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" Whether you enjoy ketchup with fries or, like some Americans, a few fries with a whole lot of ketchup, there&amp;#039;s no denying the popularity of the distinctive red condiment. We&amp;#039;re guessing we&amp;#039;re not the only ones who squirrel away unused packets of ketchup in desks and cabinets after a quick meal on the go. (Or who have aging, half-empty bottles crammed in the back of the fridge.) And since we hate wasting things, we got to thinking about ways to creatively reuse extra ketchup. 1. Shine Your Copper Whether you have copper-bottomed cooking pans, architectural detailing, or shiny knick-knacks, trade the costly, and potentially toxic, metal polish pastes, and make use of those old ketchup packets stashed away in your kitchen drawers. Here&amp;#039;s a very simple recipe from Michael de Jong, author of the Clean series of simple living books: Massage ketchup over the copper and watch it dissolve the tarnish away (thanks to the acid). In the event that you have stubborn spots, add a pinch of table salt while you polish. 2. Get Those Auto Parts Gleaming According to The Cymbal Book by Hugo Pinksterboer, some folks have seen decent results getting their cars to shine by rubbing them with ketchup. The book notes that the condiment does a good job cutting tarnish, but not so well in removing dirt. You may need a multi-step process, with some soap and water as well. 3. Fight Skunk Odors If you live in a rural or even suburban area, chances are you have had a run-in with a skunk. Or your dog has. Although some experts have cautioned that this technique may not actually work well (beyond masking the odor), many people still swear by tomato juice as a way to remove potent skunk smell. Michael de Jong points out plain ketchup may work if you don&amp;#039;t have tomato juice on hand. 4. Repair Chlorine-Damaged Hair According to de Jong, ketchup can also be used to correct hair highlights gone green, which can sometimes occur from exposure to chlorine found in swimming pools. Smoosh it in, let it set for about 20 minutes, and then wash it out thoroughly. If you try it, let us know if it works. 5. Make Fake Blood for the Kids As any elementary school jokester and Halloween lover knows, ketchup makes great (albeit messy) fake blood. Of course, we recommend you exercise a lot of caution with this one since it&amp;#039;s not much fun if you get stuck laundering away tough stains afterwards. 6. Soothe Wounds  Lisa posted over at Seacoast Online that she freezes leftover ketchup and soy sauce packets to use on her children&amp;#039;s &amp;quot;small booboos and bumps.&amp;quot; She claims, &amp;quot;The kids LOVE them.&amp;quot; 7. Repurpose Empty Bottles Just as ketchup packets can pile up, so can used ketchup bottles, especially in communities that don&amp;#039;t accept them for recycling. If that&amp;#039;s the case in your town, get another use out of the bottles. Make them storage containers for glitter, beads, or other craft items (as well as leftover wine, paint, or other liquids). Some people also use them as dispensers for pancake mix. Just be sure to wash them thoroughly first. TELL US: What creative ways do use you ketchup? Photo: Nick M Do / Getty Images NEXT: 7 Smart Uses for Vinegar \u00BB "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/a22153/ketchup-uses-catsup/>