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6 Practical Household Tricks With Salt

Salt
Salt can be useful around the house—not just for seasoning food. Photo: Getty Images
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January 9, 2023, 2:40 pm | Read time: 3 minutes

At home, we have a cabinet full of various cleaning products–but sometimes a simple household item that everyone has in the kitchen is enough: salt. Salt can eliminate odors and remove dirt.

Are there stubborn, burnt-on residues in the pan, a large red wine stain on your favorite tablecloth, and your sneakers smell unpleasant? Typically, you’d need different cleaning agents for all these issues. However, salt as a household remedy can solve almost all problems. myHOMEBOOK shows some household tricks with salt in the video.

1. Coffee and Tea Stains in Cups

If you don’t wash your coffee cup immediately or put it in the dishwasher, brown stains remain. And they can be quite stubborn. Salt can help with this–whether it’s coffee or tea stains. Simply rub salt onto the affected areas and then scrub with a brush. All stains will be gone!

2. Bad Odors in Fabric Shoes

Fabric shoes can sometimes smell unpleasant. To neutralize the odor, a few teaspoons of salt are enough. Just sprinkle the salt into the shoes and let it sit overnight. The next day, brush off the salt and the bad smell will be gone.

3. Remove Burnt Residues in Pots

When you’ve really brought the food to a sizzle in the pan or pot, stubborn residues often remain. Burnt-on food is especially hard to remove. But salt can help here too–in combination with vinegar. You’ll need one tablespoon of salt and two tablespoons of vinegar. Add the mixture along with water to the pot or pan and let it simmer. Once the burnt residues loosen, just rinse them off.

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4. Salt Against Red Wine Stains

It happens so quickly–the red wine glass tips over and spills on the beautiful tablecloth. Red wine stains can be stubborn, but if you sprinkle them with salt immediately, they don’t stand a chance. The salt absorbs the stain and turns reddish over time. Then, it can be brushed off and the tablecloth can be put in the washing machine.

Also interesting: 4 Tricks to Open Wine Bottles Without a Corkscrew

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5. Crisp Vegetables in the Refrigerator

Salt not only removes stains and odors but also helps keep vegetables crisp. When storing vegetables in the refrigerator, place a small bowl with some salt nearby. The salt absorbs moisture from the air, preventing it from being absorbed by the vegetables. This way, carrots, kohlrabi, and others stay crisp and fresh longer.

6. Quickly Cool Warm Drinks with Salt

Salt can also help cool drinks–handy in summer. Simply mix ice cubes, water, and salt in a bucket and place the bottle inside. Alternatively, you can use crushed ice. The background: The ice melts due to the salt and draws heat from the warm drink. In no time, the bottle and its contents cool down. Read more tricks to quickly cool drinks here.

This article is a machine translation of the original German version of MYHOMEBOOK and has been reviewed for accuracy and quality by a native speaker. For feedback, please contact us at info@myhomebook.de.

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