A cheap, plastic bottle of vodka that’s been gathering dust for the past few years isn’t exactly appealing. But that bottle of American Plains or Popov doesn’t have to go down the drain, as frugal Redditors recently came up with a handful of clever uses for cheap vodka. Whether you’re a home cook, clean freak, or fisherman, you can put that bottle of cheap booze to good use.
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Make Vanilla Extract
Grab a couple of vanilla beans, a few empty bottles, and you can easily make vanilla extract with cheap vodka. In this popular recipe, you’ll soak the vanilla beans in vodka for at least 8 weeks. And if you aren’t a fan of vanilla, you can make an extract using almost anything, including almonds, lemons, oranges, or mint.
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Bake (Flaky) Pie Crust
The secret to flaky pie crust? A hint of vodka. “The use of vodka enables the addition of more liquid in a form that does not develop gluten, which otherwise would make the pie crust tougher,” food scientist Guy Crosby tells Allrecipes.
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Remove Stickers
Whether from stickers or tape, you can remove adhesive residues with a spritz of vodka, according to one Redditor. And if you have a dark sense of humor, you can horrify guests by spraying some in your mouth while you clean.
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Deodorize Furniture
If you’ve got a bottle of cheap vodka lying around, you can skip the Febreze. “I have three dogs and sometimes they get the couch or armchair stinky. Put the vodka in a spray bottle and thoroughly dampen the couch. When it dries, it will be much improved,” one commenter writes.
Cook Penne alla Vodka
While it seems odd to pour vodka into a pot of creamy pasta sauce, the alcohol actually intensifies the dish’s aromas and flavors. Just be sure to follow a recipe, as too much vodka will overpower the sauce.
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Make Jell-O Shots
OK, so you might not want to drink the cheap vodka … but what if we added a bit of sugar, gelatin, and a splash of color? With just a few ingredients, you can transform that $10 bottle of vodka into a fun and vibrant party drink.
Go Fishing
For easy hook removal, take a spray bottle of vodka when you go fishing, Redditors say. If you apply a small amount of vodka to their gills, it “calms the fish” without killing it.
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