1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day. Just one cucumber contains Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5 B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.

2. If you feel tired in the afternoon, eat some cucumber slices. They are a good source of B vitamins and carbohydrates and can provide a quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.

3. Defog your bathroom mirror after a shower. Rub a cucumber slice along the mirror. It will eliminate fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.

4. If grubs and slugs are ruining your plant beds, place a few slices in a small aluminum pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but will drive garden pests away.

5. For a fast and easy way to remove the appearance of cellulite before going out, or to the pool, rub a cucumber or two along your problem area for a few minutes. The phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too.

6. To avoid a hangover or to stave off a headache, eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed. You will wake up refreshed and headache free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body has lost, keeping everything in equilibrium, and avoiding both a hangover and a headache.

7. Fight off that afternoon or evening impulse to snack with cucumbers. They have been used for centuries by European trappes, traders and explorers for quick meals to thwart off starvation.

8. If you don’t have time to polish your shoes before an important meeting or job interview, rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe. Its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.

9. If you’re out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge, rub a cucumber slice along the hinge and the squeak will be gone.

10. If you are stressed out and don't have time for a massage, facial, or visit to the spa, cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of wataer. The chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber will react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.

11. To refresh your mouth after lunch, press a slice of cucumber to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds. It will eliminate bad breath as the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth.

12. Here’s a green way to clean your faucets, sinks and stainless steel. Rub a slice of cucumber on the surface you want to clean. It will remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine without streaks.

13. To correct a mistake when writing with a pen, use a slice of cucumber and slowly erase it. This also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls.

Teal says: this all sounds great, but I am thinking cucumbers aren't cheap. Still, I will try it on some things that annoy me, like dingy stainless steel.

xx, T