7 household uses for coconut oil
Coconut oil has many uses.
It’s edible, so you can cook with it. Don’t think you’ve ever eaten it? Most movie theater chains pop their popcorn in coconut oil.
You may have heard of its beauty boosting powers, too, as a moisturizer for skin and hair. Coconut oil is an ingredient in many bath soaps.
But did you know coconut oil is great for household chores? It is. A 14-ounce jar of coconut oil costs about $7 — and it potentially can replace many other products you purchase regularly.
Grab some coconut oil next time you’re at the grocery store and put it to work in your home.
1. Polish wood furniture.
(Combine 1/2 cup coconut oil and 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice and wipe on with a dry polishing cloth.)
2. Season a cast-iron skillet.
(Rub a thin coat over the entire surface of the pan. Wipe off access with a paper towel. Place the skillet upside down in a 325 degree oven. Bake for 90 minutes — there is a chance of smoke– and then turn off the oven, leave the oven door closed and let the pan cool before you remove it.)
3. Soften leather furniture.
(Apply coconut oil to any hard, dried out leather surface and rub it in with a soft rag until it shines.)
4. Condition wooden spoons and cutting boards between uses.
(Rub coconut oil onto the utensils when they are clean and dry. Allow the oil to absorb an hour or two — or overnight — and wipe off any access.)
5. Erase Crayon markings from painted walls.
(Dip a paper towel or wash cloth into coconut oil and gently rub the waxy Crayon off the painted surface.)
6. Remove shower scum.
(With a damp rag, apply a thin layer of coconut oil to your tub, porcelain sink, shower walls, doors and handles. Let it sit for 10 to 20 minutes, then wipe it away with the rough side of a moistened sponge.)
7. Polish leather shoes, purses and belts.
(Using a soft rag, apply coconut oil to the leather surface and rub it in until it shines.)
8. Un-stick a stuck zipper.
(Dab coconut oil on the zipper’s teeth. Then zip back and forth a few times — and the resistant area will release.)
Here’s more:
Coconut oil, which is extracted from the meat of mature coconuts from coconut palm trees, is high in saturated fat. It has a melting point of about 78 degrees, so it’s a solid at room temperature and a liquid at higher temperatures. It shouldn’t be refrigerated (it will become as hard as a rock). It should last at for least six months in a tightly sealed container stored in a cupboard.
