26 bizarre and ridiculously useful things
you can do with mayonnaise
Not just for sandwiches.
Whether it’s on a BLT or in some tuna salad, mayonnaise can make anything more delicious. Because it’s a whipped mixture of lemon juice, eggs, vinegar, and spices, mayonnaise can also break down in surprising ways and help solve some of life’s weirdest problems. So instead of slathering this on your sandwich, maybe try one of mayonnaise’s surprising other uses, such as removing sticker residue or buffing scratches out of wood floors. Keep reading to see the 26 things you can do with mayo.
WOOD FLOORS AND FURNITURE
Fill scratches in wood furniture: If your furniture has any scratches or cracks, you can fix them by applying mayonnaise in and around the affected area. Let it sit for a few days if you want to get the best results before wiping off and buffing with a cloth.
Remove water marks from furniture: Put a few dollops of mayonnaise on a paper towel and press it into the water mark. Let it sit for at least an hour before taking it off and wiping it clean. When the stain is gone, buff with a clean cloth.
Fix cloudy wood finishes: If moisture gets trapped under a wood finish as it hardens, the finish can look cloudy and opaque (this is sometimes called “blushing”). To fix the cloudy finish, spread mayonnaise over the surface and let it sit over night. When you wipe it off, the stains will be gone.
Polish furniture: Oil, lemon juice, and vinegar make mayonnaise a great agent for polishing furniture. Rub it into the wood and buff with a cloth.
Remove scuffs and scratches on wood floors: Rub an oil-based soap like Dr. Bronner’s on the wood floors to get off any grime and then apply a generous coating of mayonnaise for a few hours or overnight. Rub it off with a rag and the scuffs and scratches will be gone.
BEAUTY
Remove bubble gum from hair: Instead of using peanut butter, you can use mayonnaise to get bubble gum out of hair. Rub the gum-covered hair and gum itself with mayonnaise and then rinse while pulling it out.
Hair conditioner: You can use full-fat, organic, or homemade mayonnaise to deep condition hair. Dampen your hair with warm water and smooth on the mayo and cover your head with a plastic cap or wrap for up to one hour. The vegetable oil in the mayonnaise will give hair moisture and shine. Then wash it out with shampoo and rinse.
Condition finger nails: For an unorthodox manicure that will moisturize nails, you can “soak” them in a bowl of mayonnaise. Though it might sound gross, the lemon juice will help brighten nails while the vegetable oil strengthens and moisturizes.
Exfoliate skin: You can make your own skin-exfoliating scrub by mixing mayonnaise with sugar to help buff off dead skin cells. The oil in the mayonnaise will help add moisture and hydrate.
Make a face mask: You can DIY a face mask for dry skin by slapping some mayonnaise on your skin. The vinegar in the condiment will help exfoliate while the oil will make your face feel soft. Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes for best results.
CLEANING
Remove bumper stickers: Because mayonnaise will break down adhesive, it works really well on bumper stickers you want to remove from your car. Apply mayonnaise on top of the sticker, let it sit for around 15-20 minutes before peeling off.
Clean piano keys: If your piano keys have smudges or grime on them, you can clean them easily with a little bit of mayo. Apply a little bit on keys and let sit for 10 minutes before wiping off.
Clean houseplants: House plants can get dusty, which is something most people don’t think about. To make your plants look shiny and new, rinse the leaves and then apply a tiny bit of mayo to a damp washcloth and lightly rub into leaves for a bit of shine.
Remove crayon from walls: If your kid colored on the walls with crayon, you can remove it with some mayo. Coat the wall in the condiment and let it sit for a half an hour before rubbing off with a damp cloth or sponge. Repeat as necessary.
Wipe fingerprints off stainless steel: For any messy or sticky fingerprints on your gorgeous stainless steel appliances, apply a thin coat of mayo and then wipe off. It will look brand new.
Remove tar buildup: If you have any tar buildup that you need to get rid of, use mayo. Let it sit on the tar for a few minutes before wiping it up. Let it sit longer for even better results.
Sticker residue: To get sticky labels or price stickers off of your products, you can coat the sticker in mayo. Let it sit for 15 minutes to half an hour before wiping it off. The mayo will break down the residue, allowing you to rub the sticker off.
Remove tree sap: If the sap hasn’t hardened, you can wipe it off with the help of a dab of mayonnaise. Let it sit until the tree sap has softened and then wipe away with a rag.
Polish silver: You can use mayonnaise to polish silver in a pinch since it contains lemon and vinegar, two ingredients that will help restore shine. Just make sure to test it first on a smaller area.
MISCELLANEOUS
Make the best grilled cheese: Obviously you can use mayonnaise on sandwiches, but did you know you could make the best grilled cheese ever with mayonnaise instead of butter? Click here for the full, delicious instructions.
Soothe sunburn: If you’re out of aloe vera and need immediate relief, try applying mayonnaise to any sunburned area to soothe and cool.
Make three-ingredient biscuits: Mayonnaise can be used to make super easy biscuits. Just combine it with milk and self-rising flour. See the recipe here.
Stop a squeaky hinge: If you have a door hinge that is squeaky, a dab of mayo rubbed into the metal can do wonders. Work it in by opening and closing the door a few times and then wipe away.
Kill head lice: If you’re ever struck by a case of head lice in your house, mayonnaise can actually make a wonderful head lice killer since it will suffocate them. Using full-fat mayonnaise, coat hair entirely (using a shower cap if necessary) and allow to sit for 8 hours. See more instructions here.
Mayo cake: Though you’d never think to add mayonnaise to a dessert, including mayonnaise in a cake recipe can actually yield a remarkably moist cake. Click here for the old school recipe.
Remove a ring that’s too tight: To get off a too-tight ring, mayonnaise is a good lubricant that will work in a pinch. Apply a lot to your finger and work under the ring before twisting and pulling it off.
