That bottle of olive oil in your kitchen cupboard is much more useful that might think! In addition to mixing it with lemon juice to make a quick vinaigrette, you can also use olive oil for cleaning, personal care, and more!
In today’s blog post, I’ll be sharing 11 surprising and practical uses for olive oil around the house. I think you’ll be delighted to learn just how versatile this oil can really be! :-)
A Quick Note About Olive Oils
There are several quality grades when it comes to olive oil, with the most popular being extra virgin olive oil. “Extra virgin” means that the oil was mechanically pressed from fresh olives to get the best taste and aroma.
These are important qualities when it comes to cooking, but they aren’t particularly important for the uses listed below. So feel free to save yourself some money by using standard olive oil instead!
11 Surprising Uses For Olive Oil Around The House
1. Sub For Shaving Cream
Olive oil makes a great substitute for shaving cream in a pinch! Just lather your legs with a bit of oil for a smooth shave with less razor burn.
Olive oil is very moisturizing too, so your legs will feel super soft afterward. For even softer legs, use that olive oil to make my exfoliating leg scrub!
2. Repair Cracked Heels
Suffering from rough, dry, or cracked heels? Moisturizing olive oil makes a great overnight repair treatment!
Before bed, exfoliate dead skin with a heel file or pumice stone, then apply olive oil to your heels. Pull a pair of socks on and you’ll wake up with softer, smoother feet!
3. Remove Gum From Hair
The fat content in olive oil can be really useful for removing gum from someone’s hair. (No scissors required!)
Just apply a generous amount of oil to the gum and the hair around it, let it sit for 5-10 minutes, then gently pull the gum free.
4. Unstick A Zipper
Got a zipper that just won’t budge? Moisten a Q-tip with a bit of olive oil, then apply the oil to the zipper’s teeth to get it moving again.
(Just make sure to keep the oil off the fabric!)
5. Prevent Wax Buildup
Before you put a tapered or pillar candle into your candle holder, apply a thin coat of olive oil to the base of the holder.
The oil will make it much easier to remove any wax drips later on!
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6. Unstick A Ring
Who hasn’t accidentally gotten a too-tight ring stuck on their finger? Luckily for us, olive oil makes it easy to get those rings unstuck!
Just rub some olive oil onto the finger where the ring is stuck, and you should be able to slide the ring right off.
7. Remove Stickers & Labels
Use olive oil to remove stubborn stickers and labels with ease! Just apply enough oil to saturate the sticker, let it sit for a few minutes, and you’ll be able to remove it without any sticky residue.
8. Erase Eye Makeup
Olive oil can also serve as a gentle way to remove eye makeup. Pour a small amount of oil onto a cotton pad, then gently wipe away eyeshadow, eyeliner, and mascara.
Once the makeup is gone, rinse your face with warm water and follow up with your favorite facial cleanser.
9. Protect Wooden Kitchen Items
There are a lot of oils you can use in a pinch to nourish and condition wooden cutting boards, bowls, and utensils in your kitchen, including olive oil.
The key is to apply it sparingly and let it soak in for a few minutes. Afterwards, use a dry, soft cloth to buff away any excess oil.
10. Prevent Rusty Razors
Replacement cartridges for razor blades can be expensive! But you protect your investment by treating them with olive oil to help prevent rusting.
Pour a bit of oil onto a cotton ball, then apply the oil to the blades. Allow the blades to dry for a while before using the razor.
11. Soften Cuticles & Dry Skin
Olive oil is both moisturizing and packed with antioxidants, so it’s great for treating rough cuticles and repairing dry skin. Dab it onto rough and ragged cuticles daily for healthier, more beautiful nails.
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You can even add a bit of olive oil to a warm bath for softer skin all over!
Do you have any other uses for olive oil outside of the kitchen?
I use olive oil about once a week to help with stubborn earwax build up. The tip was in a magazine. I warm it a small dab about 10 seconds in the microwave. I put a little in my ears. Then I use cotton rounds and then sleep with it in my ears overnight. I think it kind of helps some. My hearing can be affected by wax buildup in my ears during allergy season.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I rub olive oil onto my skin and let it sink in for a couple of minutes before a bath. More effective than adding oil to the bath and doesn’t leave the bath as greasy. Soak for at least 10 minutes, makes skin feel so soft.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Is there a reason olive oil specifically is used for these, or would any cooking oil work?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My sister taught me a neat trick. Use EVOO as a butter substitute by doing this: Put some in a small tupperware container and sit it in the freezer for a few hours until it has hardened. Transfer it to the fridge. It will keep it hardness and can be used as a spread instead of butter and margarine. Just spread it on bread with your knife, like you do butter!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.How is the “spreadability” – is it rock-hard like refrigerated butter, or just more solid than liquid? I keep a stick of butter at room temperature for spreading purposes, so evoo (or eloo, etc.) that just gets hard like butter would defeat the purpose. I use grass-fed butter so the nutritional comparison isn’t an issue for me.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks for the tips, particularly the one for removing labels. This may be a better substitute for Goo Gone.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have used it on squeaky door hinges when I didn’t have any WD-40.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I put window cleaner into a spray bottle. It’s also great for removing tight rings. Just spray some on & off it comes. It also brightens diamonds at the same time!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My mom would use warm olive oil to relieve an ear ache.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.How?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.We used what is called sweet oil. (It is olive oil) You can find it in the pharmacy. Just put a couple of drops in your ear. We got it to use on our rabbits for ear cankers and mites. I found black pepper on a cotton ball in your ear will help with an earache until you can get to the Doctor. It heats up and soothes the pain without having to hold something there.
Cats can sometimes develop painful mats especially older cats. Olive oil rubbed gently into the mat will help heal the skin and the mat will eventually fall off. Did this with my elderly McCat and she’s feeling very much better!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.If you use Olive Oil or any oil for that matter to moisturize your skin or face, it is very important to mix it in with your favorite skin /face lotion or cream. It can be absorbed better this way, this comes from my Dermatologist and Aesthetician as well. Oil will appear to absorb alone, but it doesn’t absorb deeply enough without the lotion/cream.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use EVOO as a moisturizer for my face and décolletage; not every day due to the fragrance but if I’m not planning to go anywhere besides the grocery store I rub it all over. and it works wonders.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Use it on stainless steel appliances as a polish. It removes marks and scratches and gives it a nice sheen.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great idea!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Extra-virgin refers to the level of acidity in the olive oil (the lower the better) and is strictly regulated by law in the country of origin. It is not enough for the olives to be fresh, they must also be low in acidity. It is illegal to label olive oil as “extra-virgin” if it does not conform to the acidity parameters. Just to set the record straight, because many people in the US are not aware of this and may be paying high prices for oil that is not up to standards.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Not only “not up to standards,” but not even from the purported country of origin. “Spanish” or “Italian” or “Greek” olive oil could be a blend of oils from many places and of different qualities. My understanding is that the only way to ensure that a given olive oil is where it says it’s from is to buy oil made in the U.S. For this reason I’ve been buying only California olive oil.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Instead of pricey olive oil, EVOO or otherwise, I would use baby oil or plain old mineral oil. Baby oil remains my all-time favorite eye makeup remover.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I agree. Too expensive to use in some of these ways.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.We love it as a salad dressing too.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’ve used a few drops of olive oil sparingly on the ends of my long hair when wet as a leave in conditioner and detangker.
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