When I talk to folks about my make-‘em-yourself tonics, one of my favorite topics is vodka. People can’t believe what you can do with it (besides drinking it); here’s a few of my favorite alternate uses:

Looking for a new brand of mouthwash? Don’t buy it! Make your own instead with this simple formula: Put 3/4 cup of vodka and 20 drops of lemon juice in a bottle with a tight cap, shake well, and let it sit for one week at room temperature. To use it, mix 1 part solution with 2 parts distilled water, and gargle.

Here’s a simple alternative to aerosol hair sprays: Just peel and chop two lemons, and put them into 2 cups of boiling water. Let the mix simmer until the fruit is tender, cool it, and strain it into a spray bottle. Add 1 tablespoon of vodka, and shake well. If the potion is too sticky, dilute it with a little water.

For an environmentally friendly deodorant, fill a clean canning jar with grass clippings from a lawn that has not been treated with chemicals. Cover the clippings with vodka, close the jar tight, put it in a cool, dark place for 7 to 10 days, and shake it now and then. Strain out the clippings, and pour the liquid into a bottle. (An old, clean roll-on deodorant bottle is perfect.) If you don’t have a roll-on bottle, apply with your fingertips.

With the Super Bowl up and coming (go Patriots!) those of you who party hardy will probably have some beer left over in bottles and cans. Here’s how to put it to good use:

Beer works wonders as a setting lotion. Just pour it into a spray bottle, and spritz your hair before styling it into the “do” of your choice.

Make your hair shine and put a little spirit into it this way: Mix 3 cups of beer (any brand will do fine) with 1 cup of warm water, and use the solution as a final rinse after you shampoo. Blot gently with a towel. And don’t worry—you won’t smell like a brewery. The aroma will disappear as your hair dries.

Hops (one of the main ingredients in beer) is an old-time cure for dandruff. To get rid of the flakes, just add a good squirt or two of beer to your regular shampoo.

After a long, hard day, relax in a beer bath to soothe your spirit and soften your skin. Just pour three bottles of brew into a tub of hot water, and settle in, and think lovely thoughts!

And finally, remember that drinking beer in moderation can improve your health! Scientific studies have shown that quaffing one or two beers a day will reduce your likelihood of suffering a stroke, heart problems, or vascular disease.