Petroleum Jelly…

…a semi-solid mixture of fat-based substances made from petroleum.

Sounds a little gross, right?  The truth is that petroleum jelly is used for everything from minimizing wrinkles to repairing scratches on wood furniture!  

Because petroleum jelly is an oil-based emollient which repels water, it can be used around the home in a variety of ways.

Here are some of my favorites:

• A cotton ball dipped in petroleum jelly and placed in your ear keeps water out of your ear.
• Warm a paste of petroleum jelly and peppermint oil in the microwave and rub on sore muscles.
• Spread petroleum jelly onto cuticles before painting  nails to keep nail polish off cuticles.
• For covering up those split ends, apply petroleum jelly to the ends.
• Get gum out of your hair using petroleum jelly. 
• To keep your perfume scent smelling longer, put some petroleum jelly on the area you are spraying and then spray on perfume.
• For removing candle wax, spread petroleum jelly on the edges of the wax.  Let sit for 10 minutes.  Wipe.  
• Make your own fly paper by dipping paper strips in warm petroleum jelly. Hang strips up.
• To keep light bulbs from getting stuck, spread on some petroleum jelly to the threads before twisting in bulb. 
• Blot lipstick stains with petroleum jelly before washing clothes.
• Keep shampoo out of your eyes by dabbing a little petroleum jelly above your eyebrows before shampooing.
• Keep ants out of pet bowls by applying petroleum jelly around the exterior bottom of the bowls.
• For cracked paws on dogs, apply petroleum jelly to bottom of paws.
• Keep squirrels out of bird feeders by applying petroleum jelly to area around feeder.
• To prevent corrosion on your car battery, apply petroleum jelly to clean terminals.
• When painting, apply petroleum jelly to areas you don’t want painted.  
• To remove water rings and repair scratches on furniture, apply petroleum jelly to area.  Let sit for one day.  Buff and wipe.
• To keep your Pumpkin from rotting and drying, smear some petroleum jelly on the edges of the pumpkin.
• To help start your campfire, dip a few cotton balls into petroleum jelly and place them in a small brown paper bag. Light bag.  Place wood over bag.

   

• Apply a good amount of petroleum jelly on your toilet plunger to get a good seal.