Is it OK to use motor oil instead of household oil for hardware lubrication?
I use regular oil as well for things like you are asking. I would get a small pump oil can to help dispensing the oil. On hinges, to keep the mess down, remove the pin, coat it in oil, let the excess run off and reinsert the pin. You could still run a little over the surface of the hinge barrel but obviously you will need to keep a wipe rag handy.