We love our various cooking oils for preparing our favourite dishes and for seasoning salads. But did you know that cooking oils in fact have many other uses? Whether it’s for cosmetic purposes or for doing the housework, certain clever clogs have come up with ways to get the most out of their cooking oils. Here’s how you can use it in 16 ingenious ways!
1) For well nourished, shiny hair
Before shampooing, apply olive oil, corn oil or sunflower oil to the lengths and ends of your hair and leave for one or two hours. Rinse and wash afterwards. Miraculous for dry hair and looks after the ends.
2) Shine up wooden furniture
Mix cooking oil with lemon juice and put it in a spray can. Shake vigorously and spray the solution on the furniture. Wipe with a soft cloth.
3) Release a sticky zip
With a cotton bud, apply a little oil to the zip. The zip will immediately cooperate!
4) Shine up your leather shoes
Use a little oil to polish your leather shoes. You simply have to put a few drops on a cloth and give a good rub.
5) Stop a door from creaking
There is nothing more annoying than a creaky door. However, a few drops of vegetable oil will lubricate the hinges and stop the infernal racket.
6) A makeup remover that is good for your skin
Olive oil can dissolve even the most stubborn makeup, including waterproof mascara. In addition, it won’t dry out your skin, and contrary to what you might think, all skin types can use this method, all you have to do is rinse well afterwards.
Find other natural makeup removers here
7) Remove paint from your hands
Mix a little oil and salt in the palm of your hand and scrub the paint stains. Your hands will be left clean and soft.
8) Untangle knots in a chain
Place the chain on a table or a flat surface and pour a few small drops of oil on to it. Use a pin to undo the knots.
9) To nourish your skin
There is nothing to stop you nourishing your skin with corn oil, to which you can add a few drops of a gently fragranced essential oil.
10) Remove stickers, labels or band aids
Soak the sticker in oil and leave it to work before removing. It was never so easy to remove stubborn labels!
11) While shaving
No need for shaving foam if you have a little oil to hand!
12) Take care of your pearls and keep them nice and shiny
Clean them with a cotton towel to which you have added a small quantity of oil. Leave overnight before polishing the pearls gently with a clean cloth.
13) For grating cheese
Coat the grater with a little oil to make it even easier to grate the cheese.
14) To prevent lids from sticking
You can put a little oil on the lids of your containers to stop them sticking. This will make them easier to open next time.
15) On your hands or your mouth after touching something too spicy
Oil dissolves capsaicin, the active ingredient in chilli peppers. It will work much better than water.
16) Make an oil lamp
In a robust container, pour some oil and add a wick. Light it and there you have it, an old-fashioned lamp!
Other tips using oils can be found on our site, such as 17 incredible uses for coconut oil or 10 home remedies using olive oil. And by clicking here, you will find 20 great ways to use baby oil.