Things you can do with sparkling water (that don’t involve your drink bottle).

When it comes to my drink of choice, sparkling water and I are a match made in beverage heaven. I’ve never been a fan of soft drinks, but sometimes I’m after a bit more excitement than plain old tap water.

That’s when sparkling water enters the scene. It’s the drink that’s just a tiny bit fancy and if you drop a wedge of lemon in it, I guarantee you’ll never want to pop a straw in anything else.

While I could sit here and rave on about why sparkling water is the perfect drink all day, it turns out that it has so much more to offer. Sparkling water has many other benefits besides being your companion on a scorching hot day.

Here are just some of the amazing ways sparkling water can be used in and around your home that you probably didn’t know about:

1. Cleaning your diamonds.

Sparkling water can be the perfect solution to cleaning grime and dirt out of diamond jewellery such as earrings, necklaces and rings.

Pop a few tablespoons of sparkling water into a microwave-safe dish and heat it for a few seconds. This step increases the carbonation in the bubbles and will help to clean your diamonds.

Drop your jewellery into the bowl for a few minutes, then scrub your pieces clean with a soft toothbrush. Rinse your jewellery in warm water before patting it dry and you’ll notice a beautiful clean sparkle.

Sparkling clean. Image: iStock.

2. Marinating meat before cooking.

Soaking meat such as pork, beef and lamb in sparkling water before cooking makes the cuts softer and juicer. Add salt, pepper and your favourite spices to a large bowl of mineral water, then work it through the meat before allowing it to sit for 30 minutes. Cook the meat to your liking and enjoy.

I guarantee you’ll notice the difference.

3. Removing hard-to-budge rust.

Sparkling water is the perfect answer for loosening rusty nuts and bolts. The carbonation wears away the rust, which in turn acts to free things up. All you have to do is pour some sparkling water over the rust and allow it to soak for 5 minutes.

4. Cleaning your car windshield.

Have you ever had that moment when you’ve used the wiper water on your windshield and it’s just not enough? Pour some sparkling water over your windshield and turn on your wipers. It will quickly remove those pesky marks.

The mark of car-ownership shame. Image: iStock.

5. Removing stains from your clothes.

If you’re looking for the answer to removing pesky stains from fabric, sparkling water is what you need. Pour some sparkling water over the stain and rub it together before putting your clothes through the wash.

It’s also a great tip to remember if you’re out and happen to spill something on yourself. Popping some sparkling water on it will make it much easier to remove the stain later when you get home.

6. Reversing chlorine stains in your hair.

For those with blonde hair, the green tinge you get in your locks after a day in a chlorinated swimming pool is a problem that’s probably all too familiar. That is, until sparkling water comes to the rescue. All you have to do is give your hair a quick rinse with sparkling water and it will be back to its regular shiny self.

7. Making pancakes extra fluffy.

If you’re a fan of light and airy pancakes, I have a tip for you. Substituting the liquid portion in your pancake recipe with sparkling water will do wonders for the texture.

Adding syrup and chocolate chips also works very, very well. Image: iStock.

8. Creating tempura batter.

Here’s a fun fact, tempura batter only consists of four ingredients: corn flour, flour, eggs and, you guessed it, sparkling water. Dip seafood, vegetables, or pretty much anything you want in the batter before frying it in oil until golden. Yum.

9. Remedying an upset stomach.

If your stomach is sore, sparkling water is said to do wonders. Add a few drops of bitters and let the combination work its magic.

With all these weird and wonderful uses for sparkling water, it’s amazing to be able to have it on tap (and not having to deal with it going flat the day after you open the bottle).  That’s where Zip Water comes in. The Zip HydroTap is a perfect addition to your home and ensures that you literally have that bubbly wonder-liquid on tap, at all times.

While sparkling water will forever be my go-to beverage, it really is the gift that just keeps on giving. Once you start to incorporate it in and around your home, I’m sure you’ll never look back.

Right now, Mamamia and Zip Water are giving you a chance to win a Zip HydroTap valued at over $5000. To find out how you could win, click here.

How do you use sparkling water around the home?