Petroleum jelly has sure come a long way from being the substance used as a method of healing cuts and wounds. Today, you can’t open a bathroom cabinet or medicine closet without seeing a jar. Besides being a huge help in the world of cosmetics, there are plenty of home remedies for petroleum jelly to consider using around the household that you probably never thought of.
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What is Petroleum Jelly?
When many people think of petroleum jelly, they often envision a jar or tube of Vaseline – one of the most popular brands on the market. It comes in a variety of shapes and sizes that easily fit in the medicine cabinet, glove compartment, purse, desk drawer, and winter coat pocket. Petroleum jelly is a mixture of hydrocarbons that are semisolid at room temperature. It is odorless and feels like an ointment when placed on the skin. Petroleum is typically colorless unless it was not highly distilled – in which case it is a pale yellow color.
Petroleum Jelly Home Remedies
Common uses for petroleum jelly is protecting the skin and providing lubrication for the body. The next time you are in the bathroom cabinet, part with your Vaseline for one moment, and take the time to explore some of the following home remedies that use petroleum jelly around the household:
a) Save Your Super Glue:
How many times have you used a tube of super glue only to find the cap stuck shut – never to be used again? If you put a thick coating of petroleum jelly inside the cap threads, it will prevent the glue from permanently sealing the cap shut.
b) Shine Leather Accessories:
Apply a thin coating of petroleum jelly to your shoes, boots and purses as a way to keep them looking fresh. This remedy will also help repel water and road salt. After wiping on, use a soft cloth to remove the excess jelly.
c) Calm a Squeaky Door:
When a door hinge constantly squeaks in your home, apply a coating of petroleum jelly to the hinge pin, and you will find a quieter response the next time you open and close the door.
d) Remove Stuck Ring:
If you’ve put on a few pounds, getting rings on and off can become a bit harder to accomplish. To remove a stuck ring, apply petroleum jelly and the jewelry will slide right off.
e) Treat Lipstick Stain:
To get rid of lipstick stains on cloth napkins, blot petroleum jelly on the stain and toss in the laundry as usual. In many cases, the stain will lift away.
f) Remove Chewing Gum [1]:
If someone had the nerve to place a piece of chewing gum under your wooden dining room table, apply a bit of petroleum jelly on the glob, and rub until the gum starts to disintegrate. This will make the gum easier to remove.
g) Add Shine to Patent Leather:
When your patent leather shoes have dulled in appearance, polish with petroleum jelly to add shine.
h) Leather Jacket Treatment:
To rejuvenate the look of your leather jacket, apply petroleum jelly to the material and rub in. Wipe off the excess and enjoy a rejuvenated fashion statement.
i) Baseball Mitt Treatment:
To break in a new baseball mitt, soften the leather by apply a generous amount of petroleum jelly. Work the jelly into the glove, and then tie it up with a baseball inside. If you do this in the wintertime, the glove will be ready for a game of catch in the spring.
j) Save Your Nail Polish:
To prevent your bottle of nail polish from sticking or becoming too hard to unscrew – rub a small amount of petroleum jelly along the rim of the bottle.
k) Lubricate a Window:
When you have a fussy window that has to be forced opened or closed every time you want to use it – apply petroleum jelly to the window sash channel. A small paintbrush will help.
l) Remove Watermarks:
When you’ve left a cold glass of water on your wood furniture, a ring often appears. To get rid of this blemish, apply petroleum jelly and let it sit overnight. When you awaken, wipe the jelly and the watermark will have disappeared along with it.
m) Fix Sticky Drawers:
When the drawer of your dresser seems to stick, apply petroleum jelly along the runner to make it slide more freely when it is opened and closed.
n) Soothe Dog Foot Pads [2]:
Treat cracked, dry foot pads of your dog by gently rubbing petroleum jelly into the pads while he or she sleeps. This remedy will deliver a wave of soothing moisture. Don’t worry, if your pooch decides to lick it off – it will not cause any harm.
Resources
[1] Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things by Reader’s Digest; pg. 255
[2] Who Knew? Almanac by Bruce Lubin and Jeanne Bossolina-Lubin; pg. 556.