10 Handy Things to Do with Olive Oil Besides Cooking
2022-07-22
Olive oil is an incredibly versatile and historically important product. Used for thousands of years by our ancient ancestors olive oil has been used for cooking, as a cleanser instead of soap, as a carrier oil for essential oils and even for lighting
But did you know olive oil has even more handy uses? Reach into your pantry and explore these 10 handy things you can do with olive oil beyond the kitchen!
1. Soothing your baby’s nappy rash
Known as a “humectant” olive oil is especially good at attracting moisture from the environment and locking it into the skin. This means olive oil makes for an effective and natural alternative to baby wipes or creams. Simply add a few drops of olive oil to a soft wet cotton pad and apply topically!
2. Use olive oil to remove chewing gum from hair
We’ve all been in that nightmare scenario where chewing gum gets stuck in our hair (or our kids’ hair). But don’t fret! Put down those scissors! Olive oil works to break down the synthetic fibres of chewing gum and it also won’t damage your hair.
Apply extra virgin olive oil to the chewing gum and surrounding hair liberally and rub all around the area. Leave the olive oil in for about 10 minutes and use a comb to work the gum out of your hair and pick away at any last stubborn bits of the chewy nightmare!
Using olive oil to remove chewing gum from hair doesn’t require an emergency appointment to a hairdresser!
3. Using olive oil for your skin care and hair care
Olive oil has been used for thousands of years for its beauty benefits all round the Mediterranean. Extra virgin olive oil is rich in vitamins and makes for a great moisturiser, rich in vitamin E olive oil has anti-inflammatory properties and is also an antioxidant that can help support a healthy immune system and promote good skin health. Olive oil attracts water from around your skin (including the air) and draws it deep into your skin, this means that olive oil moisturises your skin for longer.
Olive oil is also good for your hair care too! Olive oil is a great hair conditioner as it moustruses deep with the fibres of your hair making it silky smooth and soft!
Looking for more beauty benefits of olive oil? Read our previous blog “How Olive Oil is Good for Your Skin and Hair” for more beauty tips!
4. Use olive oil to prolong the life of razor blades
Whenever you reach for a new pack of razors at the supermarket the shock of the price never ceases to sting. Olive oil is hydrophobic meaning it ‘repels’ water which makes for rust-free razor blades! Prolong the life of your razors by applying a small drop of olive oil onto the blades after each use.
5. Using olive oil to polish leather
As we have just discovered, olive oil is a deep moisturiser. This is also great news polishing and bringing those leather shoes back to life! Take a soft cloth and dip into some olive oil and work in circles until the leather is hydrated and shiny.
6. Use olive oil to unjam a zipper
One of the greatest frustrations in life is when a zipper catches and jams. Well, using olive oil is a great way of helping to lubricate the zipper mechanism! Apply a small amount of olive oil to a cotton bud and apply to the zipper ‘teeth’ avoiding the cloth.
7. Use olive oil to stop candle wax from sticking
You can use olive oil to stop candle wax from sticking on a candle holder. Simply rub a small amount of olive oil to the base of the candle and when the candle drips its wax, the wax will not stick to the metal or wooden candle base!
8. Use olive oil to revive your wooden chopping board
As we have mentioned, olive is a great moisturiser and this is also beneficial for your wooden chopping boards and wooden cooking utensils! If they are beginning to look ‘ashy’ and dull, revive them by working olive oil into the wood to help them come back to life. Olive oil’s hydrophobic properties will also help to repel water and prolong the life of the wood so water won’t get too deep into the fibres and rot. Olive oil will also help to disguise knife marks and scratches!
9. Use olive oil to unstick a ring from your finger
Trying on a ring only for it to get stuck on your finger is a scenario that has happened to many of us. The dread that overcomes you as you begin to imagine life without ever being able to remove the band is palpable. But fear not! Olive oil is a great lubricate and will help you slide the ring right off.
10. Use olive oil to revive your pots and pans
Olive oil also helps to bring your steel pots and pans back to life and bring them back to their shiny glory. Using olive oil on your stainless steel appliances (like a microwave or cooker) can also help to prevent corrosion and streaking.
Follow La Española on Social Media
At La Española Olive Oil, we pride ourselves in combining our traditional olive oil producing techniques with modern and sustainable farming practices to produce an olive oil that is authentically Spanish.
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook to keep up to date with all things La Española Olive Oil including our delicious weekly recipes and tips!
