28 April 2008

One of my all-time favourite blogs, Herbs N Oils, has a great article on the surprisingly varied ways you can clean with salt (plus homemade playdough recipes because, well, just cause :P )

Cleaning with Salt

For one of the cheapest, non-toxic, natural cleaners try salt. Unlike a good quality, organic salt which is best for using in your cookery recipes, you can use the cheapest common salt you can find for household cleaning purposes.

Below are a few of the hundreds of ways salt can be used in the home:

Brass and Copper : Rub with paste made from equal parts of salt, flour and vinegar.

Candles : Drip-proof by soaking candles in a strong salt solution for a few hours. Dry well.

Carpet Spot Cleaner : Rub a paste of equal parts salt, borax and vinegar into dirty spots. Leave until dry then vacuum.

Chimney : To keep your chimney clean, throw a handful of salt on the fire.

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

Enamel dishes and cookware : Rub with a salt and vinegar paste.

Flowers : Clean vases by rubbing deposits with salt. Add a pinch of salt to vases to keep flowers fresh longer.

Gold : Rub with a paste of salt, flour and vinegar.

Keeping cut flowers fresh - A dash of salt added to the water in a flower vase will keep cut flowers fresh longer.

Iron Pans : Remove grease by sprinkling with salt and wiping with kitchen paper.

Mildrew Stains : Moisten with a mixture of lemon juice and salt, hang item in sun to bleach then rinse and dry.

Onions and Garlic: Rub hands with a mix of salt and vinegar to remove smell from hands.

Ovens : To clean oven use a mixture of salt, baking soda and vinegar. Stubborn satins can be rubbed with steel wool. For spills, sprinkle immediately with salt, leave a few minutes them wipe clean. To deodorize, sprinkle oven while still warm with salt and cinnamon. Wipe away with cloth when cool. For fires in ovens or on stove top, sprinkle with salt to extinguish, never use water.

Pewter : Cover with a paste of salt, flour and vinegar. Allow to dry, rinse in warm water, then gently polish with a soft cloth.

Poison Ivy : Kill plants by spraying a few times with a mixture of 1lb/half kilo salt to 4 pints/2 litres soapy water.

Refrigerators : Deodorize and clean with a mixture of salt and soda water.

Rings on Furniture : Remove white rings by rubbing a thin paste cooking oil and salt in with your fingers. leave for a few hours then wipe clean.

Silver Cutlery : Line pan with aluminum foil in the bottom of a pan, add enough water to cover cutlery and 1 teaspoon of salt and one teaspoon of baking soda. Boil for a few minutes. Remove, rinse and dry.

Sink Drains : To prevent odors and remove grease, regularly pour down a strong mixture of salt and boiling water. To unblock drains, pour mixture of ½ cup salt, ½ cup baking soda and 1/4 cup cream of tartar down drain, follow by kettle of boiling water. Wait a few hours then flush with water.

Sneakers : Remove moisture and odors by sprinkling a little salt in them. (This one I'll test out on my middle son's toxic runners)

Stained Cups: Rub with salt.

Tin Baking Pans : Remove rust by rubbing with a cut potato dipped in salt.

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

Wine Stains : Blot as much as possible of rug or tablecloth. Cover stain with salt to absorb the residue. Rinse with cold water.

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FOR THE KIDS FROM TEACHNET.COM

Earth Friendly Play Dough

* 1 cup flour (not self-rising)
* 1/2 cup salt
* 1 cup water
* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
* 1-1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar

Mix in saucepan over low heat. (It does not have to heat long.) Dough is ready when it rolls into a ball. Keep dough fresh in an airtight container. If you need to make different colors, add food coloring while mixing over heat.

No-Cook Clay Dough

* 3 cups flour
* 3 cups salt
* 3 tablespoons alum

Combine ingredients and slowly add water, a little at a time. Mix well with spoon. As mixture thickens, continue mixing with your hands until it has the feel of clay. If it feels too dry, add more water. If it is too sticky, add equal parts of flour and salt.