Things to Do with Olive Oil Gone Bad

Have you ever wondered what to do with a $15.00 bottle of Extra Virgin Olive oil that has turned bitter? Have no fear, for I will soon produce some helpful tips that will help you scrimp and save in this era of dire economical straits.

First and foremost, we need to find out what it is that makes olive oil turn bitter. I am not of course referring to the mild bitterness of fine oils, but to the obvious bitterness that prevents you from eating your food.

Olive oil needs to be stored in dark and cool places. Exposure to heat and light will cause it to turn rancid. Users should always be sure to seal the bottle tightly, so as to limit the exposure to air. As I have mentioned in a previous article on italian Olive Oil, it is best to store it in a dark glass container. When shopping for olive oil I try to avoid the oil contained in plastic bottles or light, clear glass.

Olive oil will also grow rancid with time, so if your recently purchased olive oil is bad, inquire at the store about their storage system, it is highly possible that the fault lies with them. Writing a polite letter to the oil company may also yield you a free and fresh bottle or two.

Now that we know a little about the cause of the bitterness, it's time to turn to possible uses for your bitter and/or rancid olive oil.

1. Save the olive oil for squeaky door or cabinet hinges. You know that door that squeaks just when you're trying to softly tiptoe out of the baby's room, or escape the house unnoticed? Well, grab some of your olive oil and apply it to the hinges with a cloth or some cotton. Store the oil with your tools or cleaning supplies and don't forget to relabel it so it won't be mistakenly used in the kitchen.

2. Use it as candle oil. If the odor doesn't bother you too much, you can use the olive oil for your hannukah candles, sabbath candles or any other purpose. Olive oil is safe and burns efficiently.

3. Use it for your Diesel engine. Diesel engines can be converted to run on olive oil, amongst other things. Still, don't try this at home without consulting with experts in the field.

4. Use it to soften rough skin or lips, save on all those supermarket products.

5. A common home remedy for earaches: warm up some olive oil, dip a cotton ball in it and carefully put in the ailing ear.

There are many ways to scrimp and save and now is the perfect time to read up on the subject. Do not discard your olive oil that has gone bad!