Petroleum jelly is a cosmetic wonder drug used for many applications. Your home probably has one, given that many people, especially women, rely on the solution for skin care. The cosmetic product is known to make your skin softer, giving it a nice pale glow. Remarkably, petroleum jelly’s list of uses does not end there. Within its plastic container lies a ton of alternative functions, waiting for you to stumble upon them.
The skincare product’s viscous and sticky consistency is its key characteristic. It is much like grease with a milder formulation. You can use it as a home lubricant, a means of preventing car battery corrosion and a few peculiar dermatological functions. Through its multitude of uses, petroleum jelly stands as a universal solution for many home-related woes. Here are 18 of its wondrous uses:
1. The Squeaky Door Solution - Squeaky doors are annoying and scary. The eerie sound emitted is caused by tight door hinges. With an ample amount of petroleum jelly, you can silence any squeaky door. Just place a jelly coating on the door hinges’ pins and the noise will be gone. The substance’s viscosity will keep it stuck to the hinges, so you don’t have to worry about the jelly dripping to the floor.
2. Tight Lid Loosener - Tight jar lids require much effort before you manage to open them. If you have some petroleum jelly, you can use it to loosen the lid’s grip on the container’s grooves. Apply a small amount in between the lid and the container. Now try opening the jar. You might be surprised at how easy the task will suddenly be. You can also use petroleum jelly to prevent the tightening of covers. Just apply a sheer layer on the jar’s grooves.
3. Shoe Shine Solution - Petroleum jelly is viscous and is a moisturizer, which means it can be used for shining shoes. Apply a thin layer on your leather pair using a rug. When the shoe, except for the soles, has been covered, wipe the jelly off with a clean cloth. Your leather shoes will shine like newly purchased items right after.
shoe shine
4. Helps in Treating Cuts and Wounds - Petroleum jelly was originally a solution for treating wounds, before it became the popular cosmetic product used by almost every household worldwide. It doesn’t really have medicinal value, but its thick base acts as a protective covering for wounds. Dirt and germs won’t be able to penetrate the layer of jelly. The skin moisture will also be preserved, aiding the natural healing process.
5. Nail Polish Canvas - Applying nail polish is just making a painting. Each stroke is well-calculated, yet contains a relatively high margin for error. By applying a thin layer of petroleum jelly on your nails before polishing, you have the luxury of making mistakes with your nail polish. You can simply wipe of the errors, when your nails dry, then reapply the nail polish.
6. Stain Remover - Ketchup and other staining food items, upon contact with your clothes, are not simple to remove. You can make the job easier if you have some petroleum jelly. Scrub the stains the moment they appear on your clothes. The jelly’s viscous base will remove, or at least make the stains fade.
treating dried lips7. Treatment for Dried Lips - Having dried lips is quite discomforting. The hardened skin, when removed, causes lip wounds. With a small amount of petroleum jelly, you can restore your lips’ healthy condition. Apply some jelly on your dried-up kisser and it will eventually be moisturized.
8. Gum Remover - Tasty as it is, chewing gum can be a headache, especially if it gets stuck on your furniture or your hair. Tugging at it does nothing but spread the gum, which makes things worse. You can actually remove the sticky snack with Vaseline. Just apply some on the gum and the surrounding areas. You will then have an easier time removing the gum.
9. Diaper Rash Prevention - Babies have sensitive skin, which is why rashes often form around the diaper area. Prevent this uncomfortable occurrence by applying petroleum jelly on the usually affected areas. The moisturizing layer that the skincare product will create will keep rashes from appearing.
10. Ring Remover - Rings, except for the ones used for weddings, should normally slide off when you pulled from your finger. In some cases, the ring deforms over time, causing it to tighten its clasp on your finger. You can loosen its grip by applying some petroleum jelly on the ring and the surrounding the skin.
11. Candle Wax Remover - A stuck piece of candle wax is tough to remove and reduces the elegance of any setting. Remedy this problem by applying jelly on and around the layers of dried candle wax. Use a rag to displace them from your furnishings, especially your candleholders. (More tips on how to get rid of candle wax stains)
12. Prevention of Car Battery Corrosion - A corrosion buildup will damage your car battery and sometimes even your automobile. Big surprises come in small packages, as a regular skincare product comes as the unusual solution. Apply petroleum jelly on the battery’s terminals and you won’t have to worry about car battery corrosion for quite a while.
13. Key and Lock Loosener - Old locks and keys have a tendency to tighten, which makes unlocking a suddenly frustrating feat. Apply some petroleum jelly on the key. Once done, insert the key in the lock and see what happens. If the lock is still hard to disengage, just repeat the process until the lock’s mechanisms loosen.
old locks
14. Dried Adhesive Remover - A common problem with glue and other adhesives is, their containers’ openings get jammed often. Mounds of dried adhesive prevent you from getting what you need. Get rid of those annoyances by applying a little petroleum jelly. You can then displace the hardened layers of adhesive after.
15. Paw Protection - Your pet travels various areas inside and outside your home daily. Its little paws may get injured from rough surfaces or too much traveling. Protect your pet’s paws by applying a layer of petroleum jelly on the pads beneath its feet. The substance’s viscous base will add more cushion to the pads. Don’t apply too much jelly, though, if you have a cat. Cats groom themselves by licking and biting their bodies, including the paws.
papmpering your feet16. Loosener of Hard-to-Open Windows - Brute force and jammed windows are two things that should never meet. If you push or pull at it with too much force, you might end up wrecking the structure. Petroleum jelly comes as a good solution for this instance. Apply the thick substance, as if it is lubricating oil. The window will gradually loosen until you can move it with ease.
17. Remover of Wood Markings - If you remove a structure that has been the sitting on a wooden surface for a long time, you will see a discolored patch on the surface. Revarnishing or repainting the spot is a popular yet pricey option. Instead of covering it, you can simply wipe it off with petroleum jelly. Apply a generous amount on the marking then scrub it until it fades.
18. Foot Softener - Our feet are the most abused parts of our body. We practically use it in almost every activity, since we often walk and move about. The skin on our feet eventually harden and even develop calluses. You can pamper your feet by applying petroleum jelly. Its viscosity and moisturizing properties will give your feet some much needed softness.
Before, petroleum jelly was regarded as a “cure-all” solution. The supposed miracle drug was used for almost all types skin-related applications. That was the case until science and medical research branded it as a mere cosmetic product. Currently, more and more uses for it are being discovered. Remarkably, many of them aren’t even related to skin care. The question now stands as, is petroleum jelly a miracle solution? You be the judge, as you try out each of its alternative uses. If you want to concoct your own petroleum jelly, learn how to make Petroleum Jelly.