Salt is well-known to be one of the most versatile ingredients out there. Yes, it doesn’t only add flavor to your food, it can do much more!
From disinfecting a wooden cutting board, to keeping dark jeans from fading, to rescuing a bitter cup of coffee and mildew-proofing a shower curtain, the list goes on. Here are 10 of the best uses of salt that you should know!
10 Best Uses of Salt
1. Disinfect a wooden cutting board
Colorful foods always leave stains on your cutting board. Sprinkle salt all over the board, wet a sponge with hot water and rub the salt in until the marks are gone, then wipe with a towel. The granules will scour away any lingering food particles, cutting stains, odors and the risk of bacterial growth.
2. Mildew-proof a shower curtain
Fill your tub with water and 2 cups of salt and submerge the curtain for 1 hour, then hang without rinsing. The soak will impart an invisible coat of sodium crystals that will prevent mildew from forming on the plastic. Repeat up to four times a year.
3. Keep dark jeans from fading
To prevent the dark denim from fading or bleeding onto other clothing, wash the jeans by themselves twice, adding cup of salt to the wash cycle each time. Salt helps set dye pigments, ensuring the color won’t bleed. (After two treatments, wash the jeans as usual.)
4. Quickly clear your pet’s stuffy nose
If your pet seems congested, help it breathe easier with saline nose drops. To do: Fill a dropper with a mixture of 1⁄2 tsp. of salt, 1⁄2 tsp. of baking soda and 1 cup of distilled water. Hold the dropper in one hand and tip her head back with the other, then place a drop or two in each nostril. The saline solution will thin and flush out mucus to relieve your pet’s symptoms. Repeat twice a day until she’s feeling better.
5. De-puff tired eyes in minutes
Add 1 tsp. of salt to a cup of warm water. Dip two cotton balls or pads into the solution, then lie back and place them over your closed eyes for 5 minutes. The warm water will open pores around the eyes so the salt can draw out the retained moisture that causes swelling.
6. Rescue a bitter cup of coffee
Grab a sachet of salt and add a pinch to balance the coffee’s acidity. You will get a delicious morning brew-with no salty taste.
7. Repel ants with ease
Spread table salt near nooks and corners to keep ants away. A line of salt creates a barrier that repels ants, and while it may not kill them, a thicker line of salt will temporarily repel them.
8. Remove sticky iron residue
If you’re worried that scorch marks on your iron’s plate might get transferred to your clothes and damage the fabric, grab the saltshaker. Simply lay a sheet of wax paper on your ironing board, sprinkle a handful of salt on top and run the hot iron over the paper. The heat will soften the residue, allowing the coarse salt to scrub it off the metal plate. Then turn off the iron, let cool and wipe the plate with a damp cloth.
9. Clear a clogged pipe
Mix 2 Tbs. of salt with 2 cups of carbonated water and pour down the drain. Wait 1 minute, then run the hottest tap water for 10 seconds. The abrasive salt and carbonated water will break down the blockage and the scalding water will wash it away.
10. Erase stains
To save your clothes after a wine spill, ink stains, sweat stains or blood stains. blot with paper towels, then drape the fabric over a bowl, centering the stain inside the rim. Next, pour cool water over the affected area and apply a paste of salt mixed with dish soap to absorb the stain. Scrub the stain gently and wash it as usual.
11. Get soft smooth lips.
Mix salt with honey to make a lip scrub, using a soft toothbrush. Brush the scrub on your lips for 30 secs and wipe it off.
12. Keep flowers fresh for long
Add a dash of salt with water in the vase and keep cut flowers fresh for longer.
13. Keep milk fresh for long
Add a pinch of salt to your milk carton, close and shake well to keep it fresh for long.
14. Test egg freshness
First, fill a bowl or glass with water and dash of salt and gently place your eggs in it. Very fresh eggs will sink to the bottom and the egg lies horizontally, it’s at its freshest. Any eggs that are too old to eat will float to the surface.
15. Week killer
Mix 1 cup table salt, 1 tbsp dish soap and 1 gallon vinegar ( 30% strength) . Then, pour it into a spray can and shake it well. You can use the spray can or even transfer some of the liquid into a small spray bottle and then spray it over the weeds.