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Did you know that salt is a powerful tool for removing stains? Aleksandr Zubkov / Getty ImagesSalt is a fantastic stain remover for fabrics, helps preserve vivid colors, and can even eliminate stubborn residue on your iron. It also helps prevent yellowing and reduces mildew on shower curtains. In this article, we'll explore how salt can be a helpful addition to your laundry routine, starting with color care. Be sure to avoid using these tips on dry-clean-only fabrics.
Maintain Your Fabrics' Vibrancy
Salt can help revive the vibrant colors of your faded fabrics.
Preventing Color Run: Add 1/2 cup of salt to the wash cycle to stop newly colored fabrics from bleeding.
Refreshing Curtains and Rugs: Wash your washable curtains or fiber rugs in a saltwater solution to enhance their colors.
Revive dull rugs by rubbing them with a cloth soaked in a potent saltwater solution.
Restoring Yellowed Fabrics: Boil yellowed cotton or linen in a blend of water, 1 tablespoon of salt, and 1/4 cup of baking soda for 1 hour.
To whiten nylon curtains, dissolve Epsom salts in warm water, soak the curtains for 1 hour, rinse with warm water, and hang to dry.
Create a paste of salt and vinegar, then apply it to rust stains on fabric. Leave it in the sun to bleach, or place the fabric over a large kettle and pour boiling water through the stained area. After drying, check the stain. Run the fabric through the rinse cycle in the washing machine, then check for any remaining stain. If needed, repeat the process.
Ironing and the Role of Salt
Ironing may not always be enjoyable, but salt can simplify the process.
Cleaning: To remove rough or sticky residue from your iron, set it to a low heat and run it over a piece of paper sprinkled with salt.
Starch: Adding a pinch of salt to your laundry starch will prevent the iron from sticking to clothes and ensure a smooth finish on linens or fine cotton fabrics.
A Comprehensive Stain Removal Guide
Stains always need extra help, and salt is here to assist.
Blood: Submerge a bloodstain on cotton, linen, or other natural fabrics in cold saltwater for 1 hour. Then, wash it with warm water and laundry detergent, followed by boiling the fabric in a large pot of hot water. Wash again to complete the process.
A fresh blood stain can be easily removed if you cover it with salt immediately and blot with cold water. Continue applying fresh water and blotting until the stain is gone.
Gravy: For a fresh gravy stain, sprinkle salt on the stain and allow it to absorb the grease. A tough stain might need a mixture of ammonia and vinegar (50/50), dabbed and blotted until the stain fades.
Grease: To tackle a fresh grease stain, cover the fabric with salt. Let the salt absorb the grease, then gently brush it off. Repeat the process until the spot disappears, then launder as usual.
Grease stains on double-knit fabrics can be tricky. Mix 1/2 teaspoon of salt with a small amount of ammonia, then apply the mixture directly onto the grease stain. Let it sit before washing as usual.
Ink: Rub salt into a fresh ink stain, then soak the fabric overnight in milk. Afterward, wash the fabric as usual.
Mildew: Create a paste with lemon juice and salt, then apply it to mildew stains. Lay the garment in the sun to bleach, then rinse and dry.
A salt, vinegar, and water solution should eliminate mildew stains from most fabrics. For stubborn mildew, use undiluted vinegar.
To prevent mildew on shower curtains, soak them in a bathtub filled with saltwater (add ½ cup of salt to the water). Let them soak for several hours, then hang to dry.
Wine: To remove a wine stain from cotton, immediately cover the stained area with enough salt to absorb the liquid. Let the fabric soak in cold water for 1 hour, then launder as usual.
As you've seen, salt is a valuable tool among your laundry supplies. Discover the many ways salt can benefit you.
Don't worry about it. Those yellow stains on the armpits and collar of your favorite white T-shirt are not necessarily a result of excessive sweating or poor cleaning habits.
These areas are simply more difficult to clean and contain more than just sweat and dirt.
Undissolved deodorant could be a major factor too. If you have hard water, the deodorant residue (along with soap and sweat) doesn't rinse out properly. Here’s how to deal with those sweat stains.
Mix 1 quart of water with 4 tablespoons of salt. Apply this mixture to the stained area with a sponge, then repeat until the stain vanishes. Wash as usual.
