Home & Garden
12 clever ways to use salt around the house
Most houses have a bottle or two stashed in the pantry, you’d be hard pressed to find a chef who cooks without it and it tastes delicious on hot chips and potato crisps alike. We’re talking of course about salt. While this pantry staple is most commonly used as seasoning, there are plenty of other uses for the mineral.
- Remove odours from your hands – Garlic scented fingers? Rub with a salt and vinegar combination.
- Extend the life of cheese – Prevent mould from forming by wrapping cheese in a cloth moistened with salt water.
- Clean sink drains – pour salt mixed with hot water down the kitchen sink regularly to deodorize and prevent grease build up.
- Clean greasy pans – Cast iron cookware can be cleaned with a good sprinkling of salt and paper towels.
- Clean stained cups – Mix salt with dish soap to make a soft scrub for tea and coffee stains.
- Clean away rust – Mix salt and cream of tartar with enough water to make a soft paste. Rub on rust, let dry, brush off and buff with a soft cloth.
- Treat stains – If you’ve spilled your glass of wine or dropped a chunk of beetroot, blot up as much as possible and cover with a pile of salt. This will help pull out the remaining stain. Leave for an hour or so then soak in cold water before washing.
- Brighten colours – Wash coloured curtains or washable rugs in a saltwater solution to brighten colours.
- Tackle mildew – Moisten stained spots with a mix of lemon juice and salt then spread the item in the sun to be naturally bleached.
- Natural ant deterrent – Sprinkle salt or doorways with salt to stop ants entering.
- Keep flowers fresh – A dash of salt added to your vase will keep flowers fresh for longer.
- Treat mosquito bites – A salt-water rinse can help take the sting and burn out of bug bites.
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