By now, we all know that coconut oil is a must-have for both cooking and cosmetics. Its amazing natural versatility makes it one of the few products as kind to your outer body as it is to your inner!
However, we have a funny feeling that its lesser-known applications may be the ones most beneficial to our hectic lifestyles! From last Friday night’s wine spillages, to that ever-growing pile of laundry, there’s plenty of reasons your cupboards should be stuffed full of our favourite little superfood. Here are some of our favourite all-natural cleaning hacks:
Homemade Soap for Laundry
While mainstream laundry detergents may leave your clothes smelling like you’ve just rolled in a field of passionflowers on a fresh spring day, this pleasant scent comes at a price. Filled with artificial nasties, colourings, bleach and even phosphates, mass-market detergents have severe environmental implications. Cue the coconut oil! This all-natural alternative makes the perfect base for a DIY laundry soap and will leave your clothes smelling even better than a bed of roses. And with only four or five ingredients, it’s incredibly easy to extend the coco-love to your clothes.
What you’ll need:
– 8 tablespoons of coconut oil
– ½ a bar of soap of your choice, grated with a cheese grater
– 2 cups of washing soda
– 10 drops of your favourite essential oil
– ½ a bar of soap of your choice, grated with a cheese grater
– 2 cups of washing soda
– 10 drops of your favourite essential oil
Method:
1. Combine the coconut oil, grated soap and washing soda. Make sure you use gloves as some of these ingredients can be drying to the skin in concentrated form!
2. Add your chosen scent of essential oils and give it another stir.
3. Pop into an airtight jar for safekeeping, and reap the rewards of the coconut!
2. Add your chosen scent of essential oils and give it another stir.
3. Pop into an airtight jar for safekeeping, and reap the rewards of the coconut!
Top tip: Use 1-2 tablespoons of your all-natural detergent per load.
Seasoning a Cast Iron Skillet
Cast iron skillets are a thing of beauty and a kitchen essential for any real foodie. The question is, do you know how to treat your skillet? Much like Aladdin’s genie lamp, this magic piece of equipment requires a little bit of love to get the most out of it. The term ‘seasoning’ is used to describe the process of coating a new skillet, and you guessed it – coconut oil is perfect for this. All you need is some good quality coconut oil (we can help with that!), an oven, an old rag, and some baking parchment.
Method:
1. Place the pan in an oven preheated to 160 degrees celsius for 5-10 minutes.
2. Remove, leave to cool, then rub a thin layer of coconut oil across the pan.
3. Pop your pan back in the oven upside down with a layer of baking parchment underneath to catch any drips.
4. Leave for 1-2 hours, then cool completely in the oven.
2. Remove, leave to cool, then rub a thin layer of coconut oil across the pan.
3. Pop your pan back in the oven upside down with a layer of baking parchment underneath to catch any drips.
4. Leave for 1-2 hours, then cool completely in the oven.
Removing Disobedient Labels
We’ve all been there: for one reason or another a label needs to be removed. You might be trying to upcycle a jar, or slyly remove the sticker from an overpriced or underpriced purchase. Whatever the case, you’re left with the painstaking chore of picking away at a label that just won’t budge. Well, cry no more, fellow coconuts. Simply coat the label in question with a layer of coconut oil, leave to soak for a minute or two, then seamlessly remove with your hands or a face cloth.
Click here for more coconutty life hacks.