Not Just for Kids: 28 Ways Baby Oil Saves You Money

Here's why this emollient for infants belongs in the home of every financially shrewd adult.

Photo by 279photo Studio / Shutterstock.com

The next time you need to unstick, untangle, soften, shine, depilate or de-squeak something, try baby oil.

The lightly scented mineral oil is good for dozens of applications that have nothing to do with babies. In fact, having baby oil on hand can spare you from needing to buy an array of single-purpose products — from shave gel to paper-shredder oil — that are generally more expensive.

Following are more than two dozen uses for baby oil that could save you money:

1. Bath oil

I’ve poured it into the tub to soften my winter-weary skin. Note: You must use some cleanser on the tub afterward, or the oily residue could cause the next bather to slip and fall.

2. Moisturizer

Don’t feel like scrubbing an oily tub after every time you bathe to get the baby oil benefits? Towel-dry yourself a little after your bath, and then smooth a little baby oil on your still-damp skin to lock in moisture.

3. Shave-gel substitute

Use a thin layer of baby oil on your legs instead of shave cream or gel (or soap) before shaving.

4. Waxing aid

If you’re waxing brows, legs or, uh, other parts of your body, use a little baby oil afterward to remove any lingering wax.

5. Eye makeup remover

A cotton ball dampened with baby oil takes care of eye shadow and eyeliner without irritating delicate skin.

6. Temporary tattoo remover

Did Junior come home from a birthday party festooned with garish superhero tats? Rub them off with a little baby oil.

7. Nail polish frame

Use a cotton swab to saturate your cuticle perimeters with baby oil before painting your nails. This prevents nail polish from seeping into your cuticles.

8. Cuticle oil

Sushmita Munda writes at makeupandbeauty.com that she uses baby oil on her hands when she gives herself a manicure. Sure, there’s a product called “cuticle oil,” but she never buys it.

9. Lip scrub

Munda also makes a lip scrub by mixing 1 teaspoon of baby oil, ½ teaspoon of sugar and a few drops of lemon juice. Every night before bed she rubs it lightly on her lips to remove dead skin.

10. Massage unguent

Baby oil is an inexpensive alternative to massage oil or cream.

11. Earwax buildup fighter

According to the Mayo Clinic, you can remove excess earwax buildup with the help of baby oil — as long as you don’t have tubes in your ears or a hole in your eardrum.

First, apply a few drops of oil into your ears to soften the wax. After a day or two, use a rubber-bulb syringe to (gently!) squirt warm water into the ear canal. Tip your head to the side to let the water drain and the wax fall out, then dry your outer ear with a soft towel or a hair dryer.

Note: If the situation doesn’t improve after a few such treatments, see a doctor.

12. Scaly-feet softener

Do your feet look positively lizardlike in the winter? Rub some baby oil on at bedtime, and then don plain white socks. While you sleep, the skin on your feet will soften right up.

13. Ring loosener

Did your hands swell because of pregnancy or air travel? Trickle a little baby oil on the puffy digit and gradually ease off the ring.

14. Necklace detangler

If the pendant you inherited from Grandma is on a knotted chain, rub just a drop of oil onto the tangle, and then pick it apart with a straight pin.

15. Paint remover

Got latex paint on your hands or arms after painting a room? It might rub right off, or it might embed itself in your knuckles and other skin folds. A post on Instructables.com recommends massaging paint spatters with baby oil in circular motions.

16. Hand degreaser

Working on your car or doing some other greasy job? Baby oil is kinder to your hands than harsh soaps.

17. Steel or chrome shiner

Wipe stainless steel or chrome with a little oil on a soft cloth, and it will shine like a good deed.

18. Wood duster and shiner

Put a small amount of oil on your cloth before dusting, and dust will stick to it. Give the wood a gentle rub with a second (dry) cloth until it gleams.

19. Squeaky-hinge lubricant

A drop or two should do it — and baby oil smells a lot better than WD-40.

20. Soap scum fighter

Coat shower curtains and doors with a small amount of baby oil. Be sure to wipe up any drips so no one slips.

21. Adhesive bandage remover

Time to change the Band-Aid on your kid’s knee? Saturate it with oil and wait awhile; the adhesive should lift right off with no pain.

22. Price sticker remover

If a sticker resists removal from a glass, china or plastic item, rub in some oil and wait a bit. The sticker should peel off much more easily.

Note: Don’t do this on cloth or paper items, as the oil will stain.

23. Golf club polish

Depending on which golf aficionado you talk to, you can protect and shine your clubs with gun oil, WD-40, special golf-club polishes, petroleum jelly, a silicone gun cloth or, yes, baby oil.

24. Dashboard improver

A post on eHow.com notes that scratches can develop on the plastic lenses covering the odometer and other things on the dashboard of your car. Rub them with a bit of baby oil to improve the look.

25. Zipper fixer

Zipper stuck? Apply baby oil with a cotton ball or swab until the zip returns to a zipper. Avoid staining by being careful not to get the oil on the main fabric of the garment.

26. Leather oil

Rub a little baby oil onto leather shoes or bags to keep them from looking dry.

27. Paper shredder oil

If you have a document shredder — and you should — keep things running smoothly with an occasional oiling. Put a couple of pieces of paper on a baking sheet and squirt on some baby oil. Once the paper has absorbed the oil, run it through the shredder.

28. Bubble gum remover

Kids end up with gum on their skin or in their hair? Rub a small amount of oil into the mess to soften it, and then gradually work it out with a comb.

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