Do You Know These 12 Salt Secrets? - Save Our Bones

In the Osteoporosis Reversal Program I explain the bone health benefits of sea salt and recommend that you avoid regular table salt. In case you’re still using table salt, today you’ll get a brief summary of why you should make the switch.

So you might be wondering what to do with all your leftover salt. Should you just toss it away? Not so fast, because salt is a great non-toxic household cleaning and beauty product replacement.

You see, the carton of acidifying table salt can give you shinier pots and pans, cleaner and brighter clothes, softer skin, and a poison ivy-free garden.

In this post, I will also give you 12 creative ways to use your leftover table salt. But first, let’s go over…

A Brief Salt Primer

While all salts come from the sea, table salt is a highly processed product. It is bleached to make it look white (natural salt typically has a light gray color) and has additives to prevent caking. Since natural anti-caking agents like calcium and magnesium carbonate are more expensive, most table salt contains man-made chemical additives like sodium ferrocyanide decahydrate or sodium aluminosilicate.

Additionally, about half of all the table salt in the U.S. is supplemented with potassium iodide. In ‘Iodine, Your Thyroid, and Your Bone Health', I explain why this is not a good idea for your bone health.

While salt in its natural state is alkalizing, processing and chemicals turn it into an acidifying substance. And that is why sun-dried sea salt without additives is alkalizing. It’s also naturally rich in calcium, potassium, sulphur, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, manganese, copper, iodine and zinc, many of which are Foundation Supplements.

I recommend that you use unprocessed sea salt on your food at home, in moderation. But when you’re eating out or having prepared food, simply sit back and enjoy your meal. A little bit of table salt won’t harm your bones if you’re following the Osteoporosis Reversal Program.

Don’t Throw it Out! 12 Money-Saving Uses for Table Salt

It’s been said that there are thousands of uses for salt. Here are my favorite ones:

1. Stain Remover Extraordinaire

Blood stain on that white shirt? No problem! Just sprinkle salt on the stain and blot with cold water. For stains that cover a larger area, soak the garment in a cold saltwater mixture for about an hour before washing in warm water. This works for gravy stains, too. For a fresh gravy stain, pour on the salt and let it absorb as much of the gravy as possible before washing.

2. Coffee Pot Magician

Do you have a stained coffee or tea pot that’s nearly impossible to clean? Just pour in enough salt to cover the bottom of the pot, then fill the pot with ice cubes and swirl the mixture around several times in each direction. If the pot is badly stained, you might need to repeat the process a few times, or let the salt and ice sit in the pot for about an hour before rinsing. A couple of cautions with this: If you have a glass coffee pot, make sure it’s at room temperature before you start – the glass could break if you add ice while it’s still hot. And be sure to rinse the pot well when you’re done – you don’t want your coffee or tea to taste like salt!

3. Bathroom Brilliance

You don’t need expensive and toxic chemical abrasives to clean dirty bathroom tubs and sinks. Table salt makes a great natural abrasive for removing all kinds of burnt-on or caked-on stuff.

4. Ant Deterrent

Ants can be pesky and persistent little creatures, but there’s no need to kill them. Once again, salt to the rescue. For a humane, pet safe, and inexpensive way to deal with an ant problem, first figure out where the ants are coming in (that’s usually pretty easy to do by following the trail back to a windowsill, doorway, or crack in a wall). Then sprinkle salt in those entryways. Ants can’t stand the crunchy feel of salt under their “feet,” so they won’t cross the salt barrier.

5. Bee Sting Soother

Sprinkle a bit of water on the sting, then add salt and cover with a Band-Aid so the salt can stay put and do its work.

6. Poison Ivy Destroyer

Have a patch of poison ivy growing in your yard? Get it before it gets you! Pour about a cup of salt into a gallon of water and spray the mixture on the poison ivy, making sure you spray both the leaves and the stem. Caution: This mixture will kill any plant, so be sure to spray only the poison ivy.

7. Copper Cleaner

Thought you needed a separate copper cleaner to get those copper-bottomed pots shiny? No way. Just sprinkle some salt on half a lemon (or a lemon slice) and use that to polish your copper.

8. Foot and Skin Care

There’s nothing better than a salt bath for getting your feet super clean. Soaking your feet in warm salt water is also a great stress reliever, so this remedy does double duty! And for a low-cost, natural exfoliant that will give you glowing skin, rub some salt on your face and body when you’re still damp after a bath or shower (then be sure to rinse it off!).

9. Canker Sore Cure

Canker sores can be extremely painful and hard to get rid of. The salt cure might sting a bit, but it’s very effective! Just make a warm salt water solution and swish it around in your mouth for at least ten seconds before rinsing. Do this around three times daily until the sore is gone.

10. Color Setter

Have you ever had a problem with bright colors bleeding in the wash? Not only do your lovely bright garments end up faded, but that one red blouse could turn your entire wash load pink. There’s an easy solution, and of course it involves… salt! Before you wash the item, soak it in a mixture of salt, water, and vinegar. Use about half a cup of each ingredient, and soak for about 30 minutes.

11. Ice and Snow Rescue

You might already know about using rock salt on icy driveways and steps. But if you don’t have a bag of rock salt on hand, table salt will do the trick.

12. Suds Stopper

Put a little bit too much soap in the washing machine, or too much bubble bath in the tub? Calm the bubbles with a sprinkle of salt.

I hope these tips make it easier for you to switch to sea salt.

Till next time,

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Comments on this article are closed.

  1. time management

    I’ve read several excellent stuff here. Certainly worth bookmarking for revisiting. I surprise how so much attempt you set to make this type of great informative website.

  2. karen

    to the people with canker sores. The l-lysine really works. If you have acidolphilus capsules (yogurt culture) handy, They work as well. I take two every couple hours until the sore starts to heal up. Then I go back to the directions on the bottle. You might try adding more yogurt to your diet too. And to the graves people: Thanks for the tip that Sea Salt might cause weight gain. I have learned that I am usually in the small percentage of people with odd reactions, so this will really be useful.

    • Kate

      Be careful. Too much Lysine can cause inner ear problems. I used to take it on a daily basis to prevent cold sores and ended up with “tinnitus” buzzing in the ear. So annoying. Have had it for 25 years now.

  3. pat cisneros

    I find your save our bones program very useful to people. I wish that i was able to afford your program, but i cannot. i am a disabled senior raising a child and our sole income is one thousand dollars per month. It has taken over two years and a lot of going without just to buy this used computer. i hope that if i live long enough i will be able to afford your program as soon as possible. thank you for the free information that you have provided for low income people who cannot afford any more. God Bless

  4. Brenda

    Hi.I went to the doctor a couple of years ago for chest pain. The doctor diagnoised me as having arthiritis. he did not prescribe anything,just told me to have my cholesterol checked.when its cold or raining im in so much pain is there anything you can suggest i take,besides the aleve,excedrin and tylenol. maybe something natural?

    • Wendy

      Hi Brenda
      I take a herbal remedy for arthritis from a naturopath. I’m not sure what the ingredients are, but it does contain turmeric. You may be able to find a tablet with a high dose of turmeric, perhaps from a pharmacy or a health food shop. Turmeric is excellent for reducing inflammation. Two years ago, I had such pain in my knees, I bought a walking stick. Then after using my remedy for a few weeks, I realized I was carrying my stick, and I haven’t used it since.
      Gentle exercise helps. I am doing a Feldencrais class just now.
      Following the Save our Bones program which we bought for my husband is also most helpful.
      The other thing that is really great is acupuncture. Find someone who IS an acupuncturist, not someone who just does acupuncture or has ‘done a course’. Acupuncture 101 is not good enough.
      All the best

  5. Jean

    Thanks, AronRosa for trying to help. But I should tell you my Graves disease was successfully treated nearly 40 years ago, and my weight had been quite stable since then (always watching my diet, of course), until I switched to sea salt, and then the abrupt weight gain occurred. Therefore, I need to pay attention; optimal Synthroid dosage can be quite a balancing act as one ages!

  6. juvy

    Most of all I would like to thanks Vivian from the buttom of my heart for all the information she gave us all and also to all who have contibuted.It ia very helpful information.Thanks a Millions.

    I have been eating the recipe of Vivian, and I notice my Nails are very strong and grow long now. Before my Nails very soft and easyly broken split. I was very worried already,because I said to myself maybe my bones has deteriorated and that I might fall down and break my bones.Now to my great surprise at 70years old this is the first time I have long Nails.I owe to Vivian.She is great saviour to my soft flaky bones juvy 17October 2011

  7. Dee

    I thought one of your e-mails said something
    about a home made pet deodorizer but can’t find it. Would be so greatful if you could send it to me.

    Thanks,
    Dee

  8. Nu Ly

    Thank you for your 12 ways to use salt tips.
    I try to folow all your advices, but it is not
    easy to do, because of habit & age.

  9. Terri

    I have red that the himalayan salt is better for you than the sea salt because of all the contamination in the sea. True? Thanks for the tips.

    • Joyce Aku2

      False, because b4 salt can form out of sea water, it needs a high temperature heat from the sun. So the heat from the sun kills the germs. Moreover salt contain a very high acidic so germs cannot survive under that acidic content

  10. Kim

    To Vivian and all of your post.
    Thanks for all the great tips that I didn’t know.
    For example…never thought about whiter teeth with cleaning with salt.
    Interesting….Kim Ohio

  11. Aronrosa

    A good receepe for sea bass and red snapper : mix raw whites of eggs with gross raw salt , the sel de guerande is the best wrapp the fish with its scales kept on in the preparation , put it ih hot oven at 200 celsius for 15 to 30 minites acording to the size of the fish
    Important keep the scales of the fiish on
    The mixture salt and whites must have the constitency of a paste
    Daniele

  12. Mary V.

    Thanks Vivian. I have learned some new tips. I have always used salt and vinegar to clean copper and disinfect my counters. Now that we only us Himalayan salt I buy the cheapest salt I can find for cleaning. It kills slugs also!

  13. jdial

    Vivian, in the remedy for fabric bleeds you say to soak the garment in a combination of salt, water, and vinegar. I wondered which kind of vinegar, white or apple cider?

    Many thanks.

    -jackie-

    • Mary

      The cheapest white vinegar you can find works just fine.

  14. john

    Would ” No Salt” salt substitute be better for the bones as well? It contains only potassium 650 mg.per 1/4 tsp. (1.3 gr.)per serving.(no sodium or MSG.)

    • Letty

      Vivian Thank you for the salt tips I didn`t know you could used for so many things

  15. Renée

    If you’re feet are too hot or have that burning feeling add salt to hot water (as hot as you can tolerate it)for 20 minutes and the heat will be ‘drawn’ out

  16. LESLIE

    Hi! Vivian,

    VERY GOOD ADVICE! And Here’s Another Use For Salt. If You Spill Red Wine On Your Tablecloth, Just Sprinkle Some Salt On The Stain, And It Will Absorb The Moisture, Then Wash As Usual. It REALLY WORKS, And PRETTY GOOD TOO!

    LOVE, MS. L.

  17. Bev

    How does “kosher salt” fit into the picture? With table salt or sea salt or somewhere in between?

    • Vivian Goldschmidt, MA

      Bev, kosher salt has larger crystals and may or may not have additives. If you like the texture of kosher salt, you can purchase kosher sea salt.

  18. Lucy

    Thank you for all of the great tips about salt! I always appreciate your helpfulness.

  19. JUNE BRADY

    i love all your articles but this salt one is very good.will it clean the hard stains on my toilet bowl?thank you.

    JUNEBUG & A SILLY CAT!FLORIDA

  20. Luc Chene

    For the canker sore, salt only works by being more painful, then when gone, the pain is less comparatively. But salt does little in shortening the duration of canker sores.
    I am plagued with this predicament. And it feels like fighting an intelligent being.
    At first I discovered myrrh tincture would get rid of the canker within a day or two and the pain will be gone in a few minutes, the tincture forming a film over the canker sore.
    Then it would work no more. Then pure alcohol would do the trick, then after a few times, it would work no more.
    Then I found out that rinsing the canker sore with a stream of water, with a water pick did help, then after a few times, it would no longer offer relief!
    I just tried methylene blue, but not much success here, next I shall try gentian violet.

    • Eluned

      Canker sores are sometimes caused by a lack of B vitamins

    • Annie

      Luc Chene,
      I find that “Super Lysine +” immune stystem Liquid Extaract, with Echinacea & shitake extracts, works right away for Canker sores..
      I have been using it for years.

      It comes with a droper inside, so its very easy to use.

      At first it might sting abit, but keep putting it on the canker sore.
      It will be gone by that night, almost right away.

      I buy it at a Health food store

      Good luck

    • Mary Garon

      Try L Lysine (a natural amino acid) for canker sores and cold sores. It is amazing. About 7 or 8 years ago I mentioned to a friend at work that both my husband and daughter both had painful bouts of canker sores. She said L Lysine worked for her and there were no side effect. It cleared up both my husband and daughters sores immediately. 500 mg and it is osold ver the counter in the vitamin and mineral section of your drug store. Cheap and effective and no side effects. They don’t take it regularly – just when needed. Hope it works for you.

      • Annie

        Opppsss , Didn’t See Mary’s post lol.

    • Lynn

      To Luc Chene in regard to canker sores. My husband gets them periodically and uses a powder of the herb golden seal. It not only soothes but heals as well. Hope that helps.

  21. Elef

    Thank you Vivian for all your precious informations Also it is sure that they lead to a healthier way of life.
    I try to follow all your advices but it is not always easy because I have a lot of occupations.
    I keep all your mails and I try to reread all a day in the future. I have allready your book.
    Thank you for all.

  22. Carol Reed

    Thanks Vivian, for the great salt tips. Didn’t know you could use it for so many things. I have been using sea salt for two years now.

  23. Celestina Marie

    Thank you Vivian,
    Always good info and always helpful.
    Have a great week.
    Celestina Marie

  24. Jean

    People who’ve been treated for Grave’s disease may want to think twice about switching to sea salt; I did, and ended up abruptly gaining 10 unwanted pounds; tested low in iodide, and resumed iodized salt. But I can’t get rid of the extra ten pounds, now! (Even though my calorie count is about 1200 a day). Will have annual physical soon, so I’m hoping for answers.

    • Aronrosa

      It is normal to put on weight after successfull treatment of grave’s disease
      Try to rebuilt your muscles : jog, walk, cycle ,play golf it helps

  25. Allison

    Knowledge is Power…. thanks for all the great tips!!

  26. Irma Moreno

    Thank you Vivian; the tips about table salt will be very usuful to me.
    Regards,
    Irma

  27. Inez Joseph

    I have been using sea salt for the past three years and i have gotten vet y good results. I tell all of my friends about sea salt.

  28. Helen

    Thank you for sending through the topic on SALT!
    I use it to clean my teeth each week and find that my teeth looks whiter!

    After cleaning with salt my mouth feels clean and my teeth are smooth and shining!

  29. Dortha

    Had just heard that sea salt is not necessarily any better for us than table salt. Thanks again, for setting us straight!! I love the way you give us true facts and support your comments…the lay population certainly need your input. We are not doctors nor scientists. Thanks again!!

  30. Margarita

    Sorry for the stupid mistake: not “I think” but YOU THINK !!

  31. Margarita

    Thank you again, Vivian! I had switched to unrefined sea salt before I got your latest message but it’s amazing how I think of everything to help us.
    Have a great day!
    Margarita

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