The many uses of salt

Salt is a great seasoning to use, and it is used as a natural preservative because it prohibits the growth of mold, bacteria and yeast, but did you know that salt has more than 14,000 uses? Because salt is non-toxic, you can use it in a myriad of ways all around your house.

1. Sprinkle salt on spills and it will absorb the liquid from coffee, tea or wine spills, making it easier to remove the stains.

2. Mix a little salt with vinegar to clean your hands after you’ve handled raw onions to remove the odor of the onions. This solution will also remove food stains from your hands, such as beet juice or food colorings.

3. Use salt to clean your cast iron pans. Simply sprinkle some in your pan and rub it with a dry cloth.

4. Remove stains (and deodorize) your cutting boards by rubbing them with salt and a little lemon juice.

    

5. Form a paste with salt and vinegar and use it to polish brass, copper and silver. After rubbing on the paste, rinse and dry the objects; they’ll look shiny and new again.

6. Add several tablespoons of salt to a gallon of warm water and clean the windows in your house and car with it. The solution loosens grime and will even keep ice from forming on your windows when the temperature drops below freezing.

7. Clean and refresh your silk flowers by putting several cups of salt and your flowers in a paper grocery bag and shaking them for several minutes.

8. Put 1 tablespoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of vinegar in your stained tea and coffee cups. Let the liquid stand in the cups for a few hours, then wash and rinse—the coffee and tea stains will be gone.

Salt in beauty & Health

Salt can be used as an effective home remedy to alleviate health conditions.

1. Add salt to olive oil or any carrier oil, such as lavender, to form a bath scrub. Rub it all over your body before you shower. The salt removes dead skin cells and rejuvenates your skin.

2. Put a cup of salt in your bath water and soak for a half hour. The salt helps draw toxins out of the pores of your skin. If you have Epsom salt, that works the best.

3. Freshen your hair by dissolving some salt and warm water in a spray bottle. Spritz it lightly on your hair to give it some shine and volume.

4. Dissolve salt in warm water and swish it in your mouth for a few minutes. It makes a great mouth wash. Warm salt water will also ease toothaches and mouth sores.

5. Gargle with warm salt water to ease a sore throat. Let 1 teaspoon of salt dissolve in a glass of warm water before you gargle.

6. Combine salt with a little bit of baking soda and water and use it as a toothpaste.

7. Moisten insect stings with some water and apply salt to the sting. This trick not only takes the sting out, it will stop mosquito bites from itching.

8. Give your face a lift by mixing 1 tablespoon of salt into 1 tablespoon of olive oil and massaging it into your face and neck. After your massage, wash and rinse your face. The mixture of salt and oil makes a great toner for your skin.

9. Control dandruff by sprinkling and massaging 1 tablespoon of salt into your dry hair. Let it stay in your hair for 5 minutes, then shampoo and rinse your hair.

Salt in the Kitchen & Laundry

Here are some other ways to use salt in your kitchen—and in your laundry room.

1. 1
   Soak fish in salt water for five minutes and the fish will be much easier to scale.
   
   

   
2. 2
   Add a dash of salt to your coffee grounds before you begin to brew; your coffee will taste better if you are using inferior coffee beans since the salt cuts the bitterness.
   
   

   
3. 3
   Dip apples, pears or other non-acidic fruits in lightly salted water and the fruit will not turn brown.
   
   

   
4. 4
   Layer salt and ice in an ice bucket to chill your Champagne or wine quickly.
   
   

   
5. 5
   Smother a small grease fire by tossing a handful of salt on it. If a spill on the bottom of your oven starts to smoke, toss some salt on it and it will stop the smoke, too.
   
   

   
6. 6
   Sprinkle a line of salt on your counter top to stop ants. The ants will not cross over a line of salt.
   
   

   
7. 7
   Add a few tablespoons of salt to the final rinse of your laundry. Your clothes will not freeze on the clothesline during cold weather.
   
   

   
8. 8
   Add 1 cup of course salt to your wash to soften new blue jeans and to stop colors from fading.
   
   

   
9. 9
   Dissolve excess soap suds by sprinkling some salt on them.
   
   

   

Other Great Uses for Salt

Try some of these salt solutions for common, everyday problems.

1. 1
   Toss salt on icy walkways to melt the ice.
   
2. 2
   Add 1 part salt to 3 parts of boiling water and pour it on the weeds in your garden. This is a great non-toxic solution for killing weeds. You can also sprinkle dry salt into any crack or crevice where you don’t want grass to grow; the salt will kill the grass.
   
   

   
3. 3
   Sprinkle salt in your carpets and let it sit overnight. Vacuum the carpet the following day and your carpets will be fresher and the salt odor will help to repel fleas. Rinsing your pet’s bedding in salt water will also help control fleas.
   
   

   
4. 4
   Make a line of salt along the perimeter of your garden to control slugs. The salt draws moisture from the slugs, which kills them.
   
   

   

   
   

   Tips

• Add 1 cup salt to 2 cups washing detergent when dyeing jeans; it helps color blend well.
• For repelling ants, sprinkle a bit of salt around your house foundation. It repels ants and keeps ants out.
• For sore muscles or fresh new bad bruise, rub moistened Epsom salts on the sore place and if possible keep a poultice of damp Epsom salts on the area for about 1 hour. The muscle will feel much better and what would have been a bad bruise will fade quickly and be far less painful. If you have bursitis you can also use this method.
• When it comes right down to it, salt is salt. It all comes from the ocean, so there is no need to pay for gourmet salt for household uses.
• Keep several boxes of regular table salt and several boxes of course salt on hand. Store some of your salt in the laundry room and in your garden shed so it is handy when you need it.