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10 Brilliant Baby Oil Uses You’ll Want to Try Now

If you've relegated baby oil to your baby's changing table, boy are you missing out.

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Remove a bandage

You can eliminate—or at least, significantly lessen—the “ouch” factor, and subsequent tears, when removing a youngster’s bandage by first rubbing some baby oil into the adhesive parts on top and around the edges. If you see the bandage working loose, let the child finish the job to help him overcome his fear. Adults who have sensitive or fragile skin may also want to try this.

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Make your own bath oil

Do you have a favorite perfumer cologne? You can literally bathe in it by making your own scented bath oil. Simply add a few drops of your scent of choice to 1/4 cup baby oil in a small plastic bottle. Shake well, and add it to your bath—one of the ingenious baby oil uses you probably had never thought of!

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Buff up your golf clubs

Don’t waste your money on fancy cleaning kits for your chrome-plated carbon steel golf club heads. Just keep a small bottle filled with baby oil in your golf bag along with a chamois cloth or towel. Dab a few drops of oil on the cloth and polish the head of your club after each round of golf.

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Slip off a stuck ring

Is that ring jammed on your finger again? First, lubricate the ring area with a generous amount of baby oil. Then swivel the ring around to spread the oil under it. You should be able to slide the ring off with ease.

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Clean your bathtub or shower

Remove dirt and built-up soap scum around your bathtub or shower stall by wiping surfaces with 1 teaspoon baby oil on a moist cloth. Use another cloth to wipe away any leftover oil. Finally, spray the area with a disinfectant cleaner to kill any remaining germs. This technique is also great for cleaning soap film and watermarks off glass shower doors.

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Shine stainless steel sinks and chrome trim

Pamper your dull-looking stainless steel sinks by rubbing them down with a few drops of baby oil on a soft, clean cloth. Rub dry with a towel, and repeat if necessary. This is also a terrific way to remove stains on the chrome trim of your kitchen appliances and bathroom fixtures.

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Polish leather bags and shoes

One of the baby oil uses you’ve probably never thought of is giving new life to your shoes. Just a few drops of baby oil applied with a soft cloth can add new life to an old leather bag or pair of patent-leather shoes. Don’t forget to wipe away any oil remaining on the leather when you’re done. Find out about household vinegar uses you never knew, either.

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Get scratches off dashboard plastic

You can disguise scratches on the plastic lens covering the odometer and other indicators on your car’s dashboard by rubbing over them with a bit of baby oil.

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Remove latex paint from skin

Did you get almost as much paint on your face and hands as you did on the bathroom you just painted? You can quickly get latex paint off your skin by first rubbing it with some baby oil, followed by a good washing with soap and hot water.

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Treat cradle cap

Finally, baby oil uses that have to do with a baby! Cradle cap may be unsightly, but it is a common, usually harmless, phase in many babies’ development. To combat it, gently rub in a little baby oil, and lightly comb it through your baby’s hair. If your child gets upset, comb it a bit at a time, but do not leave the oil on for more than 24 hours. Then, thoroughly wash the hair to remove all of the oil. Repeat the process in persistent cases. Note: If you notice a lot of yellow crusting, or if the cradle cap has spread behind the ears or on the neck, contact your pediatrician instead. Next, find out the 43 extraordinary uses for household staples you already own.

Reader's Digest
Originally Published in Reader's Digest