17 Surprisingly Practical Uses For Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise, that tangy blend of eggs, oil, and vinegar that many of us can’t live without on our BLTs can be much more than just a sandwich condiment! There are a surprising number of ways to use it around the house, for everything from stain removal to hair conditioning.

I’ve put together a list of 17 different uses for mayonnaise (or mayo, as many folks like to call it) and I’m excited to share them with you today! I was certainly surprised by several of the uses on this list, and I think you will be too. :-)

By the way, mayonnaise is surprisingly easy to make, and once you’ve tasted homemade mayonnaise you’ll never want to go back to buying it in jars, so give it a try!

Related:  9 Unexpected & Useful Things You Can Do With Vegetable Oil

17 Surprisingly Practical Uses For Mayonnaise

1. Dust Houseplants

If you have any faux plants around your home, you can give them a whole new shine with a clean cloth and a bit of mayo. Dust the leaves first, then put a small dab of mayo on your cloth. Then simply buff the leaves to a beautiful shine!

2. Remove Rings

Use mayo to remove a ring that’s stuck on a finger (whether it’s your child’s or yours, no judgment here!) ;-) Scoop a bit of mayo out of the jar, and slather it around your finger and the ring itself. Let it sit for a minute or so, and then the ring should slide right off!

3. Shine Stainless Steel

If your stainless steel is showing more fingerprints and smudges than shine, just grab a clean cloth and your trusty jar of mayo. Place a small dab of mayo onto the cloth, and use it to buff your stainless steel appliances until the marks are gone and the shine is restored.

4. Squeaky Hinges

A squeaky hinge can drive anyone up a wall! So at the first sign of a squeak, treat the hinge with a small amount of mayo. Just slather it onto the hinge using your finger, then open and shut the object several times to get it worked into the hinge. Then just use a paper towel or clean cloth to wipe up any excess mayo.

5. Remove Sticker Residue

I love repurposing old containers in new and useful ways, but getting the old stickers off can be challenging to say the least! Using mayo can help make the process significantly easier (though it does require a bit of patience.)

Remove as much of the sticker as you can, then cover the remaining sticker and residue with a thick layer of mayo. Let it sit for a few minutes so the fat in the mayo can start to dissolve the adhesive. When the adhesive has dissolved enough, just rub the rest of the sticker residue off with your fingers or a sponge!

6. Kill Head Lice

A mayo scalp treatment is a great way to kill head lice naturally. Apply a layer of mayo all over the scalp at bedtime, then cover with a shower cap and go to sleep. In the morning, comb the hair and wash thoroughly.

7. Manicure Treatment

Before your next home manicure, try soaking your nails in a shallow dish of mayo. The mayo will soften and moisturize your cuticles, and your nails will get a boost of protein for added strength.

8. Clean Up Tar

It can be a huge pain to try and remove tar and sap from your car, but you can do it easily using mayo! Just cover the tar or sap spot with a layer of mayo, and let it sit for several minutes. Wipe clean with a soft cloth.

9. Condition Hair

A mayo scalp treatment can help calm a dry, itchy scalp, and add serious shine to your hair! Massage a good amount of mayo onto your scalp, and let it sit for about 30 minutes. Then shampoo and condition as usual. Your scalp will be nourished and moisturized, and you won’t believe how silky smooth your hair feels!

10. Moisturize Skin

If you have rough patches on your skin, like on your elbows, knees, or heels, mayo makes a wonderful conditioning treatment! Just rub a dab of mayo onto your rough patches, and let it sit for 10 minutes. Rinse well afterwards.

11. Crayon On Walls

It seems like every parent has to contend with a wall full of crayon art at some point. But removing those crayon marks can be made much easier with mayo! Use your finger to apply a layer of mayo to the crayon marks, and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Then just wipe the crayon marks and mayo away with a clean cloth.

12. Erase Water Stains

You really can erase water rings and stains on your wooden furniture using mayo! All it really takes is time. Just cover the mark with a thick layer of mayonnaise and let it sit for up to 48 hours, probably less for lighter stains. (You can cover the mayo with a bowl if you don’t want to look at it, or to keep the dog from licking it up.) Wipe it clean with a cloth, and be amazed at how the water rings just disappear!

13. Grilled Cheese

The first time someone told me that they use mayo on the outside of their grilled cheese rather than butter, I was highly skeptical. Sounds weird, right? But surprisingly, it isn’t weird at all! It tastes about the same as butter, and it browns beautifully for a golden, crispy grilled cheese.

14. Polish Silver

Give your silver jewelry a quick polish with a bit of mayo! The acid of the lemon and/or vinegar in the mayonnaise will remove tarnish and add a lovely shine to your jewelry.

15. Make A Dip

I can never resist a good dip. I wrote a post a few months ago with 10 delicious dip recipes, and several of them just wouldn’t be the same without mayo! And highly recommend giving a homemade mayo recipe a try to spice up any dip that has mayonnaise as an ingredient.

Read More: 10 Tried And True Dip Recipes You’ll Want To Save

16. Gum In Hair

If your child or grandchild has gotten gum in their hair, give this mayo solution a try before breaking out the scissors. Just rub mayonnaise onto the gum and the hair surrounding it, then gently slide the gum down the hair strands using your fingers.

17. Make Dressing

When your mayonnaise is just about empty (perhaps after having tried the other 16 uses above?), don’t toss it just yet. You can use the remaining bit of mayo in the jar to make a tasty, creamy dressing.

Just add a bit of olive oil, a splash of vinegar, and a sprinkling of your herbs of choice to the jar. Replace the lid, then shake it up really well. Use it to dress a simple salad of greens for a healthy snack or side.

Which of these uses for mayonnaise surprised you most?