Salt is such a precious commodity that in ancient times it was used to pay workers. We know that salt is used to liven the taste of food and for many other necessary things. Here are other ways to use salt at the home:
1. To Clean Chopping Boards : A handful or so of coarse salt mixed with the juice of half a lemon is just the thing to scrub a chopping board with to clean and disinfect it.
2. To Polish Brass : To remove an especially stubborn tarnish from brass, use a paste of salt and vinegar. Again, a half a lemon dipped in salt and used as a rub is also good. Rinse with tepid water, and buff dry with a clean, white, lint-free cloth.
3. To Clean Burnt Cookware : If cookware burns, wet the burned area on the pot or pan, apply some salt, and let it stand for about 10 minutes. Then, scrub and rinse. Another way is to fill the pot with water and a handful of salt and let it soak overnight. After the pot or pan has soaked, turn the burner on beneath it and bring the salt water to a boil. This should get rid of the burn marks. Then, wash the pot or pan out. Repeat the process if necessary.
4. To Extinguish Stove Fires : If a pot or pan catches fire on top of the stove, turn off the burner, and extinguish the fire with handfuls of salt or baking soda. Never use sugar, baking powder or flour.
5. To Melt Ice On Walks : Throw rock salt on a path before the expected snow or sleet falls. This will keep the ice from sticking to the surface of the path, especially if it’s made of concrete.
6. To Remove Coffee or Tea Stains : To remove coffee or tea stains from a ceramic cup or mug, scrub it with a salt or a paste of half salt and half white vinegar. Water rings in vases can also be removed by rubbing them with salt. If the vase has a narrow neck and the inside is had to reach, fill it with a strong saline solution and shake it. Then, wash.
7. To Ease the Pain of a Pulled Tooth : Rinsing with warm salt water after a tooth has been pulled soothes the area because of the heat. The salt in the water fights bacteria and the water itself washes away any food particles. This also helps with gum pain.
8. To Ease Insect Bites : Make a paste of table salt and water and apply it to the insect bite for about 10 minutes. Make sure to clean the area thoroughly first to avoid the spread of disease.
9. To Kill Slugs : Toss some salt over slugs in the garden. This will cause them to dry out and die.
10. To Make a Gelatin Salad Set : To make a gelatin salad set faster, put the bowl or mold in a larger bowl filled with ice cubes sprinkled with salt.
11. To Keep Ants Away : Salt is also famous for it’s ability to keep ants away from food and house in general. All you need to do is simply spread some salt on your windows or close to the fruit basket and you will never see those little black ants again.
Salt is also good for other health problems such as athlete’s foot. To keep athlete’s foot at bay, a person should soak their feet in a solution made of two teaspoons of salt per pint of warm water for about five to 10 minutes per session. The salt softens the feet and allows anti-fungal medications to penetrate them more efficiently.
The common cold also responds to salt. A salt water gargle eases a sore throat, and stuffy noses can be cleared with a saline solution made of a teaspoon of salt in a pint of water. The person uses a nose dropper to put it in their nose, then blows their nose into a tissue.
