Did you know that salt is an excellent cleaning product? Here are some ways to make the most of its powers

Tired of using standard, commercial cleaning products and want to find a natural ingredient that can do the same? Well, go to your kitchen and get some salt. Yes, that's right - salt! Salt is not only great on food, but can be used for many cleaning chores, including disinfecting and removing stains in the kitchen, in the bathroom as well as for the laundry.

So, let's see how we can use salt by itself or in combination with other products for household cleaning chores:

How to use salt for the laundry

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Salt is a natural product that we usually use for cooking, making our food tastier. But, as mentioned, salt can be used for multiple cleaning chores. For example, salt can help us with the laundry:

• Wine and coffee stains. Stains of this nature are typically very difficult to remove - but not if you use salt. Cover a wine or coffee stain as quickly as possible with salt. Leave to act for at least half an hour, then remove the salt and wash in garment in washing machine (or by hand). For delicate clothes, you can mix salt with warm water and soak the garment in this for an hour, thereafter washing the garment normally.
  
  
• Sweat stains. To treat yellowish sweat stains, there are two methods. 1) Immerse the garment in a mixture of warm water into which salt has been dissolved; leave to soak and wait for the stains to fade away. 2) Prepare the same salt water mixture, but rather dab the affected area/s with a sponge, without soaking the garment.

Using salt in the bathroom

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Now, let's move on to the bathroom. Salt, of course, makes for an excellent abrasive and is able to deal with unpleasant odors, grease and bacteria. Here's how to use it in the bathroom:

• Clean drains. Drains can get clogged with soap, hair and other residue - but salt can help prevent this from happening. Prepare a mixture of baking soda and vinegar (in equal amounts), and pour this mixture into the drains. Leave to act for about 15 minutes, after which you need to pour hot water down the drain to wash away the mixture and all the dirt residue it has dislodged.
  
  
• Remove water stains from the faucets. Mix salt with lemon juice, create a paste and apply to any water stains on the faucets. Leave to act for about 10 minutes and then rinse off with clean water.
  
  
• Remove stains and soap residue from bathroom fixtures. Together with vinegar, salt is excellent for cleaning soap residue and limescale from the bathroom fixtures. Simply prepare a salt-vinegar mix and gently rub this over the affected area. Once done, rinse off with running water.

And in the kitchen?

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Finally, on to the kitchen. Here's how to use salt to clean this room:

• The refrigerator. Prepare a natural cleaner with salt and vinegar, or salt and baking soda, or simply salt and water. Moisten a sponge and pass over the entire surface of the refrigerator. Not only will you eliminate dirt, but will also remove bacteria and unpleasant odors.
  
  
• Pots and pans. An excellent degreaser, salt is also a great abrasive. Sprinkle salt in the bottoms of dirty pots and pans, get a damp sponge and scrub away any stains and dirt residue. Then, rinse and dry.
  
  
• Mugs. Mugs and cups can get stained by tea and coffee - so how can these be cleaned? A salt-vinegar mixture can be used to remove these stubborn stains.
  
  
• The chopping board. A chopping board should never be put in the dishwasher, especially if it is made of wood. Instead, wash the board with a solution of salt and lemon juice (or half a lemon dipped in salt). The absorbent qualities of the salt will ensure that embedded grime will be "sucked out", while the lemon will combat any odors.
  
  
• The oven. Spilled something in or on the oven? Well, this is not a problem if you act immediately: sprinkle the stains with salt, allowing a sort of crust to form and then remove with water and a soft cloth.

A truly unique product

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The foregoing shows how useful salt can be around the home: it removes stains, disinfects, cleans thoroughly and is also excellent for the laundry. Of course - and especially before using salt on clothes - always check the manufacuturer's handling instructions first (or test on a hidden spot).

All that remains is to wish you success with your cleaning chores!