25 Surprising Uses of Vaseline Petroleum Jelly

 

1. Eject wax from candlesticks The long red tapers you used at last night’s candlelit dinner were a beautiful sight until you saw the candle wax drippings left in the candleholders. Next time apply petroleum jelly to the insides of the holders before you put the candles in. The wax will pop out for easy cleaning.
2. Remove chewing gum from wood Did you discover bubble gum stuck under the dining room table or behind the headboard of Junior’s bed? Trouble yourself about it no further. Squeeze some petroleum jelly on the offending wad, rub it in until the gum starts to disintegrate, then remove.
3. Remove watermarks on wood Your most recent party left lots of watermark rings on your wood furniture. To make them disappear, apply petroleum jelly and let it sit overnight. In the morning, wipe the watermark away with the jelly. Shine patent-leather shoes You’ve got a great pair of patent-leather shoes and a dynamite bag to match. The luster stays longer if you polish the items with petroleum jelly.
4. Restore leather jackets You don’t need fancy leather moisturizer to take care of your favorite leather jacket. Petroleum jelly does the job just as well. Apply, rub it in, wipe off the excess, and you’re ready to go.
5. Stop battery terminal corrosion It’s no coincidence that your car battery always dies on the coldest winter day. Low temperatures increase electrical resistance and thicken engine oil, making the battery work harder. Corrosion on the battery terminals also increases resistance and might just be the last straw that makes the battery give up. Before winter starts, disconnect the terminals and clean them with a wire brush. Reconnect, then smear with petroleum jelly. The jelly will prevent corrosion and help keep the battery cranking all winter long.
6. Keep ants away from pet food bowls Poor Fido’s food bowl has been invaded by ants. Since she prefers her food without them, help her out with this idea. Ring her food bowl with  petroleum jelly. The ants will no longer be tempted by the kibble if they have to cross that mountain of petroleum jelly.
7. Grease a baseball mitt Got a new baseball mitt, but it’s as stiff as a dugout bench? Soften it up with petroleum jelly. Apply liberal amounts. Work it into the glove, then tie it up with a baseball inside. Do this in the winter, and by the spring you’ll be ready to take the field.
8. Mask doorknobs when painting You’re about to undertake painting the family room. But do you really want to fiddle with removing all the metal fixtures, including doorknobs? Petroleum jelly rubbed on the metal will prevent paint from sticking. When you’re done painting, just wipe off the jelly and the unwanted paint is gone.
9. Keep a bottle lid from sticking If you’re having a hard time unscrewing that bottle of glue or nail polish, remember this tip for when you finally do get it open. Rub a little petroleum jelly along the rim of the bottle. Next time, the top won’t stick.
10. Protect stored chrome If you’re getting ready to store the kids’ bikes for the winter, or stow that stroller until your next baby comes along, stop a moment before you stash. Take some petroleum jelly and apply it to the chrome parts of the equipment. When it’s time to take the items out of storage, they’ll be rust-free. The same method works for machinery stored in your
    garage.
11. Keep an outdoor lightbulb from sticking Have you ever unscrewed a lightbulb and found yourself holding the glass while the metal base remains in the socket? It won’t happen again if you remember to apply petroleum jelly to the base of the bulb before screwing it into the fixture. This is an especially good idea for
    lightbulbs used outdoors.
12. Lubricate cabinets and windows Can’t stand to hear your medicine cabinet door creak along its runners?
    Or how about that window that you have to force open every time you want a breeze in the house? With a small paintbrush, apply petroleum jelly to the window sash channel and cabinet door runners. Let the sliding
    begin.
13. Stop squeaking door hinges It’s so annoying when a squeaky door makes an ill-timed noise when you’re trying to keep quiet. Put petroleum jelly on the hinge pins of
    the door. No more squeaks.
14. Smoother closing shower curtains Stop the water from squirting out onto the bathroom floor. Get that
    shower curtain into place quickly. Lubricate the curtain rod with petroleum jelly and you’ll whip that curtain across the shower in no
    time.
15. Moisturize your lips and more If you don’t want to pay a lot for expensive lip balm, makeup remover, or even facial moisturizer, then your answer is a tube of petroleum jelly. It can soothe lips, take off foundation, eye shadow, mascara, and more. It will even act as a moisturizer on your face.
16. Make emergency makeup Oh no! You’ve run out of your favorite shade of eye shadow. What do you do now? It’s easy—make your own. Add a bit of food coloring to petroleum jelly and apply as usual. This is a quick way to make stopgap blush, lipstick, or eye shadow.
17. Lengthen the life of perfume You’ve picked out a great scent to wear on your night out, but it’s got to last. Worry not. Dab a bit of petroleum jelly on your pulse points. Then spray on the perfume. Now you can dance the night away and not
    worry about your perfume turning in early.
18. Remove a stuck ring Is your wedding ring stuck? Trying to get it off can take a lot of tug and pull. Apply some petroleum jelly and it will glide right off.
19. Soften chapped hands If you’re constantly applying hand lotion to your tired, chapped hands, but then taking it off again so you can get more work done, try this tip. Apply a liberal amount of petroleum jelly to your hands just before you go to bed. By morning, they’ll be soft and smooth.
20. No more messy manicures During home manicures, it’s hard to keep the nail polish from running over on your cuticles. Petroleum jelly can help your manicures look more professional. Dab some along the base of your nails and the sides. If polish seeps off the nail during the manicure, all you do is wipe off the petroleum jelly and the sloppy nail polish is gone.
21. Smooth wild eyebrow hairs If you have runaway eyebrows—the ones where the hairs won’t lie flat but curl up instead, control the wildness with some petroleum jelly. Rub a dab into your brows. They’ll calm down and behave.
22. Heal windburned skin You’ve just had a glorious hike through the countryside in autumn. And as much as you enjoyed the changing colors of the season, the hike has left you with an unpleasant souvenir: windburn. Grab a jar of petroleum jelly and apply it liberally to your face or wherever you’ve been chapped. The jelly helps relieve the pain.
23. Help prevent diaper rash It’s so heartbreaking to hear a baby experiencing the pain of diapern ash. Help is just a few moments away. Petroleum jelly sets up a protective coat on the skin so the rash can heal. No more pain.
24. No more shampoo tears Thinking of buying special no-tears shampoo for your child? Forget about it. If you have some petroleum jelly, you have the solution. Rub a fair amount into your baby’s eyebrows. It acts as a protective shield against shampoo running down into his eyes.

Courtesy of Reader’s Digest. There’s supposedly be 101 ways… can you help me think of the rest?! HAHAHAHA