10 creative things to do with wine besides drink it

2016 Feb 27

by Alicia French

It seems a bit ridiculous to do anything with wine besides drink it. We love our wine drinking so much we’ve dedicated an entire holiday to the task. However, there are those times when you host a party and one too many bottles are opened or the times when you open a bottle only to find it isn’t good anymore. Of course, you could choke it down and bear that acidic taste, all the while knowing you aren’t wasting those precious last sips. Luckily there is an alternative where no wine goes to waste and you don’t have to spend your evening toasting with vinegar.

Here are the top 10 things you can do with that not-so-good wine besides drink it.

1. Soften your skin

The antioxidants that give red wine its glory in health circles are equally beneficial for your skin. Use leftover wine as a toner, or dump it into your bathwater and soak the night away. You may not get a buzz, but you’ll be left with baby-soft skin. If we find out it can get rid of wrinkles, we may never actually drink wine again.

2. Clean your veggies

Add wine to a spray bottle, and use it to clean your fruits and veggies. The alcohol in wine will remove impurities far better than water will. It can even kill serious bacteria like E. coli and salmonella. Let’s hope it even makes those veggies taste better.

3. Clean up

Leftover white wine makes a great disinfectant for your kitchen. The alcohol combined with the acidity can remove stains and kill germs without all the harsh chemicals of standard cleaners. Just be careful, as the acidity can damage some countertops like granite. You can also use white wine as a glass cleaner.

4. Spill control

You know that awkward moment when you spill your glass of red wine on your neighbor’s freshly cleaned beige carpeting? It happens to the best of us. But never fear — white wine to the rescue! Pour a glass of white wine over the stain, and quickly blot it up with a clean towel.

5. Marinate for your health

You may not think marinating your steak in wine is any sort of new discovery; perhaps you’ve even done it. But what you may not know is that marinating it for six hours in winecan cut the cancer-causing compounds formed during frying or grilling by up to 90 percent. It can also make your meat more flavorful and juicy.

6. Make vinegar

Instead of buying a bottle of red wine vinegar at the store, make your own with leftover wine. Any wine that is going bad is on its way to becoming vinegar anyway. The plus side is that once you get it started, you can keep adding old wine for a never-ending supply of fresh vinegar.

7. Dye it

If you’ve ever spilled red wine on your white shirt, you know it is close to impossible to get out. Instead of fighting its staining power, let it work to your advantage. Dye shirts, fabric, curtains or even Easter eggs. Many dyes are laden with chemicals, so if you are trying to avoid that, wine could be the perfect solution.

8. Get the grease out

If you have grease stains on your driveway or the floor of your garage, try pouring a little white wine on the stain. The acidity will help remove some of the stain. Mix in some baking soda for an added boost.

9. Freeze it

Pour leftover wine into an ice cube tray, and freeze it. When you need a bit of wine to make a sauce, marinade or dressing, you’ll have it available. If the wine isn’t too old, the wine cubes would be the perfect addition to a holiday punch recipe or any wine cocktail like sangria. The cubes will keep your libation cold without diluting the flavor. Keeping your cocktails cold with more alcohol may just be the best idea ever.

10. Make jelly

Leftover wine can be an excellent base for jelly. Simply add water, pectin and fruit, and you are on your way to having homemade jelly. It would be best to use wine that is a day or two old and not one that has spoiled completely. Your toast will be grateful for the added touch of class only cabernet jelly can bring.

With all these great ways to use up leftover wine, you never have to feel guilty about not finishing a bottle again.

This post was first published She Knows