Kitchen Type Hints for Salt A dash of salt
enhances the taste of tea. A
dash of salt improves the taste of coffee and prevents bitterness. A pinch of salt improves the flavour of cocoa. A tiny pinch of salt with egg whites makes them beat
up fluffier. Add a little
salt to your boiling water when cooking eggs; a cracked egg will stay in its
shell this way. Add a pinch
of salt to whipping cream to make it whip more quickly. Add raw potatoes to stews and soups that are too
salty. Add salt to green
salads to prevent wilting.
Adding a little salt to the water when cooking foods in a double boiler will
make the food cook faster.
Boiling eggs in salted water will make eggs peel easily. Boiling Water - Salt added to water makes the water
boil at a higher temperature, thus reducing cooking time. Brightening cutting boards - After
washing them with soap and water, rub bread and cutting boards with a damp
cloth dipped in salt; the boards will be lighter and brighter. There are
antiseptic reasons to use salt as well. Clean greasy pans with a paper towel and salt. Clean your greens in salt water for easier removal of
dirt. Cleaning coffee pots
- Remove bitterness from percolators and other coffee pots by filling with
water, adding four tablespoons of salt and percolating or boiling as usual. Cleaning copper pans - Remove stains on copper pans by
salting area and scouring with a cloth soaked in vinegar. Cleaning dried-on egg - Salt not only makes eggs taste
better, but it makes egg dishes clean easier. Sprinkle salt on dishes right
after breakfast; it makes them a whiz to clean when you have time. Cleaning greasy pans - The greasiest iron pan will
wash easily if you put a little salt in it and wipe with paper. Cleaning ovens - Salt and cinnamon take the "burned
food" odour away from ovens and stove burners. Sprinkle spills while oven
and burners are still hot; when dry, remove the salted spots with a stiff
brush or cloth. Cleaning
refrigerators - Salt and soda water will clean and sweeten the inside of
your refrigerator. It won't scratch enamel either. Cleaning sink drains - Pour strong salt brine down the
kitchen sink drain regularly to eliminate odours and keep grease from
building up. Cleaning
stained cups - Rubbing with salt will remove stubborn tea or coffee stains
from cups. Cleaning
tarnished silverware - Rub tarnish with salt before washing. Crisping salads - Salting salads immediately before
serving will keep them crisp. Extinguishing grease fires - Salt tossed on a grease
fire on the stove or in the oven will smother flames. Never use water; it
will only spatter the burning grease. Fixing oversalted soups - If soup has been oversalted,
cut up a raw potato or two and drop into the soup. The potato will absorb
the salt. Fruits put in
mildly salted water after peeling will not discolour. Gelatine sets more quickly when a dash of salt is
added. 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.
Improving boiled potatoes - Boiled potatoes will be given a fine, mealy
texture by sprinkling with salt after draining, then returning them to the
pan and shaking them back and forth quickly to get rid of the excess
moisture. Keeping milk fresh
by adding a pinch of salt to milk will keep it fresh longer. Poaching eggs over salted water helps set the egg
whites. Preventing browning
of apples, pears and potatoes dropped in cold, lightly salted water as they
are peeled will retain their colour. Preventing food from sticking - Rub a pancake griddle
with a small bag of salt to prevent sticking and smoking. Preventing mould - To prevent
mould on cheese, wrap it in a cloth dampened with saltwater before
refrigerating. Preventing
sugaring - A little salt added to cake icings prevents them from sugaring. Put a few grains of rice in your salt shaker for
easier pouring. Remove
odors from sink drainpipes with a strong, hot solution of salt water. Remove offensive odours from stove with salt and
cinnamon. Removing onion
odours from hands - Rub fingers with salt moistened with vinegar. Removing pinfeathers easily from a chicken, rub the
chicken skin with salt first. Salt and soda will sweeten the odor of your
refrigerator. Salt improves
the taste of cooking apples. Salty water boils faster when cooking eggs. Setting gelatine - To set gelatine salads and desserts
quickly, place over ice that has been sprinkled with salt. Shelling pecans - Soaking pecans in salt water for
several hours before shelling will make nut meats easier to remove. Soak enamel pans in salt water overnight and boil salt
water in the pots next day to remove burned-on stains. Soak fish in salt water before de-scaling; the scales
will come off easier. Put a few grains of rice in your salt shaker for
easier pouring. Soak
toothbrushes in salt water before you first use them; they will last longer. Soak wrinkled apples in a mildly salted water solution
to perk them up. Soak your
shelled 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. Soak discoloured glass in a salt and vinegar solution
to remove stains. Sprinkle a
little salt in the skillet before frying fish to prevent the fish from
sticking. Sprinkle salt in
milk-scorched pans to remove odour. Sprinkle salt in your oven before scrubbing clean. Sprinkle salt on washed skillets, waffle iron plates
or griddles, heat in a warm oven, dust off salt; when they are next used,
foods will not stick.
Sprinkle salt on your shelves to keep ants away. Sweetening containers - Salt can "sweeten" and
deodorise thermos bottles and jugs, decanters and other closed containers. Test the freshness of eggs in a cup of salt water;
fresh eggs sink; bad ones float. To improve the flavour of poultry, rub the fowl inside
and out with salt before roasting. To remove grease stains in clothing, mix one part salt
to four parts alcohol. Salt and lemon juice removes mildew. Use a mixture of salt and lemon juice to clean piano
keys. Use salt to clean your
discoloured coffee pot.
Washing spinach - If spinach is washed in salted water, repeated cleanings
will not be necessary.
Whipping cream and beating egg whites - By adding a pinch of salt, cream
will whip better and egg whites will beat faster and higher. Laundry and
Cleaning Type Hints For Salt.
Brightening colours - Wash colour curtains or washable
fibre rugs in a saltwater solution to brighten the colours. Brighten faded
rugs and carpets by rubbing them briskly with a cloth that has been dipped
in a strong saltwater solution and wrung out. Brightening yellowed cottons or linens - Boil the
yellowed items for one hour in a salt and baking soda solution. Clean brass, copper and pewter with paste made of salt
and vinegar, thickened with flour. Clean you iron by rubbing some salt on the damp cloth
on the ironing surface.
Cleaning brass - Mix equal parts of salt, flour and vinegar to make a paste,
rub the paste on the brass item, leave on for an hour or so, then clean with
a soft cloth or brush and buff with a dry cloth. Cleaning flower vases - To remove deposits caused by
flowers and water, rub with salt; if you cannot reach the deposits to rub
them, put a strong salt solution in the vase and shake, then wash the vase
with soap and water.
Cleaning grease spots on rugs - Some grease spots can be removed with a
solution of one part salt and four parts alcohol and rubbing hard but
carefully to avoid damage to the nap. Cleaning wicker - To prevent yellowing, scrub wicker
furniture with a stiff brush moistened with warm saltwater and allow to dry
in the sun. Colour-matching
nylons - Good nylons that don't have a match can be made the same colour by
boiling them a few minutes in a pan of lightly salted water. Cover wine-stained fabric with salt; rinse in cool
water later. Extending broom
life - New brooms will wear longer if soaked in hot saltwater before they
are first used. Fabric
colours hold fast in salty water wash. Fixing sticking iron - Sprinkle a little salt on a
piece of paper and run the hot iron over it to remove rough, sticky spots. Mix salt with turpentine to whiten you bathtub and
toilet bowl. Polish your old
kerosene lamp with salt for a brighter look. Pour a mound of salt on an ink spot on your carpet;
let the salt soak up the stain. Remove odours from sink drainpipes with a strong, hot
solution of salt water.
Removing blood stains - Soak the stained clothing or other cloth item in
cold saltwater, then launder in warm, soapy water and boil after the wash.
(Use only on cotton, linen or other natural fibres that can take high heat.) Removing mildew or rust stains - Moisten stained spots
with a mixture of lemon juice and salt, then spread the item in the sun for
bleaching; and finally, rinse and dry. Removing perspiration stains - Add four tablespoons of
salt to one quart of hot water and sponge the fabric with the solution until
stains disappear. Removing
rings from tables - White rings left on tables from wet or hot dishes or
glasses can be removed by rubbing a thin paste of salad oil and salt on the
spot with your fingers, letting it stand an hour or two, then wiping it off. Removing wine stains - If wine is spilled on a
tablecloth or rug, blot up as much as possible and immediately cover the
wine with salt, which will absorb the remaining wine. Later rinse the
tablecloth with cold water; scrape up the salt from the rug and then vacuum
the spot. Restoring sponges
- Give sponges new life by soaking them in cold saltwater after they are
washed. Rock salt has small
amounts of both of these salts imbedded in it. The problem comes with
solubility. Patience and lots of rinse cycles are the key and sometimes
calcium carbonate forms and this is fairly insoluble. Try to vacuum most of
the dry residue off before using cool to warm water and a very small amount
of carpet shampoo. Once the cleaning solution has been applied, allow time
for it to dissolve the deposit. Blot, do not scrub, the spot. Sodium
chloride is more soluble at lower temps than at higher ones. Then rinse with
clear lukewarm water, blotting up the excess moisture and follow with
another water rinse and blot dry. This should work. If not, try a cleaning
mixture of 1/2 white vinegar to 1/2 lukewarm water, allow to stand 15
minutes and rinse with clear water. Salt and lemon juice removes mildew. Settling suds - If a washing machine bubbles over from
too many suds, sprinkle salt on the suds to reduce them. Soak stained hankies in salt water before washing. To remove grease stains in clothing, mix one part salt
to four parts rubbing alcohol.
Health &
Beauty Type Hints For Salt.
A dash of salt in warm milk makes a more relaxing
beverage. Bathing eyes - Mix 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a pint of water and use
the solution to bathe tired eyes. Dry salt sprinkled on your toothbrush makes a good
tooth polisher. Mildly
salted water makes an effective mouthwash. Use it hot for a sore throat
gargle Rinse a sore eye with
a little salt water.
Applying facial - For a stimulating facial, mix equal parts of salt and
olive oil and gently massage the face and throat with long upward and inward
strokes. Remove mixture after five minutes and wash face. Before using new glasses, soak them in warm salty
water for a while. Boil
your wooden clothes pegs in salt water before using them and they will last
longer. Cleaning teeth -
Mix one part salt to two parts baking soda after pulverizing the salt in a
blender or rolling it on a kitchen board with a tumbler before mixing. It
whitens teeth, helps remove plaque and it is healthy for the gums.Freshen
sponges by soaking them in salt water. Gargling - Stir 1/2 teaspoon salt in an 8-ounce glass
of warm water for use as a gargle for sore throats. Mildly salted water makes an effective mouthwash. Use
it hot for a sore throat gargle. Reducing eye puffiness - Mix one teaspoon of salt in a
pint of hot water and apply pads soaked in the solution on the puffy areas. Relieving bee stings - If stung, immediately wet the
spot and cover with salt to relieve the pain. Relieving fatigue - Soak relaxed for at least ten
minutes in a tub of water into which several handfuls of salt has been
placed. Or try this recipe for "aches and itches" A dash of salt in warm milk makes a more relaxing
beverage. Relieving tired
feet - Soak aching feet in warm water to which a handful of salt has been
added. Rinse in cool water.
Removing dry skin - After bathing and while still wet give yourself a
massage with dry salt. It removes dead skin particles and aids the
circulation. Rinse a sore
eye with a little salt water. Treating mosquito and chigger bites - Soak in
saltwater, and then apply a mixture of lard and salt. Treating poison ivy - Soaking the exposed part in hot
saltwater helps hasten the end to poison ivy irritation. Use equal parts of salt and soda for brushing your
teeth. Washing mouth - Mix
equal parts of salt and baking soda as a mouth wash that sweetens the
breath.
Miscellaneous Uses For Salt
Add a little salt to the water
your cut flowers will stand in for a longer life. A few grains of rice in your salt
shaker for easier pouring.
Before using new glasses, soak them in warm salty water for awhile. Boil mismatched hose in salty water and they will come
out matched. Cleaning fish
tanks - Rub the inside of fish tanks with salt to remove hard water
deposits, then rinse well before returning the fish to the tank. Use only
plain, not iodised, salt.
De-ice sidewalks and driveways - Lightly sprinkling rock salt on walks and
driveways will keep snow and ice from bonding to the pavement and allow for
easy removal. Don't overdo it; use the salt sensibly to avoid damage to
grass and ornamentals.
Deodorising shoes - Sprinkling a little salt in canvas shoes occasionally
will take up the moisture and help remove odours. Drip-proofing candles - Soak new candles in a strong
salt solution for a few hours, then dry them well. When burned they will not
drip. Extinguishing grease
fires - Keep a box of salt handy at your stove and oven and if a grease fire
flares up, cover the flames with salt. Do not use water on grease fires; it
will splatter the burning grease. Also a handful of salt thrown on flames
from meat dripping in barbecue grills will reduce the flames and deaden the
smoke without cooling the coals as water does. Freshen sponges by soaking them in salt water. Holding artificial flowers - Artificial flowers can be
held in an artistic arrangement by pouring salt into the container, adding a
little cold water and then arranging the flowers. The salt will solidify as
it dries and hold the flowers in place. Invigorating goldfish - Occasionally add one teaspoon
of salt to a quart of fresh water at room temperature and put your goldfish
in for about 15 minutes. Then return them to their tank. The salt swim makes
them healthier. Keeping cut
flowers fresh - A dash of salt added to the water in a flower vase will keep
cut flowers fresh longer.
Keeping patios weed-free - If weeds or unwanted grass come up between patio
bricks or blocks, carefully spread salt between the bricks and blocks, then
sprinkle with water or wait for rain to wet it down. Keeping windows frost-free - Rub the inside of windows
with a sponge dipped in a saltwater solution and rub dry; the windows will
not frost up in sub-freezing weather. Rubbing a small cloth bag containing
salt that has been moistened on your car's windshield will keep snow and ice
from collecting. Killing
poison ivy - Mix three pounds of salt with a gallon of soapy water and apply
to leaves and stems with a sprayer. Removing soot - Occasionally throw a handful of salt
on the flames in your fireplace; it will help loosen soot from the chimney
and salt makes a bright yellow flame. Rub any wicker furniture you may have with salt water
to prevent yellowing 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. Soak your clothes
line in salt water to prevent your clothes from freezing to the line;
likewise, salt in your final rinse to prevent the clothes from freezing. Sprinkle salt between sidewalk bricks where you don't
want grass growing. To fill
plaster holes in your walls, use equal parts of salt and starch, with just
enough water to make a stiff putty. Use salt for killing weeds in your lawn.