Uses For Salt

SALT & ITS USES

Friday, April 10, 2009 09:02:08 PM

Kitchen Type Hints for Salt

A dash of salt enhances the taste of tea.
A dash of salt improves the taste of coffee.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
Improving coffee - A pinch of salt in coffee will enhance the flavour and remove the bitterness of over-cooked coffee.
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 poultry - To improve the flavour of poultry, rub the fowl inside and out with salt before roasting.
Keeping milk fresh - Adding a pinch of salt to milk will keep it fresh longer.
Milk stays fresh longer when a little salt is added.
Peeling eggs - Boiling eggs in salted water will make eggs peel easily.
Poaching eggs - Poaching eggs over salted water helps set the egg whites.
Preventing browning - 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. Sprinkle a little salt in the skillet before frying fish to prevent the fish from sticking. 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.
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.
Remove offensive odours from stove with salt and cinnamon.
Removing onion odours from hands - Rub fingers with salt moistened with vinegar.
Removing pinfeathers - To remove pinfeathers easily from a chicken, rub the chicken skin with salt first. and rub salt on your pancake griddle and your flapjacks won't stick.
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 them 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 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.
Sweetening containers - Salt can "sweeten" and deodorize 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.
Testing egg freshness - Place the egg in a cup of water to which two teaspoonfuls of salt has been added. A fresh egg sinks; a doubter will float.
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.

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 greasy pans with a paper towel and salt. Clean you iron by rubbing some salt on the damp cloth on the ironing surface.
Clean your greens in salt water for easier removal of dirt. 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 "salt stains" from carpets - "Salt" stains are usually caused by calcium chloride and magnesium chloride, not sodium chloride, according to the Carpet and Rug Institute.
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. 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.
To remove grease stains in clothing, mix one part salt to four parts rubbing alcohol. 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. Soak toothbrushes in salt water before you first use them; they will last longer. Soaked discoloured glass in a salt and vinegar solution to remove stains. Sprinkle salt in your oven before scrubbing clean. 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.

Health & Beauty Type Hints For Salt: 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.
Dry salt sprinkled on your toothbrush makes a good tooth polisher.
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.
Salt and soda will sweeten the odour of your refrigerator.
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.
Sprinkle salt in milk-scorched pans to remove odour.
Sprinkle salt on your shelves to keep ants away.
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.; Miscellaneous Uses For Salt; A few grains of rice in your salt shaker for easier pouring.; A dash of salt in warm milk makes a more relaxing beverage.
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.
Bathing eyes - Mix 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a pint of water and use the solution to bathe tired eyes.; 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.
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"
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.
Removing tattoos -CAUTION-This is a medical procedure that can be done only by a physician. It is called sal-abrasion and requires several treatments by rubbing salt on the tattoo. Healing is required between treatments, but there is virtually no scarring.
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.
Treating varicose veins - CAUTION-This is another medical procedure called sclerotherapy and is done by injecting a saline solution into the vein. Many commercial sites sell specialty bath salts designed for health and beauty, for example.
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.