3.14 million tons of olive oil were consumed worldwide last year. Yes, you read that right. That’s a lot of olive oil, but what on earth are people using it for?
Many people are surprised to know that there are numerous uses for olive oil besides cooking. If you’ve been in the dark about olive oil’s many great qualities, we are here to enlighten you.
Prepare to have your mind blown as we guide you through 10 surprising olive oil uses.
1. Makeup Remover
If you’re not keen on using harsh chemicals on your face, switch to olive oil instead. It’s natural, won’t cause skin irritations, and will leave your skin feeling soft and moisturized.
Dip a cotton pad into the olive oil and use it to wipe off your eyeliner and mascara. Rinse with warm water, followed by your favorite face wash.
You can also use olive oil to clean your makeup brushes. Check out this helpful guide to learn more.
2. Shaving Cream
Have you run out of shaving cream? No problem, use olive oil instead! Olive oil is a natural lubricant so you’ll get a wonderfully close shave without any nasty razor burn or bumps.
As an added bonus, the olive oil that washes off into your bath water will help to moisturize your whole body!
3. Shine Stainless Steel Appliances
Are your pots and pans tarnished and full of ugly streaks? Olive oil is here to save the day!
Rub a thin layer of olive oil over the pots and pans then buff them with a clean, dry cloth. They’ll look brand new. This neat little trick also works wonders on your cutlery.
The kitchen olive oil hacks don’t end here. If your stainless steel appliances, like your coffee machine and toaster, have a layer of stubborn kitchen grease on them, give them a taste of the ol’ olive oil too! The olive oil loosens the grease and leaves the surface of your appliances looking clean and shiny.
4. Lubricate Squeaky Hinges
Are squeaky door hinges driving you crazy? There’s no need to take a trip to the hardware store. Grab a bottle of olive oil instead.
Dab some olive oil onto a cloth, then wipe around the top of the hinges so the oil can soak down inside. Repeat this process two or three times, moving the hinges back and forth so that the oil can coat the inside of the mechanism.
Olive oil is also a great lubricant for noisy door handles and windows.
5. Hair Mask
Olive oil’s moisturizing properties aren’t only reserved for your skin. There are many olive oil uses for hair too. It will nourish, condition, and untangle even the most stubborn head of hair.
Many experts believe that olive oil reduces hair damage and split ends. It also moisturizes your hair and scalp, preventing dandruff, and makes your hair softer and shinier. Virgin olive oil contains Vitamin E and other antioxidants that help to promote hair growth.
With these benefits in mind, take a look at these tried and tested olive oil hair mask recipes.
Olive oil is also great for taming flyaway hairs and making your hair look glossy before a big night out. Once you’re finished styling, rub a few drops of olive oil between your fingers, then run your finger through the ends of your hair for a super silky finish.
6. Medicinal Alternative
Olive oil doesn’t only belong in the kitchen. It’ll be right at home in your medicine cabinet too!
If you are a clumsy person who always has a new bruise, cut, or burn to show off, then you’ll love this olive oil antibacterial balm. Do away with those synthetic toxins and try this all-natural approach instead.
Olive oil is also known to treat stretch marks. First, heat the olive oil to a lukewarm temperature. This will help to improve blood circulation.
Rub the olive oil onto your stretch marks, then leave it to absorb for 30 minutes or even overnight. Wash it off with warm water.
Check out this range of COOC Certified Olive Oils to keep your family healthy and happy!
7. Get Rid of Diaper Rash
Despite the super absorbent diapers that are available today, most babies still suffer from diaper rash from time to time. A baby’s skin is so soft and sensitive that many mothers are hesitant to use creams that contain a long list of chemicals. For a natural alternative, use olive oil.
Olive oil creates a protective barrier, protecting your baby’s skin from a wet diaper and chafing. Extra virgin olive oil is an anti-inflammatory, so it will reduce the redness and swelling of the diaper rash.
8. Unstick a Zipper
You’re all ready to leave the house, you put on your favorite jacket, and boom, the zipper gets stuck. No matter how hard you pull on it, the zipper won’t move up or down.
The good news is, your jacket isn’t ruined forever. A little bit of olive oil will solve the problem in seconds.
Apply olive oil to a cotton swab and dab it on the zipper teeth, making sure you avoid contact with the fabric. The olive oil will lubricate the zipper mechanism, helping it to slide right down.
9. Face Mask
If we’ve learned anything about olive oil in this article, it’s that it has incredible moisturizing properties. This makes it the ideal ingredient for a face mask. Why not give one of these olive oil face mask recipes a try?
But wait, there’s more olive oil uses for skin. It’s also great for moisturizing the rough skin on your knees, elbows, and heels.
Rub a little olive oil into the offending areas once a day, making sure that it absorbs. Your skin will be soft and supple in no time!
10. Remove Stickers
We’ve all been there. You want to reuse a pretty glass jar or bottle, but when you go to remove the sticker, it leaves behind a sticky residue that seems impossible to get rid of.
Olive oil comes to the rescue yet again. Soak a cloth in olive oil and let it sit over the sticker for an hour or two. The oil will loosen the sticker glue and allow the grimy residue to wipe right off.
Ten Great Olive Oil Uses to Solve Every Problem
Olive oil has so many great benefits. It moisturizes, lubricates, promotes hair growth and it has anti-inflammatory properties. With so many qualities, using olive oil every day is a no-brainer!
Now the only question is, which one of these olive oil uses will you try out first?
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