#MEwx Morning rain possible, then cooler with sun and clouds, and how to use salt for general cleaning

Good morning Augusta

Click here to view weather readings in real time from my own personal wireless weather station.

This morning we have partly sunny skies with highs in the mid 70s. Winds are light and variable.

Tonight we’ll have mostly clear conditions with lows in the mid 50s. Winds will remain light and variable.

The outdoor temperature is 59.9°F, the dewpoint is 58.5°F and it feels like 59.9°F.

We didn’t receive any rain here over the past 24 hours.

Today’s sunrise is 5:34 AM, sunset is 7:57 PM and we’ll have 14 hours 22 minutes of daylight today. Moonrise is :37 AM and Moonset is 9:30 PM. The moon phase is Waxing Crescent and is 8% illuminated. Our next full moon will be on August 19 and our next new moon is on September 3.

The wind velocity is between 1.1 MPH and 3.4 MPH from the West.

The Relative pressure is 29.85, the Absolute pressure is 29.65 and rising with a weather graphic indicating sun and a few clouds.

The Humidity is 94%, the UV index is 1 placing the average person at low risk and the solar radiation reading is 131.8W/m2.

Visibility is 10.0 Miles / 16.1 Kilometers with clouds at the moment.

 

Salt can be used for general cleaning purposes too, put the chemicals aside for a bit and give these a try?

These tips come from a book entitled “The Secrets of salt” which you can get on line almost for free.

 

General Cleaning

 

Here are many uses for salt which we have been discussing so let’s look a little further into the additional uses of salt in cleaning throughout your home.

When you use salt to keep your home clean and fresh, you will be saving money by not having to replace damaged items (because you have the knowledge of

how to get things clean) and you will be saving money when you don’t have to buy expensive chemicals to clean in your home.

 

An inexpensive and natural homemade scouring solution is an alternative to scouring pads and cleaners. You can make a paste of water and salt to clean most

items in the home while saving money. Simply applying the paste, and rinse clean.

 

If you have mistakenly placed a hot pan or a hot dish on the wood table or counter top, you can remove these white marks by making a paste of salt and salad

oil and rubbing on the effected area. You can also use this method to clean up after water rings on wood tables or shelving. Just apply the salt and oil

solution and leave it stand up to three or four hours for the best results.

 

Salt is great as an abrasive for cleaning pots, pans and many types of metals. Read on to learn more about how to make your own polish and cleaners that

hardly cost anything! If you have tarnished silverware, rub the tarnished area with salt before washing as usual.

 

Make your own silver polish by putting a sheet of aluminum foil into a plastic or glass bowl. And then sprinkle the aluminum foil with salt and baking soda

and fill the bowl with warm water to create a solution. Then soak your silver in the bowl and watch a few hours as the tarnish migrates to the foil. Dry

and buff for an easy clean. .

 

To make your own brass cleaning solution, simply take a lemon- cut it in half and sprinkle it with salt. Rub the salted lemon over the brass area and then

buff with a cloth for a shiny brassy clean!

 

You can clean copper to be beautiful again! Make your own copper cleaning solution by making a paste of equal parts of salt, white vinegar and flour. Spread

this paste over the entire copper area and then leaving it sit for an hour or two. Buff it for a clean shine!

 

When you have been traveling in the family car, you most likely have been eating in the car as well. For trips and outings, keep a box of salt in the glove

box. When grease from eating, blood from an injury or juice boxes spill, you can cover the area with salt right away to absorb the problem. You can rest

easy knowing you can finish scraping off the salt at a later time for a stain free vehicle.

 

Are your children or your pets constantly bringing mud in to your home and leaving a trail on the carpets? You can sprinkle a couple of handfuls of salt

on the area to absorb the moisture, which also brings the dirt to the top of the carpet. Then vacuum the area for a stain free clean!

 

To clean outdoor cane or wicker furniture; add about a cup of lemon juice and about one half of a cup of salt to some warm water. Then using a stiff brush,

dip it into the solution, and scrub the patio furniture well. This method will also help to prevent the cane or the wicker from yellowing from the sun.

 

If you have been having a dinner or lunch party, and one of your guests spills fruit juice or fruit pieces on your carpet or even on your tablecloth you

can first, blot up as much as you can, then sprinkle the area with salt. Vacuum up the salt, or shake the salt off the tablecloth and then wash the area

with a cool soapy water to bring out the rest of the stain.

 

Do you find it difficult to clean the piano? Use a simple mixture of salt and lemon juice to clean piano keys with a soft cloth.

 

Do you feel like your brooms never seem to last long enough? Try this: When you first buy a new broom soak it in a hot saltwater solution overnight to prolong

the life of the bristles.

 

Have your found some old sponges in your home that you think are no good any longer? You can restore old sponges and give them a new life in cleaning when

you soak them for a couple of hours in a cold saltwater solution.

Have you spent hours cleaning the fish tank trying to get rid of the hard water or scum that builds up on the glass? Try this; rub the inside of the fish

tank with salt and a wet cloth to remove the build up. Don’t forget to rinse the tank well before placing the fish back in to the tank!

 

If you like fresh flowers, but hate to clean the small insides of the flower vase try this: using a very strong solution of saltwater and shake the vase

around, then let it sit for about an hour. The strong saltwater will then eat away at the gunk at the bottom of your vases. Simply rinse your vase clean!

 

Did your pet have an accident on the carpet? You can clean up pet pee as soon as you see it by blotting up what you can, adding a large amount of salt to

the area, (because salt can only hold so much moisture) and then wait ten to twelve hours. If the salt is not drying out, add more because this means you

mustn’t have enough on the area to soak up all the pet pee. When the salt is dry, simply vacuum up the stain, the pee, and the odor all at one time! If

you don't put enough salt you will end up with a stain. It is better to use too much on the first attempt than it is to have a stain.

 

While this is not a cleaning tip I thought I would include it for you. If you have a hole in your plaster wall, you can fill the plaster hole by using equal

parts of salt and starch, with just enough water to make stiff putty.

 

To get rid of rust on most anything, you can take a potato, cut it in half then dip it in salt. Rub the salted potato over the rusty area to be rust free

again!

 

Chapter Eight

 

More Great Uses for Salt

 

Even if you haven’t found your particular stain or stubborn cleaning problem listed here, you should try to use salt when you have a obstinate cleaning

problem or odor problem because salt is an inexpensive solution to many household chores.

 

Do you love fresh flowers, but you wish they would last longer? Your fresh cut flower will last longer if you add a pinch of salt and baking soda to the

water when you first put the flowers in a vase.

 

Do you like candles but hate the mess? You can prevent candles from dripping by moistening the wick with a little bit of salt before you light it.

 

Fresh water fish seem a little sluggish lately? About once every two weeks, in between cleanings, you can add one teaspoon of salt with a quart of fresh

water. When the water has reached room temperature, put your fish in this saltwater solution for about fifteen minutes to half an hour. Put the fish back

in their tank after this time and they will be livelier!

 

Do you like the dried flower arrangement look but hate the price? Make your own dried flower arrangement by taking a large amount of salt, moistening it

and put it in the container you want to use for the arrangement. The salt in the bottom will dry out and become hard and will hold your flowers tight!

 

Artificial flowers and swags can be difficult to clean. Taking a large garbage bag, adding about three cups of salt, shake – roll – and move around the

bag with the flower arrangement inside. The salt cleans the dirt and dust from the arrangement with out squashing it!

 

If you have shoes that just smell terrible, sprinkle some salt around the interior of your shoe each time you wear them. The salt absorbs the moisture and

eventually the smell will be absorbed as well!