The world is going green and there is no time like now to join the movement. Put away all those poisonous “things” that we find in our kitchen cupboards and bring out the olive oil. For around the home you certainly do not need to use EVOO, which is reserved for those incredible meals you have and for our body and health routines ( but what the heck it’s in your cupboard anyway). I could say 5 surprising uses for olive oil around the home, but we all know that olive oil is a gift from our soil. So bring out your bottle of olive oil and let’s get cracking with some uses around the house.
Rust Prevention
Looking around your home you have plenty of things that can rust, especially if you live in a humid environment. Tools, lawnmowers, window catches, nuts and bolts, to list a few. Look around and you will be surprised how many thing you have in your home that are prone to rust. A thin coating of olive oil goes a long way to preventing rust.
Hinge Lubrication
This is where an eyedropper comes in handy, add your olive oil and slowly drip the oil down the hinge. Once it has coated the hinge, move it back and forth to really work that oil in. Remove any excess oil and Voila the squeaking will be gone.
No More sticky zippers
Metal zippers as they age can become a nightmare or an embarrassing moment, yip you know what I am talking about. Prevention can sometimes be better than cure, so add some olive oil with a cotton pad to the teeth of the zipper. Even on old zippers it can do the trick
Wooden Furniture polish
If you ever chatted to an old fashioned woodsman, they will cringe when you tell them you use “furniture polish” on real wood. I was advised to use a mix of vinegar and water, but found it lacked that beautiful shine. Adding a small touch of olive oil to the mixture makes it beautifully clean and a shine that could blind you. (Not literally okay)
Great leather conditioner
That special jacket is now looking old and grubby and you do not have the heart to throw it out. Add a thin layer of olive oil and let it soak for at least an hour. Now it is time to buff; use some good cheese cloth or any clean cloth to bring it back to almost looking new. This method can be used on shoes, lounge suites, baseball mitts, wallets, in fact anything that is made from real leather.
You will be surprised at how many uses olive oil has around the home. The beauty of olive oil is that it is nontoxic and natural; nature does produce some great products. Try it on various projects in your home that need natural lubrication and conditioning maintenance; you never know what other uses you may discover.
