You probably already use organic coconut oil for baking and cooking or as a care product in your bathroom. But did you know that you can also clean perfectly with coconut oil?  Organic coconut oil is such a versatile product. You can really use it for everything! We always have 3 jars of organic extra virgin coconut oil on hand: one for cooking, one for the bathroom and one for cleaning! 

Here are 8 surprising things you didn’t know you could clean with organic coconut oil. (Note: if someone in your house is allergic to coconut, better forget these tips). 

1. Clean and polish wood 

Does your wooden furniture get a bit dull after a while? Organic coconut oil makes a great and effective wood cleaner and polisher. Mix about 120ml (half a cup) of coconut oil with the juice of half a lemon and rub the wood with this. After five minutes, wipe off the excess oil.

To polish wood, preferably use organic coconut oil, preferably even organic ‘extra virgin’ coconut oil. There are several reasons for this, but here are the main two:

1. Extra virgin organic coconut oil still contains all the natural nutrients and benefits that coconut oil has to offer. Therefore, it is more effective.
2. If you have pets or a small child who might lick or bite your furniture, organic coconut oil is not harmful in any way, whereas chemical cleaners are usually toxic.

2. Take care of your wooden cutting board

Just like wooden furniture, wooden cutting boards that are well used need some extra love from time to time. By rubbing them with organic coconut oil, you prevent them from splintering, splitting and warping. As coconut oil is a natural and mostly edible substance, it is much more suitable than non-natural substances like soap. Anything you use to treat your cutting boards will eventually be absorbed by the board and come into contact with your food later.

3. No more greasy fingerprints in your spotless kitchen 

You can also clean your stainless steel appliances quickly and efficiently with coconut oil. Dirt or grime immediately sticks to the oil because of its texture and stickiness. Put some coconut oil on a towel or sponge. Rub it gently on the stainless steel with circular motions to avoid scratching your equipment. Leave for a few minutes and wipe off the excess oil. Goodbye stains!

4. Remove sticky residues

Annoying labels or sticky residue left on pots can also be easily removed with organic coconut oil.

Apply the coconut oil to the sticky spot, let it soak in for a while and then scrub everything off with a little baking soda.

No time to wait? Mix some baking soda with organic coconut oil and immediately scrub away the sticky residue with this paste. Works every time! 

5. Clean and polish leather with coconut oil 

Leather, like wooden furniture, can also become dull in colour or look worn after a while. Mix some coconut oil and a little lemon juice to revamp leather furniture. Using a slightly dampened microfibre cloth, gently rub the mixture into the leather. Then take a dry, clean cloth to rub everything in further and make the leather shine.

6. Remove chewing gum from hair 

Every parent’s nightmare: chewing gum in your child’s hair! Although smearing peanut butter on it works well, coconut oil smells so much better and moisturises damaged hair at the same time.  

To remove gum from hair, rub about a spoonful of organic coconut oil on the gum and above the spot where the gum is stuck. After that, you should be able to gently comb the gum out of the hair.

7. Remove pencil from walls 

Children can be very creative… sometimes a little too creative! With coloured pencils on a wall, for example. If you ever want to remove pencil from your walls, consider coconut oil. Put some coconut oil on a piece of paper towel or microfibre cloth and gently rub the pencil stain with it. Finally, go over it again with a clean dry cloth to wipe away the remaining grease.

Pro tip: test the coconut oil on an inconspicuous piece of wall first. Depending on the paint and the wall, coconut oil can leave a permanent oil stain. 

8. Clean your teeth with coconut oil 

Oil pulling is a 3,000-year-old Ayurvedic medicinal technique to keep your teeth and gums clean. Take a tablespoon of organic extra virgin coconut oil in your mouth and gently pass it through your mouth for up to 20 minutes. Do not swallow it! When you are done, spit out the excess oil into a bin. Never do this in your sink, shower or toilet as it may clog the drain.

Read more about the benefits of oil pulling here.