Don’t just think of salt as something to season your food. There are lots of creative and very useful and natural ways of using salt at home.
Today is a BBC day, so I shall be dashing off down to the studios in Glasgow to be on the McAulay & Co show on BBC Radio Scotland and talking salt, top tips for using salt, the non-foodie uses for salt around your home.
I love talking about all the old-fashioned, natural home hints and remedies, so doing a salt saga seemed right up my street.
So here is my salty saga!
Salt; flavour enhancing, thirst-inducing, taste tingling, and, alas, heart-stopping if you overdo it. But that is only the food side of the salt equation.
This wondrous substance of salt isn’t just for putting on your chips and making your soup taste better, oh no, good old salt has been used around the home in all manner of ways since time began.
Top Tips For Using Salt
Here are my top twenty ways to make the best of salt;
HOW TO USE SALT AT HOME
Using salt for washing up – remove baked on grease and food from baking pans by sprinkling with salt and dampening with water, leave for a few hours and then wash as normal.
Remove tea and coffee stains with salt – remove those nasty tannin stains on your cups and mugs by giving them a good scrub with a salt and water paste on an old toothbrush.
Keep food fresh with salt – keep cheese fresher for longer by wrapping it in a piece of paper towel that has been soaked in salty water and wrung out. The salt in the water will help keep your cheese fresh for longer.
Clean your fridge with salt – salt is naturally antimicrobial and deodorising so perfect for wiping down inside the fridge, around the seals and also the handle once a week.
Treat stains with salt – pre-treat grease marks on clothing when out and about by rubbing on salt and then wash as soon as you get home.
Clean your iron with salt – Clean the sole plate on your iron by having salt on newspaper and ironing on it.
Remove red wine stains with salt – blot up as much of the stain as possible and then pile on the salt. It will help pull the wine out of the fibres of the cloth or carpet.
How to remove drink rings on your table with salt – make a paste with salt and vegetable oil and gently rub away these telltale marks from your woodwork.
Keep shoes smelling fresh with salt – keep those trainers fresh with a sprinkling of salt inside to counteract the nasty niff.
Keep flowers fresh for longer with salt – the anti microbial properties of salt will kill off the bacterial that make your flowers go mouldy quickly. Just a tablespoon of salt in the vase water will do the trick.
Using salt on the BBQ -when the fat drips off your burgers and steaks and makes the BBQ get all loud and flaming, sprinkle some salt and the fire will calm.
HOW TO USE SALT TO KEEP BUGS AT BAY
Using salt on insect bites – treat stings and bites with a salt and water paste to soothe the itch and calm the injury.
How to use salt as a flea deterrent – help keep the dreaded fleas out of your pooch’s kennel by washing it down in a strong solution of salt water once a month.
Keep slugs away with salt – Put a ring of salt around the base of your favourite plants to keep slugs at bay.
Using salt to keep ants away – sprinkle ant trails with salt and they won’t come back.
SALT FOR HEALTH AND BEAUTY
Make your toothbrush last longer with salt – Soak new toothbrushes in salt water before you use them to make them last longer.
Using salt for a sore throat – gargle with salt the old-fashioned way to help soothe a sore throat the natural way..
Salt is good for your gums and teeth – mix salt with vegetable oil and rub it into gums and teeth, your gums will be healthier and smile brighter.
Use salt to get rid of dandruff – massage scalp with dry salt before you wash your hair. It will dislodge dead skin cells and stimulate the scalp.
Homemade salt body scrub – Mix course salt with vegetable oil and use in a circular motion as a body scrub to smooth skin and boost circulation.
Oops, looks like I’ve run out of time here…….
Do you have any more uses for salt? Tell all and let’s see how many we can get.
Looking for more natural home hints? Then check these out before you go;
Top ten ways to use honey at home
How to use sugar around the home
Top ten tips for using lemons at home
Or for even more hints and tips check out my Home Hints section for loads of inspiration.
Finally, if you do try this recipe don’t forget to leave a comment/star rating below as I just love to hear from readers. Want more Larder Love? Then follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter and sign up for my newsletter too of course.
I sprinkle salt between the bricks on my patio. It kills weeds in a snap and it is safe for my dog. I do not have to use any harsh chemicals. I use in between the cracks in my sidewalk and driveway, too.
Patti xxoo
Thanks for this one Patti, I shall try it today as we already have the nasties popping up between the crazy paving outside.
Kx
I learned some new uses for salt! I love using it to scrub out my cast iron pans. I use baking soda for must of my kitchen scrubbing, but nothing works on cast iron like salt.
Great list and tips! I had been wondering recently about different uses for salt so I’m glad to have found this list! Pinning for future reference!
Great ideas! Going to try some of them. Thanks!
Just got some AWESOME salts for a present for the holidays. I love salt and use it for several of these things. Now I have even more good things to do with it. Thanks for this post!