Peanut butter – who would have thought?

The nutty folks over at wisebread.com have some interesting alternative emergency round-the-house uses for our favourite sandwich treat – peanut butter!

Shaving cream

This is not a permanent replacement, but a good solution when you’re all out of shaving cream.

Spread a thin layer of smooth peanut butter on your face or legs and shave as usual.

The natural oils in peanut butter help moisturize the skin, too.

Ice-cream cone sealant

When you’re making an ice-cream cone, put a big blob of peanut butter, chunky or smooth, into the bottom of the cone. Then add your ice cream as usual. Now, the melting ice-cream won’t make the cone soggy or leaky, and you’ll have a delicious extra treat when you reach the bottom.

Bird feeder

Just tie a string to a pinecone, then cover it in peanut butter and roll it in birdseed.

Now you can hang this to a tree and make the birds pretty happy.

Pill disguiser

Ever tried giving a pill to a fussy child, or an equally fussy pet?

It’s a job Superman would have trouble accomplishing.

But a little peanut butter can hide the pill, and the taste, very easily. They may even want a little more.

Chewing gum remover

It seems like the worst thing you could do is pile peanut butter on top of a squashed piece of chewing gum, but it actually does work.

There is a method to this madness though. First, grab you hair dryer and heat up the gum, then rub with a plastic bag. Most of the goop should come out, but it won’t get it all.

Apply a small dab of peanut butter onto the remaining gum, and let is sit for 5-10 minutes.

Wipe it away with a damp cloth, and finish with warm water and dish soap, or your carpet shampooer if you have one. Job done. It also works on hair and clothing.

Odour eliminator

Fish. It’s delicious, it’s healthy. But boy, it can really leave a funky smell in your pans.

After you’ve cooked fish, put a tablespoon of smooth peanut butter in the pan and swirl it around. It will soak up the fishiness for you.

Glue remover

We’ve all been in that sticky situation, when we get more super glue on our hands and work surfaces than the object we’re trying to fix.

One way to remove the glue, without using harsh solvents and chemicals, is to rub peanut butter into your hands or the affected surfaces.

For really bad gluey fingers, hold them in the whole jar for several minutes (then throw it away, obviously).

Once again, it’s those precious oils that loosen the glue.

Wood scratch repairer

Just rub some smooth peanut butter into the scratch and let it soak for 30 minutes to one hour, then rub it away with a clean cloth and your scratch will be almost unnoticeable.

Squeak eliminator

Do you have squeaky door hinges, or other creaking objects that could use some lubrication?

Well, if you don’t have a can of oil handy, use the natural oils in peanut butter.

A little dab on the offending squeaker will keep it quiet for a while.