Salt is a basic staple in any kitchen, but did you know that it can do a whole lot more besides making food taste delicious? In fact, it’s so useful that you might as well start carrying it everywhere you go.
From rubbing it into your teeth to fixing a hole in the wall, there’s practically nothing that this salty stuff can’t do! Get ready to be “peppered” with some salt advice.
1. Brush your teeth: Out of toothpaste? Just dip your toothbrush into a teaspoon of salt and baking soda, and you’ve got a great substitute.
Flickr / Nika Blanc
2. Cut down on suds: Tired of bubbles overtaking your sink while washing the dishes? With just a pinch of salt, the suds will calm down and you’ll be able to stop your kitchen from turning into a wild foam party.
Flickr / Ruaridh Connellan
3. Absorb a carpet stain: Spilling red wine doesn’t have to be the end of the world. Simply sop up the liquid with a sponge, then cover the stain with salt. Additionally, it might be smart to start using a sippy cup.
4. Defrost your windshield: It doesn’t just melt ice on sidewalks! Rub a small cloth bag filled with salt across the glass before a cold night, and it will be frost-free the next morning.
5. Halt an ant infestation: If you’ve got ants, you can repel them by sprinkling salt around areas they frequent. Ants avoid salt at all costs and will march off in any other direction.
6. Fix smelly shoes: Is your favorite pair of shoes starting to reek? No need to freak. Sprinkling a bit of salt inside overnight will deodorize them and keep your feet happy.
7. Put out a fire: If a grease fire starts in your kitchen, tossing water on it will only make it worse. Instead, dump salt on the flames to put them out. At the same time, it probably wouldn’t hurt to learn how to use a fire extinguisher.
8. Make your fish tank look like new: After a while, mineral deposits cloud up glass fish tanks. Scrub them away with a sponge coated in non-iodized salt. Your fish (or your kids) deserve a breathtaking view.
9. Patch up a hole in the wall: This life hack won’t fix a Kool-Aid Man-sized hole, but it is perfect for marks left by nails. Just blend salt, cornstarch, and water into a paste, and apply it to the damaged area.
The Hook
10. Relieve bug bites and poison ivy: If you’re roughing it in the wilderness and run out of bug spray and calamine lotion, don’t panic! You can soak mosquito bites in salt water for sweet relief.
11. Eliminate pesky weeds: Are there unwanted plants popping up in the cracks of your driveway and patio? Wipe them out like a conquering general by salting the earth — a bit of sprinkled salt water will do the trick. Just don’t pour it on your flower beds.
12. Polish brass or copper: Be honest. You touch your doorknobs every day, but you have never cleaned them. You can easily fix that and add a nice shine, by scrubbing them with a mix of salt and vinegar.
Flickr / Chris Warren
13. Cure a sore throat: There’s still no cure for the common cold, but you can at least soothe a sore throat. After a quick gargle with salt water, you’ll be feeling like yourself again.
14. Wash shower curtains: Mold and mildew are the enemy, but you can beat them. Just wash your shower curtains with salt water, and then the only dirty thing in your shower will be you.
15. Prevent fruit from browning: You can prevent cut fruit from browning by soaking the pieces in water with a pinch of salt.
16. Get rid of coffee rings: You forgot to use a coaster, but that’s okay. You can rescue your table just by placing a bit of salt on the stain and cleaning it with a damp sponge.
17. Clean out your sink: Mix 1/4 cup of baking soda and 1/4 cup of salt together, and pour them into the drain. To finish, top the mixture with 1/2 cup of vinegar.
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18. Refresh your cutting board: Wooden cutting boards gradually wear out and develop nasty bacteria in their grooves. However, you can give them a thorough cleaning with just water, salt, and lemon juice.
Flickr / Rosana
19. Clean up grease: You can easily wash the grease out of pans with a dry sponge covered in salt. That should save you a few hours of scrubbing the old-fashioned way.
Flickr / Ays Randrup-Cunanan
20. Tidy up your fireplace: To keep your fireplace clean pour some salt on the flames at the end of the night so they burn out more quickly and leave less soot.
Who knew that salt could do so much? It really is a must-have for any occasion.
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