Salt works as an effective yet gentle scouring agent. Salt also works very well with other ingredients, such as vinegar, to boost cleaning and as a deodoriser. For a basic gentle scrub, make a paste with lots of salt, baking soda and washing up liquid and use on various surfaces such as kitchen worktops, appliances, enamel, porcelain, etc.
Clean sink drains. Pour salt mixed with hot water down the kitchen sink regularly to deodorise and prevent grease building up.
Remove water rings. Gently rub a thin paste of salt and vegetable oil on the white marks caused by glasses and mugs and hot dishes, on wooden tables.
Clean greasy pans. They can be cleaned with a good sprinkling of salt and paper towels.
Clean stained cups. Mix salt with a dab of washing up liquid to make a gentle scrub for stubborn coffee and tea stains.
Clean refrigerators. A mix of salt and soda water can be used to wipe out and deodorise the inside of your fridge, a great way of keeping chemicals away from your food.
Clean brass and copper. Mix equal parts of salt, flour and vinegar to form a paste, and rub the paste on the metal. Leave for an hour and then clean with a soft cloth or brush and buff with a dry clean cloth. You will be amazed at the results.
Clean rust. Mix salt and cream of tartar with just enough water to form a paste. Rub on the nasty rust and leave to dry. Then brush off and buff with a dry clean soft cloth. You can also use the same method with a mix of salt and lemon.
Clean a glass coffee pot. Add salt and ice cubes to a coffee pot, swirl around vigorously, and rinse. The salt scours the bottom, and the ice helps to agitate it more for a greatscrub.
Clean wine spillages. If you are a little drunk or clumsy and knock your wine glass over, blot up as much as possible and immediately cover the wine with a pile of salt, which will help soak up the remaining wine from the table cloth, your clothes or the carpet. After dinner, soak the tablecloth or item of clothing in cold water for thirty minutes before washing. If it’s the carpet, rub with a little soapy luke warm water and then clean luke warm water.
Brighten colors. Wash colored curtains in a saltwater solution to brighten the colors. Brighten faded rugs and carpets by rubbing them with a cloth that has been dipped in a strong saltwater solution and wrung out.
Remove sweat stains. Add 2 tablespoons of salt to a jug of hot water and sponge the fabric with the solution until stains fade.
Remove blood stains. Soak the stained fabric in cold saltwater, then wash in warm, soapy water and boil after the wash. (Use only on cotton, linen or other natural fibers that can take high heat.)
Clean mildew or rust stains. Using a solution of lemon juice and salt, dip the offending item in it and then spread the item in the sun for bleaching–then rinse and leave to dry.
Clean a dirty iron bottom. Sprinkle a little salt on a piece of paper and run the hot iron over it to remove the messy underneath of your iron.