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 at 11.25am and talking salt, top tips for using salt, the non foodie uses for salt.

I love talking about all the old fashioned, natural home hints and remedies, so doing a salt saga seemed right up my street. It is so good to be back to ‘normal’ and out and about again. Just the pleasure in driving and getting back behind the wheel of my beloved Tigger is a real treat. I shall make the most of my escape from sofaland by maybe even sneaking in to the shops.

So here is my salty saga!

Salt; flavour enhancing, thirst inducing, taste tingling, and, alas, heart stopping. But that is only the food side of the salt equasion, this wonderous substance 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;

AT HOME

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.

Tea and coffee stains – 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.

Fresh Food – keep cheese fresher for longer by wrapping it in a piece of paper towel that has been soaked in salty water and wrung out.

Fridge clean – salt is naturally antimicrobial and deoderising so perfect for wiping down inside the fridge, around the seals and also the handle once a week.

Treat stains – pre-treat grease marks on clothing when out and about by rubbing on salt and then wash as soon as you get home.

Ironing – Clean the sole plate on your iron by having salt on newspaper and ironing on it.

Red wine stains – 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.

Drink rings – make a paste with salt and vegetable oil and gently rub away these tell tale marks from your woodwork.

Pongy shoes – keep those trainers fresh with a sprinkling of salt inside to counteract the nasty niff.

Flowers fresh – 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.

BBQ flames -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.

ANIMALS

Bees and mosquitoes – treat stings and bites with a salt and water paste to soothe the itch and calm the injury.

Fleas – 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.

Slugs – Put a ring of salt round base of favourite plants to keep slugs at bay.

Ants – sprinkle ant trails with salt and they won’t come back.

HEALTH & BEAUTY

Toothbrushes – Soak new toothbrushes in salt water before you use them to make them last longer.

Sore throat – gargle with salt the old fashioned way.

Great smile – mix salt with vegetable oil and rub into gums and teeth, your gums will be healthier and smile brighter.

Dandruff – massage scalp with dry salt before you wash your hair. It will dislodge dead skin cells and stimulate the scalp.

Body scrub – Mix course salt with vegetable oil and use in circular motion as body scrub to smooth skin and boost circulation.

Oops, looks like I’ve run out of time here…….

Karon x

Do you have any more uses for salt?  Tell all and let’s see how many we can get.

PS I have a real treat for you tomorrow, a guest blogger coming to visit the site!