Multiple Uses of Vaseline

Most often, we think of using Vaseline on scrapes and cuts. However, this most famous brand of petroleum jelly does have multiple other uses that can save you time and money. Robert A. Chesebrough was a chemist born in London and raised in New York. While he was visiting a large oil well one day, he saw workers smearing their cuts with residue wiped from their drills. Chesebrough experimented with the substance and extracted petroleum jelly! He patented the invention in 1872 and named it Vaseline. He would then travel from town to town showing off his great invention. He would injure himself in front of large audiences and cover his wounds with Vaseline. He would horrify his audiences by burning his arms and legs over open fires. Chesebrough lived to be 98 years old and swore that he lived so long because he ate a spoonful of Vaseline every day. Now, Vaseline has been found to be helpful in many areas including pet care, painting, preventing corrosion, starting fires and more. In order to stay prepared for any situation, check out these uses of petroleum jelly below. Paint without Worry Painting your door but don’t want to get splatters on the hinges or the frame? Simply apply petroleum jelly to the areas that you want to protect from paint. Paint away, and then after the paint dries, wipe away the petroleum jelly. Open Glue Bottles Don’t you hate it when you can’t open the glue bottle because it has essentially sealed itself shut? Next time you open your glue bottle, dap a bit of petroleum jelly on the inside of the lid and it will be very easy to undo next time! Tighter Seal in the Bathroom Petroleum jelly is also a great sealant. If you fear that your plunger isn’t working in the bathroom and you need to get a better seal - use Vaseline! Cover the plunger’s rim with jelly and you’ll be able to get a better seal and better suction. Horse Care In order to help flies stay out of your horse’s eyes, simply dab a little petroleum jelly around each eye. This should keep flies away. Prevent Battery Corrosion Hopefully, your car battery isn’t so corroded that the rods can’t get a proper connection. However, if you want to avoid having corrosion issues with your car battery, occasionally coat the rods with a bit of petroleum jelly to keep them from corroding. You can also tape a copper penny to the top of the rod. That will attract the corrosion to the penny and not the battery posts. Prevent Rusting Along with corrosion, petroleum jelly is also good at keeping rust off your tools and other metal goods. Lightly coat your tools after you clean them with a bit of Vaseline and you’ll be set to go. For tools that you only use on an occasional basis, wipe some petroleum jelly on them and then wrap them in a cloth to keep them for a longer time. Starting Fires Besides it’s protective qualities, Vaseline is also very good at helping you start fires. Pack a dozen cotton balls soaked in petroleum jelly in a plastic bag inside your 72-hour kit. When you’re having trouble starting a fire, place the cotton balls around the base. Light the cotton balls and they will help you sustain a blazing fire. How do you use Vaseline? Comment below to share your experiences. See what others have used petroleum jelly for and see how you can use it in an emergency. Remember to check out our full listing of emergency supply essentials to supplement your preparedness kit.