Rice is a staple pantry item for me. Along with including it in my favorite dishes, it has several other uses around the house. Keep reading to see my top 3 favorite uses for rice — no cooking required.

Clean Out a Coffee Grinder

Would you drink more freshly ground coffee if your coffee grinder wasn't so gross? Fill up your grinder halfway with uncooked rice, and turn it on until the rice becomes a fine powder. Then, simply rinse and dry.

Ta da!

How It Works: The oil residue from the beans clings to the rice, leaving your grinder squeakly clean.

Clean the Bottom of Glassware

My hands can't always fit down to the bottom of narrow glassware, but rice always does the trick. Place two tablespoons uncooked rice inside the glassware, add warm water and swirl around until the stains are gone.

How It Works: When you swirl the rice around, it works as a scrubber to remove tough stains.

Ripen Fruit

Living in the Southeast, it's hard to find a good avocado, let me tell you. To help speed up the ripening process by days, fill a container with rice just enough to cover the bottom. Next, place the unripened fruit inside, and check on it a couple times a day. Bonus: You can still cook and eat the rice.

How It Works: Rice makes it easier for the fruit's ethylene gas to stick around longer, which promotes ripening.