When it comes to tackling your chores, olive oil really comes in handy.
10 Surprising Ways You Can Use Olive Oil Around the House
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Polish the Furniture
Sure olive oil makes a wonderful dip for bread and even makes these cookies taste amazing. But did you know it makes a wonderful furniture polish? Simply apply it with a soft rag. To make it smell less like olive oil, add a few drops of your favorite essential oil.
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Make Cleaning Measuring Cups Easy
Making a pecan pie for Thanksgiving? It’s really not that difficult…except for the cleanup, especially when it comes to getting the corn syrup, honey or molasses out of the measuring cup. But you can avoid that annoyance by rubbing olive oil into the measuring cup before filling it with a sticky ingredient. It’ll slide right out and cleanup will be easy!
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Free a Stuck Zipper
Got your zipper stuck halfway? No worries: Olive oil has your back. Simply apply a dab of it with a cotton swab to the teeth of your zipper. Then gently ease your zipper into the direction you want it go. Check out these other amazing ways to repair a broken zipper.
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Shine Stainless Steel and Brass
Apply olive oil to stainless steal or brass using a clean rag. It not only brings the shine but also prevents streaks, corrosion, and tarnish.
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Remove Paint from Your Skin
DIY painting can save you money, but afterwards, how are you supposed to get the paint off your skin without rubbing it raw? Easy: Rub on a dab of olive oil like you would lotion, let it soak for a few minutes, then rinse with soap and water.
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Fix a Creaky Door Hinge
Olive oil is a lubricant, after all, so it only stands to reason that applying it to an annoyingly squeaky door hinge can quiet the creakiness. Here’s another option for fixing a squeaky hinge.
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Polish Your Shoes
Shoe polish smells terrible. Olive oil smells like…olive oil. And it doesn’t stain your hands. So what better way to shine your shoes than to spray a bit of olive oil on them and buff to a high shine? Hey, here are some really good reasons not to allow shoes in the house.
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Clean Your Garden Tools
A bit of olive oil applied to your garden tools before digging into the dirt can cut down on dirt buildup. It can also help prevent rust and corrosion.
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Condition Leather
Rub olive oil into your leather chair or your baseball glove, let it sit for 30 minutes and then wipe away the excess. Your leather will be grateful.
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Remove Gum
Got gum in your hair? We hope not! If you do get into this sticky situation, just grab your olive oil. Soak some into a washcloth, wrap it around the gummy hair and let it sit for 10 minutes. The gum will break down and literally slip right off your hair. Here are tricks for getting gum off just about everything else.
Originally Published on Taste of Home
