8 Brilliant Uses for Shaving Cream

Shaving cream makes our arms and legs silky smooth, but it's other uses as well. This shower staple works wonders around the house - whether you need to unzip a stubborn zipper or remove pet stains. Here are 8 ingenious uses for shaving cream that will make everyday life a breeze.

1. Eliminate crayon stains from walls.
Oops On a rainy afternoon, your little artist decided to test her drawing skills - on your wall. An easy way to remove the crayon residue: coat the marks with shaving foam, let it sit for three minutes, and then wipe it away with a damp cloth. The concentrated soaps in the foam will quickly dissolve the waxy marks, leaving your wall spotless again.

2. Add volume to your hair.
Styling your hair into beachy waves for a pool party and realize you don't have any mousse with you? Then reach for shaving cream! Simply work a small amount into wet strands and style as usual. The polymers in the cream provide a soft, non-sticky, volumizing texture for an effortless hairstyle that wows!

3. Loosen a stubborn zipper.
You want to spend an evening outdoors watching the stars, but when you go to put on your jacket, the zipper won't open. To the rescue: rub an inch-sized amount of shaving cream over the zipper's teeth. The cream acts like a lubricant, making it easy to open and close the zipper. In no time at all, you can stare at the sky again!

4. Make sure your swimming goggles are fog-free.
Your swim goggles are key when you wear contacts, but they often fog up and cloud your vision. To prevent this, spray a generous amount of shaving cream on the inside and outside of your lenses. Let it sit for a minute and then wipe it off with a soft cloth. The shaving foam leaves a clear coating that prevents fogging moisture from accumulating on the lenses.

5. Stop a hinge from squeaking.
Front door making an annoying squeak every time you open it? Silence it by spraying a small amount of shaving cream on an old toothbrush, then brush the cream into the cracks and crevices of the hinge. The glycerin in the cream acts as a lubricant, while the lanolin locks in the glycerin's moisture.

6. Make a trash can shine.
The trick to a shiny stainless steel trash can: squirt shaving cream onto a soft, clean rag and wipe it all over the trash can. The surfactants and emulsifiers in the cream act as gentle cleaners, removing grime and polishing the steel without leaving streaks as dripping soap would.

7. Prevents pet stains from taking hold.
Oops Buster had a little accident on your carpet, and you're out of carpet cleaner. To the rescue: shaving cream! Just cover the stain with the cream and let it soak in. After 15 minutes, rub the stain with a towel dampened with hot water. The glycerin and alcohol in the shaving cream will dissolve the stain, leaving your carpet looking and smelling fresh again. (Test the cream on a small area of the carpet first)

8. Revive a baseball glove.
You've pulled out your old baseball glove for the little one in your life, but it's gotten a little stiff. The solution: rub shaving cream on the center of the glove with a clean cloth until it's completely covered. Then place a baseball inside and use a rubber band to close the glove around the ball overnight. The lanolin in the shaving cream softens the leather, allowing the ball to reshape and become more flexible.