Daily Archives: March 8, 2012

Mayonnaise.  Like the commercial says, you either love it or you hate it.

Used mostly as a condiment for sandwiches, tuna, and hamburgers, mayonnaise is an emulsion, which is a mixture of two liquids that normally can’t be combined, like oil and water.  Made from lemon juice or vinegar, egg yolks, and oil, mayo can be added to several recipes as a way to thicken or flavor something.  But if you’re like me and don’t particularly like mayo as a condiment, you may find that you’ll love it for other reasons…

1.  Use mayo to condition your hair and skin:  Mayo is rich with protein from the eggs that bind the vinegar to the oil…so it’s no surprise that mayo would be successful at re-nourishing your hair and skin, both of which crave protein.  Use mayo as you would a conditioner on your hair, leaving it in for 2-5 minutes and then washing it out.  If you’re brave, you can also rub it on your face and give yourself a mayo facial.  I don’t know if I’m ready for that quite yet!

2.  Use mayo like you would Goo-Gone:  We all know Goo-Gone, right?  That smelly orange liquid that stays on your fingers forever after you use it to get sticky stuff of tables and glassware?  Well mayo will do the exact same thing for less money!  Rub mayo on bottles, tables, even your car to remove any sticky residue.  Let sit and wipe with a damp cloth.

3.  Use mayo to clean the house:  Shine up your piano keys and your plant leaves with a little mayo.  Florists use this trick all the time to make plants shine.  Simply wipe some mayo on your leaves and they will maintain a healthy shine for up to 6 months!  Mayo will also help remove the yellow residue from your ivory piano keys.

4.  Speaking of ivory…:  You can also get healthy nails by letting them chill in a mayo bath once or twice a week.  Rub a little bit of mayo onto your fingernails and let sit for 5-10 minutes.  Wash with warm water and you’re good to go.

5.  Get rid of those pesky water stains:  If you have a wooden table, you know how annoying those water rings can be.  Set a glass of water down for one second and you’ve got yourself a shiny ring that won’t seem to go away.  All you need to do is add some mayo!  Add some mayo to the area with the ring and let sit for 15 minutes.  Wipe off and buff that that ring right out!

Knowledge is power!  Learn fun facts, hints and tips, and creative ways to use every day items with “The Buzz” posts on Thursday.