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20+ Household Uses for Salt Around the House

Close-up of salt on a black table, with a full wooden spoon
Image Credit:
Pixabay
Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Salt does more than make food flavorful—it can also be a surprisingly useful household helper. From removing stains and freshening smelly shoes to cleaning brass and tackling everyday spills, there are plenty of clever ways to use salt around the house.

We’ve gathered some of our favorite household uses for salt, including cleaning tricks, stain-removal tips, and other practical uses. Before you reach for a specialty product, see what this simple pantry staple can do!

When windows won’t open, and salt clogs the shaker, the weather will favor the umbrella maker.
–Weather folklore

household uses for salt, salt shaker, using salt around the house

Best Household Uses for Salt

1. Remove Fruit Stains With Salt

Fruit stains are easier to tackle while they’re still fresh. Rub salt into the stained fabric while it is still wet, then launder as usual.

2. Help Remove Mildew Spots

For mildew spots, rub the area with a mixture of salt and buttermilk. Let the fabric dry in the sun, then wash as usual.

3. Absorb Wine and Fruit Juice Spills

Spilled wine or fruit juice on your tablecloth? Sprinkle salt over the spot immediately. The salt can help absorb the liquid before you launder the fabric.

4. Remove Heat Rings From Wood Furniture

For those ugly heat rings left on a table, make a paste with salt and olive oil. Apply it to the mark, let it sit for about an hour, then wipe it away with a soft cloth.

5. Clean a Sticky Clothing Iron With Salt

Sprinkle salt onto a piece of paper and run the hot iron over it several times. The salt can help loosen residue stuck to the iron’s surface. Use caution when handling a hot iron.

6. Refresh Faded Fabric With Salt

To help restore some color to faded fabric, soak it in a strong solution of salt and water before washing.

7. Clean Brass With Salt and Vinegar

Give dull brass a fresh shine with a simple mixture of salt and vinegar. Rub the mixture gently onto the brass, then rinse thoroughly and dry with a soft cloth.

8. Improve Your Grip When Cleaning Meat or Fish

Salt can help provide extra grip when you’re handling slippery meat or fish. Sprinkle a small amount of salt onto your fingers before cleaning.

9. Discourage Weeds With Saltwater

Salt has traditionally been used to discourage unwanted weeds growing in driveways or between bricks and stones. Pouring boiling salted water over weeds can help dry them out—but take care around desirable plants, since salt can damage soil and vegetation.

10. Remove Perspiration Stains

For perspiration stains, make a paste with salt and water. Rub it into the stained area, let it sit for about an hour, then launder as usual.

11. Clean Up Spilled Raw Eggs

Spilled a raw egg? Cover it with salt and let it sit briefly before wiping it up with a paper towel. The salt can help make the slippery mess easier to clean.

12. Freshen Smelly Shoes With Salt

Freshen smelly sneakers or canvas shoes by sprinkling salt inside. Let the salt sit for about 24 hours to absorb odors, then shake it out before wearing the shoes.

13. Absorb a Grease Spill With Salt

For a fresh grease spill, sprinkle salt directly over the mess and let it sit. Once the salt has had time to absorb some of the grease, clean the area as appropriate for the surface.

14. Make a New Broom Last Longer

Before using a new broom for the first time, soak its bristles in hot saltwater. This traditional household tip may help keep the bristles in good shape.

15. Clean Stainless Steel With Salt and Lemon

Make a gritty cleaning paste with 2 tablespoons of salt and lemon juice. Rub it gently onto stainless steel, then rinse well and pat dry with a soft cloth.

16. Clean Glass Vases With Salt

Remove stubborn stains inside glass vases by sprinkling 2 to 3 tablespoons of salt into the vase. Add a little water and scrub with a damp-bristle brush, then rinse thoroughly.

17. Dry Muddy Carpet Spots With Salt

Sprinkle salt over muddy footprints on a carpet and allow it to dry before vacuuming. Always check your carpet manufacturer’s cleaning recommendations first.

18. Dust Silk Flowers With Salt

Give dusty silk flowers a gentle cleaning by placing them in a paper bag with several tablespoons of salt. Close the bag and shake gently for about 2 minutes, then remove the flowers and shake off any remaining salt.

19. Refresh Household Sponges With Saltwater

Help freshen household sponges by soaking them in cold saltwater for about 10 minutes. Rinse thoroughly afterward.

20. Try a Traditional Saltwater Gargle

Saltwater has long been used as a traditional home remedy for a sore throat. To make a gargle, dissolve 1/4 teaspoon of salt in 1 cup of warm water. Do not swallow the solution.

Have we missed any great household uses for salt? Let us know below!

Household Tips

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann is the Executive Digital Editor of Almanac.com, the digital home of The Old Farmer’s Almanac. She leads digital editorial strategy and publishing across a wide range of Almanac sub...

Read more from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

<span>Bernadette</span> Sat, 08/22/2026 - 08:38
In the many places I worked as a cook and waiter in the 70s we used salt for cleaning up at the end of the night. Sprinkle a liberal amount of salt in your glass coffee carafe, toss a few ice cubes and swirl around to remove the baked-on coffee where you can't reach at the bottom. Sprinkle your cast iron pan with salt to scour without damaging your carefully cured finish. Scour your stainless stove, counters and any other stainless steel or enamel surface using salt as the abrasive. Adding lemon or vinegar to any of these, or even using a half-lemon or just the peel as your scrubber, makes everything shine.
<span>Victoria</span> Mon, 12/29/2025 - 19:17
If your canine pees on the carpet, cover the area with a lot of salt. The amount required depends upon the volume of pee. Allow to dry completely. The salt will draw the pee out of the fibers. Once it's completely dry, vacuum thoroughly. pee is gone along with the odor.
<span>L R</span> Mon, 08/25/2025 - 11:24
I've been trying for months to get a stain out of my carpet, but everything I've used only seems to spread it. I read that salt will work, so I sprayed the stain with water, sprinkled salt on it and left it overnight. Vacuumed it the next day and the stain is gone!
<span>Lynn J Laplante</span> Mon, 08/25/2025 - 11:14
When I was a kid, my mother would wet my mosquito bites and rub salt on it, it would stop the itching.
<span>Pat Dyer</span> Mon, 08/25/2025 - 09:42
Just 2 more additions for salt: 1) Not only is salt (the saltier the better) gargled and swished around in one's mouth in very warm water good for a sore throat, but it also helps with a mild toothache as well; and 2) Sprinkling salt on a dropped raw egg makes clean-up a lot easier.
<span>Nancy Darling</span> Sat, 03/29/2025 - 14:25
After mixing vegetables for roasting with olive oil with my clean hands, I sprinkle some kosher salt into my oil-coated hands and scrub for a short time. Then rinse my hands in warm water. Free salt scrub, and soft, smooth hands.
<span>Tom</span> Fri, 05/24/2024 - 13:37
This sounds gross but it works. I'm extremely allergic to poison ivy. This was my grandfather's cure. When blisters appear pour rubbing alcohol over the area. Then with a table knife, scrape open the blisters. douse again with alcohol and rub table salt into open blisters. The process burns like blazes but the itch is gone and by next day its 'dried up and no spreading.
<span>Lisa Hood</span> Sat, 03/29/2025 - 18:54
Sounds very painful but if it keeps a person alive that is very allergic to poison ivy then it is way worth a try.
<span>Mary Colwell</span> Mon, 08/26/2024 - 11:52
I'm also highly sensitive to poison ivy. I've found that Technu is very effective, and won't damage skin cells like rubbing alcohol will. It also won't hurt like heck!
<span>Marion</span> Sat, 05/18/2024 - 18:21
If you have an infected wound, pour salt on it and wrap with a wet cloth. As it dries, the salt will draw out the infection. Yes, it will sting for a few minutes, but usually the infection will be gone the next day.