Household Uses For Coconut Oil

 

1) ENHANCING BATH TIME

Try adding between 1/4 – 1/2 cup of coconut oil + 1 cup of epsom salts + a few drops of essential oils to the bath before getting in… you won’t regret it.

2) SHAVING CREAM

I recommend using a plastic container for this in case it gets slippery. Broken glass in a slippery shower/bathtub is a dangerous mess you do not want to have to deal with.

3) BODY SCRUB

Mix 1 part sugar + 1 part coconut oil (+ a few drops of essential oil optional). Again, I recommend storing this in a plastic or rust-resistant metal container if it’s going to live in your shower!

4) LIP MOISTURIZER

There are coconut oil lip balm recipes that recommend melting coconut oil with things like beeswax and/or shea butter but I have had good experiences keeping plain coconut oil in a tiny jar (an old Younique eyeshadow pot that I repurposed) in my purse and dab it on when my lips are a little dry.

5) UNDER EYE MOISTURIZER

I have also had good results using avocado oil for under eye moisturizer.

6) FOOT “CREAM”

“Yeah, yeah it’s great for skin we get it” – I know, but the trick to this one is to put coconut oil on your feet then immediately put on a pair of socks! I don’t know the exact reasons (do we care?) but somehow the combination of the socks trapping the oil on your foot skin (scientific term) plus the light exfoliation you get from walking around in said socks results in baby soft feet (bye bye cracked heels, hello summer sandals!).

7) HAIR TREATMENT

Helps to smooth split ends and frizz – whenever I blow-dry my hair, I use a tiny amount of coconut oil warmed up between my hands and apply it to the ends of my hair. Beware: too much can lead to a greasy hair day so less is more!

8) CUTICLE OINTMENT

In a pinch coconut oil totally works. I almost never paint my finger nails these days so nice cuticles are a must! I get them done normally!

9) LEATHER POLISH

Use a cloth to rub oil on your shoes, purses, and leather accessories. Also works to clean/moisturize leather furniture!

10) MINIMIZING DUST ON FURNITURE

Rub a thin layer of coconut oil onto wood furniture and let it sit for a few minutes before wiping it away. This should help guard against dust collecting as quickly on your wooden shelves and side tables!

11) WOOD POLISH

Use coconut oil to polish your cutting board, wooden spoons, wooden bowls, and wooden furniture.

12) SEASON CAST IRON

I am obsessed with our cast iron skillet and after lather it up with coconut oil then bake it in the oven at 250 degrees or so for at least 20 minutes. Hey, it works for brand new iron skillets. I also scrub it with crumbled foil in hot water to clean it. Than rub it down with coconut oil. Perfection.

13) UNSTICK A ZIPPER/CHAIN/SQUEAKY HINGES

Rub coconut oil on the zipper or chain near the problem area and voila – unstuck.

14) REMOVE LABELS OR STICKY RESIDUE FROM GLASS AND PLASTIC

Mix equal parts coconut oil and baking soda, rub it on the sticker or sticky area, let it sit for a few minutes (key step, be patient), then rub that sticker away with ease!

15) NATURAL DEODORANT

I talked about my favorite store-bought natural deodorants but I have seen plenty of DIY deodorant recipes online that include coconut oil as a main ingredient.

16) MOUTHWASH / TOOTHPASTE

Two words: oil pulling. I truly commit to the recommended 10+ minutes a day that the “experts” suggest for a month. And do far I am loving how my teeth look. Now to hit the dentist to see how they are. I will report back on my beauty page soon..

And coconut oil toothpaste (usually a combo of oil + baking soda + peppermint essential oil and/or stevia).

17) MAKEUP REMOVER

Rub coconut oil on your face, use a soft cloth to wipe it off, then rinse with water. Simple enough! As an added note, it might be wise to be careful around the eyes, I have heard horror stories about folks with sensitive skin developing weird fat deposits around their eyes after using coconut oil as their eye makeup remover. It might not affect you in that way, but it’s something to be aware of.

18) REMOVING GUM FROM HAIR

I didn’t want to risk testing this one, but I have seen some convincing youtube videos that prove that this method is as effective as the peanut butter trick.

19) INSECT REPELLANT

Supposedly a mixture of coconut oil and peppermint essential oil does the trick to repel mosquitos! I would be interested in trying to use coconut oil as a carrier oil for some of the “bug repellant” essential oils listed in DIY bug repellant article. My husband ALWAYS gets eaten up by mosquitos in the summer so I’ll have him test this out in the coming months and report back!

20) EXTEND THE SHELF LIFE OF EGGS

Rubbing coconut oil on the shell of your eggs is supposed to extend their shelf life by providing a barrier preventing oxygen from penetrating the shells.

21) YEAST INFECTION TREATMENT

Speaking of eggs… (sorry I couldn’t help myself – bad female reproductive organ joke). This one might be a little TMI but fun fact: I have never suffered from a yeast infection (at least not to my knowledge? Don’t hate me!) but I have read that adding coconut oil to the “infected area” (via tampon!) can provide a ton of relief.

22) LICE TREATMENT

Supposedly, a combination of coconut oil and apple cider vinegar can help treat lice breakouts!

23) PREVENT ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

There are tons of articles and even entire books dedicated to studies that show links to coconut oil ingestion helping to prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s runs in my family (my father is suffering severe Alzheimer's) so this one was especially intriguing. Easy enough for me to stir a tablespoon into my morning coffee/smoothie/oatmeal! I also like cooking with it. And when I am doing a bodybuilding diet it is my fat I use on my protein or veggies.