Unusual Uses For Salt Slideshow

Don't you hate it when candles drip down as they burn, making a mess that's practically impossible to clean? Prevent this from happening by soaking new candles in a strong salt solution for 2 to 3 hours.

A little cinnamon in a pinch of salt will make dripped-on messes in the oven easier to clean, and prevent them from stinking up the house. Just sprinkle the mixture onto the drip soon after it occurs, while the oven is still hot. Once it has cooled, brush away the salt and the mess will come with it.

Got a questionable egg? Add two teaspoons of salt to a cup of water and drop in the egg. If it's fresh, it will float; if it's past its prime, it will sink right to the bottom.

Used sponges harbor a shudder-inducing variety of bacteria. To restore them and kill some of those germs, suds them up, rinse them thoroughly, and then soak them in cold, heavily-salted water for an hour or two.

Nobody likes poison ivy, the irritating vine that has ruined many an otherwise pleasant outdoor experience. Three pounds of salt mixed with a gallon of soapy water, applied to the leaves and stems of poison ivy with a sprayer, will kill this tenacious pest of a plant.

Natural fiber brooms can last a lot longer if you use this easy trick: Soak them in hot, salty water before their first use.

Remove the stinger, wet the sting, and immediately shake on a paste of salt and water. Let it dry, and it will reduce inflammation and relieve pain.

A handful of salt thrown onto the flames in your fireplace will not only produce pretty, vivid yellow flames, it will also help loosen soot in the chimney, preventing chimney fires and improving air flow.

A saltwater gargle will take the bite out of a toothache and ease the pain of canker sores and sore throats. Dissolve two teaspoons of salt in a quarter-cup of warm water and swish it around in your mouth for at least 20 seconds, gargling if you have a sore throat. It will likely burn at first, but it works.

Add a little salt to the rinse water when washing a load of laundry to keep the clothes from freezing stiff on the clothesline. Soaking the clothesline in salt water will also prevent clothes from sticking to it in cold weather.

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