4 Surprising Uses for Olive Oil

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4 Surprising Uses for Olive Oil

Submitted by: Tip Hero 04/20/2009 9:31 AM

Most likely, you've got olive oil in your kitchen, and it probably didn't cost you much to buy it. Well, in addition to using it when cooking, you can also use it in a few other ways. Health.com offers up four uses we didn't know about:

- Earache: "Warm olive oil can soothe your child�s (or your) achy ear"

- Stainless steel polish: Use to clean stainless steel appliances

- Dry-hair conditioner: "Revive damaged hair with ... extra-virgin olive oil"

- Skin soother: "Olive oil�s essential fatty acids are a natural Rx for rough elbows, hands, and cuticles"

To read more on each, click through to the article below.
Secret (Natural) Ingredient: Surprising New Uses for Olive Oil (Health.com)

Know of any other uses for olive oil? Share with the Tip Hero community by posting a comment below.

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Comments:

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I use olive oil to "wash" my face & remove makeup. I also use as an all over body moisturizer, especially right after getting out of the shower or bath. Love my skin now!

Posted by aj on April 30, 2009 1:59 PM

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You can also rub warm olive oil into fingernails. It makes them less brittle and they will grow very fast!

Posted by anonymous on April 30, 2009 2:41 PM

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Olive oil IS great on skin and hair, but safflower oil works just as well but without any scent. I've found that the scent of olive oil tends to cling to my hair for several hours.

Posted by dogmama on April 30, 2009 5:21 PM

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You can make your razor blades last much, much longer by keeping the head of the razor in a small container of olive oil (or any oil) between uses.

One razor blade will last you for months and far more shaves than you would believe possible just by keeping it submerged in the olive oil. This prevents air and water from developing rust on the blades.

Also, if you wet your legs, smooth on some olive oil and then shave, it works just as well as shaving foam, costs less and leaves your legs feeling silky smooth.

Posted by Lisa D. on April 30, 2009 11:36 PM

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That sounds great! If you use it in the shower does it clog up the plumbing?

Posted by anonymous on May 01, 2009 1:46 AM

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my sister-law and I used olive oil for a tanning ooil and got the best tan ever

Posted by aletha on May 01, 2009 10:34 PM

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I used olive oil in place of baby oil on my kids, and I use it after a shower, before drying off, on my skin to keep it soft. You can also put it on your face at night before going to bed. I do this often because of the effects of central heat/air on my skin.

Posted by Mia on May 02, 2009 2:50 PM

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Olive oil mixed with lemon juice also makes great furniture polish. It's natural, environmentally friendly and, for most wood, it's actually safer than the store bought kind. Use about 1/3 cup lemon juice for every 1 cup olive oil. It does go rancid though so I store in the fridge and bring to room temperature before using.

Posted by Fab N Frugal on May 02, 2009 4:21 PM

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Rub olive oil on accidental bumps (shortly after getting them). It inhibits swelling and also reduces bruising.

Posted by anonymous on May 03, 2009 8:02 AM

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Also great in a pinch to quiet squeaky door hinges, hamster wheels, etc.

Posted by money-saving-tips on May 03, 2009 10:09 AM

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If your dog or cat has ear mites, warm olive oil will suffocate the mites. Use an eye dropper to put in just a few drops and rub the ears. Allow the pet to shake his head. Wipe out the ears with soft tissue. Repeat every few days until they are clean. (Warning! If your pet's ears are red, swollen, or otherwise irritated, be sure to go to the vet! They may need medication)

Posted by Shawna718 on May 03, 2009 11:07 PM

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When my dog gets sap on his paws from attempting to climb trees (crazy little pooch!) I wash his paws with olive oil, a very safe and healthy alternative to goo-be-gone.

Posted by anonymous on May 04, 2009 3:39 PM

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I just found this site today and love it.
Tip Hero obviously hasn't purchased Olive Oil in a while. $18.00 a half gallon!
I am going to try the olive oil remedy on my rabbit that the vet diagnoses with mites and showed them to me under the microscope...Yuk! He is currently getting Ivomec injections in micro doses once a week and has to have six of them before they disappear. That can't be good on his system...so thank you Shawna718!

Posted by peggysue1971 on May 05, 2009 4:35 PM

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Hmmm, with good EVOO at $9-$20/bottle I think some conditioner from the discount store would be a better buy.

Posted by anonymous on May 06, 2009 9:47 AM

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I myself use super-cheap olive oil from Dollar Tree for my beauty needs--mixed with egg and honey, it makes the best deep-conditioner EVER! You needn't use expensive olive oil for beauty/skincare purposes--the skin doesn't seem to realize or care that it's not virgin (not to mention not extra-virgin)! A bottle of olive oil lasts me a lot longer than a standard-sized, cheap bottle of conditioner, and it works much, much better as well.

Posted by SiameseBelle on May 26, 2009 10:33 PM

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awesome tip! What are the measurements?

Posted by anonymous on June 11, 2009 4:05 PM

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I used olive oil to get gum out of my daughter's hair. I put oil on the gum, rubbed a little, and then combed the gum out. Afterward I put powder on to absorb the oil until we could wash her hair. This might work with other oils, but olive oil was what we had at the time.

Posted by anonymous on June 11, 2009 9:24 PM

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Baby oil is also good on stainless steel.

Posted by anonymous on June 13, 2009 5:51 PM

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I've also read and am now for the past week using extra virgin olive oil as a face wash and a moisturizer. I apply more at night and around the eyes. So far so good and saves tons of money. Egg whites are also a good face mask. Let it dry then rinse off.

Totally off the subject. Eracers work really good on spilled wax on wood tables. Also when water gets spilled on a wood table and you have a magazine or paper that dries, using an eraser works well too. It takes a little longer but it does work.

Posted by anonymous on June 17, 2009 8:43 PM

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I slightly heat about 3-4 Tablespoons of olive oil, any brand will do. Using a cotton ball and a fine tooth comb thoroughly saturate my hair. wrap a dryer heated towel around my head for 10-15 minutes. get hair just a little wet and shampoo! Its the best conditioner ever.

Posted by poke on June 24, 2009 1:58 PM

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ive used olive oil back when kids were in scool and would come home with head lice. after treating there hair soak in olive oil put bag over head leave in over night rinse losens eggs. then redo every other day. to suffacate any eggs missed that hatch.

Posted by anonymous on August 06, 2009 3:51 PM

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