10 Frugal Uses for Vaseline

I don't know about you, but I have about 10 half-used containers of Vaseline sitting around my house purchased for various reasons, and then of course the dreaded container to go along with each child's thermometer. Here are so great ways to use that Vaseline up, and same money as well!

1. Moisturizer - I love to put vaseline on my elbows before a shower. It works great on your cuticles as well as a substitution for Lanolin as a moisturizer.

2. Make Salt Scrubs - My mom swears by salt scrubs. It's so easy to make your own at home with Vaseline. Simply combine Vaseline, with some sea salt. You could add in your favorite fragrant oils, and have a nice scrub for the shower!

3. Save Your Pumpkin - This is my all-time favorite use for Vaseline, and it is perfect for the season. After you've carved your pumpkin, just rub Vaseline along the edges, and it will prevent it from rotting. One of my friends told me about this a couple of years ago, and it really works!

4. Household Lubricant - Have a squeaky faucet or door? You can use Vaseline as a lubricant to prevent squeaks and screeches, just apply it to both parts of the hinge.

5. Get Off A Ring - I've had the unfortunate experience of trying this one....if your ring gets stuck, use a little Vaseline. Or, maybe a lot as in my case. I just didn't want to give up wearing my wedding ring just because I was pregnant. =)

6. Prevent Stuck Nail Polish Lids - Here is another one of my favorites, smear a little on the threads of a nail polish bottle and you can prevent it from sticking next time. I don't know about you, but since I get to paint my nails about twice a year, I usually have some trouble opening it the next time.

7. Revive Old Leathers - This is one my grandma taught me. Rub Vaseline on cracked leather or leather shoes, and it softens the leather like new. I have tried this one and a little goes a long way, but it really works!

8. Prevent Shampoo From Getting Into Your Baby's Eyes - My grandma also gave me this one, but I haven't tried it. You can put a line of Vaseline above your little ones brow and it stops the water from dripping down into your babe's eyes. My little ones are too quick for this, and I've been worried about getting the Vaseline in their eyes, however once they are a little older I can totally see this working.

9. Prevent Leaks While Scuba Diving - Here's one I learned when my hubby and I took Scuba Diving lessons before our wedding. Men with mustaches can use it to prevent leaking from their masks during dives. I can't say I've ever tried it myself, but I know my teacher did and it worked! As a side note, men with mustaches wearing scuba diving masks are quite a sight to see.

10. Shiny Teeth - So I've never been in a beauty pageant myself, but I have watched many on TV. Not to mention all the new reality shows about beauty pageants, and I learned that a little Vaseline on your teeth makes them pretty and shiny for the pageant. I wouldn't really want to try this myself, but maybe if you want pearly whites for pictures this could be a good trick!

So, next time you're looking at that half used bottle of Vaseline in the linen closet, think about what you can do with it. It has so many uses, even beyond what I've listed here. Do you have any to add?

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Vaseline blogging program, making me eligible to get a $25 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.