Butter, the cook’s trusty sidekick, adds creamy deliciousness to meals and baked goods. However, it turns out that butter is a clever little thing, making itself useful in more ways than one.

Here are 6 uses for butter that have nothing to do with food …

1. Help young children swallow large tablets

Young children often find it difficult to swallow large pills / tablets during the cold and flu season. If you have a child who finds it difficult to swallow a tablet, simply coat it in butter, and voila, an easy swallow and tasty tablet / pill for your child.

2. De-squeak hinges

Tired of that old door squeaking whenever your kids use the bathroom in the middle of the night? Don’t waste your money on WD-40, when all you need is a little bit of good old butter. Simply grab a small stick of butter and slather it on the hinge, making sure to completely cover all surfaces.

3. Calm down a stressed cat

Have a cat that just won’t cooperate when it’s in a cage on the way to the vet? Simply put a few dabs of butter on the paws of the stressed kitty, and they will lick themselves clean. This gives them time to calm their nerves.

4.  Prevent pasta water from boiling over

Busy watching the kids, doing the taxes, cleaning the house and making dinner? With so much on your plate, looking after the stove can be a stressful experience. To prevent a pot of water from boiling over, simply add a pat or two of butter to the pot and you’re set.

5. Work a ring off your finger

Next time you need a ring off your finger and aren’t keen on looking for the hacksaw in the shed that was supposed to be cleaned up, look no further than your good friend butter. Simply warm some butter, and work it around your ring, it should slip off in no time at all.

6. Keep hard cheeses delicious longer

Sick of finally getting around to finishing that cheese block, only to find that it is mouldy? Simply slap a small amount of butter on the cut part of the cheese to keen it in good condition for longer.

What do you use butter for that wouldn’t be considered conventional?

Image courtesy of Shutterstock.com