DIY Life

In this economy, there's no time like the present to look in the pantry and take stock of things, to distinguish between the must-haves and the fluff.

Things like tinned smoked oysters might not need to be replaced. The same goes for gourmet cookies. And that six pack of Coke? Who needs that, when there's perfectly good drinking water free from the tap? Or so I thought... until I began reading about the many wonders of Coke.

It turns out Coke is more than just a sweet drink that gives you a lift: it can be used for everything from creating a better curl to cleaning stubborn toilet stains. After the break, you'll find a few more clever uses for the carbonated drink....

Because we're concerned about indoor air quality, my husband and I have significantly reduced the number of chemicals we use in our home. I have asthma, which has long made it difficult for me to use strong cleaners. We have small children, and we want to protect their health. And we're concerned about the effect of chemical cleaners on the environment long term.

So I've slowly been learning new ways to clean and have assembled my own non-toxic cleaning kit. I was surfing around today, looking for more recipes for homemade cleaners and came across this tip. Clean your toilet bowl with flat Coca-Cola. You simply pour it in, let it sit an hour, then get down to scrubbing.

I'm not convinced this is the solution for me, but if you have some old Coke sitting around, it might be worth a try! If cleaning without strong chemicals interests you, Grist has a guide that can get you started.

We've heard our fair share of warnings about Coke and the health issues that accompany too much consumption of any cola product. Some of them are pretty shocking. We know that one can of Cola has 100% of your daily recommended sugar intake, causing a urinary excretion of calcium and other necessary vitamins and minerals. I get emails about twice a year, telling me that coke is strong enough to clean the toilet or dissolve corrosion from car batteries. I'm disgusted for a few days but eventually make my way back to that tempting can of Coke, despite all the warnings.

So how do they make that distinct recipe that so many of us love? Store brand imitations pale in comparison. I never would have guessed that a home brew would be possible, but it is. The brewing process takes months, and is far too intensive to do with any regularity, but it would be a neat experiment. Check out the full instructions if you're interested in becoming a cola-chemist on your own. Just think about how impressed your friends will be when you offer some home-brewed cola. Hold a blind taste test and see how good you are.