50 Clever Uses For Salt That You’ll Never Believe

Seasonings are a big part of every delicious meal, and no seasoning is more important than salt. Salt is the foundation of most seasoning, especially if you are cooking up any kind of protein, and since the introduction of the viral sensation, "Salt Bae," salt has been in the spotlight more than ever before. However, most would be surprised to learn that salt has many different uses even outside of the kitchen. If you are interested in seeing what salt has to offer, scroll through this gallery and find out some crazy uses for salt you may not have known about.

One of the lesser-known uses of salt is its use for making coffee taste a bit better without adding sugar or sweeteners. This is quite handy for those that enjoy their coffee unsweetened but want a less bitter taste, and a pinch of salt does the trick nicely. 

Salt is actually quite effective at removing wine stains on rugs and carpets but the important thing is to act fast because these stains get harder to remove as time passes. The best time to act is when the stain is still wet, so run, don't walk, for the spice cabinet.

Utensils, like cutting boards and spoons, harbor a lot of germs if they’re not periodically sanitized, and this is bad news on all fronts. The good thing is keeping all those germs away can be done with the aid of salt and bleach. 

Refrigerators store a lot of food and groceries; from milk to fruits and vegetables, eggs, and more. The implication is they must be properly sanitized from time to time for healthy living, and to keep everything fresh. 

Sponges are indispensable because they’re used for cleaning kitchen utensils and surfaces, but they also require some cleaning themselves as time passes. The reason is they tend to soak up all the germs from dishes, utensils, and surfaces so they get grungy and eventually wear out. 

Wooden surfaces can lose some of their aesthetic appeal because of the watermarks left on them by bottles and glasses. Again, salt helps restore some of the lost beauty of these surfaces. The trick is to mix some salt with water to create a paste then dab this on a sponge or cloth. 

Thousands of people get stung by bees every year with varying results depending on each victim’s allergy to their sting. Salt, however, provides some relief from bee stings, and is a natural remedy for it.

Sneakers tend to be quite comfortable but they also tend to get smelly really fast during the hotter seasons. The foul smell tends to stick around for a while and stinks up the whole shoe closet. The good news is the odor is caused by excess moisture from your feet so soaking up this moisture solves the problem. 

People get piercings to enable them to wear more jewelry but the thing is piercings require some treatment to prevent infections. Salt once again goes a long way in treating piercings and providing relief from them; the key is getting the mix right. 

People tend to instinctively reach for some water while fighting a fire, which is bad news because water can cause an outbreak to spread. Things like salt, baking soda, or detergent do a better job of fighting fires than water.

Salt is a powerful dehydrative, and this is good news for those that want to keep food items fresh naturally. The dehydrating power of salt means it can be used to keep cheese from molding by slowing down the growth of mold. 

Bad-breath-causing bacteria exist because toothpaste doesn’t always get to them in the mouth, so people use mouthwash to fight them. The problem with using processed mouthwash is they tend to contain all forms of chemicals that pose different threats to the body. 

Everyone wants a cold beverage at any party they attend, and offering anyone a warm drink at a party tends to be bad news. However, this is where salt comes in once again; it helps get drinks colder faster. 

To keep your lawns looking lush and green, and give them a significant boost, get some salt. Making a cheap fertilizer for your lawn to make the grass look nicer is a matter of getting a gallon of water, some Epsom salt that contains magnesium, and a spray bottle for applying the solution. 

Some people opt for artificial flowers because they create an aesthetic appeal that is similar to natural flowers without the dirt and residue of natural flowers. Salt is quite handy for keeping both natural and artificial flowers in place and keeping them fresh, although the ideal salt type depends on the flower type. 

Lipstick stains tend to be quite stubborn and difficult to remove because some lipsticks were designed to resist water, which makes eliminating their residue more difficult. However, to get all those lipstick marks off your glasses, all you need is some salt and a sponge. 

A home aquarium or fish tank provides a different kind of aesthetic appeal and is a proven stress relief for many. The problem with keeping fish at home is they must be kept in a tank, and these tanks get dirty and must be periodically cleaned.

It sucks to have a new towel and see its color fade off after the first wash, but this is the reality for people that have a preference for towels with lively colors as bright colors tend to fade quickly. 

Old brass ornaments tend to look their age at the end of the day but there are ways to keep rustic-looking ornaments from looking too worn. A thick mixture of white vinegar, flour, and salt in equal proportions works some magic when applied to old brass ornaments.

One thing that no one wants is for their skin to go scaly or dry out but this is what happens to many people that fail to care for their skin like they should. Salt, however, helps remove the dead skin cells that are responsible for dry skin, which in turn boosts circulation and results in healthier skin. 

Ants can be a real menace around the house in the spring season which is a real issue for people that don’t like to see them on their shelves, walls, and tables where they don’t belong. The good news here is ants are quite simply no match for salt.

Lots of people struggle to keep their hair free of dandruff which is an embarrassing hair condition. However, beyond simply washing your hair periodically, get your hands on some salt; the trick is to massage some salt into the scalp right before a shower and wash. 

Nuts that haven’t been cracked yet tend to be significantly cheaper than the cracked ones but they require a different kind of commitment. While nutcrackers go a long way in solving the inconvenience posed by uncracked nuts, salt might be all you need. 

The winter season can spring up surprises for people on their way to work in the morning. Some wake up to find their cars submerged in ice and have to literally dig through it to get to work. 

The only thing worse than accidentally burning some clothes while pressing them is getting those burn stains on them. These stains tend to leave a noticeable mess on clothes if they’re not removed quickly. 

Salt works some magic for food preservation but many people don’t know that it is also quite effective for preserving the lifespan of wicker furniture. Wicker furniture looks great and adds a layer of beauty to the house but they also tend to fade quickly because they’re made of woven materials. 

Coffee makers sometimes have to work around the clock to provide everyone’s favorite black beverage, so it is important to routinely clean them. For whatever reason, coffee makers tend to have a difficult-to-eliminate black stain on the bottom, but again, some salt does the trick. 

Not everyone fancies washing dishes with a dishwasher but the problem with washing by hand is using too much soap and getting bubbles all over the place. Once the bubbles become too much, you should get some salt rather than trying to battle the overflow with more water or your hands.

Like other household utensils, copper-bottomed pots have a nice appearance when they’re new but this doesn’t last as time passes. They will inevitably look dull with usage, but again, some salt is all that you need to restore their original look. 

One of the lesser-known uses of salt is for improving lips that feel dry and or rough when touched. Dry lips need to be exfoliated because they have dead skin cells on them, and salt is a great exfoliator. 

Sore throat is typically caused by swelling and increased mucus in the throat which can be quite uncomfortable if not remedied quickly. No magic wand is required here once again, just get some salt and mix it into a cup of water. 

The drains in your bathroom and kitchen sink tend to get clogged with dirt the longer you use them, and this causes dirty water to hover around and not go away quickly enough. Again, the fix is simply a mixture of baking soda, a cup of salt, and a half-cup of white vinegar. 

One glaring characteristic of old clothes is the visible brown sweat stains around the armpit region. This is because sweat stains can be difficult to remove, particularly with regular soaps and detergents; however, salt does the trick once again. 

It is difficult to determine how fresh an egg is until you break it, and eggs don’t exactly come with a best-before date. However, whenever you doubt how fresh an egg is, and you don’t want to risk breaking it, you can simply add some tablespoons of salt to a cup of water. 

Food items like onions, fish, and garlic taste great when cooked right but then the process of cutting, shredding, and cooking them tends to leave you with odors that stick around for a while. The good news is salt once again helps you fight smelly hands.

Salad is an incredibly healthy, low-calorie meal, but preparing it can be a chore especially when the leaves are unwashed. The thing is unwanted dirt and residue tend to remain on spinach leaves regardless of how well they’re rinsed because there are lots of nooks for dirt particles to hide in. 

Unwanted weeds in your patio or driveway can ruin the aesthetics of the entire space but the good thing is you can use some salt to stop weeds from growing where you don’t want them. It is also a good chemical-free way to get rid of weeds, in case you have pets around.

If you’ve ever got bitten by a mosquito while having some fun outdoors, you know how uncomfortable and obnoxious the itching can get. But rather than giving in to the urge to scratch the itch and leave yourself scarred, you should instead get your hands on some salt to get some relief. 

Sometimes home remedies can be just as effective as salon treatments for your nails, provided you have some salt of course. When you don’t have enough time to visit the salon for nail treatment, simply mix a tablespoon of baking soda, one of salt, and some lemon juice in a half cup of water. 

At this point, you must know that salt is quite effective at getting tough stains off surfaces and clothes, and is even more effective than certain laundry products. Stubborn grass stains might make you reach for a stain-removing laundry product but you should resist that urge and apply a mix of salt and lemon to affected surfaces first. 

Bet you didn’t know that salt is an effective natural repellant to several animals and insects including slugs and fleas. Fleas are a bigger annoyance to pets than they are to humans so if you find your furry buddy being bothered by fleas, simply mix some salt and soap and give your pet a warm bath in it. 

Consuming certain foods like sodas, curry, and coffee that contain tannins cause teeth stains but the good thing is there are also foods that whiten them. Simply brushing the teeth with some salt occasionally fixes the problem, and results in a neater smile. 

Some people get puffy eyes from consuming excessive amounts of salt so it sounds strange to say salt provides relief from puffy eyes but it is true. Applying some salt to swollen eyelids provides relief as long as it is done right.

As nourishing and refreshing as milk is, and as many uses it can be put to in the kitchen, milk is a highly perishable item with a short shelf life. However, the good news once again is that the shelf life and expiration date of milk can be extended. 

The chimney plays a crucial role in the house but no one enjoys cleaning their chimney because of the eternal buildup of soot that occurs there. With some salt, however, getting your chimney free of soot becomes much easier.

Rusty utensils in the kitchen are an undesirable sight but rather than tossing away your aging utensils, simply get some salt to get the rust off. What you need to do is to mix six tablespoons of salt with some lemon juice; a paste should be created with these ingredients.

Milk and cheese aren’t the only food items that salt keeps fresh; it also helps prevent sliced fruits from turning brown. This is done by mixing a cup of water with an eighth of a tablespoon of salt and stirring for some moments before dipping the fruits, cut or uncut, and rinsing in fresh water. 

Vacuum cleaners don’t always do the trick, and that’s why several homeowners opt to have old-school brooms around to do their cleaning. Unfortunately, the bristles of old-fashioned brooms tend to pick up a lot of dirt as time passes and can get quite dusty as a result. 

According to experts, you should change your toothbrush twice a year but most people change them a lot more because their bristles get worn quickly, and prompt owners to replace them.