Our Top Five Cool Uses For Mud

There are so many uses for mud. In fact, there is even international Mud Day every June (June 29th 2020)! Sadly, due to the pandemic, most awesome mud events have been canceled. However, people can still learn some awesome uses for mud. Here are our top five! 

1. Mud Art

A person cannot go more primitive than creating art with mud. Mud is one of the oldest forms of art.  Children also can have a blast creating mud masterpieces. 

• Make a painting. Yes, that is correct, make a painting out of mud. You can use a canvas or a giant white sheet. Depends how permanent you want the piece of art. If a canvas is used, I would suggest using a protective coating over the creation after it dries. Feel free to explore with different items found in nature for different results on the canvas.

Go watch our attempt at Mud Art!

• Build with mud.

• Pottery. It takes a lot to create clay from mud. However, anyone can do it and you don’t need to fire it in a kiln afterward. Let us know either through social media or in the comments if your family tries to make clay. This is an adventure we have not attempted yet. Here is a link to a recipe for clay. Go give it a try! 

2. Use as Spa treatments 

According to Hometown Station, mud has nutrients and minerals that the body can absorb through the skin. Mud can reduce the signs of aging, clear-up those pores, tighten skin and so much more. Just remember to add a moisturizer afterward as the mud can be drying. Mud masks are available in stores or you can go to a spa or vacation destination that specializes in mud treatments. I went into the woods with my daughter and tried my hand at beautifying with mud. Watch the video!

3. Reduces stress

Face it, there is something so calming about squishing the toes between some really nice mud or kneading it through the fingers. Some people hate it. Us, mud is the best. Ever danced in the mud? It is freeing. We should own stock in laundry detergent.

4. Mud is Fun

There are endless activities that you can do with your children and mud. Splash in a mud puddle. Make roads and drive trucks and cars through the mud. We work on our spelling by drawing letters and words in the mud. There is endless and educational fun with mud or just get in an old fashioned mud fight!

5. Primitive First-aid

• According to Farm & Dairy, mud is the last resort but can alleviate the immediate effects of being stung. I have tried this on a couple of occasions. Obviously, if you are allergic, seek medical attention immediately. But, as you are calling for help, slap some mud on there if it is readily available. Face it, stings hurt like a B. No pun intended.

• Prevents and soothes sunburns. According to Geeky Prepper,

“You can smear mud overexposed skin for added sun protection and sunburn prevention. Mud acts as a physical barrier sunscreen because it prevents the sun’s UV rays from contacting or penetrating your skin” 

In fact, even when mud cracks and falls off, there is still a protective layer there that will protect from some of the sun’s UV Rays.

Already sunburned? Mud can be very soothing. 

• Keeps away those nasty bugs. There is nothing worse than a million mosquito bites in the woods. According to Bensource, mosquitoes cannot bite through mud. 

Again, if you have already been attacked, rub mud on the bite to soothe the reaction. 

Fun Fact: Animals enjoy mud too. Many use it to keep cool and keep bugs off! 

Final Rambling Thoughts-

We love mud at Adventures of Abby Girl! So many uses. Rednecks even use it for something called “Mud Bogging.” They literally drive ATVs, trucks, or whatever they imagine through the mud. My husband introduced me to it when we first met. Mud bogging is actually a lot of fun. It’s how he tested me to see if I was able to take it or not. We were bogging and he grabbed an ankle and dropped me head first into the mud. Let’s just say, I sprung up from the mud with a huge mud pie and nailed him in the head. We are now married for almost twelve years and together almost fourteen. Love at first mud pie. 

Do you have uses for mud not listed? Tell us below!