20 Surprising Uses for Salt

Mankind has been using salt for many centuries, in the course of which we've amassed many uses (some speculate thousands) for this amazing substance—uses that go far beyond mere seasoning. Here are a few of the more practical ones:

• Pick up a dropped egg. If an egg breaks on the kitchen floor, sprinkle salt on the mess and leave it there for 20 minutes. You'll be able to wipe it right up.

• Soothe a bee sting. Wet the sting right away, then cover it with salt.

• Eliminate a grease fire. Pour salt on top to smother it. (Never use water on a grease fire.)
  
  
  
  • Kill grass growing in cracks in the cement or between patio stones. Sprinkle salt on the grass and pour very hot water over it. Or sprinkle coarse salt on the grass, let stand all day or overnight, then pour hot tap water over it.
  
  
  
  
  
  • Clean a glass coffee pot. Fill it with 1/4 cup of table salt and a dozen ice cubes. Swish the mixture around, let it sit for half an hour, fill it with cold water and rinse.
  
  
  
  
  
  • Halt the mountain of suds from an overflowing washing machine. Sprinkle salt on the top.
  
  
  
  
  
  • Clean artificial flowers. Put them in a bag of salt and shake the bag. Take a look at the color of the salt and you'll see what you've accomplished.
  
  
  
  
  
  • Keep windows frost-free. Dip a sponge into salt water and rub it on windows, and they won't frost up even when the mercury dips below 32 degrees; for the same effect on your car's windshield, put salt in a little bag made of cheesecloth, moisten it slightly and rub it on.
  
  
  
  
  
  • Clean tarnished copper. Fill a 16-ounce spray bottle with hot white vinegar and three tablespoons of salt. Spray it onto the copper, let it sit briefly, then rub clean. (Don't do this to lacquered copper.)
  
  
  
  
  
  • Keep radishes safe in the garden. Salt worms (cutworms) will be repelled if you sprinkle seeds with table salt, then cover with dirt.
  
  
  
  
  
  • Clean coffee and tea stains from china cups. Rub them with salt.
  
  
  
  
  
  • Keep potatoes and apples from turning brown once they're sliced. Put them in salted cold water.
  
  
  
  
  
  • Clean a cutting board. Cover it with bleach and salt, scrub it with a stiff brush, then rinse with very hot water and wipe with a clean cloth. Repeat with each use.

• Clean up oven spills. If food boils over onto the oven floor, sprinkle salt on top to stop smoke and odor from forming. When the oven is cool, it'll be easy to brush away the spot.

• Set color. If a dye may run, soak the garment for an hour in 1/2 gallon of water to which you've added 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/2 cup salt. If rinse water shows color, repeat. This is good for a single-colored fabric or madras. If the item is multicolored, dry-clean it. (American-made fabrics are unlikely to run, but fabrics from abroad are sometimes risky.)

• Kill poison ivy. Add three pounds of salt to a gallon of soapy water. Spray it onto leaves and stems.

• Make cream whip more easily and egg whites whip faster and higher. Add a pinch of salt.

• Test for rotten eggs. Put an egg in a cup of water to which you've added two teaspoons of salt. A fresh egg will sink, but one that's iffy will float.

• Clean the brown spots (from starch) off a nonstick soleplate (the bottom of your iron). Sprinkle salt on a sheet of waxed paper, slide the iron across it, then rub lightly with silver polish.

• Repel fleas. Wash the doghouse with it.

How to Clean Your Room

Some people are just naturally good at keeping their rooms tidy, while some of us need to be reminded or told to do it a thousand times, whether by a frustrated parent or roommate, or by not being able to walk through our room without tripping over something. The problem is that if your room is a mess, the prospect of cleaning it can seem like an overwhelming task. But if you approach it in "layers" as described below, it'll be much less intimidating and, who knows? You might even have fun if you're lucky!

Close all computer programs but this, but first bookmark important sites you have up if you have to. Sign off from any chat programs and put up an away message. The temptation to chat or browse can be a major pitfall. If you are doing something, then turn off your screen or save what you are doing and shut down the computer. Also turn off your cellphone to avoid talking or texting so that you won't get distracted.

Put on an album that you enjoy singing or dancing along with. Stay away from mellow, relaxing music--you need motivation. Turn it up as loud as you're allowed to put it so you're not thinking of anything else. Make a game of seeing how much you can get cleaned up during one song.

Open all of your curtains or blinds and, if appropriate, the windows themselves to let some light and fresh air in. If you're cleaning at night, just turn on all of the lights. This will allow you to see everything and brighten your cleaning process. If you have a ceiling fan, turn it on. There's a good chance you'll work up a sweat.

Remove all big stuff out of your room. That way the room looks a little bit more tidy already

Sweep out everything from under the bed and dressers. You may be surprised to find just how much junk has accumulated there, much of which is probably stuff you'd thought you'd lost or may have simply forgotten about. Separate all of it into four piles: One is trash, the second is give away, the third is recycling, and the last pile is things that should stay in your room

Gather the trash and throw it away. Then recycle the recycling. Keeping a garbage bag in the room will help. Pull stuff out from under and behind the rest of your furniture like desks, dressers, end tables, nightstands or bookshelves. Your only concern right now should be trash and recycling so don't put anything else away, and don't start organizing just yet.

Put everything in your room that you need to put away in a big pile on your bed or in the middle of the floor. When stuff is all over the room it is easy to avoid, but when it's all right there in a big, tall pile, it is almost impossible to leave it there. As you're building up your pile, set any dirty clothes aside in a hamper or in a separate pile.

Fold or hang your clean clothes and put them away, while throwing the dirty ones in the laundry pile. If you come across something that you haven't worn in quite some time, try it on. If it doesn't fit you or isn't in season, give it to charity or put it in a container as long as it's not dirty or torn. Organize your closet and dressers. Close all drawers and doors; make sure nothing is sticking out.

Put everything in its place - don't just shove everything under the bed and call it a day - but don't organize yet. For example, put all the books where they're supposed to be, like on your bookshelf, but don't get caught up in organizing the bookshelf just yet, or else you'll lose momentum. Just keep grabbing an item from the pile on your bed, put it in its place, and move onto the next item. If you find something that doesn't belong anywhere, either consider giving it away, or make a place for it. Continue putting everything away (stuffed animals, photographs, purses, shoes, and so on) until your bed is cleared.

• If you find things that need to be put in another room (like dishes that belong in the kitchen) grab a laundry basket or box and put those items in there. When you're done putting everything away that belongs in your room, you can go and put the rest of the things away that belong in other rooms. Individually taking the items to their spots in other parts of the house is a big waste of time

Time for the bed. Strip it bare. Take off all the bedding and use this opportunity to rotate the mattress. Flipping over your mattress not only increases its lifespan, but it will also feel great to sleep on the under-used side. Now, get out some fresh bedding and change the sheets. Then, finally make your bed. An unmade bed will make any room look messy by itself.

Now take a break. 10-15 minutes should be plenty

Stack your books and magazines neatly, even those on the floor. Stack the by height, biggest on the bottom shortest on the top. Organize your bookshelf if you have one. Dust the books and the shelf surfaces with a feather duster or a moist cloth

Clean up your desk, organizing and dusting as you go along. Even a simple dusting can make your desk look more inviting to sit at again.

Make Your Kitchen the Heart of Your Home

In households across the country, families have allowed television to become the center of every evening. Yet it is important to make an effort to turn off the ‘tube' on a regular basis. Cooking is a wonderful way to get away from the television, and a kitchen renovation project provides the perfect way to create a comfortable, welcoming space. Included below are some pointers to keep in mind for your project.

Plan in Phases. Investments to improve your cooking space pay off because they make cooking experiences much more pleasant. However, it is not always possible to make a big investment, nor is it necessary. Create a plan for what your ideal kitchen would look like and list the needed changes to make your plan a reality. Next, prioritize what you most value and rank all of the tasks. You might want to consult someone with experience in home repair projects, who can help you determine what is feasible.

Pick a Color Scheme. Altering the colors currently in your kitchen is a relatively easy way to change the feel of the room. Bright colors can make a place seem cheerful, while warm colors might be a better match for you depending on your personality. Consider how you will be using spaces when you think of the colors. If you tend to be a messy chef, make sure that you take this into account by selecting washable materials and avoiding white surfaces that easily stain. There are lots of ways to add color, from area rugs to painted walls, cabinet knobs, blinds, and light fixtures.

Involve the Family throughout the Process. Discussing the color scheme with y is a great way to get their input, so that the project really seems like a group one. You should also try to involve them in other decisions. More minds working together means that it will be easier for you to find ways to inexpensively alter your kitchen's look. This might include refinishing the cabinetry, painting, or changing small fixtures.

Update Your Appliances. Cooking is a much more enjoyable experience when you have the appropriate tools for every project you take on. Whether it is making toast in the morning or blending up a smoothie, all tasks are easier when you have good appliances. Evaluate which items you use the most, and replace any outdated models that do not function well. Talk to the other people who cook in your family, and make a list of your priorities for purchasing or repairing appliances.

Think about Comfort. Preparing food together is a fabulous way to have quality family time, giving you the chance to connect with the people in your household. An added benefit is that cooking your own food is normally much healthier than ordering in or eating microwave dinners. Because you want to encourage everyone to spend time in the kitchen, it is important to be sure you have comfortable places to be. Island countertops with stools are great ways to encourage everyone to be in the kitchen, even when they are not the one mixing the ingredients. People are more likely to accompany the cook, even when they are just observing, when they have a comfortable place from which to observe.