Laundry Hacks: Using Salt for Stain Removal & Fabric Care

How to Use Salt in the Laundry. Salt in the laundry is a handy, non-toxic, inexpensive fix to several common problems. Salt won't bleach color, set stains or damage fabric, so it's a safe laundry additive. Use these helpful tips for adding salt to your laundry.

Step 1

Remove prespiration stains on white shirts. Dissolve 4 tablespoons of salt in a quart of very hot water. Sponge the solution onto the stain until it disappears.

Step 2

Wash new towels in salt water. Add a cup of salt to the wash the first few times the new towels go through the laundry to set the color and stay brighter longer.

Step 3

Use salt as a laundry pre-treatment when away from home to tackle grease stains from foods such as salad dressing. Saturate the area with table salt and work into the fabric to absorb as much of the stain as possible. Launder as usual.

Step 4

Remove gunk from the iron's metal soleplate. Sprinkle salt crystals on a thick section of newspaper laid out on the ironing board. Heat the iron turn off the steam option. Run the iron over the salt until the gunk is ironed off the plate.

Step 5

Treat a fresh blood stain by covering it with salt. Use a clean cloth and dab the salt with cold water until a clump forms. Work it into the stain and continue until the stain disappears.

Step 6

Remove mildew stains from clothing with a paste of lemon juice and salt. Spread the paste over the mildew and set the garment in the sun to dry.