Motor oil is an essential component for most of us, with lubricants from key brands like Shell, Mobil, Fuchs, and Q8 ensuring our cars continue to operate at the optimum level of performance.
However, working out what to do with oil once it has been used can be an issue, but it doesn’t have to be as these five uses for oil around the home will helpfully show:
1. Lawnmowers
It is important to remember that quality motor lubricants will work in other engines around the home, such as the lawnmower or chainsaw. However, the recycled oil can also be used to lubricate lawnmower, bike, and other types of chain when specially designed materials aren’t available.
2. Pests
In small amounts and where there is no special chemical for the task in hand, motor oil can be used to get rid of unwanted pest problems. Ideal for putting on the entrances of ants, wasps and mosquito nests for example, used sparingly and infrequently it can be a summer lifesaver.
3. Home recycling
Following freely available information, it is also possible to recycle used motor oil to use again, if taking it to a collection point is not practical. As with all reuses of oil though, ensuring it is properly filtered to remove sediment is essential.
4. Oil heaters
Burning at a different temperature, motor oil in home heaters should be used cautiously. However, mixing used and filtered oil with much larger quantities of burning oil can make your supply last longer. It’s also possible to buy heaters specially made to burn motor oil; ideal for the garage.
5. Wood burners
Motor oil can also, very carefully, be used as an addition to wood burning stoves. With professional advice, it is possible to introduce a system that gently feeds in filtered motor oil. This increases its temperature, ideal for winter evenings, but caution is necessary.
Please be cautious about the environmental affects that your actions may have.
