You might have a bottle of it in your cupboard, but you might not realize just how many cream of tartar uses can come in handy around the house! Cream of tartar, or potassium bitartrate, makes a useful addition to cooking and baking recipes (angel food cake, anyone?), but its acidity also makes it an excellent cleaner.
In this post, you’ll learn 13 ways that cream of tartar makes an excellent household helper!
Cream Of Tartar In Baking Recipes
Cream of tartar begins as tartaric acid, which is formed as a byproduct of the winemaking process. This acidic powder goes a long way in recipes — just a teaspoon of cream of tartar can help stabilize whipped mixtures that have a tendency to wilt, like meringues and soufflés. Cream of tartar is also used in snickerdoodle and sugar cookies to ensure fluffy, chewy results.
And if you add a small amount of cream of tartar to baking soda, you’ll have an excellent baking powder substitute! Baking soda plus an acidic ingredient like cream of tartar releases carbon dioxide, creating a leavening agent that makes baked goods rise.
As long as it’s stored in a cool, dry location like your pantry, cream of tartar keeps almost indefinitely. (When in doubt, use your eyes and nose—if it’s white and powdery and smells tangy or acidic, it should be fine to use!)
15 Practical Uses For Cream Of Tartar Around The House
1. Ant Deterrent
Use cream of tartar to deter ants from gathering on your driveway or sidewalks. Just sprinkle a bit of the powder around the areas where they congregate.
2. Stain Remover For Clothing And Carpets
Add enough lemon juice to a small dish of cream of tartar to make a paste, then apply the paste to clothing or carpet stains. Let it sit for an hour or two, then launder the item or blot it clean with a damp cloth. (This works particularly well on ink stains!)
3. All-Purpose Kitchen Cleaner
Make a paste of cream of tartar and white vinegar to make a great all-purpose kitchen cleaner. Use it to clean aluminum pots and pans, burner pans, grout lines, or your oven or sink. Store the mixture in a squeeze bottle for easy application.
4. Erase Collar Stains
Makeup, lotion, sunscreen, and other products often leave behind oily residues on shirt collars. To remove those oily stains, dampen the collar with water and sprinkle a bit of cream of tartar over the area. Scrub the powder into the stain with an old toothbrush, then launder the shirt as usual.
5. Restore Scratched Dishes
Make a paste of cream of tartar and water and use it to scrub away scratches or stains on your dishes. Simply apply the paste, scrub with your fingers or a sponge, and rinse with water.
6. Coffee Pot Cleaner
Clean stains and old coffee residue out of your coffee pot by sprinkling cream of tartar inside. Add boiling water to fill the pot, let the water cool to room temperature, then drain the water and rinse well.
7. Make Baking Powder
Making your own baking powder is as easy as mixing 1 part baking soda with 2 parts cream of tartar. As an added bonus, the resulting baking powder will be fully gluten free, unlike some store-bought brands.
8. Shine Stainless Steel
Clean and shine your stainless steel appliances around the kitchen with cream of tartar. Add 1 cup of white vinegar and 1/4 cup of cream of tartar to a small bowl and mix well. Dip a sponge into the mixture, scrub your stainless steel, then wipe clean with a damp cloth. Buff with a dry microfiber cloth until shiny.
9. Remove Rust
You can remove rust from metal by mixing up 1/4 cup baking soda, 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar, and just enough hydrogen peroxide to form a paste. Apply the mixture to a rust spot, let it sit for 30 minutes, then wipe the surface clean.
More Ideas You'll Love
10. Clean Up Copper
Clean and brighten copper pots and pans with a mixture of 2 tablespoons of cream of tartar and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Rub the mixture onto the copper surface, then wipe clean with a damp cloth.
11. Egg White Stabilizer
When making meringue, add 1/8 teaspoon of cream of tartar per every 2 egg whites in your recipe. The acid from the cream of tartar helps to stabilize the egg whites and preserve those all-important air bubbles.
12. Brighten White Clothes And Linens Bright
To keep your white clothes and linens bright, fill your sink with lukewarm water and add 1 teaspoon cream of tartar for each quart of water. Soak your whites in the solution for a half hour or so before laundering as usual.
13. Toilet Touchups
Could your toilet bowl use a quick touchup? Sprinkle cream of tartar around the inside of the toilet bowl, then give it a quick scrub with your toilet brush. Flush to rinse.
14. Keep Cooked Veggies Colorful
Just a half teaspoon of cream of tartar in the cooking water will keep your steamed or boiled veggies bright and colorful. So much more appetizing!
15. Make Homemade Playdough
All you need is flour, salt, cream of tartar, water, food coloring, and some vegetable oil to make homemade play dough that will keep the kids amused for hours. Living Well Mom has a great recipe, and you can even add peppermint oil or other essential oils to make it smell wonderful too.
Some people who add cream of tartar to bath bomb recipes claim it makes them extra fizzy, but I haven’t personally tried it. If you give it a try, be sure to let me know how it goes!
Do you have any favorite uses for cream of tartar?
I know I can bake baking soda into baking powder. In this post, if I mix baking soda & cream of tarter – this should make baking soda without baking. Could this be used for cleaning, or is it not the same – should it only be used for cooking?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’ve used CoT on my canker sores for years. It’s the only thing I’ve found that works quickly.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I used cream of tartar to remove a stained aluminum Presto canner. It was black on the bottom so I put some hot water in it and 2 or 3 teaspoons of cream of tartar and it removed the stain like magic!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.where did you get that toilet cleaner?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Since finding you 8 (-/+) years ago, you have become my personal problem solver ! I trust any idea, formula, solution you have presented. It’s good to have someone like you on my side. Bless you!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Fantatic post! It is very helpful.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have used cream of tartar for many many years for cleaning. I’ve never baked with it. My son’s godmother taught me about using cream of tartar and this was 44 years ago.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I don’t buy it very often because it isn’t cheap. However, once in a while I get a little container of it to clean my stainless sink and faucets. In Florida, the water has calcium in it and it leaves white deposits on the stainless. Cream of tartar made into a paste and left on overnight removes that stuff like nothing else can.
I recently moved to a house in South Carolina and the bathtub didn’t look so good. The seller had renovated the house and made a mess while installing and grouting the shower tile. Thankfully there are two bathrooms so I didn’t have to worry about not being able to take a shower.
I had to use a safety blade knife to remove the dry grout then scrubbed the tub with Barkeepers Friend to remove all the dirty areas and who knows when the last time the tub was cleaned anyway. Ugh. The next morning I bought the largest container of cream of tartar I could find, made a paste and smeared it all over the tub. I let it sit overnight and this afternoon I washed it out. The tub is nice and clean and bright. There are still a few little areas that look like rust but at least it isn’t dirt and grout. The tub is porcelain.
Some people on Facebook had no idea that cream of tartar is a cleaning agent.
My father was a plasterer and used to add it to his ‘mud.’
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Can you use limes instead if lemons if that’s all you have in hand?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You can definitely give it a try, but lemons are best :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I read several years ago that the amount of cream of tartar added to homemade Snickerdoodle cookies would make them harder or softer, so you can make them whichever way you prefer.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I read that creme of tartar is excellent for getting rid of nicotine cravings for someone trying to quit. The recipe was 1/8 tsp to 1/4 tsp in 8 oz. of orange juice. Smokers need Vitamin C because smoking gets rid of it for you and you need the C. I don’t smoke, but some in my family do and I know cravings for nicotine are hard to resist.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have smokers in my family too. Didn’t know they are lacking in Vitamin C. Does it have to be 1/8 to 1/4 tsp cream of tarter or can we use arrow root powder?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This is great, Jillee! I’ll be trying the stainless steel trick
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My husband has had problems with kidney stones. He discovered that if you take 1 tsp of cream of tartar in 1/2 cup of water every morning you can dissolve small stones before they develop into problem stones. Cream of tartar is available in the bulk department of most health food stores. For those of you that do not know what cream of tartar is… It is the residue found at the bottom of the vats when they make wine. So if you are allergic to grapes you might want to be careful with ingesting cream of tartar.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Your husband needs to stop drinking this every day. It isn’t healthy when consumed that way. Maybe see a urologist.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use Oxiclean powder for most all of those problems.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Some of these applications are similar to uses for baking soda or baking soda and hydrogen peroxide you’ve shared. It would be interesting to see a comparison of how they both work.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.That’s a great idea Susan – I’ll have to test them out side-by-side!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Really interesting! I had no idea cream of tartar had so many uses!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I never knew you could use it for cleaning coffee pots. When i was in high school, working at McDonald’s, we cleaned the coffee pots with ice and salt. That’s the way i have done it ever since. Will keep this in mind though. Thanks for all the great tips/ideas.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.We did the same when I worked at Wendy’s in high school in the 80’s.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I worked in the hospitality industry for over 20 years, and the lemon/salt combo was the only way I’ve ever cleaned a coffee pot because of that. It’d be great to try the cream of tartar just for something that doesn’t flash me back, lol.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Jillee – Thanks for showing the Watkins product!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I just saw an article of FB using 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar with 1/2 lemon juice, some salt to a glass of water and drink it every day for a week to cleanse your adrenal glands and help bodily inflammation.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Is it ok to drink it like this?
I wouldn’t. It has a laxative effect and a very high amount of potassium, which can be hard on the kidneys.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The recommended amount of potassium per day for “adequate amount” for an adult is 2600 mg.. One teaspoon of Cream of tartar has about 500 mg., so the 1/4 tsp would be about 125 mg.
Persons taking certain medications or with kidney disease need to use caution. There are certain foods that are higher in potassium also, a banana has about 422 mg.
I used it as needed when I was treating adrenal fatigue. This recipe was developed by a chiropractic doctor. The recipe I used had orange juice rather than lemon. The reason that it helps the adrenal glands is the combination of vit, C, sodium and potassium.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.BTW, it never had a laxative effect.
I have a tip for the play dough recipe. You’re better off cutting that salt amount down to a quarter cup. It’s all you need. The salt is what makes the dough gritty and leaves that gross film on hands. Another good idea for those who can trust their kids not to eat the dough is using 1/4 c of baby powder and only 3/4 c of flour. The dough feels so soft with that substitution. I also use baby oil instead of vegetable.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Oops, I forgot to add that if you made the changes I suggested, you should also reduce water 3/4 c and cream of tartar to 2 tsp.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Reduce the water TO 3/4 c
On my iphone which I read this on is only F and P. When I like something I just keep the post til I get to my computer.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.As a child my mom used for making pickles crisp and I would put on canker sores. It would. Almost burn them and heal faster.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.RE: Debbie’s remark. I’ve never used CoT. If you used it for canker sores (I’m guessing a tiny amount), I wonder how or if it would work for skin tags? I have a set of tiny measuring spoons – 1/8, 1/4, a pinch and something else. Maybe I’ll try a pinch with some water for a paste and put it on one tag. It can’t burn any worse than what the dermatologist uses!!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Jillee,
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Another use for cream of tartar is to remove stains in pots. I don’t recall all the details like how much to use, if you boil the water, and for how long. I did try this many years ago and it worked! Maybe someone could fill in the blanks?
Thank you for all the useful tips!
Amy
My pressure cooker canner turned black on the bottom inches, could not get it out. Put 2 quarts of water in with 2 tablespoons cream of tartar, lid and regulator on, bring pressure up to 15, take off, let sit 3 hours, take regulator and lid off, totally spotless, totally amazed.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hey ladies, there’s still a print option. I had overlooked it also. There’s the face book symbol in blue, pintrest in red, email in gray, then the printer symbol in green. It’s at the end of the blog, just above Have You Checked Out These Good Things?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Cream of tartar is expensive. I can’t imagine using it in some of these applications which would require half a spice jar full. It doesn’t make economic sense….
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Very expensive! Is there a recipe for cream of tarter?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Jillee
What happened to your “print” option on your website? It was such a great thing you added to your site. I found it perfect to printing your incredible informational articles.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.There’s a print button at the bottom of the post, but before the comments. It’s a green, square button towards the right with a printer on it! :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Print button NOT there. Looked all over and it is gone. ~~
I promise it’s there! It’s a smaller button, but it’s light green and has a picture of a printer on it. At the end of the post, there is a long image, and at the bottom of that image – you’ll find the print button! It’s the last button in a row of square, colorful buttons for Pinterest, Facebook, email, and then print. :-)
Jillee, your webmaster really needs to do a deep dive into the printer button problem. I have tried 4 different search engines and only one of them allowed the green print button to appear.
Hi Nancy – would you mind sending me an email at jill@byjillee.com and tell me which browsers you tried and which one worked? I would love to get this fixed. Thanks!
Can we get a printable version of this article?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Yes – just click the green square button with a printer on it. :-) It’s at the bottom of the post but before the comments.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great ideas
Please log in or create a free account to comment.In an attempt to go “less processed”….I always see recipes with aluminum free baking powder. Would the soda/CoT be an aluminum free option? Never have understood how it got into baking powder! Thanks Jillee…you rock!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I could be wrong, but my understanding is that the ingredient aluminum-something is an anti-caking agent, or some other preservative. I’ve been using this formula for a few years. Works just as well. Just crumble any lumps before measuring, and make it in smaller batches than you’d buy in a store.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.great, thanks!
In looking on amazon, when citric acid popped up, which I have a big bag of, I found out this can be used as a substitute for cream of tartar. This is a very helpful link: https://www.answers.com/Q/Can_citric_acid_be_used_instead_of_cream_of_tartar
“It is roughly four times as strong, so you have to reduce the amount used by four. If your recipe calls for a teaspoon of cream of tartar, use 1/4 teaspoon citric acid.
However if it only calls for a pinch — for instance when you’re making meringue — then you can use a pinch of citric acid in place of a pinch of cream of tartar.”
I use citric acid to make foods more sour, such as bread, to make it taste like sourdough without having to nurse sourdough starter. Now I will have many more uses for it. You can get 2 lbs. of citric acid for 10.59, one price, so definitely less than buying cream of tartar. $ .33 per ounce, and you won’t have to use as much either.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.These are great ideas. anyone had any success with using cream of tartar on collar stains. My white work shirts get these stain. They are very hard to remove.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.spray on hydrogen peroxide.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.How toxic is cream of tartar to household pets, i.e. cats? I have been spending my last few days wiping my cupboards down with white vinegar to stop ants from coming in. We have two cats so I must be careful of them, also this is the food cupboard, so have to avoid contaminating food.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Some great ideas!
CoT is less toxic to cats than coffee, avocados, chocolate, baking soda, or canned tuna. It would cause some gastric distress due to the extreme dryness of eating a lot of powder in the unlikely event that a kitty found it even remotely appealing to snack on. The wipe down residue is tiny and a bit safer than vinegar so you should be good. And it IS a food so it’s appropriate for a food cabinet.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Jillee, you are awesome.
Cleaning with cream of tartar won’t cause any problems, but you don’t want your cat to ingest large amounts of it.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Wow! Wow! I’m scrubbing my grout lines with a toothbrush trying to bring them back to normal. I’m with MustloveDawgs, where can we buy large quantities? Those little jars would bankrupt me.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Is there a condensed list of C of T uses to print out with out photos ?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks.
did you ever see one? I’d like one as well. :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Click on the green button with a printer on it (after the post but before the comments). Then check “remove images,” and print that! :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great article! Is there a source you might be aware of that sells Cream of Tartar in bulk form for a decent price?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Good question as it is a bit spendy off the shelves in the store.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Amazon.com has quite a few options with the cheapest, last time I checked, being 51 cents per ounce when you buy two pounds at a time. Compared to the 1.60 and up cost per ounce that is pretty good!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Amazon has decent prices for larger amounts! http://amzn.to/1TV9BRn
Please log in or create a free account to comment.If you have a pan with burned on food that you can’t even chisel out, just sprinkle with some cream of tartar and enough water to bring to a boil. After a few minutes, remove pan and let it sit until cool. Like magic, the burned on food can easily be washed away!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This is what works when everything else fails!
I do that with baking soda. Much cheaper than using CoT.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Perfect! Thanks Jeanne!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My mother taught me long ago to use cream of tartar if you are making a pan gravy from your meat drippings. After scamming off as much fat as you can, stir in your flour and water mixture and whisk well. There is always a bit of fat that does not want to blend in. Add a couple of dashes of cream of tartar and like magic the fat is blended into the gravy. Just don’t add too much as it will taste somewhat bitter. A little goes a long way…probably only about one quarter to half a teaspoon total.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Love all the hints you come up with and the recipes for the make it yourself cleaning products. I am now using several of them.
Wow! Thank you, Jillee.
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