You probably think of peanut butter as the hero of your pantry, perfect for a quick sandwich or a post-workout protein boost straight from the jar. But let’s be real, you’re not using it to its full, weird potential. This creamy spread has a secret double life as a household problem-solver.
It turns out peanut butter is a shockingly good lubricant for squeaky hinges, a secret weapon for getting gum out of hair and can even shine up dull leather. And for these household hacks, you don’t need the fancy, expensive organic stuff. In fact, the cheap, smooth, basic peanut butter is exactly what you want.
Before you just make another snack, check out these eight surprising ways peanut butter can tackle common household tasks.
1. Pest control
Save the cheese for happy hour snacking and smear a little pb on the trap.
Forget cheese to catch mice or rats, instead you should use peanut butter. You can bait a mousetrap with it or just leave the goober goo on a plate. Peanut butter is a natural anticoagulant, so when the rodent eats some, that disrupts its normal blood-clotting function, killing it.
If you have an ant problem, you can mix two teaspoons of peanut butter with a teaspoon of borax and half a teaspoon of baking soda. The ants will take the deadly mixture back to the colony, killing other ants. And if that doesn’t work, this peppermint spray will keep mice at bay.
2. Leather cleaner
As anyone who has opened a jar knows, peanut butter is naturally oily. That makes it a good emollient for buffing purses, sofas and other leather goods. Just apply a dollop to a soft cloth and wipe the leather in a circular motion until it shines.
Pro tip: Peanut butter is also claimed to be great for getting scratches out of woodwork.
3. Shampoo
Peanut butter is rich in oil that can give hair a lustrous glow.
It’s well known that peanut butter can get gum out of hair, but because it’s high in magnesium, vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids, it can make hair follicles stronger and thicker, too.
George Washington Carver patented a peanut-based hair tonic, as well as a face cream, pomade and hand lotion. His concoctions may no longer be available, but you can still buy peanut butter shampoos, conditioners, hair masks and oils, or apply the spread directly to your tresses.
4. Room deodorizer
If the smell of dinner is permeating every nook and cranny of your house, try heating up a tablespoon of peanut butter in a pan. Let it sizzle for a minute and the aroma should be replaced with a mild, but nutty scent.
5. Shaving cream
Peanut butter as shaving cream? Yep, the natural oils in peanut butter work as an effective barrier between your skin and a razor blade. (And they double as a good moisturizer.) Apply some smooth peanut butter to your face, leg or other body parts, shave normally and then wash it off. Just remember not to eat it.
6. Lubricant
Window jammed? Don’t use jam. Yet again, it’s peanut butter to the rescue.
Peanut butter can also help with a squeaky hinge, stuck window sill or other household jam. (No pun intended.) Just dab a little on the stuck part and wipe it clean.
It can also be used to lubricate engine valves and will get glue, gum or other sticky substances out of carpet or fabric.
7. Windshield cleaner
Run out of windshield wiper fluid? According to The Family Handyman, just rub peanut butter on the glass and let it sit for about 10 minutes before you hose it down.
8. Dog medication deliverer
“Peanut butter, you say?”
Trying to get our four-legged friends to swallow a pill is a fool’s errand. Plop that thing in a gob of peanut butter and they will happily take it down the hatch.
For more household tips, learn how to a cheeseburger in the air fryer and the worst places to put your Alexa speaker
