Salt - Other Uses - Page 1

• removing coffee and tea stains
  An equal mixture of salt and white vinegar will clean coffee and tea stains from china cups. 

• Hard cheese freshener
  1 tablespoon (18g) salt
  1/2 cup (125mL) warm water
  
  Investing in a large block of hard cheese, like Parmesean, can be so much more economical than buying a number of small packages-but not if your cheese gets moldy before you can use it at all. Here's a time-honored to keep hard cheese fresher longer: Make a brine solution by dissolving the salt in the warm water. Soak a piece of cheese cloth in the mixture, wring it out until it is just damp, and use it to wrap your block of cheese. Place the cheese on a small tray on the back of your refrigerator. The salt in the damp cloth with help prevent mold formation.

• Color-fast laundry
  1 cup (250ml) vinegar
  1/2 cup (150g) salt
  Color-safe detergent
  
  If you love the color of your new cotton sheets or towels and don't want to see them eventually fade, a little vinegar and salt can help retain their brightness. Before putting your new items to use, fill your washing machine with cold water, add the vinegar, salt, and detergent, and wait a few minutes to let the salt dissolve. Wash your brights with similarly colored items in small loads and the colors will be set for future washings. Double the amount of vinegar and salt if colors are particularly vibrant.

• plastic food storage cleaner
  1 tablespoon (15ml) lemon juice
  1 tablespoon (14g) baking soda
  
  Tomato-based leftovers can stain plastic storage containers, especially if there's a bit of oil involved (think lasagna or chili). What's worse, these stains have a tendency to impart lingering food odors into other foods, interfering with their flavor. To give your plastic-ware a good, non-toxic scrub down, start by mixing equal parts baking soda and lemon juice in the stained container. Scrub gently with a nylon-coated sponge to release the stains, but do not immediately rinse our the container; instead, fill with water and let sit overnight for maximum freshness.

• Sinus congestion reliever
  1/2 teaspoon (3g) salt
  1/4 cup (60ml) warm water
  
  When cold and flu season hits, dealing with a stuffy nose can become incredibly irritating, especially when regular blowing doesn't seem to clear things up. However, a gentle dose of saline a few times of day can help ease swelling and loosen mucus. Simply dissolve the salt in the warm water. Let the mixture cool to body temperature and then pour a small amount into the palm of your hand. Gently sniff the water into the clogged nostril while you press the other nosrtil closed with your finger. Repeat if necessary. 

• Thermos and cooler deoderizer
  3 handfuls salt
  
  Salt has natural deodorizing properties that can work wonders on the stale smells that develop in closed containers like thermoses and coolers. Simply toss a few handfuls of salt into the container and let it sit for 24 hours. Rinse clean, and the smell should be noticeably absent. Better yet, get in the habit of putting a little salt in your containers before storing them. Just make sure to rinse well before using them again.

• Egg freshness tester
  2 tablespoons (36g) salt
  2 cups (500ml) water
  
  It's hard to know how fresh an egg might be just by looking at its shell, but you can determine if it's fresh with this simple test: Dissolve the salt into the water and gently lower an egg into the water. If the egg floats, it's past it's prime (because this shows that enough time has passed since the egg was laid for air to penetrate its semi-permeable shell). If it stinks, it's still fresh enough to use. 

• Fire Suppression
  If a fire occurs during cooking,, cover the bottom of the pan with salt and place a lid on top. Never use water because it can cause the fire to be splashed out of the pan and spread. 

• prevent wicker furniture from yellowing
  1/2 cup (150g) salt
  3 cups (750ml) warm water
  
  White wicker furniture that's been finished with an oil-based paint has a tendency to yellow with age, especially if it is stored in the dark during the winter. To fight the effects of aging, give your wicker furniture an annual scrub down with a stiff brush and a saltwater solution. Allow the furniture to dry completely (preferably in the sun) before storing. 

• Clogged Drains
  1/2 Cup Salt
  1 cup Baking Soda
  1 qt of Boiling Water
  
  When you kitchen sink is slow to empty, it may be result of sludge buildup in the pipes.
  
  Pour 1st the salt down the drain, followed by the baking soda.
  
  Let this mixture sit for several hours (over night if possible.
  
  Pour boiling water down the drain to flush out sediment. 

• poison ivy killer
  1/2 cup (150g) salt
  2 quarts (2 liters) warm soapy water
  
  Use this simple formula to kill any poison ivy plants you may have in your yard: Combine the salt and soapy water and stir to dissolve the salt. Pour the liquid into a large spray bottle. Spray the leaves and stems of the poison ivy plant (if the infested area is large, you can pour the mixture directly on them.) Once dead, be careful when you remove and discard the plants, as the powerful poison on the leaves may still be active, and never burn poison ivy as this can release toxic fumes into the air. (This formula will kill all kinds of plants, so make sure to avoid spraying any plants you want to keep.)

• Rust remover
  1 teaspoon (6g) salt
  1/2 lemon
  
  Here's a quick and easy way to remove rust spots from small chrome appliances, utensils, or bicycle handles. Simple sprinkle salt on the cut side of the lemon half and rub over the rust spots. Repeat is necessary. Rinse thoroughly with water and dry with a soft cloth. 

• berry and beet stain remover
  1 tablespoon (15ml) lemon juice
  1 tablespoon (18g) salt
  
  Berries and beets contain natural pigments that enhance their health-promoting virtues, but the downside is that these same pigments can leave stains on your cutting board that are hard to get out. Fortunately, the duo of lemon juice and salt have a strong reputation for being the perfect cleaning team. The salt provides an abrasion while the lemon is a natural bleach and deodorizer. To use, combine equal parts of each, apply the mixture to the board, and scrub with a clean cloth. If you think the stain will be particularly stubborn, let the mixture sit for a few minutes before scrubbing. Rinse thoroughly once the stain has lifted.   

• Clogged drain clearer
  1/2 cup (150g) salt
  1 cup (220g) baking soda
  1 quart (1 liter) boiling water
  
  When the kitchen sink is slow to drain, a sludgy build-up in the pipes may be the culprit. Let a trusted combination of salt and baking soda take the place of harsh chemicals that may be bad for the pipes. Pour the salt down the problem drain, followed by the baking soda. Let this mixture sit for several hours (overight is best). Follow this up by pouring the boiling water down the drain to rinse it free of sediment. 

• garden slugs be gone
  1 salt shaker
  
  Outside of the garden, slugs serve an important purpose on helping to recycle organic matter and build soil; however, that also means that you'll probably find them chewing up your favorite garden plants in no time. That's why it's a good idea to carry a small salt shaker in your pocket when you examine your garden plants, preferably in the early morning (slugs like to feed at night). Because their bodies are composed of so much water, a light sprinkling of salt will stop them in their tracks by dehydrating them. 

• Yellowed Linens brightener
  1 gallon (4 liters) water 1/4 cup (55g) baking soda 1 tablespoon (18g) salt Whitening yellowed linens with a commercial bleach solution can seriously weaken the fabric fibers. Instead, try this gentle, easy method for brightening them: Bring the water to a gentle boil in a large pot. Add the baking soda and salt and stir until dissolved. Add your yellowed linens and boil gently for an hour, making sure the fabric is completely submerged. Drain and rinse the linens thoroughly in cool water. For best results, allow to air dry in direct sunlight. You can double or triple the formula for larger items.  

• make salty clay dough
  1 cup (300g) salt
  1 1/4 (300ml) warm water
  1 tablespoon (15ml) vegetable oil
  3 cups (375g) flour
  
  Looking for a way to make a rainy day seem brighter for the little ones? Whip up a batch of this salty craft dough and they can spend an entire afternoon rolling, cutting, and shaping it into all kinds of memorable keepsakes. To begin, mix the salt with the warm water and stir to dissolve. Add the vegetable oil and flour and stir slowly to combine. Knead until the dough is elastic and pliable (add a little more flour, if necessary). Add a few drops of food coloring, if desired, to lend some color to the dough. If you like, let the kids' finished shapes air-dry for a couple of days and then have fun all over again painting them with watercolor or acrylic paints. A thin coating of clear nail nail polish or shellac will help preserve the finished masterpieces. 

• Nylons match maker
  1 cup (300g) salt
  2 quarts (2 liters) water
  
  Here's a time-honored trick for dealing with nylon stockings that are somewhat similar in color, but don't exactly match. Heat two quarts (2 liters) water in a large pot and add the salt. When the salt dissolves, add your mismatched hosiery to the pot and bring to a gentle boil for about 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat and cool to room temperature. Drain and rinse well to remove the salt. Line dry as usual, and you should find all of your stockings have been rendered the same color. 

• Copper Pot Cleaner
  1/4 Cup Vinegar
  1 Tablespoon Salt
  
  Soak a clean cloth in the vinegar and sprinkle with salt. Rub over tarnished pots. Rinse thoroughly with water and dry with a soft cloth. 

• Make a salt painting
  4 to 5 small bowls salt
  1 to 2 drops food coloring, assorted colors
  glue
  paper
  
  Emulate the amazing sand painting traditions of many indigenous cultures with this fun, easy, and inexpensive salt painting activity. To begin, pour and equal amount of salt into a few small bowls (just a few tablespoons of 54g in each should be enough). Add a drop of food coloring to each bowl and let your kids stir the salt with their fingers until the color is evenly distributed. Coat a piece of paper with a thin layer of white glue and help them sprinkle on the colored salts to create various, colorful patterns and shapes. When they're done, a damp sponge should be all you need for easy cleanup!