If you think the only way to use salt is in your cooking, you're in for a big surprise.
There are a lot of uses for salt; it is actually one of the most versatile kitchen products out there — you can use it in a variety of ways around your home.
Not only is salt one of the best ingredients for adding flavor to your food, it's also something you can use in your everyday life.
Salt is a great product because it's something everyone has on hand, it's not expensive, and it's extremely useful.
You can use salt on almost every product around your home, from wooden cutting boards to clogged bathtub drains, smeared running shoes, and even dirty irons!
You may be thinking, "OK, but I'm not going to go around sprinkling salt all over my house." That's understandable.
But if you follow the tips below, you'll find some incredible salt hacks you'll want to start using immediately.
Why Is Salt So Handy?
Salt is a naturally occurring compound, sodium chloride, which has been around for at least 8,000 years.
The mineral is essential for life — it is an essential nutrient for health because of its electrolytes.
Over the course of history, salt has been used in a variety of different ways, from religious ceremonies to boosting the economy.
Salt has also been essential in cleaning and maintaining the home — find out more about how you can use this incredible ingredient below!
Uses For Salt #1: Deodorize Shoes
Salt has great deodorizing effects, which makes it great for freshening up your smelly sneakers.
Sprinkle some salt into your shoes at night, then brush it out in the morning.
Uses For Salt #2: Clean Sponges
Sponges get pretty grungy — a lot of times they're gross before they're actually worn out.
You can use salt to refresh and clean your sponges. Instead of buying new sponges, just try this hack instead!
To bring your sponges back to life, soak them overnight in a cold saltwater solution: one-fourth cup of salt per quart of water.
Uses For Salt #3: Clean Drains
Salt is incredible when it comes to sink and bathtub drains.
To freshen up your garbage disposal, dump half a cup salt down the drain, then start the disposal while running cold water. The salt will get rid of odors and dislodge anything stuck in the disposal.
To open hair-clogged bathtub or shower drains, mix together one cup salt, one cup baking soda, and half cup white vinegar.
After pouring the mixture down the drain, wait 10 minutes, then pour half gallon of boiling water down the drain. Run hot water until the drain is clear.
Uses For Salt #4: Remove Lipstick Stains
After a nice night of hanging with the gals, you're sure to find annoying lipstick stains all over your wine glasses.
Sometimes those sticky, waxy lipstick stains refuse to come off even with soap, and you find yourself scrubbing them endlessly.
For a quick fix, sprinkle some salt onto the lipstick, then rub gently with your fingers. The lipstick will come right off!
Uses For Salt #5: Clean Artificial Flowers
Artificial flowers are great for sprucing up the decor around your home, but nothing makes them look more noticeably fake than dust collecting on their leaves and petals.
Quickly bring your artificial flowers back to life by placing them in a bag with some salt and shaking them around.
Uses For Salt #6: De-Ice Windows
Because salt lowers water's freezing point, it can help keep your windows and windshields ice- and frost-free.
Dip a sponge or cloth into saltwater, wipe down your window, then let it dry.
This simple hack will help keep your windows and car windshields clear during the cold winter months.
Uses For Salt #7: Clean Greasy Pans
Greasy pans can be almost impossible to clean: no matter how much soap you use, it seems like there's always a little bit of grease left on them.
Instead of spending all your time washing and rewashing, scrub your greasy pans with salt before washing them with soap or dishwasher detergent.
Uses For Salt #8: Deodorize Cutting Boards
If you've ever noticed that your cutting boards have a weird smell even after you wash them, this hack will change that.
After washing your cutting board with soap and water, rub it down with a damp cloth dipped in saltwater.
Uses For Salt #9: Refresh Overcooked Coffee
There's nothing worse than waking up in the morning, turning on your coffee pot, and letting it go just a little too long.
Burnt or overcooked coffee can get your day off to a rough start, so bring your coffee back to life with a little salt.
You might think this sounds crazy, but you'd be surprised at how much better it tastes with just a tiny pinch of salt.
Uses For Salt #10: Remove Things Melted Onto Iron
If you've ever taken your iron out and noticed that there's something melted onto its metal soleplate, you're not alone.
The melted item seems impossible to remove and it creates a rough, bumpy surface that's no good for ironing.
To fix this problem, turn your iron onto high and lay down some newspaper on your ironing board. Sprinkle some salt onto the newspaper, then run your hot iron over the salt.
Are there any cool salt hacks we missed?
Let us know in the comments, and please SHARE this article with your friends and family!
