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All The Handy Ways Vegetable Oil Can Benefit Your Home And Garden
By JAHAIRA ARTHUR
Kill Garden Pests
Vegetable oil mixed with a mild soap makes a great homemade pesticide. The mixture is deadly for aphids, mites, and thrips, which can terrorize your garden.
Simply shake together 1 cup of oil and 1 tablespoon of liquid soap, dilute 2 tablespoons of the oil-soap solution with 1 quart of water, and spray the infected plants.
Emergency Lamp
Vegetable oil can replace the kerosene in your vintage lantern or hurricane lamp. You can also use used oil after filtering out food particles using a cheesecloth.
DIY a vegetable oil lamp with a non-flammable container like glass, a wick, and a wick holder. Fill the jar with the oil, add the wick, and prop it above the fuel with the holder.
Wood Polish
Make a homemade wood polish using vegetable oil and either freshly squeezed lemon juice or white vinegar. Start by mixing half a cup of lemon juice with 1 cup of oil.
If you’re using white vinegar, you only need 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and 1 cup of vinegar. Dab a little on a cloth and apply it to your wood furniture to give it some shine.
Shine Stainless Steel
After cleaning and degreasing your stovetop or refrigerator, polish it with oil to create a water-repellent barrier and sparkling coat.
Simply dab your vegetable oil onto a paper towel or cloth and lightly rub the steel surface in the direction of the metal’s natural lines.
Remove Paint
Use vegetable oil to coat the dried-on paint on your skin and let it sit for a few minutes before wiping with a paper towel and rinsing. Repeat, if necessary.