Vaseline has been around since 1870, after chemist Robert Cheseborough developed a refinement process that transformed black "rod wax" discovered by oil rig workers into the lightly green-yellow tinged substance, rebranded into what we now know as common petroleum jelly. Throughout the years people have come up with a myriad of uses for the stuff, including pomade, mustache wax, makeup remover, treating diaper rash or chapped lips, and my mom's favourite application, blocking up a bloody nose. But Vaseline also has many home related uses...here are our top 5 uses for the slippery stuff:
Prevent Frozen Locks:
Got an older lock that's not working as well as it used to? Try applying a thin later of Vaseline and inserting it into the lock to lubricate the tumbler.
Remove Watermarks On Wood
This remedy is similar to the one involving mayonnaise. Just apply a layer of petroleum jelly overnight and wipe off. If the damage isn't too bad, the jelly should remove the mark after wiping off.
Lubricate Cabinet and Window Runners
Creaky cabinets or hard to open windows? Lubricate and create a smoother sliding effect that should alleviate your noisy problem.
Protective Moat Around Your Pet Bowl
Ant season is close at hand, and they often find crumbs in or near your pet's bowl. Dab a thin layer of Vaseline around the base of the bowl and the ants won't dare crossing over.
Stop squeaking door hinges
Squeaky doors can be quieted quickly with just a little Vaseline on the hinges. Also protects from further corrosion.
gotta try that watermark trick
view LaDonnaNichole's profile
Gregory,
Somewhere my grandma, a big vaseline advocate, is smiling down on you!
view abby's profile
Not a "household" hint per se, but Vaseline is good for when a cat gets hairballs - smear a little on the pad of the cat's paw, the cat automatically licks it off, and the vaseline "collects" the hairs so they pass on through.
view KarenH's profile
i liked conan o'brien's use of vaseline in a very recent episode of late night--- he rubbed it on his desk so he could increase the length of time for spinning his wedding ring.
and karenh! that is a great idea for the kitty. thanks for the tip. (also, kudos on the euphemism "pass on through.")
view brookejoy's profile
I had a friend years ago who would just stick a fingerful of Vaseline in her cat's mouth once a week, for the same result. You can actually buy something similar (but stickier) in a tube that has a flavor cats like - that's what I did for my cats.
The previous owners of this apartment did some renovations, and I think they cheaped out on the light fixtures. The bulbs stick in every one of the recessed cans. I don't understand why it happens, but I discovered that dipping the business end of a bulb in Vaseline before screwing it in solves the problem.
Apparently I used to spend hours applying it to my face when I was little. So there's another use - keeping toddlers busy.
view greer's profile
Very good list, Gregory!
I had a few of my own tips, and blogged it here: http://whatsomewouldcalllies.com/this-is-the-one-with-useful-things-to-do-with-vaseline.html
view Mike Lawson's profile