How can I reuse or recycle vegetable shortening?

We’ve had an email from Barb, asking:

Hi, I have about two pounds of vegetable shortening I bought last year and didn’t use up that is out of date now and a tad rancid. Does anyone know how this can be reused or recycled? It has been sitting on the kitchen counter for days while I tried to devise a way to reuse it.

Because it’s just a fat, I think you can use it as a general lubricant – and there seems to be a number of household uses for it if it’s not utterly rancid.

Apparently, it can be used to remove tar or lipstick from clothes, ink from hands or surfaces, protect and revitalise wooden balls & chopping boards, help nappy rash, stop snow sticking to a shovel and – something we all need to do constantly – make clown make-up.

You can also apparently use it as an, ahem, personal lubricant but be aware that like Vaseline and all oil-based lubricants, it shouldn’t be used with condoms as it can cause the latex to degrade.

Any other suggestions?

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2 Responses to “How can I reuse or recycle vegetable shortening?”


  1. trish says:

    You can use it to greasy things that animals might get to. I used it to grease my hamster wheel so it would stop squeaking every time he’d run in it.

  2. fuchsoid says:

    You could use it to make soap, by boiling it up with lye. Ther are plenty of recipes about, if you google for them.