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SubscribeWe can stop overconsumption by finding alternative uses for natural products.
My dad always said everything could be cured with either salt or ice. Perhaps it's a vast exaggeration, but I'm starting to think he was on to a good thing. Salt is one of those natural wonders with more surprising uses than you can imagine!
It's truly worth listening to our parents and grandparents when it comes to handy tips. If we took their advice more often we'd save a lot of money and decrease our contribution to landfill by turning our kitchen staples into versatile magic potions instead of buying countless supermarket products.
Here are 10 unexpected ways to use salt:
1. Soothe a bee sting - wet the sting straight away, then cover it with salt.
2. Improve coffee flavour – apparently adding a pinch of salt to coffee will enhance the flavour and remove any bitterness from over-cooked coffee. I haven't tried this one at home yet, so no guarantees! It's worth a try though!
3. Prevent potatoes and apples from turning brown once they're sliced – soak them in cold water with a teaspoon of salt added. If you only add a little bit of salt the apples shouldn't absorb the flavour.
4. Clean refrigerators - use salt and soda water to clean the inside of your fridge and get rid of pesky odours.
5. Clean greasy saucepans – sprinkle salt into the saucepan and wipe away with paper.
6. Remove onion odours from hands - rub fingers with salt and a splash of vinegar.
7. Remove wine stains - if wine is spilled on a tablecloth or carpet, absorb as much wine as possible with a cloth then pour salt all over the stain and leave for a few hours. Later rinse with cold water and soap; scrape up the salt from the rug and then vacuum the spot. (I've tried this successfully a number of times on cream carpet. It was amazing!)
8. Gargling for sore throats - stir 1/2 teaspoon salt in a glass of warm water and gargle for 30-60 seconds.
9. Soothe tired feet – Add a handful of salt to warm water to soak aching feet for 10-20 mins then rinse in cool water to revive them. The salt has the added bonus of disinfecting any wounds or cuts on your feet.
10. Deodorising shoes - Sprinkle a little salt in canvas shoes occasionally to absorb excess moisture and help remove odours.
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