9 Household Uses for Vegetable Oil (Do This Instead of Eating It) | Zero Acre Farms

9 Household Uses for Vegetable Oil (Do This Instead of Eating It)

December 8, 2022
WRITTEN BY: Corey Nelson

Article at a Glance

• Common vegetable oils like soybean, sunflower, and canola oil are high in unstable, inflammatory omega-6 fats and are usually rancid.
• You've probably got a quart or more of vegetable oil in your cabinet right now that you probably won’t be using for cooking anytime soon.
• Instead of cooking with it or discarding it, you can use vegetable oil as an inexpensive, non-toxic replacement for various products around the kitchen, garden, and home.
• Some applications even work with used cooking oil that would otherwise be thrown out.
• We've also included suggestions on easy ways to get gallons of oil for big projects when you need it!

Introduction

Maybe you're moving away from eating vegetable oils for culinary reasons. Why cook with rancid-tasting oil when there are tastier, healthier substitutes?

Or maybe you recently learned that seed oils are full of inflammatory omega-6 fats, may be toxic when consumed, and are among the worst foods for the environment.

Or maybe you've always known, deep down, that something wasn't quite right about vegetable oils.

Speaking of which, how long has that old bottle of soybean, sunflower, or canola oil been sitting in your cabinet? Better not to check, probably.

But not so fast! Before you toss your vegetable oil, read these fun, useful suggestions on what to do instead (none of them involve eating it — and your body will thank you for that).

Season Your Cast Iron Pan

If you own a cast iron pan, you might already be aware of seasoning. When your pan is new, or any time you need to renew the all-natural "non-stick" surface, you can slick it down with cooking oil and heat it to 350-400°F for about 20 minutes.

This seasoning process works through a process known as polymerization. During heating, unstable unsaturated fatty acids form cross-linked molecular bonds and become polymers.

The newly-formed polymers bond at a molecular level with the pan's iron surface, preventing food from sticking during cooking and making it easier to clean. As long as you don't burn food onto the surface or scrub it too hard, they can remain for a long time. This is also why most people scrub their cast-iron pans with minimal (if any) soap.

Interestingly, the very same properties that make common vegetable oils unhealthy for consumption are what make them excellent for seasoning cast iron. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) like omega-6 linoleic acid are the least stable form of fat and naturally form polymers when heated.

Manage Garden Pests

Neem oil is an organic insecticide or "biopesticide" extracted from the neem tree, Azadirachta indica Juss., originally from India.

When sprayed onto affected areas, neem works to inhibit the growth of fungus, mites, and eggs, preventing damage to plants and disrupting pests' reproductive cycles. It smells similar to garlic with a strong sulfuric odor. It's also relatively expensive.

If you don't have neem on hand for pest control, you can use canola oil or sesame oil as an inexpensive alternative.

According to Health Canada, canola oil "has properties of an insecticide, miticide, and fungicide since it controls a variety of insects and mites and suppresses powdery mildew on many ornamental, vegetable, fruit, and nut crops both in the field and greenhouse..."

Want to mix your own organic broad-spectrum pesticide? It doesn't take much: simply add one tablespoon of canola or sesame oil and one tablespoon of liquid soap to a gallon of water in a bucket or pump sprayer.

Lamp Oil for Emergencies

When the power goes out, you can use vegetable oil in place of lamp oil (paraffin) or kerosene.

If you've got hurricane lamps, you can refill them with vegetable oil instead. You can also mix it 50/50 with your usual lamp fuel.

Moisturize Your Skin

Eating vegetable oils high in omega-6 fats isn't good for your skin, but you can use them topically.

Your skin barrier is an important part of your immune system. This tough, outermost layer of skin protects against external threats and helps your skin stay smooth and moisturized.

Some research has shown benefits to applying topical omega-6 oils to restore barrier function and hydrate skin.

Lubricate Door Hinges

Got squeaky door hinges? Try brushing or dripping some vegetable oil onto them.

When used as a lubricant for metals, oils help reduce friction between contact areas and prevent further corrosion.

Polish and Clean Your Wood Furniture

For oil-rubbed wood or old-fashioned furniture finished with varnish, a little bit of regular upkeep goes a long way.

If you've got clean wood furniture that's looking a little bit dull or dry, simply wipe some vegetable oil onto it with a clean rag, rub it in, allow it to soak in, and then wipe it off with a clean, dry rag.

Here are two easy options that can work for a wide variety of furniture applications:

• Vegetable oil furniture cleaning polish #1: Two parts vegetable oil to one part fresh lemon juice.
• Vegetable oil furniture cleaning polish #2: Sixteen parts or more white vinegar to one part vegetable oil.

Clean and Restore Your Leather Boots

You can maintain your leather boots or any worn leather accessory with vegetable oil.

Steps:

1. Remove the laces and lightly wipe the boots to moisten them with warm, slightly soapy water.
2. Gently brush them to work the grime out, then wipe them down with a clean rag.
3. Apply small amounts of vegetable oil in a circular motion using a clean, dry rag.

Refurbish Roofing Shingles

Most common roofing shingles in the United States are made out of a base fabric material treated with asphalt. Over time, the oil component of asphalt shingles dries out and becomes brittle.

Recently, some companies have begun offering soybean oil-based treatments that can extend the life of your roof.

Should you paint your roof with soybean oil or other vegetable oils? Actually, yes, it might work! Using Waste Cooking Oil (WCO) is one of the eco-friendly solutions that can be used as an acceptable rejuvenator.

Clean Your Skin or Make Soap

You can also use vegetable oil as part of your bathing routine. It's possible to remove dirt without soap, provided you scrub enough and use running water.

Additionally, you can make your own soap with unwanted or even already-used cooking oil. Here are the basic steps, courtesy of Nature:

1. Use a kitchen scale to weigh the cooking oil.
2. Strain the cooking oil with a cheesecloth if previously used.
3. Suit up with gloves and protective gear when working with corrosive lye.
4. Mix the lye with hot water, then add the strained cooking oil to the dissolved lye and mix thoroughly.
5. Add your blended mixture to a mold and allow it to dry.

The Takeaway

Even though common vegetable oils may harm your health and devastate the environment, they're not going to go away completely any time soon. Instead of wasting them, keep them around. After all, you never know when you might need some emergency lamp oil, garden pest killer, or skin moisturizer!