Baby powder is not only for babies; your garden loves it as well. Here’re 13 Baby Powder Uses and Hacks you should try!
1. Repel Japanese Beetles
Japanese beetles are invasive little creatures with an insane appetite. If you’re a gardener, you are bound to encounter them sooner or later. A simple way to prevent them from attacking your flower and vegetable garden is to sprinkle a baby powder on the plant leaves. This will repel the offenders and keep them off for some time or at least till the next downpour. Learn more here!
2. Discourage Rabbits
Rabbits look cute, but they are not the exact kind of visitors you want in your garden. And if you’ve seen them visiting your garden recently, baby powder is here to help. Sprinkle it on your low-growing plants to keep them safe.
3. Remove Gloves Easily
If you love working in the garden wearing gloves for long hours, you know how sticky and sweaty your hands become. Sometimes putting your gloves off and sliding them looks like a task too. But you can get rid of this– The trick is to sprinkle some baby powder on the insides of the gloves before putting them on. One of the best baby powder uses to try!
4. Get Rid of Ants
When it comes to the most unwelcomed guests in the garden, ants top the list. If left unchecked, they can overtake all your gardening beds, kill most of the beneficial insects, and encourage other pests like aphids. Ants detest baby powder, so you can always sprinkle it in your home and garden as a barrier. Learn more at Lifehacker!
5. Safeguard Your Hands
If you avoid wearing gloves, incessant digging in the garden can take a toll on your hands, leaving them rough, sore, and contaminated. What you really need is protection on the go, and baby powder helps you in that. Just a light coat on your palms and handles of the tools will strengthen your grip and keep your hands from slipping and facing unforeseen injuries or blisters in the process.
6. Deodorize Your Garden Boots
No need to clean up your smelly garden boots just yet; just coat the insides with some baby powder. It absorbs excess moisture, preventing mold formation, and even imparts a nice lingering scent to your boots, thereby masking its offensive odor.
7. Prevent Root Rot
Protect your plants from rot by following one of the most amazing baby powder uses here in this list. It absorbs excess moisture in the soil and saves the plants from dying due to root rot before they establish. Just smear it on the roots of baby flowering plants before the process of planting.
8. Babysit Young Flower Bulbs
Flower bulbs require ample protection from the vagaries of Mother Nature, as well from the offensive invaders. One way to achieve that is by giving them a little bath in baby powder before planting. Just add five to six bulbs in a Ziploc case and three tablespoons of baby powder. Then give a few shakes to coat the ends of the bulbs well. When they get transferred to the ground, the powder will prevent the roots from rotting and an early death. Plus, it’ll create another layer of protection by repelling rodents who love to feast on growing flower bulbs.
9. Ward Off Aphids
The infestation of ants multiplies the aphids as they act together and are dependent on each other to ransack your garden; the ants protect the aphids while in return, they get to feed on the sugary excretion of the aphids. In simple words, if you manage to keep off the ants by sprinkling baby powder around your plants, the aphids will be gone as well.
10. Deer-Proof Your Garden
If deer are visiting your garden to have a feast, honestly, there is no better option than using a physical barrier to thwart their entrance. However, if you’re looking for a quick temporary solution, use baby powder. Sprinkle it around their favorite plants; as the baby powder is lightweight and mild, sprinkle it regularly, especially after a gust of wind or drizzle.
11. Deter Nocturnal Animals
The night is the time when most of the pesky animals like raccoons lurk in your garden, making a buffet out of your precious plants. To get rid of them, if you’re looking for something mild, without harsh chemicals– Use baby powder. Its texture and scent are enough to annoy these racketeers.
12. Keep Your Lawn Bug-Free
Lawn grubs eat the roots of grasses in your lawn and can make it patchy and brown. Using baby powder is one harmless way to tackle them if the infestation is not alarming. Sprinkle the powder around the areas where you’ve detected them. Learn more here!
13. Drive out Persistent Chipmunks
Chipmunks are cute only until when they decide to attack your garden; they become real evils and pesky pests you can ever imagine. They are highly elusive as well and tough to tackle with physical barriers. But you can use baby powder to repel them. Follow this link to learn how to do this.
Aaaannnnnd! If you must be barefoot or in your garden in sandals, sprinkle it on your feet and the ants won’t come visiting.
wow I will try that… They Love me and find me and I am so allergic…
Wonderful site. A lot of helpful information here. I’m sending it to several friends ans also sharing in delicious. And naturally, thanks for your sweat!
I do consider all of the ideas you have introduced in your post. They’re very convincing and can definitely work. Nonetheless, the posts are too quick for newbies. May just you please prolong them a bit from subsequent time? Thank you for the post.
What about ticks??? Does it help to get rid of them too?
nice post to read here
amazing!!!!!!!!!!!
thank you for sharing
Not happy to see anything by Johnson advertised and this powder is most definitely NOT for babies, it is toxic and that’s is precisely why the wildlife does not like it. Go ahead & use it outdoors if you don’t mind poisoning your soil, but not advisable to use it near any fruits or vegetables.
The toxic one has been off shelves for years now. It no longer contains talc.
Thank you for clarifying & speaking with scientific knowledge. Spot On !!
TOTALLY agree. J&J should be out of business for creating this product knowing full well it contains asbestos which is toxic to anything and anyone that lives and breathes.
Yes, stay away from J&J’s talc formula of baby powder, if they still even make it. It’s better to use the pure 100% cornstarch formula of any brand. It feels and smells like the old baby powder, but it’s completely safe, so you don’t have to worry about any serious side effects.