When most people think of coconut oil uses, they think of cooking. However, coconut oil is useful even beyond the kitchen. Read on to find out how to use coconut oil in some interesting and surprising ways:

  1. Wood conditioner: If  you live in a particularly dry place, you might have noticed your wooden spoons and cutting boards splitting and cracking. The recommended wood oil is based on a petroleum product. If you don’t want petroleum in your food, coconut oil is a great alternative. Simply heat one part beeswax to three parts coconut oil until melted. Emulsify and store. To use, slather on wood products and let sit overnight.
  2. Homemade Chest Rub: With school back in season, colds and other viruses are making their rounds. You can skip the trip to the store, and make your own chest rub to ease congestion and make it easier to breathe at night. Put one-quarter cup coconut oil into microwave until completely liquid. Add 10-15 drops peppermint and eucalyptus essential oils each. Add 2-10 drops lemon essential oil. Do not apply to broken skin, eyes, nose, or mouth.  Only use this on children over the age of two.
  3. Pet food additive:  Many veterinarians recommend adding coconut oil to dog food because of its high nutritional value. The recommended dose is one teaspoon of coconut oil for every ten pounds of dog weight. Start with just a quarter of that amount and slowly build up to the right amount over the next several weeks. Coconut oil can increase energy levels, improve skin conditions, help the dog’s coat to become more healthy-looking, and improve digestion.
  4. Chocolate shell topping: Chocolate shells are like magic. They start off as a liquid and then when exposed to a cold food such as ice cream, they form a beautiful smooth shell. Kids and adults alike love breaking up the smooth chocolate shell to scoop up the inside filling of ice cream and enjoy the little crackly bits of chocolate shell. To make your own magic concoction at home, mix Nutella and coconut oil together in a 1:2 ratio. Spoon it over ice cream, hot apple pie, or just eat it by itself for some delicious, crunchy, crackly dessert.
  5. Insect repellent: There is nothing more annoying than little bugs biting you while you are outside enjoying the beauty of nature. Many store-bought insect repellents are made with dangerous chemicals like DEET or picaridin that may cause cancer, toxicity, low birth weights, and infertility. To make your own non-toxic natural insect repellent, mix coconut oil with essential oil scents that drive away mosquitoes and other bugs – rosemary, peppermint, or tea tree. Not only will this concoction keep all the pesky little bugs away, but the coconut oil will be soothing to your skin and give it a nice, healthy glow. If you already have a bug bite and are suffering from a burning, itching sensation, rub some coconut oil to calm the inflammation and soothe the itching.

There are so many great coconut oil uses beyond the traditional culinary uses. As more people discover the amazing benefit and variety of coconut oil uses, it is quickly becoming a household staple in every home.