Brilliant Baby Oil Hacks To Try Around The House
Baby oil is a common product in households across the United States. Used for decades to protect babies' delicate skin, the skincare staple is also beloved by those who want to give their look a bit of an extra glow. However, baby oil is good for much more than making your skin shine.
Baby oil can actually be useful in lots of ways around your home. From the bathroom to the kitchen, you're about to learn about all kinds of new ways to make the most of this product. While some of these hacks are rooted in science, others have been popularized by social media influencers and homemakers who have shared their positive results. Once you discover all of the cool things that baby oil can do, you'll never look at it as just a skincare product again. Check out some of the best ways that you can use baby oil around your house.
Say goodbye to soap scum in the shower
Let's face it, no matter how dedicated you are to keeping your home clean, there will likely come a time when your shower gets a little scummy. However, you're about to get the chance to say goodbye to soap scum for good. Instead of grabbing one of the typical bathroom cleaning products, you might want to reach for a bottle of baby oil instead. Even though this product is gentle enough to be used on a baby's skin, it's also tough enough to send soap scrum swirling down the drain.
All you need to do is add a little bit of baby oil to a clean microfiber cloth. Keep in mind that you don't want to overdo it, or else you'll be in for an annoyingly oily experience. You also want to be mindful not to get any oil on the shower floor, as this could create a slipping hazard. Once you've applied the baby oil to your cloth, simply scrub the inside of your shower to prevent soap scum from building up.
Shine your stainless steel appliances
One of the biggest downsides to stainless steel appliances is how easily they get covered in fingerprints and other smudges. While baby oil might not be able to prevent this from happening in the first place, it can help make your stainless steel appliances shine like new.
First, you'll want to wipe down your appliances with a damp cloth. This step will remove any gunk so that the baby oil can really get down to business. Next, you'll want to get a clean cloth, such as microfiber, and apply a few drops of baby oil. Rub the cloth on your appliance, going with the grain. Rubbing against the grain could potentially cause scratches, so start with a small area and take a good look at the stainless steel to ensure you're going in the right direction. Use the other side of the cloth to remove any excess oil and further polish the appliance. Repeat these steps if you feel like your stainless steel could still use a little extra shine.
Squeaky hinges? Not anymore!
When many people hear squeaky hinges, WD-40 is probably the first thing that comes to mind. While the product has been a tried-and-true way to silence squeaks for more than 50 years, not everyone has a can laying around. The good news is that baby oil can do the trick in a pinch, and it's something you likely already have at home.
Since baby oil is primarily made of mineral oil, it can also serve as a lubricant for door hinges. Apply a little baby oil to a microfiber cloth, and rub the cloth on both sides of your squeaky hinges. The noise will likely be gone after just one application, but you may need to give your hinges another rubdown if you notice they aren't squeak-free just yet. With the help of this hack, your household will be free of being annoyed every time that troublesome door opens and closes.
You can also fix a squeaky door hinge with a pantry staple.
Remove surface scratches from leather furniture
Leather furniture can be a great addition to any home. It's stylish, comfortable, and can last a very long time. On the other hand, though, leather can be very susceptible to scratches. While these unsightly marks might make you feel like your furniture is ruined forever, that might not actually be the case. Baby oil could be the secret ingredient you need to keep your furniture looking good for longer than you expected.
Baby oil's moisturizing capabilities make it an excellent tool for getting those pesky scratches out of your leather furniture. Apply some baby oil to the scratched area, and rub it in slowly and gently using a clean cloth. Patience is the key with this hack, so don't get discouraged if the scratch is still visible after the first few swipes. If the scratch isn't too deep, baby oil may be able to make it disappear almost completely. More significant scratches may need a couple of tries but might still be a little visible.
Dust bunnies don't stand a chance against baby oil
Dealing with dust in your home is not fun. Not only is it unsightly, but constant exposure to dust can have negative consequences on your health. The fact that many Americans spend approximately 90% of their time indoors only increases exposure to dust and the risk of developing illnesses like asthma. Fortunately, baby oil can help you put up a good fight against those dust bunnies and breathe a little easier in the process.
Popularized by social media users, this hack for using baby oil when dusting the house is quick, easy, and effective. Next time you're dusting, apply some baby oil to your rag and use it to wipe dust away from surfaces in your home. In addition to removing dust, baby oil will also add a little extra shine. Another bonus is that baby oil can be used on a variety of surfaces, including wood, chrome, and tile. Please note that baby oil doesn't disinfect or sanitize, so it won't replace regular cleaning.
Give your wooden furniture a little extra shine
Has your furniture been looking a little dingy lately? Don't worry — this is a judgment-free zone. Luckily, you're about to learn a cool way to polish your wooden furniture and get it looking as good as new (hopefully!). Grab your bottle of baby oil and a damp cloth. Put some oil onto the cloth — not directly onto your furniture -– and use your rag to wipe the furniture. It's a great, handy product that will give new life to wood that's lost a bit of its natural sheen.
The baby oil will have your furniture glowing due to its high mineral oil content. It's a good substitute for food-grade mineral oil, if you don't have any of the latter laying around, but only on furniture. Baby oil isn't food-safe so shouldn't be used on wooden surfaces that come into contact with food, such as wooden cutting boards.
Sticker residue is about to be a thing of the past
Stickers are awesome — until it's time to peel them off. The reality is that stickers can be difficult to remove, and they often leave a lot of residue when you try to get them off. If there are children in your home, this is something you may have experienced on more than one occasion. After learning this hack, however, you won't have to stress when you see a sticker stuck on something that it shouldn't be. You can get rid of sticker residue on any surface, thanks to baby oil.
Once you've removed as much of the sticker as you can, apply a layer of baby oil and let it soak in for about five minutes. If you don't have a scraper handy, use your fingernail to remove the residue. Afterward, you'll need to get a soap rag so that you can remove any excess baby oil and sticker pieces from the surface.
Get that stuck zipper moving again
When zippers get stuck, it can be easy to feel like the whole item needs to be thrown away. But before you rush out to the store to replace your favorite pair of jeans that you haven't been able to zip in six months, reach for a bottle of baby oil instead. This tip will save you money and get your zipper moving in no time.
Add some baby oil to a cloth or cotton ball and rub it on both sides of the zipper. Don't apply the oil directly to the item, and try to avoid getting it on the fabric as it could potentially stain. After you've rubbed baby oil on the zipper, you should notice that it's able to move up and down again. If you find that the zipper is still stuck, apply a bit more and give it another try. You'll want to avoid tugging on the zipper too much so that you don't permanently damage it.
Evict those roaches from your kitchen
Dealing with any kind of insect in your home is never fun, but this is particularly true when it comes to roaches. In addition to carrying illnesses, cockroaches are notoriously hard to get rid of. For those reasons, your kitchen is the last place you want to see these things crawling around. However, even if you think you've done everything you can, there's one thing you may not have tried yet. You guessed it: baby oil!
To use baby oil to get rid of roaches, prep the sink first. Clean everything out of it, and then apply the oil to the edges of the sink, making the surface too slippery for the roaches to climb out of once they fall in. Foods that are heavy in starches and/or sugars typically do a good job of attracting roaches, so place a bit of tempting food at the bottom of the sink. Once roaches fall into the sink, they won't be able to climb back up the slippery surface. They'll be effectively trapped, allowing you to dispose of them afterward. You can also put baby oil directly on the roaches, which will make it difficult for them to move.