Since it was invented in 1872, Vaseline is one of the most popular products in the U.S. Although the jelly-based product can be found in almost every household around the country, very few of us are aware of its many surprising uses. Most of us use it to moisturize our skin, but Vaseline can be used to treat almost anything around the house, and learning these simple Vaseline hacks could help you save a lot of time and money.

All dried out

We use Vaseline on our hands, so why not our face? Vaseline is completely natural and can perform as a face moisturizer for dry patches and cracked skin. Usually during seasonal transitions, our face and hands become exceptionally dry. You can apply Vaseline gel on clean face before going to bed, and by morning, you’ll be good as new.

If you want to apply the gel on dry feet, try doing so during the night and wear socks to ensure it absorbs in your feet; and the same goes for your hands – after applying the gel, cover your hands in gloves. You can do this as many times as needed, until your skin is soft and rejuvenated.

Makeup replacement

You can use Vaseline to replace makeup. Cosmetic products usually contain unnatural ingredients, and buying the all-natural ones often costs a fortune. Next time you go out and want to spruce up your appearance with mascara, try applying some Vaseline on your eyelashes (gently) – it will provide you with a natural look of long, thick lashes, instead of black, clumpy ones.

The same goes for eyebrows: if you want to tame your eyebrows before going out, instead of reaching for the eyebrow gel, reach for your Vaseline – this will make your eyebrows thicker, hold them in place and give your eyebrows an overall shine and polish. You don’t need to use too much to get this effect – start with just a little bit, and add another layer if necessary.

Shine away

This is something most of us often neglect, but if you’re headed to an important meeting or a job interview, clean shoes will upgrade your appearance. We usually forget or simply don’t have the time or necessary tools to shine our shoes regularly, but it doesn’t take as much effort as you might have thought.

Dab the shoes with a small amount of Vaseline and repeat this action until the shoes are clean – this will turn any old pair of shoes into your favorite pair. Vaseline can also be applied on your hair for the same purpose – to give it a much-needed shine. You can revive dry or frizzy hair with a pea-size amount of petroleum jelly.

Use it to remove false lashes easily

Not all of us were born with thick, long lashes, and so using false lashes is a common beauty trick. If you’ve ever used them, you know that the process of removing them after a night out can quite a nuisance. This can be easily fixed with Vaseline, so that next time you want to use false lashes, you don’t have to think twice.

Applying the gel on the strip of the lashes would help loosening the persistent glue, and would allow you to peel it off smoothly and easily. This can be applied to mascara as well – some women take the next step, and use both mascara and false eyelashes. Vaseline can be used to remove mascara, so it has you covered.

Removing dandruff

Nobody likes to have dandruff, but we all suffer from it every now and then, and for some people, it could be a persistent issue. The obvious solution is using anti-dandruff shampoo, but that doesn’t always get the job done. Try combining Vaseline in your usual hair-care routine.

Apply a small amount of Vaseline to your hair, massage it into the scalp, and proceed to your usual washing routine. Make sure to use just a small amount – not more than a drop – otherwise, the gel might get stuck in your hair, and nobody wants that. This doesn’t necessarily mean you can neglect the anti-dandruff shampoo altogether, but it might help to see better results.

Red noses alert

When we have a cold, our noses usually get red and dry from all the insistent blowing, and some of us walk around all winter looking like Santa Claus or one of his red-nosed deer. As if that isn’t enough, the area between our nose and lips becomes chafed and irritable, and this becomes even more unbearable than the actual cold.

Vaseline can help with this chafing as well (is there anything this gel can’t do?). Rubbing just a bit of Vaseline on the chafed area around the nose can alleviate the irritation and prevent red noses. Some people believe that rubbing Vaseline on the bridge of the nose, before the area gets red and irritable, might help to prevent that.

Removing stains

We’re not saying Vaseline removes any kind of stains (did anyone say blood stains?), but it goes a long way when it comes to dye stains. Our hands, neck and clothes often get stained when dying our hair at home with dye color, and nail-polish often stains our hands while painting our nails. In such cases, Vaseline is an ideal solution.

There’s an easy way to prevent those permanent mishaps from happening: when painting your nails, rub Vaseline around your cuticles to prevent the nail polish from dripping, and in a similar way way, place some Vaseline around the hairline when dying your hair, to prevent the color from leaking on your clothes.

Make the most out of your perfume

We all have a favorite perfume, the one we use for years until it becomes our defining scent. There’s only one problem with perfume you’re probably familiar with: we apply it before leaving the house, and by the time we get to our destination, we sweat off the perfume. The scent doesn’t last all day, and we might need to apply it several times throughout the day.

That’s why this is probably the most helpful trick on this list: if you want the scent of the perfume to last longer, rub some Vaseline on your pulse points before applying the perfume. The oily Vaseline performs as a moisturizer that locks the scent, and allows the fragrance to better absorb in your skin.

The best lip balm

During dry seasons or seasonal transitions, our lips get dry and cracked. Some people already know that Vaseline is a life-saver when it comes to dry lips. After trying almost every lip balm out there, we’ve realized that Vaseline is the best one. You can use the original gel or buy the designated Vaseline lip balm, they work the same way.

You can add your own natural, home-made ingredients to the original Vaseline we all keep in the house, such as fruit extracts and essential oils, to infuse the effect. Rubbing a small amount of Vaseline on your lips will not only prevent dry lips, but just like with the perfume, it will allow your lipstick to stick better and stay on for longer.

Unsticking a ring

This has happened to all of us at least once during our lives: our fingers swell on hot days, and our rings become too tight. When trying to get off a tight ring, it seems as if pulling at it only makes things worse, and the pressure only makes us more sweaty, which makes it even harder to get out. Removing a ring stuck on your finger isn’t only incredibly irritating, but surprisingly painful as well.

People try almost anything in such situations, but more often than not, they don’t think about using Vaseline. Applying some Vaseline around the ring would loosen the tight grip, allowing it to slide off your finger smoothly and effortlessly. Washing your hands with plenty of soap is also an option in this case, but you’re taking a risk of dropping the ring down the drain.

Gum be gone

This problem is a lot more common than you might think, and it happens to the best of us: getting gum in our hair is something we’ve all had to deal with, at least once in our life (especially those of us with long hair and a sweet tooth). It happens mostly to children, and unfortunately, many times the unfortunate solution is cutting the hair.

This solution often leads to tears, but it’s also inevitable, or so we thought before learning this trick. It turns out you can use Vaseline to get gum out of the hair. Apply some gel around the gum-infected area, and massage the hair slowly until you’re able to slide the gum off the hair, fairly easily.

Face highlighter

Women use face highlighters to receive this natural glow and radiance (the same glow pregnant women have), and it makes us look clean and refreshed even after a long day. However, some of us lose ourselves amidst all the options – from highlighter sticks, to powder, liquid or cream, we never know which one works best.

Turns out it’s neither of these options. All of these cosmetic products are either too much or not enough, but Vaseline will give you just the right amount of that natural glow. Apply a thin layer on your cheekbones, brow bones, the bridge of the knows and above the chin, and you’re ready to take on the world, shiny and radiant.

Streaky tan lines

Part of the reason why we love the beach so much is tanning – nothing compares to the joy of lying on a towel under the sun, listening to the calming sound of the waves and reading a good book. There’s only one problem – even when we put on sunscreen, after lying under the sun for hours, we get those annoying streaky tan lines.

Natural tan is never even, but there is something we can do to try and prevent those tan lines and promote an even tan: rub Vaseline on areas that tend to get streaky or patchy. Some people say rubbing Vaseline speeds the tanning process, and so applying it to those difficult spots might produce a more even tan.

Alleviating back pain

We get to a certain age where back pain becomes an inseparable part of our lives, and almost all of us suffer from it at some point or another. When back pain attacks us, most of us spend outrageous amounts of money on heating pads that aren’t much help, and others try homemade remedies that often make things even worse.

Have you ever tried applying Vaseline on your aching back? Microwave just a bit of the gel for around two minutes (or until warm) and massage it into your back for immediate relief. Within minutes, the warm gel will melt on your back, melting the pain away.

A homemade manicure

Instead of spending ridiculous amounts on money on monthly manicures, try this home finger-nails treatment: this will smooth your dry cuticles and leave your fingers looking clean, shiny and fresh. Apply a small amount of Vaseline around your cuticles to soften and moisturize them. The Vaseline also helps to push down your cuticles, as if you’ve just received a manicure.

Using cuticle oil is a common remedy for dry nail-beds, but this solution is far from ideal: the oil usually drips off, staining our clothes, and it leaves our hands feeling sticky. You know what they say – pampered fingernails say a lot about a person.

Beard hacks

Long, thick beards are arguably the most popular trend of the past years. While in the past it was unheard of for men to grow long beards, facial hair norms have changed with the years as much as fashion trends have, and today, long beards are in style, and it seems as if they’re here to stay. With barber shops specializing in beards popping up in every corner, we have some easy tricks to keep your beard groomed.

When you have a long beard, just like long hair, it takes a lot of work to keep it healthy and groomed. If you want to keep your facial hair from getting dry and ragged, it’s important to keep it hydrated and moisturized; that’s where Vaseline enters the picture. You can also use it to tame your beard, the same way you would use any other kind of hair gel.

Relieving sunburns

We can’t stress enough how important it is to wear sunscreen when heading out to the sun. There’s nothing we enjoy more than a day on the beach, but it can be quite dangerous to spend hours under the sun without proper sun protection. Some of us might get sunburns even when applying sunscreen, we can’t avoid it, and that’s when Vaseline can come to the rescue.

Vaseline can be used to sooth minor sunburns; applying it on the red areas will keep the skin hydrated and relieve the redness and the irritation. Another natural product to relieve sunburns (and other types of skin burns) is Aloe Vera – if you have access to the plant it’s even better, but gel would also get the job done.

Removing makeup

If you ran out of makeup remover and forgot to pick up a new one at the drugstore, there’s no need to worry – you can just use some Vaseline instead. Going to bed with our makeup on is one of the worst things we can do to our skin, and if we want to keep it healthy and clean, it’s important to remove any traces of makeup at the end of the day.

Apply a small amount of Vaseline (yes, a small amount is always enough, no matter the purpose) on a cotton pad or ball, and gently wipe off your makeup – foundation, mascara, lipstick – it will remove all of it. This would not only clean your face before going to bed, but would also moisturize your face – another important step in our night routine.

For a better shower

Shower curtains often become sticky with time, and you have no idea how much it affects our shower experience. It seems small and insignificant, but once you un-stick those shower curtains, you would wonder how come you never did this before. The best (and by that we mean easiest) way to prevent a shower curtain from sticking is with Vaseline.

Applying a thin layer of Vaseline to the curtain rod would allow the curtains to slide easily across the bar and prevent stickiness. This trick is particularly relevant for the shower curtain, since the mixture of humidity and soap in our bathroom are what makes the shower curtains particularly sticky.

Removing lipstick stains

If you’ve ever tried to remove lipstick stains from clothes, you probably know lipstick makes one of the most challenging stains to remove; but we’ve already seen there’s almost nothing Vaseline can’t take care of. Rubbing Vaseline alone on the stain won’t get it off, but the trick is applying some Vaseline on the stained area before putting the fabric in the washing machine.

After applying some Vaseline on the stains, proceed with your laundry as you normally do. You don’t need to invest in any special stain removers, since you probably have the best one already lying around somewhere in the house. As always, apply only a small amount of the gel.

Changing light bulbs

How many people does it take to change a light bulb? Joking aside, changing a light ball isn’t a complicated task, but it could be a lot more challenging when the old light bulb is rusty and it gets stuck. With Vaseline, you’ll find that replacing light bulbs is a lot easier than you might have thought.

Before removing the bulb, apply just a tiny bit of Vaseline around the threads of the bulb – this will prevent it from getting stuck and allow it to slide off easily. This will also prevent the new bulb from getting stuck, next time you need to change it.

Vaseline as a fire starter

There are a lot of natural ways to start a fire, as experienced campers already know, and Vaseline is one of them. The next time you go camping, you don’t need to buy any special equipment, all you need for a good bonfire are two everyday products you have at home – Vaseline and cotton pads (or cotton balls, works just the same).

Coat those cotton balls in Vaseline and light them up – you’re guaranteed a fire that won’t shame the most experienced camper out there, with almost no effort. Going out to nature is always a good idea, with a group of friends or with the family, and next time you go camping, don’t forget to bring Vaseline.

Moisturize those paws

Dogs are men’s best friends, which is why we ought to take good care of them. If you have a dog, you’ve probably noticed that their paws get rough every now and then, much like our skin gets rough and dry – after all, their paws might be stronger than our hands and feet, but they walk barefoot all the time. Clearly, dogs can’t moisturize their paws, so it’s our job to help them.

We can help our furry friends with just a dab of Vaseline – rubbing some of the gel on the pet’s feet would moisturize them and alleviate the roughness. However, while Vaseline is friendly for the dog’s feet, it’s important to make sure they don’t lick it after applying the cream (they have a tendency to lick their feet).

A care-free shower

If you’re looking to keep suds of soap and shampoo out of your eyes, or your child’s eyes, during a shower – you’re not alone. When it comes to taking a shower, some people are reluctant to wash their children’s hair, since they want to prevent soap and hair products from getting in their eyes. We all suffer from this stinging sensation when it happens, but children even more so.

It turns out you can easily avoid this problem using Vaseline. Applying a thin layer of the gel above your eyebrows will redirect the shampoo away from your eyes and down through the sides of your face – as simple as it sounds. This might sound like a strange solution, but it works, and we haven’t yet heard of a better solution to avoid soapy eyes.

Give your floors a shine

Cleaning the house is a chore that takes a lot of time and effort, and so most of us don’t do it as often as we should (ideally, at least once a week). When we clean the floors, we’re often disappointed with the result – we expect the floors to be sparkling clean after putting so much time and effort into cleaning them, and usually that isn’t the case.

That’s where Vaseline enters the picture – the petroleum jelly can help to remove different kinds of stains, patches and water marks, and polishing the floors with the gel will leave them clean and sparkling. After polishing the floors with the gel, it is recommended to let it work for at least 24 hours before washing the floors.

Good as new

Baseball gloves can be rather expensive, but their sentimental value often transcends their price. Even if we try to take good care of them, they are bound to get worn down with use. Since baseball mitts often carry with them plenty of memories, we want to be able to keep our gloves as memorabilia and pass it down to our children in good shape.

For the leather to get soft and flexible, baseball mitts must be broken in. If you want to keep them in good shape, one way of softening the leather without ruining the gloves can be achieved using Vaseline. Instead of investing in leather conditioner, which might be too rough on the gloves, rub some petroleum jelly on the gloves using a washcloth and allow it to soak in for a couple days.

Don’t let the bugs bite

Throughout the summer, most of us suffer from mosquito and bug bites – some people are more sensitive than others, but no one is immune to those itching bites. Instead of scratching away, you can use Vaseline to reduce the itching sensation of bug bites – just apply a small amount of Vaseline to the spot and take your mind off it. Aloe Vera can help here as well.

Placing the jar of Vaseline in the freezer before applying it on your skin would have the same cooling, soothing effect as Aloe Vera. Besides soothing itchiness, Vaseline can also be used to keep bugs away from your garden: mix Vaseline with some salt and spread the blend around your flowerpots – this should keep the bugs away, and your plants happy.

Refresh those wooden furniture

Wooden furniture are a nice, aesthetic touch in every home. Some of us like that rustic look, and we want to give our wooden furniture a distressed look, but not every store offers this kind of style. Your search is now over, because with this simple trick, you can give any piece of wooden furniture a distressed, rustic look.

After applying the base coat on the wood, and before painting, add a layer of Vaseline on the spots where you want to receive the antiquated look – normally that would be the edges and corners of the furniture. Proceed to paint the furniture with your choice of color – the paint would not adhere where you applied the Vaseline, giving the wood an antiquated look.

Nothing like candles to set the mood

There’s no better way to set a romantic mood than lighting a few candles. The only problem is the wax usually drips on our furniture; it can be quite difficult to remove, and it often leaves a mark. You already know what’s coming: you can now light candles care-free, using this Vaseline trick to eliminate candle wax.

To remove candle wax from furniture, apply some Vaseline around the edges of the wax, wait a couple of minutes and allow the gel to work its magic, and wipe it off using a towel or a washcloth. The petroleum jelly would allow you to remove the wax easily, without having to scrape it off and scratch the surface.

Moisturizer

We already know you can use Vaseline as a hand moisturizer and a face moisturizer, so why not use it all over your body? Vaseline functions as an ideal moisturizer, since it is absorbent, and it keeps your skin hydrated for a long time. If you’re suffering from dry or cracked skin, and you’ve already tried all the moisturizing brands out there, try using Vaseline.

Massage it into your body after showering and before going to bed. Try not to apply too much at first, but if you do, you can remove some of it with a clean towel. If your face isn’t too oily or sensitive, you can use it as a night cream as well.

Prevent diaper rush

Almost all babies suffer from diaper rush every once in a while, and most parents turn to baby powder for assistance. While baby powder does help a little, by alleviating the chafing and rubbing of the baby’s skin against the diaper, it doesn’t prevent the rush.

Babies’ skin is extremely delicate, and so any kind of chafing is particularly rough for them. Vaseline can help put an end to the diaper rush: some parents say the jelly is a lot more effective than the powder, since the thickness of the gel helps to creates a protective barrier between the baby’s skin and the diaper.

No more chafing

Those of us who work out on a regular basis are more prone to suffer from chafing, but we’ve all experienced it at least once before, during sports, exercise or simply walking on a hot day. There are several ways to relieve chafing after it already happens, but why not prevent this problem before it even starts to appear?

Rubbing Vaseline on the areas sensitive to chafing would work as a lubricant and reduce the friction of skin rubbing together, or skin rubbing against the fabric. If you’re sensitive to chafing, try applying some Vaseline on the sensitive areas before going out for a jog or hitting the gym.

Blackheads treatment

Some of us have natural clear skin, and others have extra sensitive skin, which is usually more prone to blackheads and other skin blemishes; either way, we’ve all had to deal with them at least once or twice in our lives. Visiting the beauty cosmetician on a regular basis could be a real financial strain, and so we often turn to homemade remedies and treatments, which don’t always work.

Here’s a guaranteed trick for treating blackheads – you guessed it – using Vaseline. Cover your nose (or any blackheads-infected area) with a layer of Vaseline and wrap it with saran wrap – so that the gel stays put and absorbs in your face. You can leave this Vaseline mask on for a few hours and up to one night, and enjoy a clearer skin. Unlike other face masks out there, this one won’t dry out your face.

Protect your car battery

Some people care about their car as if it was their own offspring, while others just see it as a mean of getting from one point to another. Whichever group you’re in, you don’t want your car battery to die, since they could be quite expensive to replace. However, even if we take good care of our car, the battery often corrodes, especially on cold days.

The massive headache of replacing the battery can be avoided using Vaseline. Disconnect the terminals and clean them using a wire brush, reconnect them, and coat the battery with a thin layer of petroleum jelly. You don’t need to know too much about cars in order to do this, but if you know absolutely nothing, it might be better to consult a professional before hand.

Makeup hack

Using Vaseline, you can change the texture of any cosmetic product you have. Vaseline has the qualities needed to transform powder-based and matte makeup products to shining, metallic cream, providing you with the metallic sheen you want to achieve on your eyelids, mouth or cheekbones.

Mix your eyeshadow or blush powder with a bit of Vaseline to receive your own, unique makeup. Many women have already learned that Vaseline is the secret for bold, metallic makeup – if you’ve ever seen this type of makeup on TV or on celebrities on the red carpet, and wondered how they got this effect – Vaseline just might be their secret.

Fever relief

When you have a fever, you feel as if your entire body is burning up. Although me might enjoy a few days in bed every once in a while, nobody likes to have fever, since it gives us a lousy feeling. Some people suggest placing a damp towel on the forehead when your fever climbs, as it should provide a cooling sensation.

Vaseline can have the same effect, especially if you keep it refrigerated. Massaging cool Vaseline on your forehead can help alleviate the burning feeling of a fever and provide instant relief. It might not heal the fever (that’s something that only time can do), but it will help you feel better.

Treatment for scrapes and minor burns

Small scrapes and burns are almost inevitable for children and adults alike. We could get them when we’re cooking, walking down the street while looking at our phone, or otherwise doing everyday tasks that we never consider as dangerous. While they aren’t exactly dangerous, these small scrapes and burns could be quite inconvenient and surprisingly painful.

When this happens, we usually rush to the store to buy an antibiotic ointment which usually costs a fortune. You can achieve the same soothing effect with Vaseline: after cleaning the area (and your hands) thoroughly, rub some Vaseline on the infected area and cover it with a bandaid to protect the area from getting infected.

Prevent razors from rusting

Men and women alike use razor blades to shave, since they are easy to use, cheap and accessible. The problem with razors is that no matter which kind – the fancy ones or the cheap disposable ones – they tend to get rusty – the humid conditions in our bathroom encourage that – and so we’re forced to change them after every use.

What if we told you there was a way to store razor blades that prevents them from rusting, so that you won’t have to change them ever so often? After using the razor, let it dry completely and coat the blades with a think layer of Vaseline. This will prevent the razors from rusting, and will keep them good as new for every use.

Piercing insertion

If your ears are pierced, you probably know that after taking your earrings out for a long period of time, the holes begin to close up, and inserting the earrings back could be quite painful (in extreme cases, almost as painful as it was getting your ears pierced in the first place). Fortunately, there’s no need to give up your piercing completely or even turn to the piercer for help.

If you haven’t worn any earrings for a long time, and your holes become rigid, apply a little bit of Vaseline on your earlobe and around the piercing holes. This would allow your earrings to slide in easily, with little effort and without hurting your earlobes.

A natural body exfoliant

We all enjoy a pampering day at the spa every now and then, but if you don’t want to spend a fortune on a spa facial treatment, you can make one at home. There are plenty pf natural recipes to create a luxurious, cleansing exfoliant scrubs that would make you feel as if you’ve just had a facial, and many of them include Vaseline.

For a homemade scrub that wouldn’t hurt your pocket, simply mix together Vaseline and sea salt, place the mixture in a jar and keep refrigerated. Massage it into your body during the shower and scrub away. This will have the same effect as the store-bought products, for less money and less effort.

Blisters treatment

When you exercise with inappropriate footwear, break in a new pair of shoes or dance the night away in uncomfortable heels, you might suffer from blisters the next morning. They’re not painful as much as they are unaesthetic and in general unwelcome, but luckily, there are a number of simple ways to treat blisters.

Vaseline in one of the cheapest options. As always, start by cleaning the area thoroughly, and proceed by rubbing the bubble with some Vaseline. Cover it with a bandaid and allow it to soak and work its magic. The Vaseline will soften the blister, and the bandaid would prevent germs and bacteria.

Vaseline hack for your cat

If you have a cat, you probably had to deal with hairballs more than once. Our feline friends might be smart and independent, but they need our help with certain things, for example, dealing with fur balls. While some cats cough them up naturally, but if your cat is suffering from a hairball they can’t seem to cough up on their own, you can easily help them.

Mix a small amount of Vaseline into you cat’s food bowl (not more than half a spoon), to help lubricate your cat’s digestive tract as he eats, and prevent hairballs. This will prevent hairballs from forming, and if they do appear, it will allow your cat to cough them up easily. This is one way to deal with hairballs, but if the problem persists, consult your vet.

Clean painting

Painting the walls is a messy job, no matter how you put it. Somehow, while painting the walls, we get paint on our clothes, our skin, the floors and pretty much everything around us. To protect the furniture, you can either cover them in nylon or simply remove them from the room, but what about the windows?

When painting the walls, keeping the paint off from the window panes and glasses is almost impossible, even if you’re extra careful. To protect the windows from paint splatters, you can cover the windows with Vaseline. The jelly would absorb the paint and prevent it from getting on the windows. Once you’re done painting, simply wipe off the gel with a washcloth or a wet towel.

Removing gum from the carpet

As if parents needed any more reason to hate gum (other than the fact that it’s incredibly unhealthy and bad for our teeth), it also somehow always ends up on the carpet, in our hair, the bottom of a table and basically anywhere that isn’t the garbage bin. No matter how many times you tell your children to throw it in the trash, gum somehow finds its way to the carpet.

The same trick for getting sticky gum out of the hair applies to the carpet: to easily remove gum from the carpet, rub some Vaseline on the gum and around it repeatedly until the gum slides out. After removing the gum, clean the area with water and soap (this would be a good opportunity to wash the carpet, something most of us don’t do very often) – to get rid of any gum or Vaseline residues on the carpet.

Avoid getting water in your ears

Whether we’re going on a fun day at the beach or for our usual swimming workout, there’s one thing we can’t avoid whenever water is involved: getting water lodged in our ears (what’s otherwise known as swimmer’s ears). This isn’t just a nuisance, but swimmer’s ear is actually a condition that could lead to ear infections, particularly for children.

Now you don’t have to worry whenever you go swimming, since there’s an easy solution to prevent swimmer’s ear. Dab two pieces of cotton in Vaseline and place them in your ears before going into the water – make sure to cover the ear canal, and remove them when you get out of the water.

Halloween hack

If there’s one thing everyone loves about Halloween it isn’t the scary movies nor the trick-or-treating, but the pumpkin carving. This is an all-time favorite Halloween activity, for children and adults alike. However, watching our pumpkins rot within a couple of days, after all the hard work you put into it, isn’t as much fun.

Vaseline can help to preserve you works of art. Applying a thin layer of Vaseline around the carved edges could provide just the right level of moisture needed to preserve the pumpkin for a longer time. If you do this trick, avoid placing a real candle inside the pumpkin, since Vaseline is flammable (it can be used as a fire starter, remember?)

Sooth poison ivy stings

Juts like Vaseline can be used to sooth minor burns and bug bites, the same applies for poison ivy stings. The seemingly innocent plant is nothing but innocent, and we’ve all experienced its sting at least once before. Children are more prone to this rash, since they are curious and don’t necessarily know to stay away from the plant.

Rubbing a bit of Vaseline on the rash goes a long way. Before applying the Vaseline, however, it’s important to clean the area with soap and water and dry it off with a clean towel, since the gel might lock in any leftovers of dirt and encourage an infection. After cleaning the area, make sure to apply the Vaseline with clean hands, and let the gel do its magic and calm the itching.

Opening jars

There’s nothing to be ashamed of – even the toughest people among us have trouble opening jars every once in a while. When a jar lid has crusted, or it’s simply one of those containers which are ridiculously tight, we often try to open those stubborn jars with the help of a fork or a spoon, usually with little success.

There’s no need to stress or admit to defeat and call your roommate, your father or your partner for help – all you need is a bit of Vaseline, to get the lid lubricated and slippery. Applying Vaseline on the edges of the lid would make it easier to open, and would also prevent it from crusting again in the future.

CD scratches

Most of us don’t really use CD’s anymore, since we have all the music we want easily accessible on our phone; but some of us are old school and still use CDs to listen to music in the car or watch DVDs (do you remember those? We used to love them!). Those of us who still use CDs know they tend to get scratched and that interferes with the content on them.

This doesn’t mean you have to get rid of your CDs and give them up, but there’s a way to clean them and get rid of those scratches. Rub some Vaseline slowly and gently on the back of the CD – but to this cautiously, CDs are quite delicate – and proceed by wiping away any Vaseline leftovers with a towel or a washcloth.

Fix rusty doors and hinges

Your door is squeaking? It could get quite annoying. Most people use the notorious WD-40 to grease squeaky doors, which works just fine, but have you ever considered using a natural product instead of a toxic one? No surprises here – you already know we’re talking about Vaseline, the ultimate lubricant.

There’s not much to explain here – just add a thin layer of Vaseline on hinges that squeak, and that should be enough to do the trick – no need to call a professional or suffer from that annoying squeaking any longer.