21 Clever Uses For Coconut Oil

Here are 21 clever uses for coconut oil all around the home – from your beauty routine, to around the home and more.

I keep a large jar of coconut oil for cooking and baking. However, I keep hearing more and more about how there are so many uses for the stuff beyond just culinary purposes.

Then I came across this amazing illustration by Californian artist Yumi Sakugawa for WonderHowTo, and all I can say is wow!  There are so many uses for coconut oil – 21 in fact – for around the home that I just hadn’t realised.

For example, did you know one of the many uses for coconut oil is as a natural alternative to using WD40?  I need to tell my dad this as you rarely see him without a can in his hand!  

You can also use coconut oil as a shaving cream; to condition your hair; to help heal newly tattooed skin, and as a natural polish for wooden furniture.  It can even help get rid of head lice naturally. Mind blown!

21 Uses for Coconut Oil

Check out the full guide to have your mind blown too.

And here’s a text-based version if you are using a web reader:

Coconut Oil Uses Around The Home

Coconut oil has heaps of applications around your home:

• lubricate your guitar strings
• remove gum from hair, shoes, or carpet
• general substitute for WD-40 spray – use on squeaky door hinges, or stuck zippers.
• polish your wood furniture – place a small amount of oil on a rag and rub.
• maintain your wooden chopping board – when it starts looking dull, rub oil on the surface, making sure it’s clean and dry first.
• need oil to season your cast iron skillet? Use coconut oil.

Pets

• want to give your beloved dog or cat a daily health boost? Add a teaspoon of oil to their water dish every day.

Health

Coconut oil has many uses when it comes to boosting your health:

• get rid of head lice by rubbing coconut oil into your scalp. Leave it on overnight and rinse it off in the morning.
• treat skin irritations such as eczema, nappy rash, sunburn, poison ivy rash, minor cuts, etc.
• take a spoonful of oil every day. It can help as an energy boost, help relieve indigestion, and more.
• ear infection? Add a few drops of warmed oil directly into your ear.
• to prevent bloody noses during dry weather, line the inside of your nose with coconut oil.
• take advantage of coconut oil’s antifungal and antibacterial properties to treat athlete’s foot, thrush, ringworm, and more.

Body & Beauty

• clean out your mascara brush
• use the oil as a general skin moisturiser/shaving cream replacement.
• DIY hair conditioner for damaged or unruly hair.
• make some DIY deodorant. Mix 1/4 cup bicarbonate of soda with 1/4 cup cornflour then add 3 tablespoons of oil. Apply on underarms.
• apply to newly tattooed skin to help heal the skin.
• want whiter teeth? For some people, oil pulling (swishing coconut oil in your mouth and spitting it out every day) has helped with gum health and whiter teeth.

Food

• Add it to your toast, porridge, popcorn, tea, etc, for extra flavour.
• baking something? You can replace butter/vegetable oil with coconut oil.
• you can saute/roast your food in coconut oil to give it a nuanced coconut flavour.

Are you as surprised as me at some of these uses for coconut oil?!  If you’re on Pinterest this is definitely a good one to pin so you can always keep it close to hand! I’ve not tested out these tips, nor can I verify them, so do proceed with caution though.

If you’re looking for cheap coconut oil, the cheapest I found was this 400 g Biona organic virgin coconut oil* for £8.09 at Ethical Superstore.  400 g should last you for quite some time, as you only need a little at a time.

My Top Coconut Oil Tips

A quick note: despite the name, coconut oil is solid.  I find the best way to scoop it out is to place a metal spoon in hot water, and then scoop out what you need.   

If you’re using coconut oil for skin care purposes, then warming it in your hands is generally enough to liquefy it. For other applications, you can scoop some out of the jar, place it in a bowl, and microwave it in 10-second increments until it’s melted.  In warm weather, you might find it’s pliable enough not to require warming.

And if you liked this post, do check out my guide to surprising uses for vinegar.