59 Unexpected Uses for Salt

Salt, who says it’s not good for you?

This week we’ve come up with a list of ways to use salt that are not only good for you but are good for your wallet. 

I’ve been running a little low on ideas to keep this WWII series going. However, last week my mom called, which she does when she comes up with another WWII idea, and suggested salt. So I sent out an email to all of my WWII contributors and asked them to come up with some unique ways that they use salt. Much to my surprise we put together another huge list. Enjoy and don’t forget if you have any suggestions we’d love to add them to the list.

Kitchen

1. Bacon – to protect yourself from splatters, add salt to the pan before frying.
2. Beets – to remove stains from hands, wash hands with salt and a little dish soap.
3. Cast Iron – to clean, shake salt into the pan and wipe clean.
4. Coffee – to remove the bitter taste, add a pinch of salt.
5. Eggs – to easily clean egg spills, cover the spill with salt before wiping up.
6. Fish – to keep it from sticking to the pan, pour salt into the pan before frying the fish.
7. Glassware – to remove stains and discoloration, soak the item in 1 part salt and 8 parts vinegar.
8. Grease Fire – to extinguish, pour salt on the fire.
9. Hands – to remove food odors, rub your hands with salt and then wash.
10. Milk – to keep milk longer, add a pinch of salt to it after it’s opened.
11. Milk – to clean scorched milk and remove odors, dampen the area and sprinkle with salt. Let the salt sit for 15-30 minutes before scrubbing it away.
12. Oven – to clean spills and remove odors, while the oven is still hot, sprinkle the spill with 1 part cinnamon and 6 parts salt. Once the oven is cooled wipe away the spill.
13. Refrigerator – to freshen, mix club soda with a little salt and wipe the inside of your refrigerator, using a soft cloth.
14. Salt – a substitute, mix equal parts garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, basil, white pepper and lemon pepper.
15. Salt Shaker – to keep it from clogging up, place several grains of uncooked rice in the shaker.
16. Salt Shaker – to keep it from clogging up, place a small piece of paper towel in the bottom of the shaker.
17. Sauces, Soups & Stews – if you’ve added to much salt throw a peeled potato, quartered into the pot, it will absorb the salt.
18. Taste Testing – to check for saltiness, place the food on the center of your tongue, not the tip. The center is more sensitive to salt.
19. Thermos – to remove odors and clean, pour ¼ cup salt into the thermos and replace the lid, allow it to sit for a couple of days. Add ¼ cup uncooked rice, a drop of dish soap and ¼ cup hot water. Replace the lid and shake. Rinse.
20. Vegetables – to clean, bathe them in salt water, then rinse.

Household Uses

1. Air Freshener – to make your own, layer flower petals with salt in a jar.
2. Artificial Flowers – to clean, pour salt into a paper bag, place the flowers into the bag, petals first and shake.
3. Bathtub (enamel or porcelain) – to remove the yellow hue, clean the tub with 1 cup salt mixed with 1 cup turpentine then rinse.
4. Brass – to clean and polish, mix together ¼ cup salt, ¼ cup flour and ¼ cup vinegar. Buff the brass with the paste and a soft cloth.
5. Broom (straw) – to make it last longer, soak the broom in warm salt water for 1 hour.
6. Candles – to keep them from dripping, soak the candles for a couple of hours in a really strong salt water solution.
7. Carpet – to clean and brighten, sprinkle carpets with salt before vacuuming.
8. Chrome – to clean, rub the item with a rag dipped in vinegar and salt.
9. Copper – to clean and polish, mix together ¼ cup salt, ¼ cup flour and ¼ cup vinegar. Buff the copper with the paste and a soft cloth.
10. Countertops – to clean stuck on messes, sprinkle with salt and scrub away using a damp cloth dipped in vinegar.
11. Countertops – for an all-purpose cleaner, fill a spray bottle with 1 cup water, 1 cup vinegar and 1 teaspoon salt. Shake well.
12. Drains – to keep them fresh and flowing, pour a ½ cup salt down the drain then run hot water for a few minutes.
13. Fireplace – to easily clean soot, periodically pour some salt into your fireplace.
14. Kerosene Lanterns – to clean and brighten, polish with salt and a damp cloth.
15. Mop – to clean your mop, soak it in a bucket filled with 1 gallon hot water and 1 cup salt for 12-24 hours.
16. Piano Keys – to keep the ivory clean, make a paste using lemon juice and salt.
17. Silver – to clean, place a sheet of aluminum foil in the bottom of a sink, place your tarnished silver on the foil. Pour a mixture of 1 tablespoon washing soda and 1 tablespoon salt dissolved in 4 cups hot water into the sink. Rub with and soft cloth and rinse.
18. Windows – to control frost, dissolve 1 tablespoon salt in a gallon of hot water. Wipe the window with the solution.

Health & Beauty

1. Acne – to clear up small breakouts, press a cotton ball dipped in hot salt water on the area for 2-3 minutes.
2. Dandruff – to eliminate flakes, rub a couple tablespoons of salt into your scalp before shampooing.
3. Dry Shampoo – to make your own, mix 1 part salt and 8 parts corn meal. Apply to hair and brush it out.
4. Eyes – to remove puffiness, mix ½ teaspoon salt in 1 cup hot water, dip cotton balls in the mixture then place them on your eyes for a few minutes.
5. Poison Ivy – to relieve itching, soak in a warm salt water bath.
6. Skin – to exfoliate, apply a mixture of kosher salt and water.
7. Sleep – to help you sleep, drink 8 ounces of water followed by a pinch of salt placed on your tongue. Allow the salt to dissolve without it touching the roof of your mouth.

Outdoors

1. Bonfire – to snuff out the embers, pour some salt on anything that is still burning.
2. Garden Tools – to remove light rust, scrub away rust with a mixture of 1 cup salt and ½ cup lemon juice.
3. Ice Chest – to chill drinks faster, layer ice and salt before filling the chest with your drinks.
4. Poison Ivy – to rid it from your yard, soak the plant with a mixture of 3 cups salt, ¼ cup dish soap and 2 cups hot water. Repeat 2-3 times until it is gone.
5. Sidewalk Cracks – to remove unwanted weeds or grass, pour a mixture of 1 gallon water and 1 pound of salt. Make sure that the salt is dissolved, you may have to heat it up.
6. Wicker – to clean and keep from yellowing, rub with a stiff brush dipped in warm salt water.

Laundry

1. Non-Colorfast Clothing – to keep them from running, wash new clothes with ¼ cup salt and laundry detergent.
2. Iron – to clean, pour a thin layer of salt on a paper bag, set your iron on low with no steam and iron the bag.
3. Pantyhose – to keep them from running, mix ½ cup salt and 4 cups water. Soak new pantyhose in the solution for 1 hour prior to washing.
4. Perspiration Stains – to remove, soak item for an hour in 1 gallon warm water and ¼ cup salt before washing.
5. Wine Stains (red or white) – to remove, immediately sprinkle with salt to absorb.

Miscellaneous

1. Artificial Flowers – to arrange, fill a vase with salt, pour cold water over the salt, just enough to get the salt wet. Arrange the flowers, the salt will turn hard and hold them in place.
2. Paint Brushes – to soften, soak in a mixture of ½ cup kerosene, ¼ cup salt and 4 cups water for 2-3 days.
3. Shoes – to get rid of odors, sprinkle them with salt and let the sit for 24 hours before removing the salt.

Products Featured in this Project:
(may include affiliate links)

Steam Iron

Bucket

Soft Mop

Shakers

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** If, by some small miracle, you worked at Amway in Ada, MI in the 1980;s and were the person my mother loaned the notebook to, please contact me. The notebook is a small (approx 6×9), black leather, 3-ring binder, and contains hand drawn patterns (teddy bear), recipes, and household tips and tricks. It would mean so much to my family to have it back.