Cotton wool balls are versatile and can be used for a variety of purposes, ranging from beauty and personal care to household cleaning and even gardening.
Beauty and Personal Care
- Applying Toner/Astringent: Soak a cotton wool ball with your chosen toner or astringent and gently swipe it across your face to cleanse and balance your skin.
- Removing Makeup: Use a cotton wool ball with makeup remover to gently wipe away makeup. A cotton wool ball is especially useful for removing eye makeup carefully.
- Applying Skincare Products: Apply serums or lotions to a cotton wool ball and gently dab it onto your skin for even distribution.
- Removing Nail Polish: Saturate a cotton wool ball with nail polish remover and press it onto the nail for a few seconds before wiping away the polish.
- Soothing Sunburn: Soak cotton wool balls in cool water or diluted aloe vera and gently dab them on sunburnt skin for soothing relief.
Household Cleaning
- Removing Water Spots: Gently buff water spots off chrome fixtures with a slightly damp cotton wool ball.
- Applying Shoe Polish: Use a cotton wool ball to apply shoe polish to hard-to-reach areas of your shoes.
- Freshening a Room: Place a few drops of essential oil on cotton wool balls and tuck them into discreet places, like drawers or behind radiators, to subtly scent a room. For the bathroom, try placing the essential-oil-infused cotton balls inside the cardboard tube of the toilet paper roll.
- Removing Ink Stains: Dab rubbing alcohol onto the ink stain using a cotton wool ball and blot until the stain lifts. (Always test on an inconspicuous area first).
- Disinfecting Small Areas: Use a cotton wool ball soaked in disinfectant to clean and sanitize small surfaces and hard-to-reach areas.
Gardening and Pest Control
- Protecting Plants from Rabbits: Soak cotton wool balls in peppermint oil and place them near plants to deter rabbits. The strong scent is offensive to them.
Other Uses
- Extending the Life of Cut Flowers: Place a cotton wool ball soaked in water at the base of a vase to keep flowers hydrated for longer.
- Removing Permanent Marker: Dab rubbing alcohol on the affected skin using a cotton wool ball to remove permanent marker.
