Salt is a kind of staples you at all times have within the kitchen. However don’t restrict its use to only flavoring meals. It’s a real family workhorse and we’ve discovered greater than two dozen hacks past the same old culinary makes use of.
Salt makes meals style higher, nevertheless it’s additionally nice for cleansing due to its absorbent qualities. You should utilize salt round your property for all kinds of cleanup jobs or incorporate it in your self-care routine. Salt scrub, anybody?
Skip the costly cleaners and seize your salt shaker. We’ve gathered 26 completely different makes use of for salt that may shock you.
What Sort of Salt Ought to You Use?
While you consider salt, you most likely consider fine-grain desk salt, however you may often want sea salt, kosher salt or Epsom salt for these hacks.
Iodized desk salt is the most cost effective possibility — 26 ounces of Walmart’s Nice Worth retailer model is simply $.48 — and the almost certainly one to be in your cupboard. The finer grains make it an amazing possibility for a lot of jobs.
Sea salt and kosher salt have larger-grain sizes than desk salt. You’ll pay extra for kosher salt (about $3 for 3 kilos at Walmart) and sea salt (about the identical worth for 26 ounces at Walmart). However when you want extra abrasion for the duty, the worth continues to be cheaper than specialised cleansing merchandise.
Epsom salt isn’t truly salt in any respect, however magnesium sulfate. Yow will discover it within the pharmacy or magnificence part for lower than $5 for a 4-pound bag.
26 Makes use of for Salt Past Meals
We’ve rounded up methods to make use of salt as a cleansing agent, as a health and beauty support, and some different stunning makes use of.
Utilizing Salt as a Cleansing Agent
1. Scrub your chopping board.
Is your chopping board trying a bit worse for put on? Use salt and a lemon to eliminate stains from final evening’s dinner. Wipe your chopping board with a moist fabric, then sprinkle coarse salt liberally throughout it. Slice the lemon in half and use it to clean the salt into the board. Let it sit for a couple of minutes, then rinse all of it off. Take away any extra moisture with a fabric and stand it as much as dry.
2. Clear your fridge.
Salt may also be used to scrub your fridge. Dissolve a cup of salt right into a gallon of scorching water to provide it a fast clear. You too can use the opposite half of that lemon to provide the water a pleasing scent.
3. Clean up your sponges.
Has your kitchen sponge seen higher days? Put ¼ cup of salt in two cups of water and let the sponge soak within the answer in a single day to scrub it.
4. Clear a glass espresso pot.
You may clear previous espresso stains off your espresso pot with 4 tsp salt, 1 cup of crushed ice and 1 tablespoon of water. Make certain your espresso pot is at room temperature and blend every part collectively. Swirl it round till the pot is clear, then rinse.
5. Clear espresso and tea stains from mugs.
As soon as your espresso pot is clear, why not clear out your mugs? Get the within of the mug moist, add 1 tablespoon of salt and scrub it round with a microfiber fabric. Rinse the mug out with water.
6. Make a brand new broom last more.
Earlier than you employ a brush for the primary time, soak it in an answer of 1 half salt to 1 half vinegar. Go away it in for half-hour after which stand it the other way up to dry. This may forestall the broom bristles from fraying.
7. Erase spots off wood tables.
Do you’ve got water rings left in your desk? Mix salt with a small quantity of water to type a paste. Use a fabric or sponge to rub the paste into the stain till it’s gone.
8. Take away wine stains from garments and carpets.
Blot the stain to take away what liquid you’ll be able to, then sprinkle kosher salt on the stain. Enable the salt to take a seat for 2 or three minutes, then rinse with chilly water. If utilizing the salt methodology on a carpet, you’ll be able to merely vacuum it up afterward.
9. Hold your brass vivid.
Restore the shine to your brass and copper objects with salt. Mix 1 tsp of salt and 1 tbsp of flour with sufficient vinegar to type a paste. Rub the brass or copper vigorously on to brass or copper and permit it to dry. Wash the merchandise in heat soapy water and dry with a microfiber fabric.
10. Clear up your previous change.
Do you’ve got dingy previous pennies in your change jar? Combine ¼ cup of vinegar and 1 tsp of salt in a shallow bowl. Soak the pennies for quarter-hour, ensuring they aren’t touching. Use a toothbrush to take away any cussed residue, then rinse the pennies in water and lay them on a fabric to dry.
Solely do that hack when you’re not involved about coin accumulating. The abrasive impact of salt can decrease a coin’s worth.
11. Brighten the colours of rugs and curtains.
Revitalize previous rugs by rubbing them with a fabric that has been soaked in salt water. Smaller throw rugs, curtains and garments will be soaked in salt water earlier than being put within the washer to brighten their colours. Brief on time? Throw some salt in with the wash cycle.
12. Clear your clothes iron.
Give your iron a fast clear by placing sea salt on a chunk of paper, then operating the nice and cozy iron over it a number of instances. The dust will keep on with the salt. Enable it to chill, then wipe the salt off the metallic plate with a moist fabric.
13. Deodorize your sneakers.
Salt can take the odor out of your pungent sneakers. Simply sprinkle some desk salt into the offending pair, allow them to sit in a single day and it’ll take in any moisture. Don’t need to put salt immediately into your sneakers? You too can put the salt into two espresso filters, tie them off with rubber bands and place them in your sneakers as a substitute.
Salt for Self-Care
14. Make your individual pores and skin exfoliant.
You should utilize sea salt, kosher salt, Epsom salt or some other salt in your cupboard to create an invigorating physique scrub. Combine the salt with an oil, similar to coconut or olive. You too can customise the physique scrub by including important oils, honey or espresso grounds. Hop within the bathe and use your home made salt scrub to exfoliate your damp pores and skin.
Solely use salt scrubs in your physique. The coarser grains aren’t good for delicate pores and skin, so use sugar if you wish to make a face scrub.
15. Deal with dandruff.
You probably have a case of dandruff, don’t run to the shop for an costly treatment. Add a tablespoon of salt to your common dollop of shampoo to exfoliate your scalp. Therapeutic massage your scalp and shampoo as regular.
Have some Epsom salt helpful? Get your hair moist and therapeutic massage the Epsom salt into your scalp. Comply with up together with your common shampoo and conditioner.
16. Take a sea salt tub.
If you happen to don’t have the time to make a physique scrub, simply throw some sea salt into your tub. It may well assist relieve pores and skin situations like psoriasis and eczema, and ease muscle aches.
Make certain the water temperature is simply about two levels hotter than your pores and skin to assist your physique take in the vitamins. Pour in ¼ cup of salt and calm down within the tub for 20 minutes. If ¼ cup doesn’t really feel like sufficient, you’ll be able to experiment with as much as 2 cups of salt.
17. Relieve bee and mosquito stings.
If you happen to get stung by a bee, attain for the Epsom salt. It reduces swelling and will help expel any stinger items which were left behind. If you happen to’re bitten by a mosquito, a paste created from water and desk salt will assist soothe the affected space.
18. Relieve a sore throat.
Gargling salt water will help together with your sore throat and allergy signs. Combine ½ tsp of salt with 8 ounces of heat water and gargle for so long as you like. Repeat as usually as wanted. Salt water rinses can even assist alleviate canker sores and enhance dental well being.
Salt for Pets
19. Do away with fleas.
If your property is experiencing a flea infestation, you’ll be able to combat them with finely floor desk salt. You may grind the salt right into a powder utilizing a blender. Sprinkle it in your carpet, furnishings or pet mattress and permit it to take a seat undisturbed for 12 to 48 hours. Brush the salt into the materials so it will get down into the fibers the place flea eggs can disguise. As soon as the ready interval is over, vacuum it up. The salt will dry the fleas out and kill them.
Simply you’ll want to not enable your pets across the salted space. Salt will be dangerous if ingested and may irritate their pores and skin.
Salt for Outside Use
20. Kill weeds in your sidewalk cracks.
You probably have weeds poking via your sidewalk or patio stones, you need to use salt water to kill them. If different crops are across the weeds, use a weak combination of three elements water to 1 half desk salt. If the weeds are by themselves or the standard of the soil isn’t a difficulty, you can also make a stronger answer. Use a twig bottle to use the saltwater to the weed’s leaves.
Want a stronger answer? Add dish cleaning soap and white vinegar to make it more practical. Repeat each few days.
21. Kill Poison Ivy
If you happen to discovered some poison ivy whereas tackling your weeds, salt can maintain that too. Combine 3 cups of salt, ¼ cup of dish cleaning soap and a pair of cups of scorching water. Spray it on the plant each few days till it dies.
22. Take away rust.
Are your backyard instruments trying a bit rusty? Rub salt over the rusted space, then squeeze lemon juice onto the salt. Let sit for 2 hours after which scrub the combination off.
Salt for Different Family Options
23. Hold fruit from browning.
You may sneak some apple or pear slices into lunch bins they usually gained’t brown when you soak them in salt water after chopping them. Use ½ teaspoon per one cup of water and soak the fruit for 5 minutes, drain and retailer.
24. Take a look at eggs for freshness.
We’ve all been there — generally eggs don’t get utilized by the “greatest by” date. You may check the freshness of your eggs by inserting them in chilly saltwater. If the egg continues to be usable, it can sink to the underside. Eggs which have gone dangerous will float.
25. Make lower flowers last more.
Make that bouquet last more by placing 1 tbsp of Epsom salt in its water. Epsom salt incorporates magnesium, which helps crops take in vitamins.
26. Put out a grease hearth.
If you happen to occur to by chance begin a grease hearth, liberally douse it with salt. Purpose immediately above the hearth so the flames don’t leap out. You too can apply it to your out of doors bonfire to assist snuff out the embers.
Contributor Jenna Limbach writes on monetary literacy and life-style subjects for The Penny Hoarder from her residence base in Utah.
