Any non-food use for olive oil?

[Andrew Gabriel]

Bought some extra virgin olive oil some years ago. It wasn't brilliant, didn't get used very much, and eventually got abandoned in favour of a better one. Still have two 1l bottles in the garage, long way past the use-by date, and it's got even worse with age - now smells rather like oil based gloss paint. (I'm dubious about contamination from the plastic bottles - only by it in glass bottles now.) Can anyone think of anything useful to do with it which doesn't involve eating it (or smelling it)?

[sm_jamieson]

What about hearing it ? Does putting it in your ear count ;-? They used to put warm oil in the ear to soften wax. In fact you had to buy it from the chemist. Simon.

[S Viemeister]

Rub into wooden fencing?

[ericp]

Flog it to JoeJoe for his furniture?

[Jim]

I use olive oil as recommended for lubricating the seal on our Thetford caravan toilet. But that's no use unless you have one!

How about using it in an oil candle?

[Dave Liquorice]

Got a diesel? Fill up and pour it in. 2l diluted with a tank full of dino diesel isn't going to knacker and seals or clog the filter with released gunk. Might mix it into a dino diesel outside the car first just to ensure that it doesn't do something silly and get it dispersed.

[Simon]

Maybe not ideal but my brother-in-law used olive oil on some squeaky door hinges when a combination of being too drunk and too lazy to go out to the garage to get something more suitable (kitchen cupboard was nearer!). Seemed to work well enough at the time, although it was top quality extra virgin olive oil! I'm sure used in small quantities the smell won't be too noticeable

[Thomas Prufer]

Thomas Prufer

[The Medway Handyman]

Sell it to Steve Firth?

[Alan]

In message , The Medway Handyman wrote

Now that it has matured, like a fine wine, he will not be able to afford it. He would be better off buying quality virgin olive oil in glass bottles from Aldi now that they've reduced the price even further (and its recommended by Which?).

[Peter Twydell]

In message , Andrew Gabriel writes

Years ago an American colleague told me he used to participate in Mazola (corn oil) parties. It was a long time ago and my memory isn't what it was, but I think there was something about rubber sheets and young ladies...

[Bob Eager]

Newsgroup arguments.

[NT]

Its no use as a lubricant, it polymerises after a while to a very sticky stiff gloop. Fine as a woodscrew lube.

NT

[ransley]

Its a food, it went bad because of age not the plastic, freezing it would have kept it fine, all food oils will go bad, just as will many whole grains go bad in a few months. Uses for rancid cooking oils? the garbage.

[Stuart Noble]

Chuck some caustic soda in and convert it to soap. Knight's Castille was made that way I think.

[The Natural Philosopher]

put a cupful into every tank of diesel.

[Piers Finlayson]

I wouldn't put dodgy smelling old olive oil in my ear, but I have put nice fresh olive oil in there when I needed to clear out wax.

[terry]

drew

Make 'strong' smelling soap?

[zaax]

stick it in you're ear

[tim....]

Yep

Olive Oil was available for this purpose long before the foodies discovered that we should use it in food

tim