Salt is one of the oldest stain helpers in the kitchen cupboard, and it has real uses. It is good at soaking up fresh spills and at giving a gentle scrub to some metal surfaces. It is not a cure-all, though, and a few materials can be harmed by it, so read the details first.
Salt works as a dry absorbent, a mild scrub and a soak, and each job has its own limits. Fabric, cast iron, wool and jewelry each need a different approach. Test questionable colors in a hidden spot before you start.
5 steps
Step by step
- 1
Fresh Red Wine
Sprinkle table salt on the stain right away to absorb some of it. Blot thoroughly, then continue with the wine method.
- 2
Rust or Mildew on Washable Fabric
Sprinkle salt on the stain and squeeze lemon juice over it. Dry the item in direct sunlight, and pretest first if colorfastness is questionable.
- 3
Sweat Odor
Soak the garment overnight in warm water with 3 or 4 tablespoons of salt for each quart of warm water. Rinse thoroughly afterward.
- 4
Egg or Milk on Wool
Mix half a teaspoon of salt into one cup of tepid water. Dab the stain with the solution.
- 5
Cast Iron
For stuck-on food, add a few tablespoons of kosher salt and a few tablespoons of water to the pan. Scrub with a nonabrasive brush or towel. For a small rust patch, scrub with a cloth and some salt until the rust is gone.
What Salt Is Good For
Salt helps with several stain types, and fresh red wine is the clearest case. Sprinkle table salt on the stain right away to absorb some of it, then blot and keep treating it.
For rust or mildew on washable fabric, UGA pairs salt with lemon juice and dries the item in direct sunlight. A small rust patch on cast iron can also be scrubbed away with a cloth and some salt.
How Salt Works on a Stain
On a fresh stain, salt acts mainly as an absorbent, pulling some of the mark up when it is sprinkled on right away. Here it is described as an absorbent and a scrub, not as a bleach or a solvent.
In dyeing, salt opens the fiber so it can take up dye, which is a different job from stain removal. No chemical reaction is described for it, so the explanation here stays with absorbing and scrubbing.
Where Salt Is Unsafe
Don't leave salt residue on stainless steel, because Electrolux says it can cause rust spots. Jewelers of America says salt water can damage and discolor gold and platinum jewelry.
It can also slowly erode the finish and polish of gemstones, so keep salt water away from them. Pretest washable fabric first if its colorfastness is questionable, since UGA recommends that step.
Myths About Salt and Dye
A common belief is that washing new clothes in salt water sets the dye so it won't bleed. Iowa State calls this a common myth.
Salt is used during dyeing to open the fiber, but it has no fixing effect once dyeing is complete. A salt soak is not a way to keep new colors from running.
What Never to Mix Salt With
No product is listed that salt must never be mixed with, so the rule here is simple: one product at a time, rinse in between. Lemon juice is the one partner named here, used with salt and sunlight for rust and mildew on washable fabric.
Electrolux mentions vinegar only as cooking residue that can cause rust spots on stainless steel. Club soda has no entry here, so test it on its own.
Questions
Does salt remove stains?
Yes, on some stains. Salt works as an absorbent on fresh red wine, and as part of a lemon and sunlight treatment for rust and mildew on washable fabric. It isn't presented as a general stain fix.
How does salt remove stains?
On a fresh stain, salt mainly acts as an absorbent, so sprinkle it on right away. No chemical reaction is described. In dyeing, salt opens the fiber to take up dye, but that is a separate job.
Does club soda and salt remove stains?
Club soda and salt together isn't a proven fix. Salt alone is a dry absorbent for fresh wine and a scrub for cast iron. If you try club soda, use one product at a time and rinse in between.
Does lemon juice and salt remove stains?
For some stains, yes. UGA's method is salt and lemon juice dried in direct sunlight for rust and mildew on washable fabric, and it is UGA's alternative to bleach for mildew. Pretest first if colorfastness is questionable.
Can you use salt as a stain remover in a bucket?
No bucket method is described here. For a soak, UGA uses 3 or 4 tablespoons of salt for each quart of warm water, left overnight, then rinsed thoroughly. That soak is for perspiration odor on a garment.
Does salt damage jewelry?
Jewelers of America says salt water can damage gold and platinum jewelry and discolor it. It can also slowly erode the finish and polish of gemstones. Keep salt water away from your jewelry.
Does salt keep new clothes from bleeding dye?
No, that is a common myth, Iowa State says. Salt opens the fiber during dyeing, but it has no fixing effect once dyeing is complete. Don't rely on a salt soak to stop new colors from running.
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Sources
Every verdict, amount and warning here comes from these sources.