8 Clever Vicks VapoRub Hacks To Try Around The House

Vicks VapoRub is a household staple when you're suffering from a cold with a cough. The menthol and eucalyptus smells help soothe your nasal passages when you rub it on your chest before bedtime, which can help you sleep better when congested. However, Vicks VapoRub has so much more to offer in the home than just help with your cold congestion. There are many clever hacks you can try around your house, such as putting Vicks VapoRub in your toilet, that have some surprising results.

Vicks VapoRub is made up of camphor, menthol, and eucalyptus oils within a topical petroleum jelly-based ointment. Besides coughs, the popular brand can also be used directly on sore or stiff muscles and joints to help bring relief. Taking it a step further, there are many ways you can use it in your home. Try deterring insects with the scented ointment, removing sticky film left from labels, or even keeping cats from scratching your sofa. Here, you'll find eight awesome home hacks using Vicks VapoRub where you can watch it work some magic.

If you're dealing with annoying pests in your home, you can use Vicks Vaporub as a repellent. It can deter insects, including ants, mosquitoes, flies, and even ticks. These common pests don't stand a chance because they find the strong scent off-putting and will instead choose to inhabit a different area. Just rub some in areas around your house (think windowsills, door frames, and around the kitchen cabinets) to keep pests away. 

There is nothing more irritating than the squeak of a hinge on an old, rusty door or window. If your doors or windows squeak, then Vicks VapoRub can help. The petroleum jelly found in the ointment works as a great lubricant, a key component that allows the moving parts to glide smoothly. So, you can put it directly on the hinges for your squeaky doors or windows and watch it go to work to make the annoying sounds disappear.

Garbage bins, drains, and diaper cans can become really stinky sometimes. Vicks VapoRub is a great tool for helping to cover up some of those gross smells. Just take a generous amount and apply it to the bottom of the trash can or around the rim of your diaper genie. You can also rub a little around your drains or the garbage disposal to keep them smelling fresher. Take things a step further and while cleaning, rub a little bit under your nose so you don't have to smell it, either!

Cats scratch on instinct, to stretch, mark their territory, or sharpen their nails. However, if you don't want your couch or dining room table to sustain damage, you can rub a little bit of VapoRub in the area to keep them away. Just be sure that where you put it doesn't end up in a place where your cat can ingest it. The ingredient camphor in Vicks VapoRub can be harmful to their nervous system or cause respiratory illness.

Toilet stains come from a variety of things, from bacteria to limescale in your water. Removing those stains can be a burden, but Vicks VapoRub can be a handy tool to use. If you take a small cotton swab of the ointment and rub it directly on the stain, it helps break it up and get it off the toilet. The best part is that it can also make your bathroom smell fresh and clean with the menthol and eucalyptus oils.

If you love to light candles around the home, you can create one with some old unscented candles and Vicks VapoRub for an amazing aroma and fun ambiance. Simply melt some candles in a pan and remove the wicks. Then, add one tablespoon of Vicks to the melted candles and pour the mixture into some small glass containers to cool. Add in some fresh herbs, cloves, or cinnamon sticks to your mixture, then add the wicks with a clothespin to sit until the wax hardens. 

If you've ever dealt with annoying sticker film after trying to peel it off of a surface, you're not alone. The petroleum-based Vicks VapoRub can work to help break down the stickiness so you can get rid of the residue from tape, labels, and more. Simply rub a small amount over the sticky film and let it sit for a minute or two. Take a dry cloth, wipe it away, and you'll see how the oils dissolve the film. It's a great safe option because it won't damage your plastic, glass, or wood surfaces.

Use Vicks VapoRub as an air freshener around your home to keep it smelling nice. Consider creating your own DIY air freshener spray that includes some of the ointment, or create a Vicks oil diffuser. Simply place some VapoRub in the top dish of an oil or wax melt burner, then light your tealight and put it underneath. The VapoRub will melt and release the smell of menthol and eucalyptus oil throughout your home for a pleasant, clean scent.