11 Unexpected Uses for Olive Oil
Everyone knows that olive oil is great for cooking. But it seems that there really isn’t much that olive oil can’t do. Here are some common household problems that can be solved using this kitchen standby.
• Stuck zippers: Rub zipper teeth with a little olive oil and the zipper pull will easily slide up and down.
• Shaving: Use olive oil as a substitute for shaving cream or gel.
• Baseball mitt: Rub olive oil into an old baseball mitt to soften the leather. Leave the oil on for 30 minutes and then remove excess with a soft cloth.
• Damaged cuticles: Use a few drops of olive oil as a moisturizer for cuticles that are cracked and sore.
• Cat care: A teaspoon of olive oil added to cat food will help reduce hair balls and make the cat’s coat shiny.
• Lice: Rub olive oil onto the scalp and into the hair of the affected individual. Leave in for at least 40 minutes, then shampoo thoroughly.
• Wood Furniture: Mix with vinegar (3 parts olive oil to 1 part vinegar) or lemon juice (2 parts olive oil to one part lemon juice) and rub on wooden furniture to restore shine and luster.
• Remove Your Makeup: As you know removing your makeup with chemical products can damage your skin! Using olive oil as a makeup remover does help your skin and also all your makeup come off easily even the waterproof mascara, you can use a high quality olive oil ( even the ones you have in your kitchen ).
• Ear ache: Slightly warm a few drops of olive oil and carefully dribble into the painful ear.
• Adhesives: Soak stickers or labels with olive oil and let sit for a few minutes. The sticker and the adhesive will come right off.
• Emergency lamps: When the electricity goes off in a storm, pour some olive oil into a shallow fire-proof bowl and add an oil lamp wick to provide lights during a power failure.
• Cast iron pots and pans: Use a mixture of olive oil and coarse salt to form a paste that can be used to scrub food residue and rust out of cast iron cooking utensils.
Keep in mind that only inexpensive olive oils should be used for these household tasks. Save the expensive, high-quality oil for cooking and eating.