29 Helpful Home Uses for Salt

1. Make Your Coffee Taste Better

If a dirty coffee pot is making your morning cup a little bitter, fix the problem with salt. Fill the pot with water as you usually would, and then add four tablespoons of salt. Run the salt water through the coffee pot without adding any grounds, and rinse the pot out. Your next pot should taste much less bitter!

2. Remove Soap Scum from Glass Shower Doors

Here's a little math equation we know:

Glass doors + soapy showers = an unattractive layer of film on the glass.

To remove soap scum, mix equal parts baking soda and salt, then add water until it forms a paste. Using a sponge or microfiber cloth, rub the paste into the door and let it sit for about 30 minutes. Rinse the paste away with water.

3. Clean a Sponge

To clean a dirty sponge, soak it overnight in a solution of cup salt per quart of warm water.

4. Remove Wine Stains

If you've spilled wine on a carpet, sop up as much liquid as possible and then sprinkle the area with salt. Let it sit for about 10 minutes, and then vacuum the area. (Still there? Try another one of these wine stain-fighting tricks.)

5. Clean a Flower Vase

To remove mineral deposits from a glass flower vase, rub the stains with a 50/50 paste of salt and water, and then rinse the paste away with water.

6. Erase Lipstick Stains on Glassware

To remove lipstick stains from the rims of glassware, rub the stained edges with a paste of salt and water until the lipstick disappears. Then wash the glassware. For glassware washing tips, check out: Proper Care for Your Barware.

7. Clean Yellowed Wicker Furniture

Is your white wicker not veryyou knowwhite anymore? No problem. Scrub the furniture with warm salt water using a stiff-bristled brush. Let the furniture dry in the sun - no rinsing required.

8. Remove Sweat Stains

Remove sweat stains from your favorite shirts with a mixture of four tablespoons of salt per one quart of hot water. While the mixture is still hot, sponge it directly onto the stains until they disappear and then wash the shirt as you normally would.

9. Clear Out Your Garbage Disposal

To dislodge stuck waste in your disposal, pour a cup of salt down the disposal, run cold water and then start the disposal. Bonus: The salt will also help neutralize odors.

10. Keep Ants Away

Send ants marching away from your home by sprinkling a line of salt at entry points (like doors and windows). Ants generally won't cross the barrier.

11. Polish Brass and Copper

To remove tarnish from copper and brass, mix a paste of equal parts salt, flour and water. Rub the paste into the tarnished item with a soft cloth and then rinse it away with soap and warm water.

12. Remove a Tub Ring

Mix one tablespoon of salt with a few drops of water to form a paste, and then coat the ring with the paste. After 2-3 minutes, scrub the ring with a stiff-bristled brush and then rinse the salt paste away. If your ring is stubborn, you may need to repeat this several times before it's completely erased.

13. Clean a Wok

While your wok is still hot, pour in two or three tablespoons of salt and scrub it with a stiff-bristled brush. Wipe the salt away, and then coat the wok with vegetable oil. Tip: In general, avoid cleaning your wok with water - it can cause the surface to rust.

14. Remove Grease Stains

To remove grease stains from carpets and cloth furniture, mix one-part salt with four-parts rubbing alcohol and rub the mixture into the grease stain. No need to rinse - the rubbing alcohol will evaporate.

15. Erase Drink Rings

To erase ugly rings left by drinks and hot dishes on wooden furniture, mix a handful of salt with a tablespoon of vegetable oil until it's the consistency of paste. Gently rub the paste into the ring until it disappears.

16. Clean the Refrigerator

In a bowl, mix salt and soda water equally until it forms a thick paste. Then, using a soft cloth, wipe down the inside of your refrigerator and then rinse away the paste.

17. Stop Suds

If you've been heavy-handed with the laundry or dish detergent, stop suds from forming by sprinkling salt on them immediately.

18. Brighten Colors in the Wash

If your reds look a little pink these days, rinse them in a saltwater solution in the sink before running them through the wash. The key to brightening is to vigorously rub the salt into the color.

19. Remove Blood Stains

Accidents happen. If that accident resulted in blood specs on your clothes, soak the stained garment in a saltwater bath as soon as you can. After about four hours, check to see if the blood is gone. Once it's gone (or faded), wash the clothes in a normal, hot cycle.

20. Clean Your Iron

Over time, your iron may develop a gunky film. Remove it with salt! Sprinkle salt directly on a piece of paper and then run the hot iron over the salt. This will remove any residue and gunk.

21. Deter Weeds

If cracks in your driveway or walkway invite weeds to grow, spread salt between the cracks and then pour water over the salt to pour a paste. This concoction will block the sun and prevent weeds.

22. Prolong the Life of Candles

To prevent candles from dripping away, soak them in a saltwater bath for a few hours when they're brand new. This will prevent them from dripping as quickly when you burn them. Note: Make sure they're completely dry before you burn the wick.

23. Fill Nail Holes in the Wall

If you're ready to move a painting, but aren't pumped about the look of the nail hole, grab some salt. Mix two tablespoons of salt, two tablespoons of cornstarch and enough water to make a thick paste. Use the paste and a knife to fill the hole.

24. Extend the Life of Your Toothbrush

To keep your toothbrush bristles firm a little longer, soak it in a saltwater bath for about an hour before your first use.

25. Clean a Broom

To clean all of that muck off a straw broom, soak its bristles in a 50/50 mixture of salt and hot water for about 20 minutes. Let the broom dry completely before your next sweeping session.

26. Sweeten Your Fruit

Salt decreases your taste buds' perception of acidity and allows you to better taste the sugar compounds. If you usually reach for the sugar, try adding a little salt to your morning grapefruit instead.

27. Add Some Flavor to Your Pasta

It's a myth that adding salt to simmering water will make it boil faster. Salt does make water boil at a higher temperature, but you'd have to add a huge amount to make the difference noticeable. But, myths aside, a few sprinkles of salt will make your noodles taste better!

28. Instantly Chill Champagne

If you've got a warm bottle of bubbly and T-minus 10 minutes to celebration time, no worries! Put your champagne bottle into a bucket or tall container. Add a layer of ice and sprinkle with 3-4 tablespoons of salt. Continue to layer ice and salt until it reaches the neck of the bottle. Then add enough cold water to cover everything. The science: Salt on ice decreases the freezing temperature, and water increases the cold surface area touching your bottle. Tip: This also works for white wine in a pinch!

29. Clean a Stained Coffee Pot

Every waitress knows this trick: Put salt and ice cubes into an empty coffee pot, shake it like a polaroid picture, and then rinse. The salt and ice will scour the coffee stains on the bottom, no sponge needed.

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