Another fun list I’ve collected over the years! This one is for the many household uses for salt and baking soda. Some of them are dated (which makes them fun to read). Some made me go “Huh??” and others I’m going to have to try. Sit back and enjoy (an even laugh a little)!

Salt

1. Soak stained hankies in salt water before washing.
2. Sprinkle salt on your shelves to keep ants away.
3. Soak fish in salt water before descaling; the scales will come off easier.
4. Put a few grains of rice in your salt shaker for easier pouring.
5. Add salt to green salads to prevent wilting.
6. Test the freshness of eggs in a cup of salt water; fresh eggs sink; bad ones float.
7. Add a little salt to your boiling water when cooking eggs; a cracked egg will stay in its shell this way.
8. A tiny pinch of salt with egg whites makes them beat up fluffier.
9. Soak wrinkled apples in a mildly salted water solution to perk them up.
10. Rub salt on your pancake griddle and your flapjacks won’t stick.
11. Soak toothbrushes in salt water before you first use them; they will last longer.
12. Use salt to clean your discolored coffee pot.
13. Soak your nuts in salt brine overnight and they will crack out of their shells whole. Just tap the end of the shell with a hammer to break it open easily.
14. Boil clothespins in salt water before using them and they will last longer.
15. Clean brass, copper and pewter with paste made of salt and vinegar, thickened with flour
16. Add a little salt to the water your cut flowers will stand in for a longer life.
17. Pour a mound of salt on an ink spot on your carpet; let the salt soak up the stain.
18. Clean you iron by rubbing some salt on the damp cloth on the ironing surface.
19. Adding a little salt to the water when cooking foods in a double boiler will make the food cook faster.
20. Use a mixture of salt and lemon juice to clean piano keys.
21. To fill plaster holes in your walls, use equal parts of salt and starch, with just enough water to make a stiff putty.
22. Mildly salted water makes an effective mouthwash. Use it hot for a sore throat gargle.
23. Dry salt sprinkled on your toothbrush makes a good tooth polisher.
24. Use salt for killing weeds in your lawn.
25. Eliminate excess suds with a sprinkle of salt.
26. A dash of salt in warm milk makes a more relaxing beverage.
27. Before using new glasses, soak them in warm salty water for awhile.
28. A dash of salt enhances the taste of tea.
29. Salt improves the taste of cooking apples.
30. Soak your clothes line in salt water to prevent your clothes from freezing to the line; likewise, use salt in your final rinse to prevent the clothes from freezing.
31. Rub any wicker furniture you may have with salt water to prevent yellowing.
32. Freshen sponges by soaking them in salt water.
33. Add raw potatoes to stews and soups that are too salty.
34. Soak enamel pans in salt water overnight and boil salt water in them next day to remove burned-on stains.
35. Clean your greens in salt water for easier removal of dirt.
36. Gelatin sets more quickly when a dash of salt is added.
37. Fruits put in mildly salted water after peeling will not discolor.
38. Fabric colors hold fast in salty water wash.
39. Milk stays fresh longer when a little salt is added.
40. Sprinkle salt in your oven before scrubbing clean.
41. Soaked discolored glass in a salt and vinegar solution to remove stains.
42. Clean greasy pans with a paper towel and salt.
43. Salty water boils faster when cooking eggs.
44. Add a pinch of salt to whipping cream to make it whip more quickly.
45. Sprinkle salt in milk-scorched pans to remove odor.
46. A dash of salt improves the taste of coffee.
47. Boil mismatched hose in salty water and they will come out matched.
48. Salt and baking soda will sweeten the odor of your refrigerator.
49. Cover wine-stained fabric with salt; rinse in cool water later.
50. Remove offensive odors from stove with salt and cinnamon.
51. A pinch of salt improves the flavor of cocoa.
52. To remove grease stains in clothing, mix one part salt to four parts alcohol.
53. Salt and lemon juice removes mildew.
54. Sprinkle salt between sidewalk bricks where you don’t want grass growing.
55. Polish your old kerosene lamp with salt for a brighter look.
56. Remove odors from sink drainpipes with a strong, hot solution of salt water.
57. If a pie bubbles over in your oven, put a handful of salt on top of the spilled juice. The mess won’t smell and will bake into a dry, light crust which will wipe off easily when the oven has cooled.

Baking Soda

Bicarbonate of soda or baking soda has many different uses in the household. Although much more expensive products have been developed over the years to do the same jobs, baking soda can work for you just as well, if not better. Use it in the following ways:

1. To make your own baking powder, stir and sift together 2 parts of Cream of Tartar to 1 part baking soda and 1 part cornstarch.
2. Be sure to keep an extra box of baking soda by your stove in case of grease or electrical fire. Scatter the powder by the handful to safely put it out.
3. Keep a container of baking soda in your garage as well as in your car to put out a fire. It won’t damage anything it touches.
4. Baking soda will also put out fires in clothing, fuel, wood, upholstery and rugs.
5. Clean vegetables and fruit with baking soda. Sprinkle in water, soak and rise the produce.
6. Wash garbage cans with baking soda.
7. Soak and wash diapers with baking soda.
8. Oil and grease – stained clothing washes out better with soda added to the washing water.
9. Clean your fridge and freezer with dry soda sprinkled on a damp cloth. rinse with clear water.
10. Deodorize your fridge and freezer by putting in an open container of baking soda to absorb odors. Stir and turn over the soda from time to time. Replace every 2 months.
11. Soda absorbs kitty litter odors. Cover the bottom of the kitty box with 1 part soda; then add a layer of 3 parts kitty litter on top.
12. Always add 1/2 cup soda to your washing machine load.
13. Clean combs and brushes in a soda solution.
14. Wash food and drink containers with soda and water.
15. Wash marble-topped furniture with a solution of 3 tablespoons of soda in 1 quart of warm water. Let stand awhile, then rinse.
16. Clean Formica counter tops with baking soda on a damp sponge.
17. Wash out thermos bottles and cooling containers with soda and water to get rid of stale smells.
18. To remove stubborn stains from marble, Formica or plastic surfaces, scour with a paste of soda and water.
19. Wash glass or stainless steel coffee pots (but not aluminum) in a soda solution ( 3 tbsp. soda to 1 quart water).
20. Run you coffee maker through its cycle with a soda solution. Rinse.
21. Give baby bottles a good cleaning with soda and hot water.
22. Sprinkle soda on barbecue grills, let soak, then rinse off.
23. Sprinkle soda on greasy garage floor. Let stand, scrub and rinse.
24. Polish silverware with dry soda on a damp cloth. Rub, rinse and dry.
25. For silver pieces without raised patterns or cemented-on handles: place the silver on aluminum foil in an enamel pot. Add boiling water and 4 tbsp. baking soda. Let stand, rinse and dry.
26. Reduce odor build-up in your dishwasher by sprinkling some soda on the bottom.
27. Run your dishwasher through its cycle with soda in it instead of soap to give it a good cleaning.
28. To remove burned-on food from a pan: let the pan soak in soda and water for 10 minutes before washing. Or scrub the pot with dry soda and a moist scouring pad.
29. For a badly-burned pan with a thick layer of burned-on food: pour a thick layer of soda directly onto the bottom of the pan, then sprinkle on just enough water so as to moisten the soda. Leave the pot overnight, then scrub it clean next day.
30. Rub stainless steel and chrome with a moist cloth and dry baking soda to shine it up. Rinse and dry. On stainless steel, scrub in the direction of the grain.
31. Clean plastic, porcelain and glass with dry soda on a damp cloth. Rinse and dry.
32. Clean your bathroom with dry soda on a moist sponge – sink, tub, tiles, shower stall, etc.
33. Keep your drains clean and free-flowing by putting 4 tablespoons of soda in them each week. Flush the soda down with hot water.
34. Soak your shower curtains in water and soda to clean them.
35. Bee sting: use a poultice of baking soda and water.
36. Windburns: moisten some baking soda and apply directly.
37. Making Play Clay with baking soda: combine 1 1/4 cups water, 2 cups soda, 1 cup cornstarch.
38. Use soda as an underarm deodorant.
39. If your baby spits up on your shirt after feeding, moisten a cloth, dip it in baking soda and dab at the dribbled shirt. The odor will go away.
40. When scalding a chicken, add 1 tsp. of soda to the boiling water. The feathers will come off easier and flesh will be clean and white.
41. Repel rain from windshield. Put gobs of baking soda on a dampened cloth and wipe windows inside and out.
42. Add to water to soak dried beans to make them more digestible.
43. Add to water to remove the “gamey” taste from wild game.
44. Use to sweeten sour dishcloths.
45. Use dry with a small brush to rub canvas handbags clean.
46. Use to remove melted plastic bread wrapper from toaster. Dampen cloth and make a mild abrasive with baking soda.

For my list of Over 100 uses for Vinegar that I’ve collected, see here

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