60 clever uses for salt – that don’t involve cooking

From beauty tips to household hacks, salt can be used for much more than seasoning food.

When it comes to red wine spills, it pays to act fast. First, while the stain is still wet, pour some white wine on it to dilute the colour of the stain. Then dab the spot with a sponge and cold water. Next, sprinkle the area with salt, wait about 10 minutes, and vacuum up the whole mess.

When spring cleaning, you should never skip these spots.

Move over, sugary lattes. If you drink your coffee unsweetened but prefer a less bitter brew, try tossing a pinch of salt into your mug. The seasoning contains sodium ions that neutralize or cancel out coffee’s bitter taste, research has found.  Cooking Light recommends adding about 1/8 teaspoon of salt into the ground coffee beans before turning on your coffee maker.

You should clean your fridge every three to six months to keep it looking (and smelling) good, but elbow grease alone doesn’t always do the trick. To lift stubborn food stains and smells, scrub the shelves with 1/2 cup of salt mixed with two litres of warm water.

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Countless studies have found that plastic and wood cutting boards harbour germs deep inside the grooves made by your knife. Luckily, you can keep bacteria at bay by adding one easy salt-scrub step to your washing routine. For plastic boards that you use to handle meat, sprinkle bleach and salt on the board, scrub it with a stiff brush, and rinse with hot water. Wood boards can be sanitised using salt, rubbed in with a lemon wedge, then rinsed clean.

Glasses or bottles can leave watermarks on wood that really stand out. Make them disappear by mixing 1 teaspoon salt with a few drops of water to form a paste. Gently rub the paste onto the ring with a soft cloth or sponge and work it over the spot until it’s gone. Then, restore the lustre of your wood with furniture polish.

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Hand and mop sponges usually get grungy long before they are actually worn out. To revive your sponges to a pristine state, soak them overnight in a solution of about 1/4 cup salt per litre of water.

If you get stung by a bee, salt is a natural salve. Immediately wet the sting and cover with salt to lessen the pain and reduce swelling.

Sneakers and other canvas shoes can get pretty smelly, especially if you wear them without socks in the summertime. Knock out the odour and soak up the moisture by occasionally sprinkling a little salt in your canvas shoes.

To speed up the healing process and prevent infections, soak new body piercing jewellery in salt water. Just be sure to use the correct ratio: The Piercing Bible recommends ¼ tsp of non-iodised salt for each cup of warm water. You can get too much of a good thing; water with high salt content can irritate your skin, according to the site.

A bucket of water is not necessarily the first thing you should grab in a fire; if you are dealing with a grease fire, water can actually cause the flames to spread. Instead, douse them in salt or baking soda, or quickly cover with a metal lid instead.

Store-bought mouthwash can contain toxic chemicals and other artificial ingredients. The all-natural alternative? Salt. Stir 1 tsp of cooking salt with 1 tsp of baking soda into half a cup of water, then gargle the mixture. The salt behaves like a disinfectant, killing off bacteria that causes bad breath.

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Salt’s dehydrating powers can actually help slow the growth of mould on cheese. To reduce food waste (and save money on groceries), dip a paper towel in a mixture of 2 tbsp salt and 3 cups of water, and then wrap it loosely around your cheese before refrigerating.

Warm soft drink, beer, and wine can spell disaster for any party host. But if you have salt on hand, chilling those beverages won’t take long. Place the bottles and cans in a bucket of ice water and mix in a handful of salt. Once the salt works its magic, the beverages will be cold in no time.

Perhaps the grass on your lawn has seen better (read: greener) days. For an inexpensive fertiliser, mix two tablespoons of Epsom salt and three litres of water in a spray bottle, and apply it to the grass. Epsom salt contains magnesium, which boosts a plant’s production of chlorophyll – the pigment responsible for their green hue.

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The next time you wake up that tell-tale tickle, mix some table salt in a glass of warm water and gargle for 30 seconds to ease the pain. It’s not just an old wives’ tale – salt can actually flush out mucus and other irritants that cause a sore throat.

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A new item of clothing won’t run in the wash if you soak it in salt water first. Combine two litres of water with 1/3 cup vinegar and ½ cup salt, and then leave your garment in the solution for one hour. Rinse it off until the water runs clear.

Not sure about that weeks-old egg carton sitting in the back of the fridge? Place an egg in a bowl of saltwater. If it sinks, your batch is fresh. An egg that is rotten, on the other hand, will float.

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While chemical-filled pesticides can protect your garden from snails and slugs, they also pose a danger to animals and young children. For an all-natural repellent, roll the seeds in table salt before covering them with dirt. The pests will steer clear long enough to give your seedlings a fighting chance.

Like snails and slugs, fleas are not fans of salt. If your pup is scratching up a storm, bathe them in a salty solution instead of water and soap. And it can’t hurt to wash the doghouse or pet bedding with saltwater, too. Salt will dehydrate the pests, protecting your four-legged friend from itchy bites.

Uh, oh – your once-beautiful bouquet has wilted, leaving cloudy deposits of minerals on the vase interior. Reach inside the vase, rub the offending ring of deposits with salt, then wash with soapy water. If your hand won’t fit inside, fill the vase with a strong solution of salt and water, shake it or brush gently with a bottle brush. then wash. This should clear away the residue.

When poison ivy erupts, salt to the rescue! Relieve the itch caused by poison ivy by soaking in a hot salt water bath.

Wicker furniture tends to yellow with age and exposure to the sun and elements. To keep your wicker natural-looking, scrub it with a stiff brush dipped in warm salt water. Let the piece dry in the sun. Repeat this process every year or every other year for best results.

This homemade face mask requires just two pantry staples: salt and olive oil. Make a paste using 1/4 cup of salt and ½ cup of olive oil, and gently apply it to your skin in a circular motion. Leave the mask in place for five minutes before washing it off. The moisturizing olive oil and exfoliating salt will leave your face, hands, and even lips feeling soft and refreshed.

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Nothing distracts from a gorgeous candle display like messy wax drips, and believe it or not there is a right way to burn candles. To keep them from dripping, create a ‘shell’ around the wax and trap the drips inside by using this saltwater trick. Place your candles in a large, flat dish and soak them in a saltwater solution (2 cups water and 2 tbsp salt) for 24 hours, then dry them well. Now when you light the candles, they won’t make such a mess.

Some laundry products are a waste of money.  Before you splurge on pricy stain-lifters, try treating stubborn grass stains with lemon and salt first. Squeeze lemon juice over the stain, sprinkling on a thick layer of salt, and then rub the stain with a lemon rind and watch it fade away.

Stacking wood in a fireplace is a combination of art and science. But how do you safely put one out? Douse the flames with salt. The fire will burn out more quickly, so you’ll wind up with less soot than if you let it smoulder. Clean-up the next day will be easier, too, because the salt helps the ashes and residue gather into easy sweepings.

No time to hit the nail salon? No problem. At home, mix one teaspoon each of salt, baking soda, and lemon juice in 1/2 cup of hot water, and soak your fingertips in the mixture for 10 minutes. Then, scrub your nails to rinse them off. The treatment will soften your cuticles and strengthen your nails. Bonus: dig your nails into the rind of the lemon, and your nails will look brighter and healthier too.

To remove mineral deposits in a fish tank that were caused by hard water, rub the inside of the tank with salt, then rinse the tank well. Now your tank is ready for re-use. When choosing what type of salt to clean with, be sure to use plain, not iodised, salt to protect the health of the fish who will inhabit the tank.

Cracks in cement allow just enough space for pesky, unattractive grass or weeds to grow – and they are tough to treat with an average weed-whacker. Try sprinkling salt and pouring hot water over the area, instead. The weeds will shrivel, leaving behind a spotless sidewalk or driveway.

Here are more ways to keep garden weeds under control.

You may not cry over spilled milk, but a sticky, broken egg on the floor might be worthy of a few tears. Shake some salt over the mess and leave it alone for 20 minutes. When you come back to it, you’ll be able to clean the egg right up – no scrubbing required.

Glassware with leftover lipstick stains can be a major turn-off for houseguests. To get rid of the marks fast, rub the rims with salt and toss the glasses into the dishwasher. They will shine like new in no time, guaranteed.

Salt is a great medium for keeping artificial flowers in the arrangement you want. Fill a vase or other container with salt, add a little cold water, and arrange your artificial flowers. The salt will solidify, helping the flowers stay put.

When it comes to laundry, some things should never go in the dryer. When line-drying the old-fashioned way, try tossing a bit of salt in your next load. The extra blast of sodium will keep your clothes from freezing on the clothesline in cold weather. You can also prevent clothes from sticking to the line by soaking the rope itself in salt.

Strange, but true: if ants are beating a path to your home, you can intercept them by sprinkling salt across the door frame or directly on their paths. Ants will be discouraged from crossing this barrier.

There are foods that whiten your teeth, and those that stain them.  But brushing your teeth with salt once a week can brighten up your smile. Yes, really! Salt is a gentle and all-natural abrasive, helping to remove stains on your teeth. What’s more “sea salts can temporarily raise the pH in your mouth, which makes it more difficult for bacteria to thrive” and protects your gums from injury and disease, says dentist, Dr William Graves.

Read on for more of the best tips to healthy white teeth.

When cleaning household items that are silver, take care; there are tricks to polishing silver. To shine your candlesticks or remove green tarnish from copper items, make a paste by mixing equal parts salt, flour, and vinegar. Use a soft cloth to rub this over the item, then rinse with warm, soapy water and buff back to its original shine.

Keep slices of fresh fruit looking, well, fresh by dipping them in a salt solution – 1/8 tspn of salt and one cup of water – for a few minutes. Don’t forget to give them a quick rinse in fresh water, or you will be chomping down on salty fruit. The same trick works for potatoes and pears too.

An old-fashioned broom can still be a homeowner’s best friend. But a broom’s bristles can be magnets for dirt and dust. Soaking them in a bucket of hot salty water for 30 minutes will loosen up the grime. Then just wipe them off with an old cloth and leave to dry.

Chefs prize salt as an ingredient that can amp up the taste of almost any dish. Well, it can also be used to fix a home cook’s worst nightmare – oven spills. Covering a spill immediately with salt will not only stop smoke and odours from building, but the mess will also be easier to wipe up after the oven cools.

Fixing a clogged drain doesn’t necessarily require a plumber. Try this quick DIY fix: combine 1 cup of salt with 1 cup of baking soda and 1/2 cup of white vinegar, and then pour it down the drain. Let it sit for 10 minutes before pouring about two litres of boiling water down the drain. Finally, turn on the hot water tap and let it flow; after a few seconds, water should be running freely down the drain.

The bristles on your toothbrush can last a lot longer with one simple trick. Place a new brush inside a small bowl or cup of hot water and salt – making sure the bristles are fully submerged – and allow it to soak for 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse well with clean water, and your toothbrush is good for another few months.

Believe it or not, that white undershirt with yellow perspiration stains might not be a lost cause. Sweat-stained garments can be revived by soaking them in a pot of boiling water that’s been seasoned with a few tablespoons of salt and baking soda.

When salt can be an effective treatment for dandruff, why bust your budget on expensive shampoo? Simply sprinkle some salt into your scalp, massage your head for five minutes, rinse, then shampoo as usual. The salt will exfoliate the dry skin on your scalp, and your hair will be squeaky clean after you shampoo.

Minerals from hard water can accumulate on your iron’s metal plate, and that can translate into stains on your freshly laundered and ironed clothes. To get your iron sparkling clean, turn it on its highest setting, then toss a pinch of table salt onto your ironing board and press the iron over it. This trick should remove any gunk.

You probably know that salt will decrease the temperature at which ice freezes. This doesn’t just come in handy for icy roads and footpaths, though; it can also keep your home’s windows free of frost. Simply wipe them with a sponge dipped in salt water, and then let them dry.

Artificial flowers – whether they are authentic silk ones or the more common nylon variety – can get dusty and fade over time. But you can refresh them by placing them in a paper bag with 1/4 cup salt. Give the bag a few gentle shakes, and your flowers will emerge as clean as the day you bought them.

Eating too much salt can make you puffy, so it may seem counterintuitive that applying salt can be a remedy to swollen eyelids. Pour ½ tsp of salt into a cup of hot water and stir well, then soak a few cotton balls in the mixture and press them gently against your eyes. Voila! – puffiness problem solved.

When your milk is approaching the carton expiration date, you can keep it fresh a few extra days longer by tossing a bit of salt into the carton and giving it a gentle shake.

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Blood stains are notoriously tough to remove from linens. We recommend a cold saltwater soak.

If your pots and pans are dotted with stubborn food stains, leave them to soak in salt water overnight. The salt will soften and lift almost any kind of residue, making those dishes much easier to clean in the morning.

To say goodbye to grungy grease stains on your carpets and couches mix one-part salt to four parts alcohol rubbing vigorously into the area. In the case of carpets, rub in the direction of its natural nap. The stain should fade away easily.

When soot builds up in your chimney, shake a generous amount of salt onto the coals after your next fire to boost air circulation, prevent chimney fires, and give flames a yellow glow.

Rusty knives make kitchen prep scary. Fear not: you can clean rust stains from knives with just 6 tbsp of salt and 2 tbsp lemon juice. Combine the two ingredients to create a paste and carefully rub it onto the rusted area using a soft, dry cloth. Rinse well then dry, and your knives will look good as new.

Here are some useful food safety tips for proper food handling.

For relief from the itching of mosquito bites, soak the area in salt water, then apply a coating of lard or vegetable oil.

Rub a bag of salt on the windshield and windows of your car each winter. The salt will decrease the temperature at which water freezes, keeping the car windows clear of ice or snow.

Did your favourite shirt fade in the wash? Try this: dip a washcloth in a strong saltwater solution, wring it out, and rub the garment. Doing so should brighten its colours. This works for faded rugs and curtains, too.

No need to panic over an overflowing washing machine or dishwasher. Stop the suds from spreading by sprinkling salt over the mess until you can grab some extra towels.

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A new straw broom will last longer if you soak its bristles in a bucket of hot, salty water. After about 20 minutes, remove the broom and let it dry.

A bit of salt can make mugs and china cups sparkle like new again; just give each piece a quick scrub with salt and then rinse them in hot water.

Relieve a painful sunburn by spraying an Epsom salt and water mixture to the burnt area. The salt won’t heal the burn, but it will ease irritation and redness.

Stay sun-safe this summer with these skincare tips dermatologists follow.

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Source: RD.com