Salt can do so much more than just add flavor to your favorite dishes. Today I thought I’d share 9 of the best practical uses for salt both in the kitchen and well beyond it. I think you’ll be as impressed as I was!
9 Practical Household Uses for Salt
1. Clean Cast Iron Pans
Well-seasoned cast iron pans can usually be wiped clean with ease, but on those occasions when you need a little more scrubbing power, grab some coarse salt. Pour a handful of it into the pan while it’s still warm, add enough vegetable oil to the salt to form a gritty paste, then use a clean, dry dish rag to scrub the salt and oil paste around the inside of the pan.
The salt will provide the extra scouring power you need to remove those stuck-on food bits, while the oil soaks up the grime and helps to build up the seasoning on your pan. When you’re done scrubbing, dump the salt mixture out and wipe up any residual salt and oil with a paper towel or another clean rag.
Read More: How to Clean Cast Iron Cookware the Right Way
2. Restore Crispness to Veggies
When crisp veggies like cucumbers, radishes, celery, or carrots turn soft while in your fridge, you can use a bit of salt to crisp them up again. Slice the veggies and place them in a colander along with a dozen or so ice cubes and a pinch of salt.
Use your hands to toss the veggies, salt, and ice together and set the colander inside a bowl. Place the bowl in your fridge for an hour or so, then pat your newly crisp veggies dry and use them up as soon as you can.
3. Clean Up Spilled Egg
Dropped a raw egg on the kitchen floor? Sprinkle salt over the top of the mess and leave it there for about 20 minutes. Then you’ll be able to wipe it right up.
4. Put out a Grease Fire
Pour salt on top of a grease fire to smother it and put it out. (And remember, never pour water on a grease fire!)
5. Clean Artificial Flowers
Put dusty artificial flowers in a bag of salt and shake the bag. Take a look at the color of the salt afterward—yuck!
6. Erase Stains from Mugs
You can use salt to help you scrub out coffee and tea stains from mugs. Rub them with salt to remove the staining before washing them thoroughly with soap and water.
7. Absorb Food Stains
If you spill some of your food or drink on the table cloth or your shirt, rub some salt onto the area to help draw out the stain, then put the item in the wash. (This is especially helpful when you’re eating out or at home, because there’s usually salt close by.)
8. Deter Ants
Forget the harsh chemical pesticides; to keep ants at bay, one of the safest home remedies is to create a line of salt where you’ve spotted ants moving around. Salt dehydrates and kills most insects so they’ll do whatever they can to avoid it.
9. Make Eggs Easier to Peel
Did you know that eggs boiled in lightly salted water will peel more easily? Add a big pinch of salt to your water and cook the eggs as usual.
Do you have know of any other tips or tricks that use salt?
More Ideas You'll Love
Another miraculous use for salt, when the coffee pot is accidentally left on for hours, and the coffee ends up cooked all on the bottom of the glass carafe, simply cover the bottom of the carafe with ice cubes, and pour a generous amount of salt over the ice cubes, (about 3/4 – 1 cup) and holding the carafe by the handle, swirl it kinda rapidly around in circles, and just watch it clean itself! It’s amazing! Fast, easy, and works a miracle! It’ll look brand new, with No scrubbing at all! (If this has ever happened to you, then you already know that NO amount of scrubbing will get it out! Lol)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have hardwood floors in my kitchen so I am leery of using salt on it. I can’t let fluids sit very long either.My solution is to call the dogs. The eggs are good for them and they leave the floor free from slime. A fast wipe with a damp rag and we are done.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Really interested in your suggestion to use salt to clean silk flowers. I have a silk flower arrangement in a basket, so I’d prefer not to remove each flower and risk not getting the arrangement back the way it was. Would it be feasible to put the arrangement in a large plastic bag with salt and shake it around to clean them? I’ve used old cosmetic brushes to clean the flowers, but that takes a lot of time. Thanks for all your great suggestions!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My Aunt used salt and a plastic bag to clean her silk and (back in the day) plastic flowers. It worked very well!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This has been very interesting. My Dad has always gargled with salt water-not sure if he adds peroxide. He’s always telling us to do this when we have bad colds. The salt on the weeds in the cracks – reminds me of an old lady who would buy tons of it when I worked at our old stores location. She would say that’s what she was buying it for. I tried once but didn’t notice any difference. I’m sure she’s probably been dead for many years now.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This is regarding your tip to remove yellow stains from antique linnens.
First, let me say, I have found your tips to be very helpful, especially using household items without chemicals.
I recently bought 2 old linen pillow casses at an estate sale. They were yellow with age and I knew you would have a great way to get rid of the yellow. I followed your instructions, boiled a large pot of water, added 1/4 cup of salt then added 1/2 cup of baking soda. However, you never mentioned the chemical reaction when adding the baking soda. The water exploded and sent a boiling foaming mass up out of the pot all over my stove and burnt my fingers. Thank god I was using the back burner, otherwise it would have burned my face. Please, please include any possibilties of chemical reactions that could cause injury so your readers will be safe.
Thank you ,
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Claudia Black
I love all the suggestions and posts, but I keep saving nearly all of them on my computer, don’t know if I should keep doing it but just hate to think I mightn’t be able to find them when I want them.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.If you are going for best contents like me, just pay a quick visit this web page everyday as it gives quality contents, thanks
Please log in or create a free account to comment.vary good tips lots of thanx
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My Grandfather sprinkles salt on his watermelon to make it sweeter!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I loved all of your uses for salt.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I loved all of your salt uses!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Salt can also be used to trap heat, from sun or other sources which can then be used to warm your house or steam generator? ;)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.THANK YOU love ever thing please send MORE
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Salt is great for pesky weeds but it will destroy the concrete that surrounds it . keep up the the great tips,I use alot of them.
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