Olive Oil - Other Uses

• Honey and Cocoa Butter Lip Balm
  2 tablespoons of Olive Oil
  1/2 teaspoon honey
  3/4 teaspoon beeswax — grated
  1/2 teaspoon pure cocoa butter
  Flavored oil of your choice (like peppermint or vanilla)
  1 vitamin E capsule
  
  Make your own Lip Balm with no chemical additives. In a small saucepan, heat oil honey, wax and butter over a low heat and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes. Stir in flavorings and contents of Vitamin E capsule.
  Pour into containers of your choice. Empty lip-balm containers are available at many craft stores or wholesale lots on the internet. 

• Olive-Honey Hair Conditioner
  1/4 cup olive oil
  1/2 cup honey
  
  For lustrous, silky, healthy hair and scalp: combine honey and 1/4 cup olive oil. Massage scalp with this conditioner, then put on a shower cap for 30 minutes. Shampoo and rinse as usual. Good for hair revitalizing. 

• Lemon-fresh shoe polisher
  2 tablespoons (30ml) olive oil
  1 tablespoon (15ml) lemon juice
  
  Here's a fresh-smelling polish that's also an eco-friendly way to maintain great looking shoes. Place the olive oil and lemon juice in a small lidded jar and shake vigorously until combined well (double the formula if you're doing several pairs of shoes). Dip a clean cloth into the mixture and apply evenly to dry, dark leather shoes that are in need of a bit of polish. Let the polish soak in for a few minutes, then buff with a fresh, clean cloth. Repeat monthly, or as necessary.   

• wood paneling polish
  2 tablespoons (30ml) olive oil
  1/4 cup (60ml) vinegar
  2 cups (500ml) warm water
  
  You can restore the warm, rich glow of most wood paneling with this simple formula: Combine the olive oil, vinegar, and warm water in a wide-mouth jar with a lid (an empty mayonnaise container works well). Shake until well combined. Wipe evenly on paneling with a clean cloth and let dry.   

• basic wood cleaning solution
  3 tablespoons white distilled vinegar
  3 tablespoons water
  1/2 teaspoon liquid soap or detergent
  A few drops olive oil
  
  This is a good mix for well-used furniture. The vinegar does a wonderful job of pulling dirt out of wood. Combine the ingredients in a bowl, saturate a sponge with the mixture, and squeeze out the excess to wash surfaces. The smell of vinegar will disappear in a few hours. Always store carefully in a labeled jar or bottle.  

• Furniture Polish
  1/4 cup olive oil
  1/4 cup white distilled vinegar
  20-30 drops lemon essential oil
  
  Shake well before using
  (2 teaspoons lemon juice may be substituted for lemon oil but then must be stored in refrigerator)
  
  Dip a clean, dry cloth into the polish and rub wood in the direction of the grain. Use a soft brush to work the polish into corners or tight places.  

• removing ring stains
  Stubborn rings left where wet glasses have been placed on wood furniture can be removed by rubbing them with a mixture of equal parts of distilled vinegar and olive oil. Rub with the grain and polish for the best results. 

• old-fashioned furniture polish
  1/2 cup (125ml) lemon juice
  1 cup (250ml) olive oil
  
  For wooden furniture with an oil-fashioned finish (i.e., an oiled instead of a shiny varnish), make your own furniture polish. Mix the lemon juice and olive oil in a glass jar with a lid. Cover and shake vigorously to combine, then apply to your furniture with a soft cotton cloth. Add a little shine by rubbing briskly, then allow to air dry. Refrigerate any unused portion for up to 3 weeks. Tip: The oil may appear cloudy when cold, but just let the polish sit at room temperature for a few minutes and it will return to normal.