Unusual uses for olive oil

 

1. Substitute for shaving cream. Olive oil can provide a safe and natural

lubricant for a close shave. Rub in an extra teaspoon after washing your body

or face once finished.


2. Make your own furniture polish. Restore the lost lustre of your wooden

furniture by whipping up some serious homemade furniture polish that's just

as good as any of the commercial stuff. Combine 2 parts olive oil and 1 part

lemon juice or white vinegar in a clean spray bottle, shake it up, and spray

on. Leave on the mixture for a minute or two, and then wipe off with a clean

cloth or paper towel.


3. Fingernails. Use a bit of olive oil to moisturize cuticles, or mix oil and

water and soak your hands before a manicure.


4. Lubricate Measuring Cups and Spoons. Rub or spray olive oil on your

measuring tools for easy clean-up of sticky substances like honey, grain

mustards, and sugar syrups,


5. Control hair frizz. Comb a bit of olive oil through dry hair to tame the

frizz and flyaway's on humid days or in the winter.


6. Free a stuck zipper. Use a cotton swab to apply olive oil to the teeth of

a zipper, then gently ease the tab down.


7. Care for your cat. Add a teaspoon of olive oil to your cat's food to help

prevent hairballs, and provide a shiny coat.


8. DIY Lip balm. Mix olive oil and melted beeswax in a 1:1 ratio, with an

essential oil for fragrance, and say goodbye to dry and chapped lips.


9. As hair conditioner. Is your hair as dry and brittle? Put the moisture

back into it by heating 1/2 cup olive oil (don't boil it), and then liberally

applying it to your hair. Cover your hair with a plastic grocery bag, and

then wrap it in a towel. Let it set for 45 minutes, then shampoo and

thoroughly rinse.


10. Shine stainless steel and brass. Rub a bit of olive oil on a clean rag to

prevent streaks, corrosion, and tarnish.


11. Exfoliate your face and hands. Rub your skin with olive oil, and then

scrub with sugar or coarse salt, and rinse.


12. As you bathe. Add a few tablespoons of olive oil to your running bath

water. You'll be amazed when you towel off.


13. Remove makeup. Dab a bit under your eyes, on your cheeks and forehead,

then wipe with a damp cloth.


14. Cure an earache. Very carefully, use a cotton swab to apply olive oil to

the outside ear cavity to help with earaches and excess wax.


15. Remove paint from your skin. Rub on olive oil onto messy hand and arms (

or faces) and allow the oil to soak into the skin for five minutes, and then

rinse with soap and water.


16. Treat lice. Apply olive oil to your youngster's hair, and leave on for at

least 40 minutes. Shampoo twice, and then apply a preventative.


17. Stop a throat tickle. Take a sip of olive oil to stop the itchy flicker

that is making you cough.


18. Fix a squeaky door. Use a rag or cotton swab to apply olive oil to the

top of a problematic hinge in your home or automobile


19. Shoe polish. Rub down your shoes with just a spray of olive oil to

maintain their shine.


20. Clear up acne. So, the idea of applying oil to your face to treat acne

does sound a bit strange but many people swear this works: Make a paste by

mixing 4 tablespoons salt with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Pour the mixture onto

your hands and fingers and work it around your face. Leave it on for a minute

or two, and then rinse it off with warm, soapy water. Apply daily for one

week, then cut back to two or three times weekly. You should see a noticeable

improvement in your condition. (The principle is that the salt cleanses the

pores by exfoliation, while the olive oil restores the skin's natural

moisture.)


21. Soften your skin. Rub olive oil daily on notoriously dry areas, such as

your feet or elbows, especially after a shower, shaving, or waxing.


22. Easy clean up of garden tools. Spray some olive oil on your tools to cut

down on dirt build-up.


23. Condition leather. Rub olive oil into worn leather, such as a baseball

glove, and let set for 30 minutes, and then wipe away any excess.


24. Clean your greasy hands. To remove car grease or paint from your hands,

pour 1 teaspoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt or sugar into your palms.

Vigorously rub the mixture into your hands and between your fingers for

several minutes; then wash it off with soap and water. Not only will your

hands be cleaner, they'll be softer as well.


25. Cure nappy rash. Gently wipe on olive oil to your baby's bottom to help

with the irritation of nappy rash.


26. Remove paint from hair. Did you get almost as much paint in your hair as

you did on the walls in your last paint job? You can easily remove that

undesirable tint by moistening a cotton ball with some olive oil and gently

rubbing it into your hair.


27. Floor polish - Mix three parts lemon and one part vinegar for well

working wood polish.


28. A mixture of 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup vinegar, and 1/4 cup water used

as a night cream will make your skin glow. The olive oil softens and

moisturizes and the vinegar lightens discolorations, kills bacteria and

loosens dead skin cells. Splash water on your face before applying.


29. To prevent your pasta from overflowing, try pouring a tablespoon of
olive

oil into the water before boiling.


30. Replace butter - When cooking, try adding a little bit of olive oil

instead of butter for a healthier and better tasting meal.