Just add salt

We sometimes forget that salt can do a great deal more than flavour food. Good old fashioned table salt is actually a great ingredient for cleaning. The professional house cleaners at MOLLY MAID explain how it works.

Greasy frying pan: Sprinkle with salt and wipe with kitchen paper or a cloth.

Tea or coffee stains: Sprinkle with salt and rub stains clean.

Food on the hob: Sprinkle a bit of salt (and cinnamon if desired) on the hob that is smoking with burned food; when cooled down and dry, remove the spots with a stiff brush or cloth taking care not to scratch any delicate surface. The smell will be gone too.

Fridge: Use salt and soda water to clean and sweeten the inside of your fridge.

Onion odours on hands: Rub fingers with salt moistened with vinegar… and voila, the odour will disappear.

Closed containers: Sweeten the smell of thermoses, bottles, jugs and other containers that have been closed for a while by sprinkling with salt, adding a bit of water, and rinsing out a few times.

Dirty sink drain: To eliminate odours and keep grease from building up, pour a strong salt brine (just add salt to a container of water) down the kitchen sink.

Cooked-on egg: Sprinkle your frying pan or baking dish with salt after removing the egg you have cooked in order to make it easier to clean.

Heat or water rings on wood tables: White rings left on tables from wet or hot dishes or glasses can be removed by rubbing a thin paste of oil (the type you use in your light salad dressings) and salt on the spot with your fingers… letting it stand for an hour or two, then wiping it off.

Perspiration stains: Add 4 tbsp of salt to one 1 litre of hot water and sponge the fabric with the solution until stains disappear.

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