Hive Tip: Over 30 Ways to Clean With Salt

How many ways can you use salt? According to the Salt Institute, about 14,000! Since at least medieval times salt (sodium chloride) has been used for cleaning–and ensuing generations have continued to rely on it for all kinds of nifty tricks around the house. (these were the days before toxic chemicals promised the convenience of an easy fix!) So with its non-toxic friendliness and top-dog status as an endlessly abundant resource, let’s jump on the granny bandwagon and swap out some non-toxic solutions for ample, innocuous and inexpensive salt.

CLEAN:

• Sink drains. Pour salt mixed with hot water down the kitchen sink regularly to deodorize and keep grease from building up.

• Remove water rings. Gently rub a thin paste of salt and vegetable oil on the white marks caused by beverage glasses and hot dishes, on wooden tables.

• Greasy pans. Cast-iron skillets can be cleaned with a good sprinkling of salt and paper towels.

• Stained cups. Mix salt with a dab of dish soap to make a soft scrub for stubborn coffee and tea stains.

• Refrigerators. A mix of salt and soda water can be used to wipe out and deodorize the inside of your refrigerator, a nice way to keep chemical-y cleaners away from your food.

• Brass or copper. Mix equal parts of salt, flour and vinegar to make a paste, and rub the paste on the metal. After letting it sit for an hour, clean with a soft cloth or brush and buff with a dry cloth.

• Rust. Mix salt and cream of tartar with just enough water to make a paste. Rub on rust, let dry, brush off and buff with a dry, soft cloth. You can also use the same method with a mix of salt and lemon.

• Glass coffee pot. Every diner waitress’ favorite tip: add salt and ice cubes to a coffee pot, swirl around vigorously, and rinse. The salt scours the bottom, and the ice helps to agitate it more for a better scrub.

• Wine spills. If your tipsy aunt tips her wine on the cotton or linen tablecloth, blot up as much as possible and immediately cover the wine with a pile of salt, which will help pull the remaining wine away from the fiber. After dinner, soak the tablecloth in cold water for thirty minutes before laundering. (Also works on clothing.)

• Dry clothes in the winter. Use salt in the final laundry rinse to prevent clothes from freezing if you use an outdoor clothes line in the winter.

• Brighten colors. Wash colored curtains or washable fiber rugs in a saltwater solution to brighten the colors. Brighten faded rugs and carpets by rubbing them briskly with a cloth that has been dipped in a strong saltwater solution and wrung out.

• Remove perspiration stains. Add four tablespoons of salt to one quart of hot water and sponge the fabric with the solution until stains fade.

• Remove blood stains. Soak the stained cloth in cold saltwater, then launder in warm, soapy water and boil after the wash. (Use only on cotton, linen or other natural fibers that can take high heat.)

• Tackle mildew or rust stains. Moisten stained spots with a mixture of lemon juice and salt, then spread the item in the sun for bleaching–then rinse and dry.

• Clean a gunky iron bottom. Sprinkle a little salt on a piece of paper and run the hot iron over it to remove rough, sticky spots.

• Set color. Salt is used commonly in the textile industry, but works at home too. If a dye isn’t colorfast, 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, then rinse. If rinse water has any color in it, repeat. Use only on single-colored fabric or madras. If the item is multicolored, dry-clean it to avoid running all of the colors together.

AROUND THE HOUSE:

• Deter ants. Sprinkle salt at doorways, window sills and anywhere else ants sneak into your house. Ants don’t like to walk on salt.

• Extinguish grease fires. Keep a box of salt near your stove and oven, and if a grease fire flares up, douse the flames with salt. (Never use water on grease fires; it will splatter the burning grease.) When salt is applied to fire, it acts like a heat sink and dissipates the heat from the fire–it also forms an oxygen-excluding crust to smother the fire.

• Drip-proof candles. If you soak new candles in a strong salt solution for a few hours, then dry them well, they will not drip as much when you burn them.

• Keep cut flowers fresh. A dash of salt added to the water in a flower vase will keep cut flowers fresh longer. (You can also try an aspirin or a dash of sugar for the same effect.)

• Arrange artificial flowers. Artificial flowers can be held in place by pouring salt into the vase, adding a little cold water and then arranging the flowers. The salt becomes solid as it dries and holds the flowers in place.

• Make play dough. Use 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup salt, 1 cup water, 2 tablespoons oil and 2 tablespoons cream of tartar. Stir together flour, cream of tartar, salt and oil, and slowly add water. Cook over medium heat stirring frequently until dough becomes stiff. Spread onto wax paper and let cool. Knead the dough with your hands until it reaches a good play dough consistency. (Read about juice dyes here.)

• Repair walls. To fill nail holes, fix chips or other small dings in white sheetrock or plaster walls, mix 2 tablespoons salt and 2 tablespoons cornstarch, then add enough water (about 5 teaspoons) to make a thick paste. Use the paste to fill the holes.

• Deter patio weeds. If weeds or grass grow between bricks or blocks in your patio, sidewalk or driveway, carefully spread salt between the cracks, then sprinkle with water or wait for rain to wet it down.

• Kill poison ivy. Mix three pounds of salt with a gallon of soapy water (use a gentle dish soap) and apply to leaves and stems with a sprayer, avoiding any plant life that you want to keep.

• De-ice sidewalks and driveways. One of the oldest tricks in the book! Lightly sprinkle rock salt on walks and driveways to keep snow and ice from bonding to the pavement and allow for easier shoveling/scraping. But don’t overdo it; use the salt sensibly to avoid damage to plants and paws.

• Tame a wild barbeque. Toss a bit of salt on flames from food dripping in barbecue grills to reduce the flames and calm the smoke without cooling the coals (like water does).

Hive Tip: Clean Stainless-Steel Appliances and Kitchen Items the Right Way

If you spend any time in the kitchen, you should probably know how to clean stainless steel. Trust us, just because a material is called “stainless” doesn’t mean it can’t get dirty, and nothing makes a kitchen more unappetizing than appliances covered in smudges, grime, and other buildup.

1. Assess the damage

When it comes to stainless steel, not all messes are the same, meaning not all cleaning methods will be the same either. Smudges and hard water stains may come off pretty easily with a simple wipe down, whereas caked-on food or other more intense buildup may require a more serious product—and more elbow grease on your part. So make sure you know what you’re up against before grabbing all of your supplies.

​2. Prep your supplies

For a simple DIY cleaning solution, you’ll need white vinegar, lemon juice, and tap water. Fill a spray bottle with equal parts water and white vinegar. You can add a few drops of lemon juice to make the mixture smell better. After you’ve made your solution, be sure to grab some olive oil, dish liquid, and microfiber cloths because you’ll be using those too. For really tough grime, like caked-on grease, you may need to explore different methods. Stock up on either a store-bought stainless-steel cleaner or some baking soda.

No matter what cleaning solution you choose, there are a few things you should always avoid. Never use steel wool, scouring powders, ammonia, or bleach on your kitchen appliances—they can all be just a little too intense and damage the finish. The same goes if you’re wondering how to clean a stainless-steel sink.

3. Go with the grain

When cleaning stainless steel, there is one general rule: wipe along the direction of the grain. You’ll want to spray your vinegar and water solution onto the surface then wipe following the material’s grain. This should take care of most of your daily messes, things like water spots and finger smudges. For that residue that just won’t come off, try sprinkling a bit of baking soda on the surface, then applying white vinegar (whether with a spray bottle or kitchen towel). Once you’ve done this, wipe with a soft cloth or paper towel and rinse with warm water.

4. Touch up with some dish soap

Once all fingerprints and grime have been removed, wet a second microfiber cloth with water and apply a few drops of dish soap. You’ll want to gently wipe this dishwashing liquid solution across the surface. After, rinse out the soapy cloth and wipe the surface once more to remove any lingering soap.

5. Seal with olive oil

Now that you’ve put in all that effort to get your stainless-steel surfaces clean, you’ll likely want to keep them that way. Luckily, something as simple as olive oil can help you do that. Olive oil acts as a protective coating that can help to protect in between deep cleaning sessions, it can also help repel smudges and mask previous scratches. You’ll want to put a small amount of olive oil on a microfiber cloth and wipe it gently back and forth along the grain.

6. Buff and polish

There are two parts to managing stainless steel: the actual cleaning stage, and the polishing stage. Polishing will make sure the surface isn’t just clean, but also shining. This step can also be accomplished with a microfiber cloth and some olive oil, but the technique will be a little different. Polishing is best done in a circular motion, but there is rarely an issue with going with or against the grain in the polishing stage. Take a small amount of olive oil on a microfiber cloth and buff it into the appliance, working in small circular motions. Your appliance will be sparkling in no time!

Hive Tip: Deep Clean Shower & Tub

If you have shower curtains: Before you get started on the scrubbing, throw your towels, shower curtain and liner (this is our favorite washable one) in the washing machine. Yes, you can wash your liners! Just hang your liners back up in the bath to dry.

If you have shower doors: Make a paste with a few drops of distilled white vinegar and a cup of baking soda. Apply it to the door, and let it sit for 30 minute to an hour.

Honey, Do: Pre-spray your shower and bath and let it sit for 5-10 minutes to help cut the grime.

After spraying your bath and shower with your favorite cleaner and scrub the walls and basin from top to bottom. Rinse with water. Wipe up the water drops from all surfaces and your shower will shine!

non-toxic soap scum spray:

• Combine equal parts water and vinegar in a spray bottle

• Add one to two tablespoons of dish soap

• Seal and shake the spray bottle to mix the components together

• Spray the mixture on soap scum and allow to sit for 15 minutes

• Wipe down the surface with a damp washcloth

• Squeegee to remove lines then dry with clean microfiber cloth for a spot-free finish

Busy Bee: Detox your home, one room at a time

Many (potentially) harmful chemicals that are regulated or outright banned in other countries are unregulated in the US. and they end up in our homes. It’s difficult enough to read a label on a supplement or beauty product and sort out what’s safe and what’s not. But harmful chemicals hiding in furniture, mattresses, and other home products may be even harder to catch. Even when brands claim their products are made with healthier materials, it’s difficult to verify whether those claims can be trusted. Terms like “natural,” “green,” and “clean” aren’t regulated, so you can’t rely on those labels to tell you whether a product is safe. Instead, you should look for third-party certifications that can guarantee a product lives up to its claims.

We’re not suggesting throwing out everything you own. But when an opportunity comes along to make a healthier choice, consider taking it. Replace conventional cleaning products as you go through them, swap out your old candles for ones made with a transparent ingredient list, and toss your nonstick pans when they start to get scratched up. Appliances that remove toxicants from your home environment—like air purifiers and water filters—make a big difference, too. Read on for some of our top swap suggestions and products!

Bedroom

• Considering how much time you spend in contact with your bed—sleeping, sex, spending a long morning with a latte and a book—a mattress made with safe materials is critical. Any mattress brand that claims it is nontoxic, natural, or organic should provide legitimate third-party certifications that ensure that your mattress contains no petroleum-based polyurethane foams, flame retardants, or any other potentially harmful chemicals that could off-gas into your home and pollute the air. Look for: Made Safe to confirm a mattress is nontoxic; Greenguard Gold to confirm it’s low-emissions; and GOTS, GOLS, and USDA Organic to confirm its materials are organic.

• For your nightstand: an air purifier to remove indoor pollutants that might affect your sleep quality and your health.

• A single-occupancy sauna that stashes under the bed is the detox tool we didn’t know we needed. Wrap yourself up in it, let the infrared heat do its thing, and emerge feeling brand-new.

Bathroom

• The process used to bleach paper products, including toilet paper, creates chemicals called dioxins and furans, which can irritate the skin. Which is why we recommend switching to bamboo toilet paper, which is free of chlorine bleach, fragrance, dyes, and BPA plastic packaging! And because bamboo doesn’t require nearly as much water, space, or time to grow as wood does, it’s also much less taxing on the environment than conventional TP, which is responsible for between 10-15% of deforestation worldwide, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.

• If you would prefer to avoid fluoride toothpastes, choose something made with nano-hydroxyapatite (n-Ha) instead. N-Ha is a compound that works to remove plaque and desensitize and remineralize teeth. It’s been the gold-standard ingredient in Japan for decades. We like the toothpastes from BOKA and Bite.

• Consider switching out your floss, too: Certain dental flosses are reported to be made from Teflon and have been found to contain PFAS, a compound that is considered a “forever chemical” because it never naturally breaks down. Cocofloss, a cleaner alternative, has a cult following for how pleasant it is to use—and it feels like it does a better job, anyway.

Kitchen

• Skip conventional nonstick—it’s made with synthetic plastic coatings like Teflon that might leech PFOAs into your food if the coating gets damaged. Instead, choose cookware made with stainless steel, cast-iron, and nontoxic ceramic.

• Plastic baggies are typically made from polyethylene or polypropylene and often get tossed after a single use. Stasher’s silicone bags contain none of that nonsense and last about 3,000 uses—after which you can return them to Stasher, which will repurpose the silicone into playground pebbles. So cool!

Living Room

• Conventional candles, air fresheners, and room sprays use any number of endocrine disruptors, skin and lung irritants, and potentially toxic compounds as fragrance. Which is why we opt for clean, soy-based candles and well-made essential oils from companies that are transparent about their ingredient lists. vitruvi makes some of our all-time most-loved essential oils.

Laundry Room

• Conventionally-fragranced laundry detergents contain hormone-disrupting phthalates, which are used to make fragrances stick. Dropps laundry tablets are made without phthalates, parabens, or ammonia, and they’re made without plastic, either! (The water-soluble plastic used for conventional detergent pods may seem to disappear in the wash, but about 75 percent of it does not biodegrade and ends up in the environment as microplastics.)

• Fabric softeners and dryer sheets don’t actually soften the fibers in your clothes and linens—they work by depositing a coating of positively charged particles onto your laundry, which reduces static between layers of fabric. They may also come loaded with preservatives, colorants, quaternary ammonium compounds (which can trigger asthma and disrupt reproductive health), and fragrance. The Environmental Working Group recommends trading in-wash fabric softener for distilled white vinegar and dryer sheets for wool dryer balls.