These 20 unusual salt uses for the home can make your life easier and better than before. Must check out!
1. Rinse Clothes with Salt Water
Add a tablespoon of salt to the clean water that you’re going to use to rinse your clothes. Wash your clothes and soak them in it. Soaking clothes in salt water prevent them from freezing stiff and sticking on the clothesline during cold weather. That’s a good hack for winter!
2. Dip-Proof Candles
Mix 3 cups of water with a half cup of salt to make a strong solution. Soak your candles in this for 3 hours. Then remove the candles and dry them gently. The salt will prevent the candles from dripping down fast, and they will burn longer.
3. Test Egg Freshness
Put fresh water into a cup or bowl then add two teaspoons of salt and stir thoroughly. Dip your eggs in the salty water each at a time. A fresh egg will sink, but an older egg will float since the air content in an egg increases as eggs age thus making old and stale eggs more buoyant. Ensure that the cup you use has enough depth to avoid confusion. Here’s the step by step article with instructions!
4. Removing soot from chimney
Throw one or two handfuls of salt onto the fire at your chimney. The salt will produce pretty and vivid yellow frames which will loosen the soot making it fall freely. Removing the soot will improve air flow at your fireplace as well as prevent chimney fires.
5. Unclog Drain
Put a quarter cup of salt and a half cup of baking soda in a bowl. Stir the contents thoroughly until evenly mixed. Remove the stopper from the drain to allow the contents flow into the drain easily. Add 1 cup of warm vinegar into the drain and cover immediately with the stopper or the bottom of your bowl since the reaction between vinegar and baking soda will make them to bubble. Wait for about 15 to 20 minutes for the clog to soak. Then remove the cover and pour two cups of boiling water followed by tap water to rinse the drain. Here’s more of it!
6. Put Out a Grease Fire
Always keep a box or a packet of salt near your oven or stove. If there is a flare of grease fire throw some salt on the fire and ensure that the salt is enough to cover the flames. Salt acts as a heat sink when applied on fire, preventing it from coming into contact with oxygen in the environment thus putting it off. See more here.
7. Make Play Dough
Pour 1 cup water, 1 cup flour, 1/8 cup salt, 1 tablespoons cream of tartar, gel food coloring and 2 tablespoons oil into a bowl. Stir the contents slowly while adding water until thoroughly mixed. Cook the mixture over medium heat while stirring until the dough becomes rigid. Spread the dough on wax paper and allow it to cool. Use your hands to knead the dough until it becomes good play dough. The Crafty Crow has a tutorial on it.
8. Clean a Gunky Iron Bottom
Sprinkle a handful of salt on a piece of paper. You can use a newspaper. Set the iron at medium temperature and start ironing the salt on paper as if you are ironing your clothes. The salt will remove the sticky and rough spots. Then let the iron to cool and rub off the salt with a soft and dry towel.
9. To Have a Frost Free Windows Car
Dip a sponge in the salt water solution, wash the inside of your windows with it, and rub them dry. This keeps the windows from frosting up in cold weather. You can use a similar trick with your car windows. Dampen a small cloth bag and fill it with salt; rubbing this on your car’s windshield should keep snow and ice from collecting. Visit Lifehacker to learn more!
10. Deodorize your Sneakers
Shoes, when worn for a long time without socks, becomes smelly, especially in warm and humid weather. The smell is normally caused by moisture and sweat. Occasionally sprinkle some salt in your shoes since it has high moisture absorbing properties. The salt will soak up the sweat and moisture while keeping the shoes fresh from inside.
11. Restoring a Sponge
Restore your lifeless sponges by following this easy hack. Add a 1/4 cup salt to a liter of water. Soak the sponge you want to restore in the solution overnight. The Budget Savvy Diva has a tutorial on it!
12. Remove Watermark from Wood
Add a few drops of water to 1 tablespoon salt to make a paste. Rub this paste gently on the watermark using a tissue paper or a soft fabric. It’ll go away!
13. Clean Artificial Flowers
Pour a 1/4 cup salt into a paper bag. Put your artificial flowers in the bag and shake gently while holding the top. Your flowers come out looking as clean as new. The tutorial is here!
14. Pick up Spilled Eggs
If you drop an uncooked egg, do not fret from the mess it causes. Cover the spill with salt and wait for a few minutes. The salt will draw together the spilled egg yolk, thus, making it easy to collect it. Learn more here!
15. Get Rid of Sweat Stains
Add 4 tablespoon salt to 1-liter water. Stir thoroughly so that the salt can dissolve. Use a clean towel to rub the yellow stains with it gently. The salt will help to get rid of those nasty sweat stains on your shirts.
16. Set New Towel Colors
Add 1 cup salt to your rinsing water. Wash your towels and soak them for a few minutes in the salt water before hanging them on the clothesline. The salt helps in maintaining the color of your towel for a longer period. Note that you can only set the colors of new towels.
17. Prevent Mold on Cheese
Pour 2 tablespoons of salt in a bow. Add 1/2 liter water and stir to dissolve the salt. Soak a clean napkin in the solution for 2 minutes. Use the napkin to wrap the cheese before placing it in the refrigerator. The salt solution will help to keep the molds away.
18. Remove Coffee and Tea Stains from the Utensils
When cleaning your stained cup and pots sprinkle some salt on your washing sponge. Then rub gently in small circles across the ring. If the stain does not come off– mix salt and white vinegar in equal proportions and repeat the process.
19. Clean Greasy Iron Pans
Grease is not water soluble thus hard to clean. Sprinkle some salt, enough to cover the grease on your greased pan. Wait for 20 – 30 minutes then wash the pan as usual. The salt will absorb most of the grease making it easy to clean the pan.
20. Lengthen the Life of a Broom
Pour 2 cups salt in a 10-liter hot water. Stir to make an even solution then soak your broom for 20 minutes in the hot salt water. Remove the broom and allow it to dry before using it.