4 posts tagged “uses for”

Just an update on my previous Vaseline post (which I don't know where it is because I don't tag my posts properly *sigh*).

Below are but a few of the many uses people have found for the wonder ointment, Vaseline Petroleum Jelly:

1. Water Rings on Wood Furniture:

   Rub petroleum into damaged area with your fingers and let stand for a few hours or if possible overnight. In the morning remove excess jelly with a paper towel and buff with a soft cloth.

2. Super Glue Cap:

   Often after it's first use, the super glue cap ends up stuck fast to the tube and can't be used again. Put a thick coating of jelly inside the cap threads to keep it from gluing itself shut. This will work on any cap or lid that may stick.

3. To Shine Shoes:

   A thin coating of jelly on shoes, boots and purses will keep them looking great and repel water and road salt. Wipe on a thin layer and wipe off excess with a soft cloth.

4. Squeaky Doors:

   Quiet a squeaky door hinge with a coating of petroleum jelly on the hinge pin. Your door will be quiet and you don't have to worry about messy drips.
   
   

5. Keep Your Hands Clean:

   No matter what the chore, if it is messy rub on Petroleum Jelly before you begin. It will keep paint, stain, car grease, and garden dirt from embedding in your skin. It will soften your hands while protecting your skin. Just wipe off with paper towel or an old rag for clean up.

6. Hair Coloring:

   To keep hair color from staining your skin, apply Petroleum Jelly along hairline and ears before you begin.

7. Cuts and Sores:

   When Petroleum Jelly first hit the market, it's purpose was for protecting cuts and scrapes by acting as a barrier to keep out moisture and bacteria.

8. Moisturizer:

   If you have sensitive skin Petroleum Jelly can be used as an all over body moisturizer. It contains no chemicals or perfumes.
   
   

9. Car Battery Posts:

   Stop battery post corrosion by applying Petroleum Jelly on the terminals.

10. Outdoor Lights:

    A thin coating of Petroleum Jelly on light bulb threads will prevent them from sticking when they need to be replaced.

11. Nail Polish:

    Rub Petroleum Jelly on the skin around your nails before polishing. If you make a mistake it can be wiped off when your nails are dry and it softens cuticles at the same time.

12. Paint Cans:

    Petroleum Jelly forms an air tight seal when applied around the inside edge of the can.

13. Frozen Locks:

    To keep your locks from freezing, smear Petroleum Jelly on the shaft of the key and insert it into the lock. Work the key and lock 4 or 5 times to lubricate the tumblers. This is also a good remedy for keys and locks that just don't seem to work smoothly together.
    
    

14. Sticky Drawers:

    Apply petroleum Jelly along the runner on a sticky drawer to make it slide more freely.

15. Rough Feet:

    If you are like so many people, your feet are hard, calloused and dry. Apply petroleum Jelly to your feet after bathing or showering. Apply within the first three minutes of bathing before the moisture on your skin evaporates. It will make your feet softer, and act as a moisture barrier to keep your feet from drying out.

16. Garbage Can Lids:

    In the winter rubber garbage can lids can freeze to the can. A thin coat of Petroleum Jelly will keep it from sticking.

17. Chapped Lips:

    Apply as needed.

18. Makeup Remover:

    Use as you would any makeup remover. It removes makeup safely while softening your skin.

19. Diaper Rash:

    Use in place of expensive ointments and creams to prevent rash.

20. Tight Finger Rings:

    Apply to your finger and the ring will slide off.
    
    

21. Grandpa's Bald Head:

    Gives a glistening shine for those special occasions. Just apply and polish.

22. Nuts and Bolts:

    Keep nuts, bolts and screws from rusting by coating with Petroleum before using.

Source

Oh, just to add, these days I've been using Lucas' Papaw Ointment which is sorta like vaseline and I love it - carry it everywhere!

The following is a list of common uses for the ointment, however many people who use it will apply it to just about any minor irritation or skin condition. The bold ones are the ones I use most often:

• abscesses and boils ;
• bruises and burns ;
• carbuncles and chafings ;
• cuts and cysts ;
• dry and cracked skin ;
• gravel rash and heat rash ;
• insect stings and mosquito bites ;
• open wounds and pimples ;
• scalds and sunburn ;
• swelling associated with injury ;
• splinters and thorns ;
• tinea and whitlow ;
• nappy rash and cracked nipples ;
• temporary relief of the symptoms of dermatitis and eczema ;
• temporary relief of the discomfort of haemorrhoids by local application

Since the weather is pretty cold these days I've been using them on my nails too (where the skin is breaking and it does wonders!).

I think its an Australian product too, from Queensland? I dunno. Just thought I'd share it with you...

On chips. Mmm....

Okay, okay, there are also better uses for salt too:

Use Salt to:
1. Make eggs or cream whip up faster and higher. Add a pinch of salt before beating.
2. De-ice sidewalks. In a pinch, it can be used as a substitute for rock salt.
3. Keep chicken or turkey moist. Rub salt in the cavity of the bird before cooking.
4. Prevent sautés made with eggplant or zucchini from getting watery. Sprinkle salt on these vegetables before cooking. 5. Eliminate sticky residue from an iron. Run the hot iron (no steam) over plain paper sprinkled with salt.
6. Clean drains. Pour a hot, strong solution (1/2 cup salt for every quart of water) down the drain.
7. Remove dirt from leafy vegetables, such as spinach. Wash the vegetables in a bath of salt water.
8. Prevent frost from accumulating inside car windows. Rub the glass with a solution of 2 teaspoons of salt in 1 gallon of hot water. Wipe dry.
9. Remove sangria and red-wine stains from your washables. Stretch the fabric over a bowl, cover the stain with salt, and carefully pour boiling water over it.
10. Keep shells from cracking when boiling eggs. Add a few pinches of salt to the water.

+ one more

11. Chill a bottle of bubbly — fast. Place ice around its base in an ice bucket; sprinkle with a few tablespoons of salt. Layer salt and ice until they reach the neck. Fill with water. Wait 10 minutes; serve.

Vinegar is one of the best, the number of things it is useful for is insane. INSANE. Here's my top ten:

Use White Vinegar to:
1. Pinch-hit for lemon in a savory recipe. Use 1/2 teaspoon of vinegar in place of 1 teaspoon of lemon juice.
2. Remove coffee or tea stains from the bottom of a cup. Swish 2 tablespoons of vinegar around in the cup, then wash as usual.
3. Treat oily hair. Vinegar is a good degreaser for oily hair because it helps adjust pH levels. Shampoo your hair as usual, rinse, then pour 1/4 cup over it and rinse again.
4. Wipe salt stains off boots. Dip a cloth or an old T-shirt into vinegar, then wipe away the white residue.
5. Make wool sweaters fluffier. Drop in a couple of capfuls of vinegar during the rinse cycle for an extra-soft feel.
6. Deodorize a garbage disposal. Make vinegar ice cubes and feed them down the disposal. After grinding, run cold water through the drain.
7. Clean a teakettle or a coffeemaker. Boil a mixture of water and vinegar in a teakettle, then wipe away the grime. Fill the reservoir of a coffeemaker with a mixture of vinegar and water and run it through a brewing cycle. Follow this with several cycles of water to rinse thoroughly.
8. Clean a dishwasher. Once a month, with the machine empty, run a cup of vinegar through an entire cycle to reduce soap buildup on the inner mechanisms and glassware.
9. Remove stubborn price tags or stickers. Paint them with several coats of vinegar, let the liquid soak in for five minutes, then wipe away the residue.
10. Kill weeds between cracks in paving stones and sidewalks. Fill a spray bottle with straight vinegar and spray multiple times. (Be careful not to get any on the surrounding grass, as it will kill that too.)

Now, there's also a website dedicated to the uses for Vinegar - there are so many uses it's absolutely insane.

Go crazy. Fix the house! Fix everything! Go the power of Vinegar! Woot!

Besides making the odd volcano erupt....

Use Baking Soda to:
1. Exfoliate skin. Wash your face, then apply a soft paste made of three parts baking soda and one part water. Massage gently with a circular motion, avoiding the eye area; rinse clean.
2. Erase crayon, pencil, ink, and furniture scuffs from painted surfaces. Sprinkle soda on a damp sponge, rub clean, and rinse.
3. Unclog a drain. Pour 1/2 to 1 cup of baking soda down the drain, then slowly pour 1/2 to 1 cup of white vinegar after it. Let sit for five minutes (covered, if possible). Follow with a gallon of boiling water.
4. Remove tough stains from enameled cast iron and stainless steel. Scrub enameled cast iron with a soft nylon brush and a thick paste of baking soda and water. Clean stainless steel with a soft cloth and 4 tablespoons of baking soda dissolved in 1 quart of water. Wipe dry with a clean cloth.
5. Scrub pans. Sprinkle soda on crusted casseroles and roasting pans and let sit for five minutes. Lightly scrub and rinse.
6. Brush teeth. Use a paste of baking soda and water.
7. Fight class-B fires (flammable liquids, such as gasoline, oil, and grease). Baking soda can be used to smother only a small flame.
8. Deodorize. Dust baking soda under your arms to absorb body odor.
9. Clean up minor oil and grease spills on a garage floor or driveway. Sprinkle baking soda on the spot and scrub with a wet brush.
10. Settle a stomach during occasional indigestion. Stir 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda into 1/2 cup of water and drink for a safe and effective antacid.