21 Household Problems You Can Fix With Vaseline

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Look in pretty much any medicine cabinet and you ’ll probably encounter a tub of Vaseline . We ’re all familiar with the semitransparent , gelatinlike substance , but exactly what is Vaseline ? The chronicle of Vaseline , which is also known as oil jelly , begins in 1859 , when chemist Robert Chesebrough first distilled and complicate the healing jelly from “ rod wax , ” a by - production of oil colour drilling . The oil workers had found that this machinery - clogging substance was skillful at soothe the cuts and burns that were so coarse on the job . By 1870 Chesebrough begin shell out the new intersection , and he received a patent for the appendage in 1872 .

Today , Vaseline has become a vulgar household staple fibre , thanks to its slick composition of instinctive waxes and mineral oil colour . Discover the many benefits of Vaseline for yourself by try out a few of these unexpected direction to use the cheap multitasking gelatin around the house .

Overhead shot of person putting finger in vaseline

Photo: istockphoto.com

1. Protect Surfaces While Painting

Do you have apainting projectin your future ? If so , tryVaselineas a substitute for painter ’s tape . Apply a thin level to surfaces where you do n’t desire the paint to adhere , such as windowpane glass , door hinge or knobs , and the edge of lino , tile , or wood floors . When you ’ve complete picture , wipe away the colloidal gel with a wet rag : No scraping required !

2. Add Decorative Detailing

A tub of Vaseline can help create adistressed effecton painted furniture orwalls . Add a generous coat of the product onto a paint brush , use it to draw a purpose on the control surface of your choice , and then paint over the entire matter . Because the rouge wo n’t cling to the Vaseline - coated areas , you ’ll be left with an interesting two - flavour finish .

3. Unscuff Your Shoes

Use Vaseline fossil oil jelly as a agile alternative to leather polish on scuffed place , boot , handbags , baseball gloves , andleather furniture . Applying petroleum gelatin and buff it with a cloth or cotton pad will shine your shoe in no metre .

4. Keep Glue Fresh

Vaseline has many talents , but one of our favorites is its power to prevent glues and adhesives from drying out . polish a dab of Vaseline under the detonator and around the rim of a glue bottle will prevent any buildup of dry out mucilage from sealing the ceiling exclude .

5. Silence Squeaky Hinges

Many uses of Vaseline capitalise on its effectiveness as a lubricant , which makes it a great backup man forWD-40 . Apply a thin layer of the gel on squeaking or stick threshold hinges , cabinets , and windows , and on the tracks of sliding glass doors to keep things moving smoothly . you’re able to also use rock oil jelly to lubricate the shorts , racks , shelf , and door seal of your refrigerator .

6. Fix Frozen Locks

One of our favorite uses for Vaseline is to lube a keyhole to prevent the ignition lock from freezing . To do this , apply Vaseline to both the lock and the fundamental , insert the key into the lock chamber , and work it back and forth to cake the mechanism . The fossil oil jelly will keep excess moisture ( which can potentially turn to shabu ) out of the tumbler .

7. Lubricate Light Bulbs

At times , reach up to unscrew a burned - outlight bulbfrom a socket is no well-to-do exploit . The next time you ’re switch bulbs , be proactive : Apply a sparse level of Vaseline to the threads of the new medulla before screwing it in . This way , you wo n’t require as much human elbow grease to unscrew the bulb when it arrive at the end of its lifespan .

8. Remove Stains

Vaseline can remove somestains , such as those from wax light wax , chewing glue , wax crayon , and makeup , from clothing , linens , and piece of furniture . Dab Vaseline on the stigma with a dampish material , and then let it fall off in for a few seconds . Blot carefully until the blot is polish off , keeping in intellect that you may need to reprise the process several times . ( mind : As Vaseline itself can stain , you may need to follow up with liquified dish soap to get free of any residual oil . )

9. Fight Rust on Tools

Here ’s how to keep your tools and machinery in tip - top condition : Rub Vaseline onto the dry vane and edges between uses . The protective covering of colloidal gel wards off rust and decomposition .

10. Battle Battery Corrosion

Corroded auto battery can be an inconvenience and a frustrating financial burden . Help prevent corrosion , even in the coldest weather condition , by lube your barrage fire withVaseline . To do this , unplug thebattery terminalsand clean them with a wire brush . Then , reconnect the terminal and cover the connections with a level of Vaseline to shield them from moisture .

11. Keep Jack-o’-Lanterns From Rotting

When Halloween rolls around , remember to apply a protective barrier of Vaseline to the carved edges and interior of yourjack - o’-lantern . The gel will help oneself preclude rot , keeping your autumn pumpkin freshman for longer .

12. Ward off Pests

Vaseline can help ward offants , bugs , and otherpesky pests . A flimsy layer propagate on windowsills and door room access will immobilize crawl insects , keep them away from your family and pet . you may also use Vaseline likenatural flypaper : maw bug by range a pocket-size amount of the fossil oil gelatin in a jar lid . Once the pests are stuck , throw away the whole palpebra . last , if squirrel keep raid your bird feeder , coat the rod or hanging bracket with a layer of Vaseline — the squirrels will slue right off !

13. Repair Furniture Scratches

To cook minor scratches , water rings , or little stains on wood furniture , wrap up the imperfection with a thick pelage of fossil oil jelly , and then let it sit for 24 hr . Wipe aside any inordinateness with a fair cloth , rub what remains into the woods , and go over the sphere with article of furniture polish .

14. Banish Soap Scum

Vaseline works wonders onsoap scum . Apply a pocket-size amount to faucets , grip , and bathroom tiles , and then set aside the gel to soak into the soap scum for a few minutes . Wipe clean , and buff with a sonant cloth . While you ’re in the bathroom , use Vaseline to lubricate the threads of the faucet handles to keep them operate decently .

15. Loosen a Stuck Zipper

The next clock time you ca n’t get your bag or jacket to come together , render using petroleum jelly to lube the slide fastener . Rub both the top and underside of the zipper ’s track with a thin stratum of Vaseline , and give the zipper a tugboat . It should now afford and close swimmingly !

16. Help Curtains Glide on Their Rods

If the grommet of your curtains get caught on the rod , fret the rod with a little Vaseline to help the curtains skid more easy . ( This trick works on exhibitioner curtains too . )

17. Remove Adhesive From Surfaces

Vaseline is effectual at removing obstinate cost tatter leave alone on glassware . go for a thin bed of Vaseline to the tag end and let it sit down for a few second before gently scraping off the residue . This method work on charge card and alloy surface as well .

18. Prevent Buildup on Shovel Blades

To stop snowfall from clinging to the vane when you ’re shoveling snow , coat the sword front and back with Vaseline . This will help the coke skid off the blade more easily , forbid ice and C. P. Snow from accumulating , and protect it from moisture .

19. Polish Stainless Steel

Polish and protect yourstainless steel applianceswith Vaseline . Simply apply a thin layer to plow the entire open , and then buff uncontaminating with a dry cloth .

20. Create a DIY Fire Starter

cotton plant balls are extremely flammable , especially when souse in petroleum jelly , aka Vaseline . To make aDIY fire newbie , simply seethe a bunch of cotton plant balls in Vaseline until they are fully saturated . pitch three or four into the open fireplace to get your ardor move .

21. Protect Garden Hoses From Corrosion

Prevent yourgarden hosefrom leak or corroding with a light coat of Vaseline . plainly lubricate the threads of the hosiery ’s connector with Vaseline to help the hosiery get in touch more smoothly and furnish a sealing wax against making water .

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Painting our front door

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Wooden bench furniture produced by modern methods but finished to appear as if Mexican artisans from a past era produced it by hand. Sedona, Arizona, 2013.