Alternative Uses of Salt That Come in Handy

 

Salt adds a lot of flavor to our foods, but it also can be used in so many other ways that you might not have thought of. Let me share just some alternative uses of salt for cleaning, beauty and other household tasks that you may want to try.

Uses of Salt for Cleaning

Glass flower vases are notorious for eventually discoloring from mineral deposits from past fresh bouquets. To clean away that cloudiness, try this simple salt fix of using a teaspoon of salt to two tablespoons of white vinegar. The problem is easily solved due to the vinegar’s acid and its lifting power along with the abrasive salt granules for scrubbing.

Colored glass vases with ugly mineral deposits inside could also benefit. Try adding salt directly to your sponge to clean. Afterwards, wash the vase with dish detergent and warm water usually does the trick.

If you can’t get your hand inside a narrow vase, fill the inside with some warm salty water and let it sit for about 10 minutes before taking an old toothbrush to it. This usually is enough time to loosen up those mineral deposits without scrubbing too hard. By chance, if the stains still are there, empty the salt water out and proceed with a salt-loaded toothbrush to tackle the discoloration again helps the problem further.

Glass coffee carafes always seem to discolor no matter that you constantly clean the pot. When I am washing dishes, I like to sprinkle salt over the moistened carafe and give it a few rounds with my dish rag before final sudsing. Salt really does lift the stains, but using a little baking soda does even better for cleaning those brown stains.

Anyone with copper pots and pans knows how easily this metal can discolor. To clean the bottoms of my copper pans, I like to make a cleaning paste of salt and vinegar. I don’t really measure, but usually just dump some salt and then the vinegar or hot sauce with my cleaning cloth handy to catch it before it runs.  Aim for about equal portions of each. The acidity in the vinegar lightens the copper upon contact. If the vinegar or hot sauce is too messy for you, you can substitute thicker, but also acidic ketchup for this purpose. As you start rubbing, the vinegar and salt paste lift the discoloration because once the copper pot is rinsed, it is shiny again.

Plastic shower curtains usually end up getting some mildew on them. To cut down on battling mildew, what I do now is soaking any new plastic shower curtain or liner in a filled tub of water with two cups of salt for about an hour or two before hanging it for the first time. When my friend shared this tip with me, I was skeptical but curious. To my astonishment, the salt does somehow form a clear sort of protective film over the plastic that keeps mildew away longer so it is more under control.

If you just bought a new broom and are wanting to extend the life of its bristles, I have a great salt tip for you. Before using your new broom, get a big bucket or container and fill it with warm water and about a cup of salt. Leave the broom to soak for about a half hour is what I usually do. The salt water treatment seems to harden the bristles for a longer life and less need to replace it as often.

Spills happen to us all, but you can lessen the damage with salt. When you’re cooking and spill on hard surfaces something with oil or red sauce, you don’t need to panic. Sprinkle salt over it and let it dry first is easier before attempting to directly sop it up, which seems to spread it and make the spill problem worse.

Any oven spill is another horrible chore to clean. Instead of waiting until the oven cools down completely and the mess has a chance to harden, sprinkle salt on the spill while it is still warm to absorb. Doing so, helps loosen the spill from binding more firmly to your oven.

Food Saves Worth Noting

In an earlier post, I shared my salt preservation tip for preventing mold on blocks of cheese. What I do is to make a salt solution, immerse a paper towel and wrap it around the cheese to best preserve. Try it and you’ll see how much longer you get out of your cheese.

Before you put on a pot of water for cooking pasta, you might want to try adding about 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the water to speed up the process. I do this constantly these days to save time.  This is yet another of these alternative uses of salt that really helps after a busy day to simplify life.

Hard-boiled eggs can be a pain to peel once they finish cooking even under running water. Add some salt to the water before you add your eggs to hard boil does help those egg shells peel much better without taking all the egg with it. Try it and be amazed at yet another of these alternative uses of salt.

Beauty Solutions 

Having allergies makes my eyes prone to puffiness. However, salt also comes in handy to reduce eye swelling as I shared before with you with my DIY Puffy Eye Fix recipe. It may sound strange, but soaking cotton pad squares in this salt water treatment is soothing and helps deflate the area without irritation.

Salt also can work as a nice ingredient for a DIY Facial Scrub that delivers. Check out my recipe and notice the deep clean difference.

Salt granules are excellent for exfoliation, especially wonderful for softening the feet. You should try two of my favorite DIY recipes for feet with my Softer Feet Exfoliating Scrub and my Refreshing Peppermint Foot Salt Scrub.  These are fabulous alternative uses of salt that improve the beauty of your feet.

What I shared with these alternative uses of salt tips is just the tip of the iceberg. Hopefully, this post has inspired you with some fresh ideas of what else that salt or sodium chloride can do to help in your daily life.