The 5: Some other uses for olive oil

by Chris Sparling (Subscribe to Chris Sparling's posts)
May 29th 2008 7:30PM

Olive oil is a great source of healthy fats, helping to lower cholesterol and the risk of cardiovascular complications. However, a recent Men's Health article listed five alternative uses for this healthy kitchen staple, many of which may come as somewhat of a surprise.

1. Remove Paint From Your Skin. No longer do you have to deal with the putrid stench of paint thinner to wash that lavender wall paint off your hands. Evidently, olive oil's lubricant properties softens your skin and the paint itself, making it much easier to scrub away.

2. Ease Constipation. A doctor at the London Nutrition Clinic was quoted in the Men's Health article as saying that taking two tablespoons of olive oil will soften your stools and make your sit-down session a bit more tolerable (well, that's me paraphrasing what he said. His actual quote was far more charmingly British.)

3. Fight Bad Breath. Bacteria in your mouth is one of the main causes of raunchy breath. Rinsing once or twice daily with a tablespoon of olive oil will bind the bacteria together, helping to reduce the smell (and thus increasing your chances of finding a date for this weekend).

4. Hammer in a Nail. This isn't exactly a health tip, but I suppose that depends on how skillful you are with a hammer. Anything that can help get that sucker into the wall faster (and thereby reducing the odds that you'll smack your thumb) may actually carry enormous health benefits after all. At any rate, rubbing a nail with a small amount of olive oil will help ease it into a piece of wood.

5. Polish Wood Furniture. Again, not exactly a health tip in and of itself, but the ingredients of this DIY furniture polish sure are very healthy. Mix a glass of black tea or red wine with six tablespoons of olive oil and gently rub the mixture with a cloth over furniture.

Who knew? I sure as heck didn't. If you know of any other uses for super-healthy olive oil, feel free to add them in the comments section below.

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Comments (21)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Joyce 6-01-2008 @ 2:09PM

Olive oil is also a great conditioner for dry hair. Apply warmed olive oil to dry hair, wrap in a towel and let stay on for about 30 minutes. Shampoo, rinse and dry.

nunu12 6-12-2008 @ 1:12PM

I heard olive oil used to be used on stretch marks of pregnant women to health alleviate the permanency of the marks......didn't try it........'cuz I was never pregnant.....my Italian inlaws passed this tidbit on.....

TOM JORGENSON 6-01-2008 @ 2:30PM

Mayonnaise is also a great non-toxic earth-friendly paint remover. It washes off a bit easier than Olive Oil, and is much cheaper.

Dwight 6-01-2008 @ 3:40PM

It is wonderful for love. Everything is heavenly slippery.

LeeAnn 6-01-2008 @ 3:46PM

My friend used olive oil to prevent diaper rash.

Rick Badman 6-01-2008 @ 4:05PM

There are other uses for olive oil that weren't mentioned. It can be used as fuel for your diesel car, used in an enema, make your body slicker for nude wrestling and tackle football, and allow hard to swallow food to go down easier.

dave 6-01-2008 @ 4:09PM

A doctor had my relative rub on olive oil for a skin ailment several times a day. Soon hair began to grow where he applied it.

smgeary 6-01-2008 @ 4:18PM

OO is good for baby's cradle cap -- rub it in the scalp, use a fine tooth comb to loosen scales, wait 15 mins, then shampoo as usual. Might take a couple of days, but it works.

MARTI 6-01-2008 @ 7:01PM

OLIVE OIL IS ALSO GREAT FOR CUTICLES!!!
I WAS TOLD THAT BY A MANICURIST MANY YRS AGO & MY CUTICLES ARE VERY GOOD!

Paul 6-01-2008 @ 5:34PM

I had some really bad dry skin rashes a few years ago after moving to a hot, arid, high altitude environment. When I saw a doctor about it, he told me that I could either use an expensive prescription ointment for it OR I could just add two tablespoons of olive oil dispersed thoroughly over the surface of a tub of bath water and soak. I began doing so, and the rash went away within two days. Since then I have used it regularly to keep skin moist even on sunny days and have found other great uses for the stuff. A few small drops of olive oil spread over the lips makes a fine lip balm. A few drops spread through the hair brefore rinsing can be a great moisturizing conditioner, and as the article said, it's good for removing paint, glue, and shoe polish from skin, furniture, and other items. When shoe polish gets old and dry, working a few drops of olive oil into it can restore its spreadability for bringing shine and lustre to your shoes.

klamluva 6-01-2008 @ 6:00PM

I have heard that taking a tablespoon a day internally can help with high cholesterol, have yet to try it

Paul 6-01-2008 @ 5:44PM

Also, working a few drops of very clean olive oil onto the surface of a wound scab (Important: wait until the wound is fully scabbed over and no longer open - before this, use an antibiotic ointment like Neosporin to prevent infection) can help the scar heal properly and fade away quickly with restored moisture and strength to that area of skin.

ty 6-01-2008 @ 5:49PM

U guys r freaks

Joyce 6-01-2008 @ 10:46PM

Ty, your comment was mean and uncalled for. If you have not tried any of these remedies, then you have no right, nor any reason to be so critical, sarcastic, and judgemental of things we know have been proven to work for quite a few medical problems and skin conditions. But if you ever do have any of these problems (and I truly hope you don't), then I just hope you remember the things you read here and learned from them. They can bring you more relief than many prescriptions or expensive treatments can. But I bet none of us that you called "freaks" would ever get a note from you telling us we were right!

Vivi 6-01-2008 @ 6:02PM

Try it on a psoriasis patch. Depending on the size of the patch, one to two drops of olive oil will soften the surface of the patch and can be rubbed in gently until it disappears.

johnjmaes 6-01-2008 @ 6:06PM

A bout a cup of olive oil, half for you and half for someone special, rub each others bodies head to toe and lay down together......mighty good salad!!!!

Conna 6-01-2008 @ 6:12PM

if you put olive oil on your nails after polishing them it makes them dry faster and helps prevent chipping.

Jackie 6-01-2008 @ 6:49PM

Just a few minutes with OO drives Popeye wild!!!

cannotbelievethis 6-01-2008 @ 6:50PM

If you are prone to kidney stones, mix a quarter cup of olive oil with four tablespoons lemon juice and drink it down as quickly as you can. The lemon juice protects your delicate nephrons (the squiggly canals inside your kidneys) with a wallop of Vitamin C, and the olive oil helps you pass the stones more easily.

Raina 6-03-2008 @ 12:52PM

You can also feed a tablespoon of olive oil (or any oil) to a cat so they don't get as many hairballs. Just dab it on their paws so they have to lick it off.

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