Salt is a naturally occurring mineral that has a number of uses in our day-to-day lives. Most of the salt that we use comes from seawater or deep within the earth. Salt composes of chemical compounds, namely sodium and chloride. Salt uses date back from 5400 BC, where it was mainly used in food preservation and to add flavor to the food. It was also used as a means of barter trade or exchange. The most common type of salt in our homes is table salt. Other types of salts include; rock salt and sea salt, and kosher. Salt uses today to include as follows;
1. Food seasoning–
Salt is used as an ingredient in most foods to make them taste great
2. Removing scales from fish-
Scales from fish soaked in saltwater come off easily.
3. Putting out grease fires in the kitchen
Salt is used in putting out grease fires in the kitchen as water would only accelerate the burning
4. Removing pinfeathers from a chicken
Rubbing salt on the chicken helps to remove pinfeathers easily
5. Used in preventing mold from growing on cheese
To prevent mold on cheese, cover the cheese with a piece of cloth soaked in salt water before storing or refrigerating.
6. Peeling eggs
Eggs boiled in saltwater peel more easily
7. Used in washing spinach
If spinach is washed in saltwater, repeated cleaning will not be necessary
8. Used in improving the taste of poultry
9. Cleaning stained cups
Rubbing with salt will help remove stubborn tea or coffee stains from cups
10 . Cleaning tarnished silverware
Rub tarnish with salt before washing
11. Removing perspiration stains
12. Bathing eyes
Mix ½ teaspoon of salt in a pint of water and use the solution to bathe tired eyes.
13. Keeping windows frost-free
To keep frost accumulating on windows, wipe the windows with a piece of clothing soaked in saltwater. Also, wiping car windows with a piece of cloth soaked in saltwater helps prevent snow and ice from accumulating on them.
14 . Removing odor from shoes
Sprinkling a little bit of salt in canvas shoes will take up the moisture and help remove odors.
15. Restoring sponges
Give sponge’s new life by soaking them in cold saltwater after they are washed
16. Used in making different nylons of different color have matching color
To achieve this, boil the nylons in saltwater
17. Used in removing wine stains from fabric
To remove wine stains from the stained fabric, cover the fabric with salt and rinse it with cold water after a few minutes.
18. Used to make white linen or cloth bright
To get sparkling clean white cloth, soak in salt water and wash as usual.
19. Adding a pinch of salt to milk makes it last for long
20. Adding a little bit of salt in flower vases makes the flowers stay fresh for long
21. Used as a weed control measure
Mix 1.3 kg of salt with a gallon of soapy water and spray to leaves and stems of weeds.
22. To prevent apples, pears, and potatoes from browning, put them in salt water before you start to peel them
23. Soak new candles in saltwater for hours before using them. This helps prevent the candles from dripping too much when lit.
24. Cleaning refrigerator
Use salt water to clean the inside of your fridge
25. Extending broom life
Soak new brooms in hot salt water for hours before using. This helps them last for long with reduced wear.
26. Cleaning broken eggs or spilled eggs from the floor
It is tedious to clean a broken egg, especially if it breaks on the floor. Sprinkle some salt on the mess and leave it there for about 20 minutes. You will be able to wipe it easily.
27. Keeping ants away
Sprinkle salt at doorways, window sills, and anywhere through which ants get through to the house. It helps keep them away.
28. Skincare
After taking a bath, and while still wet, massage yourself with dry salt. It helps to remove dead skin particles and helps in blood circulation.
29. Mouth hygiene
. Also, the mixture of salt and warm water can be used as a gargle to relieve a sore throat.
30. Used to find out if an egg is fresh or has stayed for long.
Fill a bowl or glass ¾ full and add a little bit of salt, then gently place your eggs inside. Very fresh eggs sink to the bottom while the older ones will float.
31. Removing the bitterness of over-cooked coffee
its flavor and remove the bitterness of over-cooked coffee. Also, a pinch of salt added to tea enhances its taste.
32. adding salt to water helps to reduce cooking time as the salt makes the water boil at a higher temperature
33. Preservation of fish
Salt was largely used to preserve fish up to the 19th century but is still in use today.
34.Removing the smell of onions from hands.
35.clearing ice and snow from pathways and roads during winter
Salt added to ice first dissolves in the film of liquid water that is always present on the surface, thereby lowering its freezing point below the ice temperature. ice in contact with salty water, therefore, melts, creating more liquid water which dissolves more salt causing more ice to melt
36. Throwing a handful of salt in your fireplace helps reduce and loosen soot from the chimney
37. Keeping weeds off patios
Sprinkle salt between bricks and blocks, then add water to prevent weeds or grass from growing
38.used to prevent pancakes from sticking on flapjack
Rub salt on the pancake griddle to prevent the flapjack from sticking
39.Removing grease from pans
To remove grease from iron pans, rub the pan with salt, then wash with soap. the grease comes off with much ease.
40. Used in removing rust
Add six tablespoons of salt to lemon juice and apply on the area that has rusted with a dry cloth and rub, then rinse with water and let it dry.
41. Removing the smell of fish from your hands
Rub your hands with a lemon wedge dipped in salt, then rinse with water.
42. Salt in the diet helps the thyroid function properly.
Table salt contains iodine that is important to the thyroid. Iodine helps in the production of the thyroid hormone that is important in metabolism.
43. Prevents yellowing of wicker furniture
To prevent the furniture from yellowing, scrub it with a stiff brush moistened with warm salt water and let it dry in the sun.
44. Helps in getting rid of blood stains from clothes
Soak the cloth in cold saltwater, then wash them in warm soapy water and boil after washing them
45. Salt sets the dye in the fabric
46. Salt assists in cleaning gas
47. salt may is added to the drilling fluid to provide a stable base to prevent the hole from collapsing.
48. Salt is also used in the production of aluminum. For this reason, a layer of melted salt floats on top of the molten metal and removes iron and other metal contaminants
49. Used in the firing of pottery
Salt is added to the furnace, and it vaporizes before condensing onto the surface of the ceramic material forming a strong glaze.
50 . Salt is used in the manufacture of soaps and glycerine, where it is added to the vat to precipitate out the products.
51. Getting rid of rings from tables caused by hot dishes
Apply a thin paste of salad oil and salt on the area, then leave it for about two hours before wiping it off.
52. Used to settle suds
In case a washing machine bubbles over from too many suds, sprinkle salt on the suds to reduce them.
53. Cleaning dishes
54. Used in making freshwater fish healthier.
Add a tablespoon of salt to 5 liters of water to make the freshwater fish healthier as salt kills pathogens present in water.
55. Removing shells from nuts
Soak nuts in salt water overnight to make them crack out of the shell easily.
Salt uses are quite a number, and from the above examples, it will be false to say salt isn’t that important in our lives.
