Have a giant bottle of olive oil sitting on your kitchen counter, and aren’t sure of the uses for olive oil? We’ve got a few ideas for you! Whether it’s for beauty, medicinal, household, or some other use, you’re sure to find something you can’t wait to try ASAP.
Olive oil is a staple at Italian food places, but did you know it has other uses, as well? Olive oil is packed with incredible ingredients that do all sorts of amazing things. In fact, we’ve rounded up so many uses for olive oil you might be ordering this household staple in bulk from now on!
Did you know you can use olive oil in place of body lotion? You can! Many lotions, in fact, have ingredients that make our skin addicted. Olive oil, however, penetrates deep into your skin to provide deep moisturization. Celebrity chef Giada swears by it when she cooks to help keep her hands in great shape!
If you’re worried about it feeling greasy, apply right out of the shower when your skin is damp.
Olive oil doesn’t only moisturize your skin; it can also moisturize your hair. You can use it to do a weekly conditioning treatment. Simply massage olive into your scalp, put it up in a ponytail, and cover it with a shower cap for half an hour. Shampoo out like normal.
In addition to a weekly conditioning treatment, you can also use olive oil as a pretreatment. Massage warm olive oil through your hair, concentrating on the scalp and the ends. Let is set for 10-15 minutes, then shampoo out.
Both options will help you keep your hair soft and silky, and–if that’s your natural bent–curly!
Ran out of shaving cream or forgot it at home? If you’re in a pinch, one of the uses for olive oil is to make a great shaving cream! Simply slide it over your skin and shave like normal to get a close shave and smooth skin. Be very, very careful about doing this in the shower, though–the oil can cause the floor to get very slick!
You don’t have to purchase a fancy oil for use with in-home massages. In fact, you and your partner can simply use olive oil! Drop in a few essential oils for maximum aromatherapy impact. We love lavender!
Here’s another one of our great uses for olive oil: exfoliation!
Combine olive oil with salt or sugar to create a lip, face, or body scrub. You can mix the ingredients in a 1:1 ratio and a touch of vanilla or essential oil for a delicious scent! Our favorite combinations are olive oil, brown sugar, and vanilla. Others are olive, salt, rosemary essential oil, and peppermint essential oil.
Giving yourself a manicure at home? Use olive oil to soften your cuticles naturally first! Soak your finger tips in the delicious oil for 10-15 minutes, rinse, and then proceed like normal.
You can apply olive oil directly to your lips to moisturize them, but you can also whip up a quick lip balm DIY. Combine equal parts coconut oil and olive oil with twice the amount of grated organic beeswax.
Melt all the ingredients together in a double boiler with a few drops of essential oils (mint is a great choice!) and then pour into small tins or containers. Once it cools, the mixture will thicken and harden. Afterward, enjoy your homemade olive oil lip balm!
It sounds strange to use oil to clean grease, but oil is the best thing to remove other kinds of oil. One of the uses for olive oil is to clean completely greasy home or vehicle repairs that will not only help to clean your hands but remoisturize them, as well.
If you’ve ended up with paint in your hands or hair before, you know how difficult it can be to get out! Fortunately, you don’t need harsh chemicals to remove it; simply use olive oil! Let the oil soak for a few moments, and then the paint should slip right out.
Have gum in your hair? You can use olive oil to get that out, too!
Using olive oil to fight acne on your face is good for two reasons. First, you remove the oil with oil. Olive oil has anti-inflammatory properties that can help take out the bacteria that irritated your face in the first place. Use an exfoliating scrub as we recommended above for best results!
Are your heels in bad shape? Need help repairing them? First, massage olive oil onto your heels and then wear socks or slippers. In the morning, your cracked, rough heels are replaced by soft, silky skin!
Olive oil also makes a great makeup remover! First, apply some to a cotton pad or ball and massage into your lash line. Then, wipe away the makeup! Leave the excess olive oil on overnight for maximum moisturization.
Instead of using expensive hair serums to smooth flyaways or handle loose ends, use olive oil instead! You’ll be feeding your hair with nourishing ingredients and helping it look better, to boot!
Ready for more awesome uses for olive oil? As it turns out, it can also help keep wood furniture in beautiful shape! In fact, you can use the oil to create a furniture polish that’s comparable (or better) than the mystery ingredients you’d find in a store-bought polish.
Simple combine olive oil and lemon juice or white vinegar in a 2:1 ratio. Spray on furniture and after 1-2 minutes, wipe off with a clean cloth.
You can even apply olive oil directly to your furniture with one cloth and then wipe off with another cloth.
High-quality leather should be oiled regularly to protect it and keep it soft and supple. Unless your leather good manufacturer’s directions suggest otherwise, olive oil works great–and smells good, too!
Olive oil has gotten a bad rap in the past because it’s an oil, but what we know now is that its monounsaturated fat. In other words, olive oil contains the good kind of fat! Not only that, but it contains large amounts of oleic acid. Oleic acid is known to reduce inflammation and even help to reduce your risk of cancer.
Plus, olive oil is chock full of antioxidants that help to lower our cholesterol and fight disease.
Convinced and ready to give olive oil a try? Try using olive oil mayo instead of your regular mayonnaise! Even better, try making your own, since most grocery store brands don’t use that much olive oil.
It has a different taste, but it’s as delicious–and so much healthier! Furthermore, one of the uses for olive oil is to sub it in on a sandwich or your favorite chicken salad recipe. Yum!
You can drizzle olive oil right over the top of your salad, or combine it with ingredients such as balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, mustard, garlic, and fresh spices to make delicious dressings that are also great for you.
Not your hairballs; your cat’s! Add a teaspoon of olive oil to your feline’s food each day. As a matter of fact, their shinier coats will thank you–and you’ll love the hairball prevention!
Dogs walking on hot concrete in the summer or ice in the winter can develop cracked paws on the pads of their feet. Help Fido out by massaging a few drops of oil into his or her paws until it provides your dog an immediate relief.
Many natural oils can be used to help treat your baby’s diaper rash, and olive oil is one of them. However, check with your pediatrician first. Olive oil helps to repair previous rash damage, reduces infection, and ease inflammation and discomfort.
Olive oil works great to help unstick sticky labels and stickers from glass surfaces. Simply massage the oil around and under the edges of the label or sticker you want to remove. Then, keep gently working until it lifts away.
If the sticker has left a residue, the olive oil will clean that up, too!
If you have a sore throat, try swallowing a spoonful of olive oil. As a result, your throat will appreciate extra lubrication, and your body will appreciate all those great antioxidants and healthy fats! Overall, it’s one of the amazing uses for olive oil.
If you have a squeaky door hinge, you don’t have to wait till you can make it to Lowe’s; try using olive oil! Dip a cotton ball or cotton swab into olive oil and use to wipe the offending hinge. You can even add olive oil to a squeeze bottle to drizzle into hard-to-reach places.
Olive oil is delicious, nutritious, and–as it turns out–great for many things. There are really many uses for olive oil. We can’t wait to hear which uses you try!