like). Stir well. Attach a nail to one end of a string and a pencil to the other end of the string. Place the pencil on the mouth of the jar so the nail hangs down into the thick sugar water without touching the bottom of the jar. Place the jar in a warm place and let it stand for a few days. The water evaporates and colorful rocky sugar crystals form on the string.
10. Color milk paint. Mix 1½ cups Carnation Nonfat Dry Milk and one-half cup water until it is the consistency of paint. Blend in a packet of Kool-Aid to make the desired hue. Thin the paint by adding more water, thicken the paint by adding more powdered milk. Brush on as you would any other paint. Let the first coat dry for at least 24 hours before adding a second coat. Let the second dry for three days. Early American colonists made their milk paint from the milk used to boil berries, resulting in an attractive gray color. This paint is extremely durable. To strip milk paint, apply ammonia, allow it to dry for about four days, and then apply bleach. Make sure you are stripping the paint in a well-ventilated area.
11. Make paint. In a Dixie Cup, mix one egg yolk with a little water to create the consistency of paint. Add a few pinches of any color Kool-Aid powdered mix and stir until you create the color you desire. Repeat with different colored Kool-Aid to create different colors. Paint on heavy paper.
12. Tie-dye shirts. For each color you wish to use, mix the contents of one package of Kool-Aid and one ounce Heinz White Vinegar in individual plastic bowls until dissolved. Using rubber bands, pull and twist a white T-shirt (that has not been prewashed using fabric softener) into different shapes. Wearing Playtex Living Gloves, dip the rubber-banded ends in the bowls. To set colors, iron on medium-high placing an ironing cloth between shirt and iron. Let set for 24 hours before washing. To avoid running colors, wash separately the first time. Launder the T-shirt as usual and it's ready to wear.