Perform a trash-can autopsy to save money and resources

September 3, 2010

jeff yeager cheapskate looks through his trash with magnifying glass

(Photo: Denise Yeager)

Archaeologists say that digging through a civilization's garbage can reveal more about peoples' lifestyles than just about anything else.

Take a minute to look through your trash -- items you're recycling as well as sending to the landfill -- and learn how you can save money and the Earth's resources at the same time.

Dryer Lint
Dryer lint represents the life of your expensive clothing being beaten and cooked out of them by an electric dryer. Save hundreds of dollars a year by drying your clothes on a clothesline instead; they'll last much longer, and you'll save on electricity and appliance costs, too.

Packaging
Too much packaging in your trash can be a sign that you need a smart-shopping intervention. After all, packaging costs money, which consumers pay for in the end. Buying in bulk and larger sizes is usually cheaper and saves resources. Sometimes shopping at "big box" stores can even be a greener choice.

Vegetable Scraps
Never in the trash: Compost them instead. Composting -- turning organic material into rich humus for the garden -- is the ultimate act of green frugality. And it's possible to compost even in urban areas.

Junk Mail
The door-to-door salesmen of our times: uninvited advertisements for things we usually don't want or need. Reduce impulse purchases and save trees by cutting out the junk mail you receive. Contact www.41pounds.org for help (BTW, 41 pounds is the amount of junk mail the average American adult receives every year!).

Toilet Paper Rolls
Sure, some empty TP rolls are in order. Like other cardboard they can be recycled. But a plethora of toilet paper rolls in your trash can serve notice that you're wasting all kinds of money in the bathroom. Check out these tips for water savings.

Light Bulbs
For every 5 to 10 old-fashioned incandescent light bulbs you burn out and throw away, a single long-lasting compact florescent lamp or CFL -- those crazy corkscrew light bulbs -- could still be burning bright and saving you 75% on your electric bill. Do the math; it pays to replace burned out bulbs with CFLs, even though they cost more to purchase.

Magazines and Newspapers
Sure, they can be recycled, but why not save some cash and paper by canceling your subscriptions and reading them online or borrowing them from the library instead?

Leftover Food
The USDA says that nearly 25% of all food sold in America ends up in the trash. Reduce your grocery bill by a quarter simply by being smarter about food storage and portion control.

Aluminum Foil
Don't recycle it until you've reused it several times. And even after that, there are plenty of other ways to creatively repurpose aluminum foil.

Plastic Water Bottles
What a waste! An estimated 1.5 million barrels of oil are used every year to produce plastic water bottles for the U.S. market, and if you drink only bottled water you'll spend more than $1,000 annually to get your recommended daily amount of H2O, as opposed to about 49 cents for a year's supply of just-as-healthy tap water. Stop drinking bottled water, and get creative repurposing any plastic bottles you do have lying around.

Brand Names
If your trash looks like the logo lineup from the commercials at Super Bowl halftime, you might be wasting money on brand-name products when many generic items are often just as good (or even better ) and cost less. At least give them a try.

Telephone Books
If you look up phone numbers online and don't need to receive a phone book, contact your phone company or visit YellowPagesGoesGreen.org to be taken off distribution lists. Otherwise, phonebooks can be recycled or creatively repurposed.

Things You Think Can't Be Recycled
Think again. From worn-out dentures to dirty diapers, human hair to adult novelties, if you're thinking about throwing it out, you may be able to recycle it instead. Of course, there are few things too odd to recycle.

Jeff Yeager is the author of The Cheapskate Next Door and The Ultimate Cheapskate's Road Map to True Riches. His website is www.UltimateCheapskate.com. Connect with Jeff Yeager on Twitter and Facebook. Friend TDG on Facebook and follow TDG on Twitter.

More from The Daily Green:

Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc

Print This Post

Written by Jeff Yeager · Filed Under News · Comments Off

Home solar made cheaper and easier

August 27, 2010

(Image Credit: Jeremy Levine Design)

Homeowners looking to switch to solar power can skip the expensive installation and instead use their existing electrical outlet. The home solar kit is designed to be placed as a sunshade over a large window that gets a lot of sun, and faces south.

The product, called Sunfish was created by Clarian Technologies. It generates 1,000 watts of power, enough to run a refrigerator. A smaller version generates 200 watts or enough to power lights within a home using energy efficient bulbs.

In 2011, the cost of the 1,000 watt system will be about $4,000, but it was reported that by 2012, that cost could come down to $3,000. Clarian's website says installing the Sunfish requires 6-8 hours, and it weighs 200 pounds.

It is estimated that after four years, the money saved from energy use would cover the cost of the product. After that, it could save several hundred dollars per year.

Another benefit is that having a home solar power system could cause the owners to pay more attention to their energy consumption and reduce it. Energy monitoring and targeting has been studied and observed to reduce consumption by about five percent.

The Sunfish system has a wireless data transmitter so it can send the energy output information to Google Powermeter, which you can view on a Web browser. Google Powermeter is used to analyze energy consumption to look for potential energy reduction, and cost cutting.

More from Care2:

Print This Post

Written by Jake Richardson · Filed Under News · Comments Off

Six hidden dangers in your home

August 24, 2010

(Photo: Getty Images)

It's impossible to avoid all the potential dangers in life. But some dangers lurking in the home are easily avoided if you're armed with the right info.

Below are six accidents-waiting-to-happen and what you can do to prevent them. What do you think is missing from this list? Share other hidden, but easily preventable dangers in the comments section.

1. Mixing some cleaning products

Toxic gases can form when you use multiple cleaning products at the same time. Chloramine gas, which can be highly irritating to your lungs, forms when you mix ammonia with chlorine bleach. Mixing chlorine bleach with an acid-based product (like toilet bowl and oven cleaners, drain openers, or vinegar) can release chlorine gas, another lung-irritating fume.

Most household cleaners do not have ingredients listed on the label so it's hard to know exactly what's in a product. Chlorine bleach is often found in mildew stain removers and some bath and toilet cleaners. Glass, bathroom, and floor cleaners may contain ammonia. Try to choose cleaners that have their ingredients listed and avoid mixing cleaning products. Better yet, raid your pantry for cleaners or buy affordable nontoxic cleaners that really work.

2. Mold

Molds are fungi that can cause allergic reactions, wheezing, and other respiratory issues. They thrive in warm, damp, and humid environments.

It's difficult to find and get rid of mold so you'll want to prevent it from forming in the first place. Some ideas from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Keep humidity levels in your house between 40 to 60 percent. Use an air conditioner or dehumidifier when needed. Make sure your house is well ventilated.

If you discover mold in your home, you should find and eliminate the source of moisture. You can clean mold up with commercial products, soap and water, or a mixture of 1 cup of bleach in 1 gallon of water.

3. Mixing hot oil and water

We all know that oil and water don't mix, but when it comes to hot oil, this is particularly important to remember. If water comes into contact with hot oil, it can cause the oil to splatter and may burn whoever is cooking.

So make sure you thoroughly dry any ingredients, such as washed vegetables, that you plan to add to hot cooking oil and keep water away from the pan.

4. Carbon monoxide

You can't see or smell this toxic gas so it can kill you before you even know it's in your home, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. It enters through leaking chimneys and furnaces, unvented space heaters, gas water heaters, stoves, and elsewhere. Common symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion.

You can find battery-operated carbon monoxide monitors at most home improvement stores. Consumer Reports recommends buying models that have digital displays and meet Underwriters Laboratories Standard 2034 (labeled on the packages).

Install detectors in the bedroom and other places where your family spends a lot of time and you can hear the alarm. Change the batteries regularly (such as when you change your clocks in the spring and fall for Daylight Savings), and replace monitors every five years (you can check the date on the back of the monitor).

Combination smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are also available. Smoke detectors need to be replaced every 10 years, but if you go for the combo, replace it after five years. Smoke detectors are typically installed on the ceiling, whereas carbon monoxide monitors get plugged into an outlet toward the bottom of a wall.

5. Mothballs

The strong odor mothballs emit comes from naphthalene and/or paradichlorobenzene -- toxic chemicals that are considered neurotoxins and are associated with health effects ranging from eye, nose, throat, and skin irritation to headaches, nausea, dizziness, and more. You can get exposed to these chemicals when inhaling, touching, or swallowing them (so keep away from kids and pets).

Some ideas for nontoxic moth prevention: Keep your clothing clean since the larvae, which actually do the chewing, are attracted to dirt and stains on fabric. Store sweaters in airtight containers when you're not using them for long periods of time. Wash clothes in hot water (and run through a hot dryer) or dry-clean garments to kill moths. Try putting cardboard pheromone traps in your closet to determine if you have a problem and to trap moths.

6. Boiling water in microwave

Heating water in the microwave may cause it to superheat (reach a temperature beyond the natural boiling point of 100 degrees Celsius) and potentially explode. This doesn't happen very often, but it can occur if water is heated in a very clean cup or bowl, particularly if the container is glass.

What can you do to prevent this from happening? Leave a non-metallic object in the cup or bowl when you microwave water, and be conservative about how long you heat the water up and which settings you use.

Environmental journalist Lori Bongiorno shares green-living tips and product reviews with Yahoo! Green's users. Send Lori a question or suggestion for potential use in a future column. Her book, Green Greener Greenest: A Practical Guide to Making Eco-smart Choices a Part of Your Life is available on Yahoo! Shopping and Amazon.com.

Check out Yahoo! Green on Twitter and Facebook.

Print This Post

Written by Lori Bongiorno · Filed Under News · Comments Off

Americans in the dark about energy conservation

August 23, 2010

(Image Credit: PiccoloNamek)

Columbia University researcher Shahzeen Attari conducted a survey of 505 Americans in 427 different zip codes, and 34 states, about energy conservation. Her study indicated that the sample group was not aware of the most effective measures they could take to save energy.

Turning lights off was selected as the best choice by the survey participants. Options such as purchasing fuel-efficient cars, energy-conserving appliances, and weatherizing homes, which actually do make an impact, were not popular with the participants. Attari said that many people in the study seemed to believe in taking steps like turning off lights or unplugging cell phone chargers. 2.8 percent of the participants said that sleeping more and relaxing more would reduce their energy consumption (Table 1, Page 2).

The study group overlooked other consumer options such as switching from central air conditioning to single-room air conditioners.

One of the study's conclusions brought up prevailing energy misconceptions, "So long as people lack easy access to accurate information about relative effectiveness, they may continue to believe they are doing their part to reduce energy use when they engage in low-effort, low-impact actions instead of focusing on changes that would make a bigger difference."

One of more surprising findings of the study was that, "participants who reported engaging in a greater number of pro-environmental energy-related behaviors had less accurate perceptions" (Page 3, bottom).

Another important point regarding single-action bias was highlighted in the study. When people have taken one or two actions they believe reduce energy consumption, they don't pursue any others. Attari commented on the single-action bias, "[I]f we're going to do just one or two things, we should focus on the big energy-saving behaviors. People are still not aware of what the big savers are."

The median age of the survey group was 31. Eighty-four percent had high school diplomas, and 41 percent had bachelor's degrees. Forty-seven percent self-identified as liberals, 31 percent as moderates and 22 percent as conservatives. Thirty-seven percent said they are environmentalists.

More from Care2:

Print This Post

Written by Jake Richardson · Filed Under News · Comments Off

Seven ways to speed up your computer

August 23, 2010

(Photo: Dougal Waters / Getty Images)

As your cursor becomes a virtual hourglass, endlessly turning itself over and over, you know you're in for a long haul ... You have to wait for the computer to boot, for programs to open, and webpages to load. And at every step of the process, that hourglass is there, tempting you to put your fist through the screen.

But wait! Don't do it! There are easy ways to speed up your computer and help it run more smoothly. Instead of waiting for a sluggish PC to complete a task, take a few minutes to clean the computer up and save yourself time, plus energy needed to run the machine and the cost of upgrading to a new computer.

Try these simple tricks provided by Geek Squad Double Agent Ismael Matos to keep your machine, and your sanity, in good working order.

You may have heard some of these tips before, but actually taking the time to do them will save you time and frustration down the line.

1. Delete old files.
Run through your folders and delete any pictures or documents you don't need. Extra files take up extra space on the hard drive, and keeping your hard drive clear is the best way to keep the machine running smoothly.

Look for old homework, papers, reports, and downloads and delete everything you no longer need. Don't forget to delete temporary Internet files periodically. Here are instructions for removing them from your PC or Mac.

Upload your photos to Flickr and store them on CDs or an external hard drive so you can make more room on your hard drive.

2. Empty your trash or recycle folder.
The files you "delete" aren't actually gone until you delete them permanently from your computer's trash or recycle folder.

3. Delete programs you don't use.
It's easy to download a program, use it once and then forget it's there, but applications take up space on your hard drive. Look through your programs folder or start menu and get rid of everything you don't use.

4. Take note of what programs open when you start the computer.
A lot of programs and applications (especially Internet chat programs) are set to open automatically when you turn on your computer. Having too many open programs will slow down your machine, so make sure the only programs that are running are ones you're using.

To adjust what programs open in Windows, right-click on the start menu, click "Properties," choose to customize your classic start menu, and drag files out of the startup folder.

"If you have a lot of things running, that tends to slow things down," Matos said.

5. Keep your Internet router away from magnetic fields.
Keep your wireless Internet router away from other wireless communication devices like cell phones and cordless phones. Your connection will improve without the interference.

6. Shut it down – every night.
Try to shut your computer down on a daily basis. When your computer is turned off, the parts inside aren't running and won't wear down as quickly. Overall, you'll extend the life of your machine.

Running a computer all the time can cause a hard drive to break down, and the machine to stop working. You'll enjoy your computer longer, and it won't use up nearly as much energy when it's shut down.

"As long as your computer gets roughly two hours of rest time on a daily basis, that's what's important," Matos said. "Overnight would be ideal."

7. Run a disk cleanup or disk defragmenter.
These specific programs are for Windows, but other operating systems have similar options. Disk cleanup will delete temporary Internet files and cookies, leaving your hard drive clear – run this program once a week.

Defragmentation compresses your information and organizes it so your computer won't have to work as hard to load your files – run this program once a month. (Matos points out that if you aren't comfortable running these programs, Geek Squad can help.)

The time it takes to go through your files and run these programs, but it's worth the time it will save you in the end. Clean up your computer, and it will run faster. The less time you spend waiting for things to load, the less energy you'll require to run the computer.

More from The Daily Green

Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc

Check out Yahoo! Green on Twitter and Facebook.

Print This Post

Written by Carol Thompson · Filed Under News · Comments Off

Six perfect plants for dorm rooms

August 20, 2010

Plants are unique decorations that pay off in other ways besides aesthetics. Besides improving the air quality -- and the overall smell -- of a room, plants create a calming environment that's perfect for hardworking students. But having a dorm plant does require a little responsibility, so make sure you choose one that will definitely pay off.

The perfect dorm plants are tough enough to tolerate low light and water levels (just in case), and won't grow too big for an already cramped room.

Check out our list of the best dorm room plants to decide which is right for you!

Dwarf Lemon Tree
It doesn't at first seem logical to put a tree in such a notoriously cramped space, but a dwarf lemon tree can work in many dorm rooms. The trees can grow up to six feet tall in good conditions, so they might require a bit of pruning to keep them to a reasonable size. But it's worth the effort for the gorgeous yellow lemons that come all year and delicious citrus smell.

Water your tree enough to keep the soil moist, and mist the leaves daily so they don't dry out. Keep it by a window for optimal sunlight, and give it fertilizer once a month. Make sure to put it in a pot that allows for drainage and air flow to the roots. You can purchase dwarf lemon trees online or grow them from seedlings, if you don't mind waiting seven or eight years before it bears fruit.

Mint
It's the hour before your chemistry final, and you're nervous to the point of nausea as you pour over your notes one last time. For an easy, natural, and healthy way to relieve the stress, look to mint. Crush or chew on a mint leaf to emit a strong aroma that can calm nerves, ease nausea and sore throats, and freshen breath by killing germs.

Mint comes in a lot of varieties (may we suggest chocolate mint?) and is very easy to grow. Put plants in a moist, well-drained pot and make sure they get plenty of sunlight all year. Mint is widely available and can be purchased in pots or as seeds.

Lavender
Lavender plants are colorful and fragrant and a great way to freshen up a dorm room. To spread the yummy lavender scent around the room, you can dry out flowers to make sachets for drawers and closets.

Lavender plants like sun and air, so try to put them next to an open window or a fan. Keep your plant in sandy soil that drains well -- the roots rot easily in standing water. Buy lavender plants at nurseries or online.

Aloe Vera (Photo: Ragesoss /
Wikipedia)

Aloe Vera
Consider your aloe vera plant your own personal pharmacy -- at least for skin irritations like sunburns. Just break open a leaf and squeeze out some liquid for instant relief. Aloe vera plants are perfect for rooms that don't get much sunlight (the leaves start to turn brown if they're in the sun too long), and don't require much watering.

Try to buy mature plants. It's an easy plant to maintain that can help you out in a pinch! You won't have any trouble finding aloe vera where plants are sold.

African Violets
African violets are the perfect dorm room flower. They're small enough to fit on a windowsill, don't require much water and can grow in a variety of temperatures. And the flower isn't just known for its beauty, it's also known to clean the air of pollutants to leave you with a healthier indoor environment. Buy African violet plugs at local nurseries or online.

Cactus
Successfully taking care of a cactus is one of those out-of-the-classroom tests that helps you discover a little more about yourself. In this case, if it dies you'll know you're less nurturing than a desert. The only basic guideline: Don't overwater.

Cactus plants are very easy to find -- check your local grocery or hardware store. By the way, the jury is still out whether placing a cactus in front of your computer can protect you from electromagnetic fields.

More from The Daily Green:

Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc

Print This Post

Written by Carol Thompson · Filed Under News · Comments Off

46 smart uses for salt

August 9, 2010

(Photo: Getty Images)

How many ways can you use salt? According to the Salt Institute, about 14,000! The salt website has tons of handy tips for using salt around the house, and the best of the bunch -- plus my additions -- are listed below.

I can't think of another more versatile mineral. Salt is the most common and readily available nonmetallic mineral in the world. In fact, the supply of salt is inexhaustible.

For thousands of years, salt (sodium chloride) has been used to preserve food and for cleaning, and people have continued to rely on it for all kinds of nifty tricks.

So with its nontoxic friendliness and status as an endlessly abundant resource, let's swap out some toxic solutions for ample, innocuous, and inexpensive salt.

There are a number of forms of salt produced for consumption (and by default, housekeeping!): unrefined salt (such as sea salt), refined salt (table salt), and iodized salt. Kosher salt is sodium chloride processed to have flat crystals. And in case you're wondering, Epsom salt is an entirely different stuff: magnesium sulfate to be exact (which is a salt that I consider to be, essentially, miraculous).

Here are just a few of the many ways you can put salt to good use in your home:

In the Kitchen

Aside from all of the alchemy that salt performs in terms of baking chemistry and food flavor, salt has a number of other great applications in the kitchen.

Test egg freshness.
Put two teaspoons of salt in a cup of water and place an egg in it -- a fresh egg will sink, an older egg will float. Because the air cell in an egg increases as it ages, an older egg is more buoyant. This doesn't mean a floating egg is rotten, just more mature. Crack the egg into a bowl and examine it for any funky odor or appearance -- if it's rotten, your nose will tell you. (Bonus fact: if you have hard-boiled eggs that are difficult to peel, that means they are fresh!)

Set poached eggs.
Because salt increases the temperature of boiling water, it helps to set the whites more quickly when eggs are dropped into the water for poaching.

Prevent fruits from browning.
Most of us use lemon or vinegar to stop peeled apples and pears from browning, but you can also drop them in lightly salted water to help them keep their color.

Shell nuts more easily.
Soak pecans and walnuts in salt water for several hours before shelling to make it easier to remove the meat.

Prevent cake icing crystals.
A little salt added to cake icings prevents them from sugaring.

Remove odors from hands.
Oniony-garlicy fingers? I like soap and water, then rubbing them on anything made of stainless steel (it really works), but you can also rub your fingers with a salt and vinegar combo.

Reach high peaks.
Add a tiny pinch of salt when beating egg whites or whipping cream for quicker, higher peaks.

Extend cheese life.
Prevent mold on cheese by wrapping it in a cloth moistened with saltwater before refrigerating.

Save the bottom of your oven.
If a pie or casserole bubbles over in the oven, put a handful of salt on top of the spill. It won't smoke and smell, and it will bake into a crust that makes the baked-on mess much easier to clean when it has cooled.

Personal Care

Extend toothbrush life.
Soak toothbrushes in salt water before your first use; they'll last longer.

Clean teeth.
Use one part fine salt to two parts baking soda -- dip your toothbrush in the mix and brush as usual. You can also use the same mix dissolved in water for orthodontic appliances.

Rinse your mouth.
Mix equal parts salt and baking soda in water for a fresh and deodorizing mouth rinse.

Ease mouth problems.
For cankers, abscesses, and other mouth sores, rinse your mouth with a weak solution of warm saltwater several times a day.

Relieve bee-sting pain.
Ouch? Immediately dampen area and pack on a small pile of salt to reduce pain and swelling. More bee-sting tips here.

Treat mosquito bites.
A saltwater soak can do wonders for that special mosquito-bite itch -- a poultice of salt mixed with olive oil can help too.

Treat poison ivy.
Same method as for treating mosquito bites. (Salt doesn't seem to distinguish between itches.)

Have an exfoliating massage.
After bathing and while still wet give yourself a massage with dry salt. It freshens skin and boosts circulation.

Ease throat pain.
Mix salt and warm water, gargle to relieve a sore throat.

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 become 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 dough consistency. (Read about juice dyes here.)

Repair walls.
To fill nail holes, fix chips or other small dings in white sheet-rock 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 barbecue.
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).

Cleaning

Salt works as an effective yet gentle scouring agent. Salt also serves as a catalyst for other ingredients, such as vinegar, to boost cleaning and deodorizing action. For a basic soft scrub, make a paste with lots of salt, baking soda and dish soap and use on appliances, enamel, porcelain, etc.

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.

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

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

Clean 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.

Clean 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.

Clean 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.

Clean a 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.

Laundry

Attack wine spills.
If a tipsy guest tips wine on your 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 form the fiber. After dinner, soak the tablecloth in cold water for 30 minutes before laundering. (Also works on clothing.)

Quell oversudsing.
Since, of course, we are all very careful in how much detergent we use in our laundry, we never have too many suds. But if someone overfills ... you can eliminate excess suds with a sprinkle of salt.

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.

More from Care2:

Check out Yahoo! Green on Twitter and Facebook.

Print This Post

Written by Melissa Breyer · Filed Under News · Comments Off

46 smart uses for salt

August 9, 2010

(Photo: Getty Images)

How many ways can you use salt? According to the Salt Institute, about 14,000! I can't think of another more versatile mineral. The use of salt to preserve food was one of the early cornerstones of civilization (preservation lessened the dependence on seasonal food). Nowadays salt is the most common and readily available nonmetallic mineral in the world. In fact, the supply of salt is inexhaustible.

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.