Super Sensational Savings with Salt
by Rachel Keller
Did you know that salt has more uses than any other mineral--more than 14,000 to be exact? Yes, that amazing bottle of salt is good for more than just adding flavor to your food. In fact, without salt, life would cease to exist.
Salt comes in a variety of forms: table salt, kosher salt, low-sodium salt, canning and pickling salt, and sea salt. Kosher salt which is additive free can be used as a table salt and is popular for its slightly larger crystals, lighter taste, and quickness in dissolving. Table salt is pure sodium chloride refined from mined rock salt or sea salt. Sea salt, obtained by evaporating seawater, is used in cooking and cosmetics. Gourmets consider sea salt to have a better texture and taste, but it is also more expensive. Canning and pickling salt is similar to table salt, but lacks iodine and anti-caking additives.
Before refrigeration, salt played a significant role in preserving foods. In history, salt was so valuable, it was even used as money. Today salt cleans, removes stains, melts snow and ice, relieves stress when added to a warm bath, extends the life of brooms and sponges, and much more.
Though many people tout salt as an unhealthy additive and restrict it from their diet, salt remains one of the most useful minerals on earth. Here are just a few ways to use salt in your kitchen.
31 Money Saving Ideas for the Kitchen
�?nbsp; A pinch of salt on top of citrus fruits brings out the fruit's crisp taste immediately.
�?nbsp; Place freshly peeled fruit in a salt water bath to prevent the fruit from browning.
�?nbsp; Try a dash of salt in warm milk for a relaxing beverage.
�?nbsp; A pinch of salt also improves the flavor of cocoa.
�?nbsp; Add a pinch of salt to coffee grounds before brewing. The salt enhances the true coffee flavor by removing some of the acid taste.
�?nbsp; Sea salt tends to make lettuce and other vegetables crisper.
�?nbsp; Wash spinach and other greens more easily by rinsing in salted water. Not only does the salt draw out the dirt, but it also kills any little critters that might be in your fresh organic lettuce or greens.
�?nbsp; To preserve milk or cream, add a pinch of salt to it. You can also add a pinch of salt to milk before freezing it.
�?nbsp; Do you have problems peeling the shells off hard boiled eggs? Try boiling the eggs in salted water. The salt water also helps a cracked egg stay in the shell while boiling.
�?nbsp; To test freshness in eggs, place an egg in a cup of water and add a couple teaspoons of table salt. A fresh egg will sink; a spoiled egg will float.
�?nbsp; Add a pinch of salt to cheese before placing in plastic wrap to prevent mold on cheese.
�?nbsp; A dash of salt in gelatin will help it set faster.
�?nbsp; Does something smell fishy? Dip a lemon wedge in salt and rub the item (hands, cutting board, counter, etc.) and rinse with water.
�?nbsp; If you drop a raw egg on the floor, pour salt on it and leave it for 20 minutes to make the cleanup easier.
�?nbsp; Did you burn something in the stove or oven? Salt can eliminate that burned food odor.
�?nbsp; Throw salt on fresh spills in your still-hot oven to aid the cleaning process when the oven is cool.
�?nbsp; Burned milk stains are very difficult to remove. Salt can make the job much easier. Wet the burned pan and sprinkle with salt. Wait about 10 minutes, then scrub the pan.
�?nbsp; Remove coffee or tea stains from cups by rubbing them with kosher salt.
�?nbsp; Salt is great for removing lipstick from glassware.
�?nbsp; You can even use table salt to remove stains in vases. Either rub the stain with salt or soak it in a strong salt solution.
�?nbsp; Add boiling water and three tablespoons salt to a casserole dish with stubborn, baked-on food in a casserole dish,. Let the dish stand until the water cools; then wash it as usual.
�?nbsp; Salt makes copper shiny. First, sprinkle the tarnished bottoms with salt. Then scour the stains away with a cloth dampened with vinegar. Rinse the pan, and wash as usual.
�?nbsp; Regularly pour hot, strongly salted water down the kitchen sink to remove odors
�?nbsp; Hot salt water also prevents grease build up in sinks.
�?nbsp; Clean greasy iron pans by sprinkling about a teaspoon of salt in the pan. Wipe the pan out, and then wash as usual.
�?nbsp; Prevent grease splatters that can burn you or make a mess of your kitchen by adding a few dashes of salt to the pan before frying foods.
�?nbsp; If you have a grease fire, toss salt on it. (Never put water on a grease fire which can make the grease splatter and the fire spread.)
�?nbsp; Kneading or rolling dough can make a mess on counters. Sprinkle your countertop with salt, and neatly wipe away everything with a sponge.
�?nbsp; Mix half a cup of salt and baking soda to a gallon of water to wash away stains and odors inside your refrigerator.
�?nbsp; Cook food faster by adding a little salt to boiling water.
�?nbsp; Adding a pinch of salt to your cream or egg whites makes them whip more easily and faster and higher
31 Laundry and Cleaning Ideas
1. A mixture of salt and vinegar make a great all purpose cleaner, but don't use it on marble, linoleum, or waxed surfaces because the vinegar may damage those surfaces.
2. A paste of salt and lemon juice may remove mildew.
3. Polish your old kerosene lamp with salt for a brighter look.
4. To clean copper or brass, mix equal parts of salt, flour and vinegar to make a paste. Rub the paste on the brass item and leave it on for about an hour. After cleaning with a soft cloth or brush, buff with a dry cloth.
5. Because pewter is a soft metal that can be damaged easily, you must clean it gently. Make a smooth paste by adding flour to a teaspoon of salt and a cup of vinegar. Apply the paste to a pewter piece and allow it to dry for half an hour. Rinse with warm water, and polish with a soft cloth.
6. Clean your iron by sprinkling salt on a sheet of waxed paper or newspaper and sliding the iron across it.
7. A dash of salt in laundry starch keeps the iron from sticking.
8. Use a mixture of salt and lemon juice to clean piano keys.
9. Use kosher salt and a wet sponge or cloth to easily scrub away stains from bathtubs and toilets. You can also make a solution of salt and turpentine to restore the whiteness to yellowed enameled bathtubs.
10. If you have white rings on tables caused by wet or hot dishes and glasses, rub a thin paste of salad oil and salt on the spot. Let the mixture stand for an hour or two before wiping away the ring.
11. Salt cleans off dust and dirt. Just sprinkle salt on delicate cloth items or artificial flowers which have dust embedded in the folds and then carefully shake out the item.
12. Set the color in new towels by adding a cup of salt to your wash water the first couple times you wash them.
13. Protect colors of new clothes from bleeding by washing them in a cold wash with 1/4 cup salt.
14. Soak colored cottons overnight in salt water to reduce fading of the colors.
15. Brighten the colors in curtains or washable rugs by washing in a solution of water and kosher salt.
16. Brighten faded rugs and carpets by rubbing them briskly with a cloth dipped in a strong saltwater solution and wrung out.
17. Boil yellowed cottons or linens for one hour in a kosher salt and baking soda solution to restore to their original white.
18. Boil mismatched hose in salty water and they will come out matched.
19. Moisten a stiff brush with warm saltwater and scrub your wicker furniture to prevent yellowing. Dry the furniture in the sun.
20. If you spill red wine or red punch on a tablecloth or rug, immediately blot up as much as possible. Then cover the spot with salt to absorb the remaining wine. Later, rinse the cloth with cold water or scrape up the salt and vacuum.
21. Remove blood stains from some items by first soaking in cold saltwater. Then launder in warm, soapy water followed by boiling the item. (You can only do this on cotton, linen or other natural fibers that can take high heat.)
22. Salt is also supposed to absorb ink stains.
23. If you spill salad oil on your clothes, pour salt on the spot to absorb the grease and launder.
24. You can also remove some grease stains from rugs by mixing one part salt to four parts alcohol. Rub hard, but carefully, to avoid damage to the nap.
25. Remove perspiration stains from your clothes by adding four tablespoons of kosher salt to one quart of hot water and sponging the fabric with the solution until the stains disappear.
26. Remove rust stains by moistening stained spots with a pasty mixture of lemon juice and salt. Spread the item in the sun for bleaching and then rinse and dry.
27. You can also remove rust by mixing salt and cream of tartar with just enough water to make a paste. Apply to a rust stain and let it sit in the sun until dry. Repeat the process if necessary.
28. Did you use too much detergent and have too many suds? Eliminate them with a sprinkle of salt.
29. To deodorize your sneakers, occasionally sprinkle some salt in them.
30. Occasionally throw a handful of salt on the flames in your fireplace to help loosen soot from the chimney. Salt also makes a bright yellow flame.
31. Did you run out of dishwashing soap? Mix a tablespoon of salt in your hot water and wash dishes. Rinse well. Because salt can dry your skin, wear gloves while washing.
31 Health and Other Unusual Ideas:
1. Gargle with an iodized salt and water mixture to alleviate sore throats. If you have problems with frequent sore throats, try gargling regularly during the winter months, (from personal experience I know that this really does work!)
2. Don't spend money on expensive mouth wash. If you want fresher breath, blend equal parts of salt and baking soda in warm water and swish. (Try one teaspoon salt and one teaspoon baking soda in 1/2 cup water.) The taste is not the same, but it works for less money, not to mention you won't have any of those hard-to-pronounce ingredients.
3. Don't spend your money on expensive whiteners or polishers. Try some salt sprinkled on your toothbrush instead.
4. By mixing one part salt with two parts of baking soda you can make your own toothpaste that will both whiten your teeth and remove plaque. The toothpaste is smoother if you first pulverize your salt in a blender or food processor (or crush the salt into a find sand-like texture with a rolling pin and cutting board). To use, dip your dampened toothbrush into the mixture and brush your teeth. Store the powder in an airtight container in your bathroom.
5. Make your own tooth powder by thoroughly mixing three parts baking soda with one part salt. Create a paste from the powder by adding glycerin and water. You can even add oils to make a better tasting paste.
6. Mix a teaspoon of salt with a teaspoon of olive oil to make your own facial toner or scrub. Gently massage your face and throat, avoiding contact with your eyes.
7. You can also mix about two teaspoons salt with about a teaspoon of whichever cream you prefer and rub gently upward on your face with circular motions avoiding the eye area.
8. To help control excess oil on your skin, fill a small spray bottle with a teaspoon of salt dissolved in tepid water. Spray on your face and blot dry.
9. Do you have puffy eyes? Apply cotton pads soaked in salt water (one tablespoon of salt in a pint of hot water).
10. I've not tried this one, but I've read about it in several places. Apparently, you can also use salt water to rinse a sore eye.
11. Soothe a bee sting by wetting it and covering with salt.
12. Bug bites and poison ivy can be annoying. To relieve itching, soak the area in salt water or soak in a tub of hot salt water. After soaking, apply a coating of vegetable oil (or shortening) to bug bites.
I was amazed at how well salt relieves the itching. I had a couple itching mosquito bites. Instead of soaking, I moistened my fingers and sprinkled salt on them. Then I rubbed the salt on my bites, but did not use any oil. Instantly, the itching vanished and the discomfort subsided. The next morning, I did not see or feel any sign of the bites.)
13. At the end of a stressful day, add a cup of sea salt to a warm bath and soak for at least ten minutes to condition and soften the skin.
14. Dissolve a handful of salt in warm water and soak your tired achy feet. Rinse in cool water.
15. Remove dead skin particles and boost your circulation by massaging your damp skin with dry salt. (Either table salt or sea salt crystals work well). Try doing it while in the tub or right after getting out of the tub.
16. Table salt is a great pre-shampoo dandruff treatment. Shake some salt onto your dry scalp. By working it through your hair, you'll give your scalp a massage and work out the dry, flaky skin. Follow with a shampoo.
Uncommon Uses:
17. If you soak fish in salt water before scaling, the scales will come off easier.
18. Soak nuts in salt brine overnight. Then crack them out of the shells whole. (To easily break open the shell, tap the end of it with a hammer.)
19. Soak a new straw broom in a bucket of hot, salted water to increase its life span.
20. New toothbrushes will last longer if you soak them in salted water before using.
21. Restore hard sponges by soaking overnight in a solution of about 1/4 cup salt per quart or liter of water.
22. Soak new candles in a strong salt solution for a few hours and then dry to reduce dripping wax.
23. Keep fresh cut flowers perky by adding a dash of salt to the water in the vase.
24. For frost-free windows, rub the inside of the window with a sponge dipped in a saltwater solution and wipe dry. To prevent your car windows from being covered with snow or ice, use a small cloth bag of salt to rub your wet car windows.
25. Open hair-clogged drains by pouring a mixture of one cup salt, one cup baking soda, and 1/2 cup white vinegar down the drain. After 10 minutes, follow up with a 1/2 gallon or two liters of boiling water. Run your hot-water tap until the drain flows freely.
26. To fill plaster holes in your walls, use equal parts of salt and starch, with just enough water to make a stiff putty or paste. (Try two tablespoons salt and two tablespoons cornstarch, with about five teaspoons water.) After filling the holes, let the paste dry. Then sand lightly and paint.
27. Use salt for killing weeds and poison ivy. Add three pounds of salt to a gallon of soapy water. Spray it onto leaves and stems.
28. Salt repels fleas and can kill slugs in your garden.
29. Discourage ants by sprinkling salt across your door or across their paths.
30. Salt also helps destroy moths.
31. You can also sprinkle salt between sidewalk bricks where you don't want grass growing and sprinkle with water (or wait for the rains). Another option is to boil a solution of about a cup salt in two cups water, and pour directly on the weeds to kill them.
Have you ever wondered why some salt shakers contain rice? Rice helps prevent clumping and makes the salt pour easier.
Finally, one last great idea which I failed to include earlier in this series:
32. Are your apples wrinkled? Soak them in a mildly salted water solution to perk them up!
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