60 clever uses for salt – that don’t involve cooking

Fixing a clogged drain doesn’t necessarily require a plumber. Try this quick DIY fix: combine 1 cup of salt with 1 cup of baking soda and 1/2 cup of white vinegar, and then pour it down the drain. Let it sit for 10 minutes before pouring about two litres of boiling water down the drain. Finally, turn on the hot water tap and let it flow; after a few seconds, water should be running freely down the drain.

The bristles on your toothbrush can last a lot longer with one simple trick. Place a new brush inside a small bowl or cup of hot water and salt – making sure the bristles are fully submerged – and allow it to soak for 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse well with clean water, and your toothbrush is good for another few months.

Believe it or not, that white undershirt with yellow perspiration stains might not be a lost cause. Sweat-stained garments can be revived by soaking them in a pot of boiling water that’s been seasoned with a few tablespoons of salt and baking soda.

When salt can be an effective treatment for dandruff, why bust your budget on expensive shampoo? Simply sprinkle some salt into your scalp, massage your head for five minutes, rinse, then shampoo as usual. The salt will exfoliate the dry skin on your scalp, and your hair will be squeaky clean after you shampoo.

Minerals from hard water can accumulate on your iron’s metal plate, and that can translate into stains on your freshly laundered and ironed clothes. To get your iron sparkling clean, turn it on its highest setting, then toss a pinch of table salt onto your ironing board and press the iron over it. This trick should remove any gunk.

You probably know that salt will decrease the temperature at which ice freezes. This doesn’t just come in handy for icy roads and footpaths, though; it can also keep your home’s windows free of frost. Simply wipe them with a sponge dipped in salt water, and then let them dry.

Artificial flowers – whether they are authentic silk ones or the more common nylon variety – can get dusty and fade over time. But you can refresh them by placing them in a paper bag with 1/4 cup salt. Give the bag a few gentle shakes, and your flowers will emerge as clean as the day you bought them.

Eating too much salt can make you puffy, so it may seem counterintuitive that applying salt can be a remedy to swollen eyelids. Pour ½ tsp of salt into a cup of hot water and stir well, then soak a few cotton balls in the mixture and press them gently against your eyes. Voila! – puffiness problem solved.

When your milk is approaching the carton expiration date, you can keep it fresh a few extra days longer by tossing a bit of salt into the carton and giving it a gentle shake.

Enjoy a milkshake? Try this high-vitality milkshake today.

Blood stains are notoriously tough to remove from linens. We recommend a cold saltwater soak.