Smart Ways To Use Salt

(Before It's News)

Smart Ways To Use Salt

Can you think of the innumerable ways in which salt can be used?  Salt has been used for preservation for as long as mankind can remember. In olden days, this lessened the dependence on seasonal foods and also provided convenience when travelling long distances. Ancient Greeks employed salt for the treatment of skin lesions, as an expectorant – inhaling the steam from salty water to relieve respiratory diseases and drinking salty water for curing digestive complaints. However, salt was difficult to obtain, but with the modern day production methods, salt is the most easily available and inexpensive non-metallic mineral, in fact the supply of salt is almost inexhaustible.

There are a vast variety of chemical compounds called “salts” but here when we talk of common salt, we refer to the good old most common form of salt-sodium chloride, an ionic compound with the formula NaCl. Salt, nowadays, is available in many forms like unrefined salt (rock salt), refined salt (table salt), iodized salt (for treatment of goiter), and kosher salt (crystal form). Sodium Chloride is responsible for the salinity of the water bodies, the seas and the oceans; and a constituent of the extracellular fluid of multicellular organisms. It has a vital role in regulating many bodily functions such as maintaining blood pressure, prevent muscle cramps, for maintaining the electrolyte balance in the body, for transmission of nerve impulses and to prevent osteoporosis.

Let’s take a look at the ways to use salt in everyday life:

• Cleaning:

Salt works as a gentle yet effective scouring agent and serves as a catalyst for other agents like vinegar for boosting cleaning and deodorizing actions. A paste made with lots of salt, baking soda and dish soap can be used to clean porcelain, glass, enamel and appliances.

Salt can be used to effectively clean

• Sink drains
• Stained tea and coffee cups
• Greasy stains from pans
• Refrigerators
• Brass/copper pots
• Remove rust
• Your coffee percolator
• Oven spills
• Sponges and sanitize them
• A cutting board
• Your fish tank
• The iron’s metal base

• Personal care:
• Salt can be used to clean teeth- salt and baking soda.
• Prevent mouth abscesses, canker sores and sore throats.
• Soothe a bee sting or a mosquito bites or to treat poison ivy-it helps relieve the inflammation and allergic reaction.
• Extends toothbrush life
• Helps remove dandruff before shampooing
• Exfoliates skin-massage with dry salt just after a shower.
• Freshens breath-use equal amounts of salt and baking powder and rinse.
• Keep the smell off shoes by using salt to absorb the moisture.
• Reduce eye puffiness-apply a cotton pad soaked in salty water and keep it on the eyes.

• Laundry:
• Salt can be used to wipe out stubborn stains like wine spills from carpets, tablecloths or clothes.
• Suppresses suds if too much detergent is used.
• Remove blood, and perspiration stains
• Brightens colored clothes
• Set color of clothes if the dye may run.
• Prevent clothes from freezing on the clothesline in winter.
• Brighten linens that are yellowing.

• In the kitchen:

In addition to adding flavor to food, salt has many other uses in the kitchen:

• Speeds up cooking time especially when boiling
• Prevents grease splatters
• Revives overcooked coffee.
• Sets poached eggs
• Prevents fruits like apples from browning
• Can be used for testing egg freshness
• Remove odor from hands
• Extend cheese life
• Keeps salad crisp,
• Make delicious brine pickles
• Helps peel walnuts and pecans more easily
• Keeps milk fresh
• Used to whip cream and beat eggs
• Pick up spilled eggs
• Scrub off burned milk

• Around the house:
• Keep away ants: Just sprinkle a little salt on their path.
• Kills weeds that may grow in between blocks or bricks in your driveway or patio.
• Kills poison ivy
• Salt can be used to drip-proof candles
• Keep cut flowers fresh longer by adding a little salt to the water in the vase.
• Kills slugs and snails
• Salt can be used to clean dust and debris from artificial flowers
• It helps extinguish grease fires
• Can be used to extend broom life
• Fireplace cleaning can be eased by using a little salt.
• Keep windows and windshields frost free.
• Salt can reduce the flare up of flames and smoke in barbeque grills.
• Holding artificial flowers in place while arranging.
• Remove watermarks from wood.
• Keeps away fleas- wash your doghouse with it.
• Cleans flower pots residue
• Salt decreases the melting point of ice- sprinkle a little salt before clearing driveways and sidewalks with a shovel.

By James Smith

James Smith is an avid prepper and a homesteader. He loves to write about prepping and natural living. Follow@JamesSmith1609 for more updates.

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