I love finding uses for something easy to obtain, affordable, and generally a product people already have around the house. So, continuing where we left off in Pass the Salt, here are some more tips:
Very Clean Vases
Have you ever left flowers in a vase too long? Yuck. You can use salt to scrub away the telltale ring inside the vase. If you can’t reach the ring, even with a brush, you can simply fill the vase with a strong solution of hot salt water. Allow it to sit until the water cools then carefully cover the mouth of the vase with your hand and shake it over the sink. Repeat is necessary, adding a drop of dish-washing liquid for tough stains.
Carefree Coffee
Don’t worry about stained coffee pots or cups. A mixture of salt and lemon juice will help you scrub away those stains. Adding an ice cube or too will help keep the salt from dissolving as quickly.
Salt away Stickiness
After eating fried eggs, pancakes, oatmeal, or anything else that tends to leave dishes tougher to wash, try sprinkling a bit of salt on plates or in bowls before washing.
Bath and Beauty
A box of salt in the bathroom? Sure, why not? Salt makes a great gargle or mouth rinse. While it can sting a little, salt dissolved in warm water can help heal infection, sores inside the mouth, and sore throats. It is sometimes used to exfoliate as well (dampen to soften a bit first and rub gently). While you have it handy, poor some salt into the sink to help remove any rust stains under the faucets or around the mouth of the sink. You can also use a strong mixture of salt and hot water to clean drains.
In Case of Ice
You wouldn’t generally want to grab your canister of table salt to rid your steps, porch, deck, or walkway of ice or snow, but if you don’t happen to have a bag of rock salt or kitty litter on hand, you can use table salt in a pinch. True, a box of salt won’t go too far, but it might be just enough to make a slim pathway, helping to avoid slips and falls until to can purchase bags of salt.