The Infinite Uses of Salt

Last time we discussed the amazing cleaning power of vinegar. Another great simple ingredient is salt! Salt sometimes gets a bad rap for being bad for you, but when used properly it has an amazingly broad range of benefits.


Probably the most familiar use for salt is in the kitchen. Salt as a seasoning is great for savory foods, but has tons of applications with a wide variety of ingredients. Small amounts of salt enrich and deepen the flavor of delicate desserts, especially chocolate. If your coffee is too bitter, put a pinch of salt in the pot to get rid of the overcooked flavor. Washing your produce in salt water yields cleaner fruits and veggies and can prevent sliced fruit and vegetables from turning brown. A pinch of salt in your milk will also make it last longer. Use natural sea salt and rock salt when cooking to gain the benefits of micronutrients found in the earth. Remember that if you make most of your food from scratch, you can safely use salt in your cooking when used with discretion without having to worry about harmful effects. Herbivores (that means you, vegetarians!) actually can have more salt added in their diets because they don't get salt from meat. Of course, be sure to check with your nutritionist when judging how much salt you need based on your diet and how often you exercise.

Salt is also excellent for beauty. Put a couple tablespoons of salt into a spray bottle of water and shake it up, then spritz it on your hair and comb through and let it air dry. Salt water helps tame frizziness, and because of the antibacterial qualities it can relieve itchiness and dandruff on your scalp too. Scrubbing your face with a paste made from salt and oil removes dead skin and brightens your complexion. Sprinkling a mixture of table salt and baking soda (also, incidentally, a type of salt) onto your toothbrush and brushing your teeth will whiten your teeth and remove hardened plaque.

As an antibacterial, salt works surprisingly well. Bacteria can cause itchy skin, wound inflammation and bad odors from the waste they create (like stinky armpits). When salted water is introduced to bacteria, the salt causes the bacteria to absorb far more water than their bodies can contain. Eventually the bacteria will absorb so much water that they burst, effectively and naturally killing the bacteria. Pressing salt into minor cuts and scrapes will kill bacteria and help the wound heal. It also relieves bee stings, bug bites and poison ivy. You can swish salt water as an effective alternative to mouthwash, and gargle warm salt water to relieve a sore throat. My favorite antibacterial use for salt, however, is as a deodorant! After you shower, wet a smooth piece of rock salt and rub it in your armpits and you'll be fresh all day. Rock salt is a cheap and easy alternative to deodorants and antiperspirants that lasts a long time. If that's not motivation enough, consider that the majority of waste in the body are eliminated through sweat. Blocking your sweat glands with chemicals and introducing metals such as aluminum (found in most deodorants) to your body has been strongly linked to cancer, especially breast cancer. Sweating is a normal function your body needs to perform to stay healthy, so spare your sweat glands and your precious disease fighting lymph nodes the abuse!

Here at Azuma we love budget-conscious ways to make a happier, healthier and cleaner home. We know you'll enjoy these simple, cheap, eco-friendly and effective alternatives to the store-bought stuff. We have plenty more tips coming, so until next time, keep it clean! :)