Can You Really Sharpen Blender Blades with Eggshells?

Since I struggle to work through an entire package of ground meat, steak, seafood or poultry by myself and am aiming to prioritize more fiber-rich whole grains, fruits and veggies, I eat primarily plant-based at home. Eggs and beans are my go-to protein sources for most meals. Plus, since baking is one of my favorite hobbies, I get cracking pretty often. And by that, I mean that even as a household of one, my kitchen trash eats alot of eggshells.

I was blown away when I recently learned that I could be using said shells for garden fertilizer (brilliant!), and my ears perked up when I heard about another option: You can use eggshells to sharpen blender blades!

This solution is perfect for those of us who have a mean smoothie habit—I put my blender through the paces once per day, every day, to meet my fruit consumption needs for the day in one fell swoop. All this is to say, my blender could use some love, so I was eager to learn about this free blade-sharpening habit.

To put this strategy into practice, simply save your used eggshells in a zip-top bag or lidded container in the freezer. (This will prevent any stuck-on egg or organic matter from potentially spoiling in the meantime.) Then when you feel like your blades could use honing, forge ahead:

• Start with a clean blender that's plugged in.
• To the blender pitcher, add a handful of eggshells plus enough water to cover the pieces. Top with the lid.
• Blend on high speed until the eggshells are pulverized, about 60 seconds.
• Remove the blender pitcher from the base, pop off the lid, then pour this mixture down the sink drain. If you don't have a garbage disposal, make sure the strainer basket is in so you can empty the strained eggshell pieces into the compost or trash. If you have a disposal, just turn the sink's water on and run the disposal to wash the mixture through.

Important note: Full, unpulverized eggshells should not be placed down the garbage disposal on a regular basis. While one or two every so often is probably fine, tossing too many eggshells into the disposal at once can lead to clogs, Consumer Reports confirms.

Then simply clean the blender with soap and water, dry well and prepare to make quick work out of your next round of fruit smoothies or pureed soup!

Now that you know one more thing that you can—and should!—toss into your blender, study up on 11 things you should never put in your blender.