Want glowing skin? Grab the tomato ketchup
COMPULSORY with chips, tomato ketchup boasts a range of other surprising uses, according to reports sweeping the internet. When Sarah Vine revealed in the mail last week that ketchup is perfect for restoring sun- bleached, chlorine-damaged blonde hair, she ignited a storm of interest.
So what other unexpected powers does a humble bottle of ketchup possess? TESSA CUNNINGHAM puts them to the test . . .
CLEANING SAUCEPANS
COPPER and stainless steel pans with an inner core of copper to increase heat conductivity are prone to tarnish.
The problem arises when the copper combines with oxygen in the air to form brown copper oxide.
Ketchup contains acetic acid (a weak organic chemical that gives condiments their bitter taste) which combats tarnishing.
‘The acetic acid works to convert the copper oxide or brown tarnish into copper acetate and water,’ says Ben Valsler, digital editor of Chemistry World magazine.
‘Because the copper acetate is soluble, it rinses away in the water. your tarnish is gone.’ DOES IT WORK? I Pour a dollop of ketchup onto the base of my copper saucepan and work it in with a sponge. The saucepan is certainly the shiniest it’s been since the day I bought it. 4/5
MAKING A FACE MASK
TOMATOES contains lycopene, a powerful antioxidant t hat can rehabilitate sun- damaged skin and, with the help of its vital vitamins A, C and K, protect it from further damage.
lycopone also helps boost the production of collagen, which is vital for keeping skin looking fresh and plump.
Though f resh tomatoes have a healthy amount of lycopene, cooked tomatoes in any form contain a more concentrated amount.
‘research proves that applying a product high in lycopene will protect your skin against sun damage,’ says Ben.
‘However, I worry that any benefits may be cancelled out by the vinegar in the ketchup, which will dry your skin. use tomato puree or juice, which don’t contain vinegar.’ DOES IT WORK? INSTEAD of buying an expensive face mask, I smear my face with ketchup and leave for 15 minutes. The smell is horrible but, when I wash it off, my skin feels softer and I have a healthy glow. 3/5
GETTING RID OF NASTY NIFFS
If your dog has a passion for rolling in fox droppings, you’ll know the noxious scent is hard to shift. But smearing your pet with ketchup could be the answer.
‘Compounds used for marking animal territory, such as fox poo, tend to be sticky so that they hang around and are difficult to shift,’ says Ben.
‘Ketchup can’t neutralise the smell. However, the vinegar in the ketchup helps to chemically break down the stickiness so it’s easier to remove any residual bits from the fur.’ DOES IT WORK? PARFUM de fox seems to have the exact effect on my cockapoo milo that jo malone’s Pomegranate noir has on me. He can’t get enough of the stuff and always manages to sniff it out.
To try to eradicate the foul smell, I’ve bathed him in every shampoo known to dog and woman. But the whiff always lingers.
This time, I wash milo in the bath, then squirt tomato ketchup all over him. As I work it into the fur, he greedily tries to lick it off.
Then comes disaster. you’re supposed to let the ketchup stay on f or at l east ten minutes. Though I battle to hold milo still, he manages to squirm free. In seconds, he’s rolling all over my white bath mat.
As he gives a final shake, a spray of ketchup hits the wall. my bathroom looks like the set of a slasher movie.
It’s only been five minutes but, in desperation, I dunk milo in the bath and wash off the ketchup.
He smells much better, but I’m not sure I’ll ever get the ketchup stains out of my bath mat. 3/5
CONDITIONING YOUR LOCKS
IN ADDITION to neutralising the green tinge that can affect blonde hair after swimming, the redness of tomatoes combats the green copper sulphate put in pools to kill algae.
‘The acids in ketchup act on the hair cuticles to make them lie flat, so hair looks glossier,’ says Ben. ‘However, the acids could irritate your scalp, causing dandruff.’ DOES IT WORK? AFTER rubbing ketchup into my red hair, it does look shinier. But it’s difficult to know whether this is down to the ketchup or all the conditioner I used afterwards to get rid of the smell. 2/5
CLEANING SILVER JEWELLERY
KETCHUP is very acidic — partly down to its high vinegar content and also because t omatoes contain several different acids.
‘The tarnish is silver sulphide, caused as the silver reacts over time with hydrogen sulphide in the air,’ says Ben.
‘Though the acids in ketchup won’t have much effect on the silver sulphide, a lot of silver is actually sterling, which means it contains copper. Ketchup is great at removing the copper oxide, making silver look less tarnished.’ DOES IT WORK? I’VE got a pair of silver earrings t hat have become horribly tarnished. I squeeze ketchup into the base of a ramekin and then pop them in, making sure they are completely covered.
I leave them for five minutes before rinsing off. They l ook slightly brighter. A sterling silver ring comes out even better. 3/5
CLEANING RUST OFF GARDEN FURNITURE
RUST is caused when water and oxygen react with the iron in a garden table to produce hydrated iron oxide. Acids are very good at removing rust, which is a form of iron oxide.
‘ The acetic acid in ketchup converts the iron oxide into iron acetate that you can just wash away, thus removing the rusty layer,’ says Ben.
DOES IT WORK? my METAL cafe table has been outside on the patio being rained on all summer. now it’s showing signs of rust. I squirt ketchup on it and rub in. The ketchup works like magic — within minutes the rust has disappeared. 5/5
HEALING NASTY INSECT BITES
RUBBING ketchup on an insect bite is said to neutralise the sting.
‘There are several reasons why this might work,’ says Ben. ‘Ketchup has a high salt content. The salt may draw some water out of the bite, thereby reducing the inflammation.
‘Vinegar is also an irritant, so while the application of ketchup might chemically irritate the skin, it would also reduce your urge to scratch.’ DOES IT WORK? I’VE had three itchy mosquito bites on my foot for a week and am desperate for relief. I put a blob of ketchup onto each, rub in and wait. The ketchup feels cool and soothing. The effect lasts 30 minutes after I’ve wiped off the ketchup, but then I’m scratching as much as before. 1/5
WHIPPING UP HAND CREAM
SQUIRT a blob of ketchup onto your hands and rub together. rinse off and dry.
‘This will do more harm than good,’ says Ben. ‘The salt and vinegar will dry out your skin.’ DOES IT WORK? I RUB ketchup into my hands and leave for five minutes before washing off. my hands definitely feel smoother. But the effect rapidly wears off and within 30 minutes they are just as dry. 0/5