Monday, August 31, 2009

Natural Cleaning Series: Salt


As I struggle with my daily cleaning routine, I am also very interested in using natural, safe and eco-friendly products. Although there are many excellent environmentally-friendly commercial products available, I have found many cleaning uses for basic every-day natural products that also save me money. In the first of the series “Natural Cleaning” I am sharing a few ways I have learned to clean with Salt:


  • Make your own scouring cleaner by sprinkling salt on the surface to be cleaned and rubbing it with a cloth dipped in lemon juice or distilled white vinegar.

  • To freshen up the inside of the refrigerator, apply a weak solution of ordinary club soda and a little salt on a soft cloth and wipe shelves and compartments.

  • To clean up oven spills, sprinkle with a mixture of one-part cinnamon and 6-parts table salt. Allow oven to cool and wipe up mixture. This will not only absorb the spill but will help to remove burnt food odor.

  • To clean copper bottoms on pots and pans, sprinkle a little salt and vinegar OR salt and lemon juice, rub lightly and wash as usual.

  • Clean the INSIDE of your cast-iron cookware by sprinkling salt and wiping it clean. This helps keep food from sticking when frying.

  • Remove stubborn egg stains on flatware by rubbing with a mixture of table salt and tomato juice.

  • Clean drains regularly by boiling a solution of salt and water, and then pouring this down the kitchen drain. This helps prevent a build up of grease, grime and bacteria.

  • To get rid of rust, cut a lemon in half, dip it in salt and rub it over the rusty area. Wipe this off and allow the area to dry.

  • Remove tea and coffee stains from countertops by rubbing with a soft cloth dipped in a mixture of white vinegar and salt.

  • Coffee Pots: Clean by boiling water with 2 to 3 tablespoons of salt added to the pot.

  • Onion and Garlic Smell on Hands: Rub hands with a mix of salt and vinegar to remove smell from hands.

  • Wicker: To whiten yellowing, white wicker furniture, scrub it with a brush moistened with saltwater. Dry in full sunlight.

  • Remove watermarks on wood furniture by mixing 1 teaspoon salt with a few drops of water to form a paste. Gently rub the paste onto the ring with a soft cloth or sponge and until it's gone. Follow with furniture polish.

  • Wine Stains on carpet or cloth: Blot as much of stain as possible then cover stain with salt to absorb the residue. Rinse with cold water.


There are many more uses for salt and I will be adding to this list as we go on with our series. How do you use Salt for cleaning? Please comment below and share with us how you clean with salt or any other household uses for salt.





2 comments:

  1. The salt and lemon (or lime or vinegar) is really slick for cleaning copper. Works like a charm and really shines it up. Of course, it's environmentally responsible, but also so much less expensive than the commercial-grade cleaners.

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  2. Great Advice! I sprinkle salt in toilets with a little diluted Dr. Bronner's and scrub for an environmentally-friendly toilet cleaner. You could also add 1/4 cup white vinegar swish and let sit 5 mins. to kill most germs.

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