10 brilliant uses for shaving cream

1 Prevent a food stain from setting

While prepping for your barbecue, you get a dribble of mustard on your shirt and there’s no time to change. To the rescue: shaving cream! Just head into your bathroom and dampen the spot with water, then add a dab of foam shaving cream. Let sit for a minute; blot. Alcohol in the foam will lighten the stain, which will come out in the wash.

2 Silence a squeaky door hinge

If your bedroom door emits a loud screech every time you open it, try spraying a generous amount of foam shaving cream all over the hinges. Let sit for 30 seconds, then wipe away the excess with a paper towel. The oils in the shaving cream will coat the hinges just as well as other lubricants, but without the strong chemical odor.

3 Soothe a sunburn in seconds

You applied plenty of sunscreen on your weekend at the lake, but your skin is still a bit pink. To ease your discomfort without expensive after-sun lotions, gently massage a dollop of foam shaving cream on red patches. The menthol in shaving cream helps take the heat out of a sunburn for instant cooling relief.

4 Fog-proof swim goggles

If the little ones in your life complain that their goggles are fogged up, spray a generous amount of foam shaving cream on the inside and outside of the lenses and let sit for a minute, then wipe clean with a soft cloth. The shaving cream leaves behind a clear film that prevents fog-inducing moisture from clinging to the lenses.

5 Unstick a stubborn zipper

Argh! You can’t get your suitcase open after returning home from vacation. What can help: Rub a dime-size amount of foam shaving cream over the zipper’s teeth. The foam acts as a lubricant, allowing you to move the zipper so you can unpack.

6 Whiten grout for pennies

To nix bathroom mold, spray foam shaving cream on the grout after you shower. Let sit for 10 minutes; wipe clean with a damp cloth. The shower’s steam loosens gunk while shaving cream’s alcohol breaks down mildew.

7 Make little ones’ bath time more fun

Next time you’re tasked with giving the cutie in your life a bath, whip up a batch of foamy finger paint. To do: Fill a plastic bowl with foam shaving cream and add a few drops of food coloring. The foam will absorb the dye and your little one will have a blast drawing all over the tub with the “paint.” When bath time is over, as the tub drains, the paint will go down the drain with it.

8 Break in a new baseball glove

To get a stiff baseball mitt game-ready, use a clean cloth to rub foam shaving cream in the center of the glove, coating it completely. Then place a baseball inside and use a rubber band or string to tie the glove closed around the ball. Leave it overnight, then wipe away any excess oils in the morning. The lanolin in the shaving cream will soften the leather, making the glove more flexible.

9 Add gorgeous texture to hair

You’re getting ready for your girls’ night out but realize you’re all out of hair gel. The in-a-pinch trick that works just as well to create beachy waves: Work a small amount of foam shaving cream through wet strands and style as usual. Polymers in the cream will create soft texture—without leaving your hair sticky or crunchy.

10 Remove paint from skin

After a relaxing afternoon of painting, your hands are covered in dried-on paint. To remove the mess, apply a thick layer of foam shaving cream to hands and rub into skin. Rinse off with warm water. (Repeat as necessary.)

The shaving cream breaks down the pigments in oil paints so they can be rinsed away.