10 Things You Didn't Know You Could Do With Peanut Butter Slideshow

Gone are the days where peanut butter can only be used as a smear for bread or bananas.  Peanut butter is a go-to condiment for the base of dressings, marinades, and dipping sauces. You can use peanut butter to dress everything from poultry, to noodles, to satay. Let us not forget peanut butter as a key ingredient in comfort food desserts. Many a childhood memory is laced with visuals of fork tines indenting peanut butter cookies or plunging into the decadence of a traditional southern peanut butter pie.

Often found in smoothies or paired with apples or celery, peanut butter is a protein-packed, healthy snack for kids and adults alike. Here's the kicker though: Your health isn't the only thing that could benefit from eating peanut butter. Your skin and the texture of your hair improves with topical application of the nut butter. The smooth treat can also help repair scratches on your household surfaces and appliances. This edible, all-utility spread wears many hats as a cleanser, bait, lubricant, shaving cream, and so much more.

Peanut butter is fairly cheap and found in every supermarket and drugstore. It's not just a must-have staple for the home cook. It's a must-have staple for the home, period. Creamy or chunky, savory or sweet, you'd be nuts (yes, I went there) to not see the versatility of peanut butter.

Soni Satpathy also contributed to this story.

Smoother Skin

Whether you desire a clean, close shave for your face or your legs, peanut butter is a great gender neutral cream to help keep nicks at bay and help you maintain your post shave sheen. You don't want to use a crunchy peanut butter as the texture will be abrasive. A creamy peanut butter works wonders. The oil in the peanut butter serves as a natural moisturizer for the skin. Simply apply as you would a shave gel or cream and shave away.  

Lustrous Hair

Move over expensive keratin hair oils. A little peanut butter goes a long way for healthy, shiny locks. Massage a small amount into your scalp and remove with shampoo. 

Leather Furniture Polish

Give yourself and your furniture the luster it deserves. Work a dollop of smooth peanut butter in a circular motion on furniture surface and wipe away with a soft cloth. A drop of perfumed oil in the peanut butter will help eliminate an overwhelming peanut butter smell.

Wood Polish

Scratches in furniture are almost completely eliminated with this trick: gently rub smooth peanut butter into the wood surface. Allow it to rest for an hour and use a buffering cloth for wiping. 

DVD/CD Repair

Application of creamy peanut butter on a scratched  CD/DVD will eliminate skipping. Be sure to wipe the peanut butter off the surface with a dry, soft cloth. That is, if you still use CD's instead of your smartphone.

Insect Bait

Some countries eat these creatures, but if you're anything like us you don't want them lurking in your kitchen. Mixing peanut butter with borax and leaving it on a plastic lid or disposable surface will attract ants and roaches. They'll get stuck in the peanut butter and in one final swoop, you can discard the lid with critters.

Mice Bait

Tom and Jerry made us believe that a wedge of cheese perched on a mousetrap is a surefire way in trapping a mouse. In reality however, peanut butter is the preferred food of choice for mice. Simply place peanut butter on the trap and you'll soon catch your unwanted guest. 

Elimination of Squeaks

No, we're not still talking about getting rid of squeaking mice. Peanut butter works on squeaks from inanimate objects, too. Save a trip to the hardware store and instead rely on peanut butter's oils to lubricate squeaky drawers and hinges. 

Tool Lubricant

Tools such as saws and lawn blades get their second wind from peanut butter. The oils help in working as a natural lubricant for all your tools. 

Gum Removal

Whether its gum stuck in your hair, in your carpet, or on the bottom of your shoe, peanut butter will help remove it in a jiffy! Place the peanut butter over gum, let it sit, and then remove with a cloth. Getting gum stuck is gross, but chewing it could actually really be good for you. If you're not sure which stick to choose, here's our opinions from our ultimate chewing gum taste test!