There are some things we cannot live without, all because there's so many creative ways to use them.
I love every single Vicks VapoRubs hack, and now my next goal is to spread the word about these awesome cooking spray hacks.
I have so many bottles of PAM cooking spray at home, and I'm sure you do too. When you have them in bulk, the best thing to do is to know how to use them effectively.
1. Remove bugs
Bugs that stick on your home or car windows can be quite difficult to clean.
It's so easy to smear their insides all over your window, making the mess even worse.
To remove dead insects from your windows, bumpers, or anywhere else with ease, spray some cooking oil on them.
Wait a few minutes for the oil to work its magic and then wipe the area with a cloth.
2. Clean Soap Scum
Soap stains in your tub, shower, or sink are inevitable, and they can be a pain to clean.
Spraying cooking oil on soap scum will break down the mineral deposits and leave your kitchen surfaces sparkling clean.
If you're spraying oil anywhere that your feet may go, make sure you thoroughly wash that area to prevent anyone from slipping!
3. Shoveling snow
Shoveling snow is a pain in the back for everybody.
You strain your muscles trying to chip ice and snow seems to always stick to the shovel, making it heavier than it needs to be.
To make the process of clearing the snow on your driveway easier, lightly spray both sides of the snow shovel with cooking spray.
Snow will slide right off the shovel and you can chip at the ice with much more ease.
4. Lubricate Metal
Cooking spray will silence those squeaky door hinges without having them smell funny for days.
If you ever have trouble unlocking your door, and you're sure that you're using the right key, spray some cooking on your key or the interior of the lock.
This is a great hack to know if your key gets sticky from time to time.
5. On Your Nails
To get that perfect manicure, spray some oil on your fingernails to set the polish and make it dry faster.
The oil will also seep into your cuticles, making it look super moisturized and glossy.
6. Shine Water Valves
Your faucet has one purpose: to allow water to flow from it.
The only problem is the inevitable water stains that appear only a few times after using it.
Spray cooking oil on these fixtures to not only clean them, but to make them look shiny.
You'll also notice that your faucets won't get stained as fast as they used to.
7. Defrost Freezers
My freezer is quite small, so I'd like to be able to use every inch of it possible.
Unfortunately, half of its space is taken over by ice.
To prevent this from happening again, scrape as much ice off as you can, then spray the inside with cooking oil.
Next time you want to clean the ice, it won't feel like a workout because there won't be much to scrape off.
8. Clean Up Candle Wax
Lightly spray some cooking oil on your candle right before you light it up.
This will prevent the wax from sticking onto whatever surface you put it on.
9. Prevents Doors From Freezing
Cooking spray can help defrost your freezer, and it can prevent your car or house door from freezing shut in the winter.
If you know a big freeze is coming, spray some cooking oil on the door frame. You'll thank yourself the next day.
10. Remove Grease From Hands
Combat grease with more grease!
It might sound counter-intuitive, but spraying cooking oil on greasy or paint-stained hands actually works.
Spray the oil on your hands and massage. Then wash with soap and warm water.
Now that you're knowledgeable on how to use cooking spray for non-food uses, let's take a look at unusual ways to use PAM when preparing food products.
11. Cleaning Cheese Grater
Lightly spray your cheese grater with cooking oil to avoid grating cheese lumps.
By doing this, you're also making the process of cleaning the cheese grater easier.
I'm sure we've all had to clean the grater several times because someone wasn't able to scrub all the cheese off.
12. Measure Thick Syrups
If you only have one set of measuring cups like me, or are trying to save time and water, spray cooking oil on the bottom of your measuring utensil before you pour any sticky liquid on it.
The oil will prevent thick syrups like honey and maple syrup from sticking to the measuring cup or spoon so you can clean it easier and be able to use it for another ingredient right after.
13. Slicing Food
How are we supposed to imitate professional chefs if we can't mince food like they do?
The trick to slice food with ease, without having the minced pieces stick on your knife, is to coat the sharp object with cooking oil.
You'll look as fancy as Chef Ramsay in no time!
14. Prevent Food Stains
Most of my plastic storage containers are an orange-red hue. I've only had them for a few months, but they look like they've been used for years.
The plastic gets stained so fast, especially if you're storing sauces like tomato in them.
Instead of buying a pack every few months, coat a few brand new ones with some cooking spray to prevent these stains from happening again.
You'll have to do this every time you want to add a food that might change the color of the packaging.
15. Popcorn
The only reason my kids love cooking spray is for this reason.
Trying to get your popcorn oiled to perfection is not an easy task for anyone.
Cooking spray will coat the kernels evenly. Just spray and shake the pot, and spray again if needed.
