You can find salt on just about anyone's table, but the basic ingredient can be used in so many smart ways other than seasoning your food. A bag of salt also costs around $1, making it a smart staple to have on hand.

1. Egg Checker: Add two teaspoons to one cup of water, and let dissolve. Fresh eggs will sink, and bad eggs will float.
2. Fruit Helper: Instead of reaching for citrus, sprinkle a dusting of salt over fruits to keep them from browning. And the hardly there salt actually accentuates the fruit's flavor.
3. Bad-Smell Eliminator: After chopping garlic or onions, rub your fingers with salt to get rid of any lingering smells.
4. Cheese-Life Extender: Extend the life of cheese by wrapping it in a cloth moistened with salt water.
5. Baked-On Mess Remover: If your casserole bubbles over, sprinkle the bottom of your oven with a handful of salt over the spill. It won't smoke and will bake into a crust that's easier to clean once things have cooled.
6. Ant Deterrer: No one likes ant infestations. Stop trails and deter ants by sprinkling salt in doorways and windowsills. And you can make this ant killer [1] to really stop them fast.
7. Fire Extinguisher: Keeping salt in the kitchen for seasoning is so smart, but keeping a box next to your stove is a big helper. You can extinguish grease fires by covering them with salt.
8. Wall Hole Fixer: Repair wall holes with equal parts salt, cornstarch, and water by mixing into a thick paste. Spread over nail holes, let dry, and touch up with paint.
9. Snow Remover: Get rid of slippery, ice-covered sidewalks fast with a sprinkling of salt.
10. Drain Buster: Clean sink drains by pouring salt down the drain followed by hot water, which naturally keeps grease from building up and deodorizes pipes.
11. Coffee Cup Cleaner: Clean coffee-stained cups [2] with salt and a little dish soap.
12. Laundry Booster: Add one cup of salt when washing brightly colored clothes. It naturally boosts colors and makes them vibrant again.
13. Blood Remover: Get rid of blood stains with salt! Here's how to bust through blood stains [3].
14. Rust Attacker: Tackle mildew and rust stains with a combo of equal parts salt and lemon juice.
15. Air Freshener: Have a musty corner? Salt naturally absorbs bad smells and makes rooms fresh again. Follow these directions for a homemade air freshener [4] that really works.
16. Sore Feet Soother: If your tootsies are tired after a long day, give them an invigorating foot scrub. Mix salt with a few drops of lavender essential oil, and use to gently rub feet. Salt helps soothe sore muscles and also exfoliates skin.
17. Mouth-Sore Reliever: Gargle with salt water to relieve mouth sores.
18. Iron Cleaner: Clean your iron with basic table salt. Follow these directions for removing built-up stains on your iron [5].
19. Degreaser: For extra greasy pans, sprinkle with salt and then wipe with a paper towel. The salt naturally breaks down the grease and cleans pans fast.
20. Brass Buffer: Mix together equal parts salt, flour, and vinegar into a paste to use for cleaning brass. Cover the item, let sit for an hour, and then clean and buff with a soft cloth.
21. Frosty-Window Banisher: Keep windows frost-free by wiping the insides with a solution made with one tablespoon salt and one cup water. The windows won't frost during subfreezing temps.