7 Surprising Uses for Cinnamon You’ve Probably Never Tried

By Food & Wine
Updated January 15, 2016
Courtesy of PureWow
You know those old cinnamon sticks that have been chilling next to the nutmeg in your spice rack? They’re not just for fancy mulled cider.Here are seven surprising ways we never knew you could use cinnamon. If you need us, we’ll be doing some really delicious-smelling vacuuming.This piece originally appeared on PureWow.
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Spice Up Your Kitchen

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Before guests come over, simmer a pot of water with a sliced orange, four cinnamon sticks and a handful of cranberries. They’ll think your house just naturally smells like heaven.

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Soothe Mosquito Bites

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Mix one part cinnamon and one part honey into a paste, then apply directly to your skin to stop itchy bug bites.

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Keep Away Moths

© Gardenista

Fill a cloth drawstring pouch with cinnamon, lavender and rosemary and put it in a drawer to keep moths from making a snack out of your sweaters.

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Give Unscented Candles A Kick

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Tie cinnamon sticks around the perimeter of an unscented candle and secure them with twine. The warm wax will heat the cinnamon, making the whole room smell delicious.

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Keep Ants Away

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Fact: Ants hate cinnamon and refuse to walk on it. Instead of using harsh sprays, sprinkle cinnamon around any cracks or crevices you think ants might try to get into.

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Cut Strong Odors

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That branzino you made last night was delicious, but now the entire house smells like fish. No prob: Just sprinkle cinnamon on a baking sheet and heat it at 250 degrees for one hour.

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Turn Your Vacuum Into An Air Freshener

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Before vacuuming the kitchen, sprinkle two tablespoons of cinnamon on the floor. It’ll warm up in the vacuum bag and make everything smell great as you tackle the rest of the house. (Just make sure there’s no cinnamon left on the bristles when you hit your white living room rug.)

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