24 April, 2025

A History Of Salt And The Uses Of Salt

Comments : 4 Posted in : In The Kitchen, Interesting Facts on April 24, 2025 by : Michel Maling Tags: the history of salt, the uses of salt

In this post, I am going to cover our most common kitchen spice, salt. We are going to look at some of the history of salt and the uses of salt further down.

Since the beginning, salt has been invaluable for its preservative and flavoring qualities.

Salt is physiologically necessary for human life to function; however, there are many other uses that are slowly being forgotten in today’s world.

It is believed that salt has more than 14,000 uses, and our grandmothers were probably familiar with most of them. Many of these were for simple use around the home before the advent of modern chemicals and cleaners.

Many uses are just as valid today and a lot cheaper than using more sophisticated products.

A History Of Salt

Salt was extremely important in the establishment of early settlements. The power to control a population’s salt supply was power over life and death.

Erratic sea level changes, particularly in the Mediterranean, prevented some of these civilisations from obtaining consistent salt supplies, causing them to migrate or decay, conquer or succumb to others.

Salt was only ever available at visible and exposed rock outcrops in arid regions before industrial means of extraction became available.

Sometimes you could pick it up as dried-out salt cakes on the shores of seas and salt lakes.

In areas with wet climates, the protruding salt dissolved, making it almost impossible to discover. It is probably this more than for any other reason that some of the great civilisations first developed near deserts and desert climates, for example, the Mediterranean region, at the edges of the arid zones.

Eventually, salt routes crisscrossed the globe

One of the most traveled routes led from Morocco, south across the Sahara to Timbuktu.

Ships bearing salt from Egypt to Greece crossed the Mediterranean and the Aegean.

Venice’s glittering wealth was founded on salt, which was exchanged in Constantinople for the spices of Asia.

Moorish merchants traded salt gram for gram for gold in Abyssinia, and slabs of rock salt, called ‘amoles’, were used as money by some central African tribes.

Not only did salt flavor and preserve food, it made a good antiseptic, which is why the Roman word for salt crystals (sal) is derived from Salus, the goddess of health.

Of all the famed Roman roads, one of the busiest was the Via Salaria, the salt route carrying merchants’ oxcarts full of the precious crystals up the Tiber from the salt pans at Ostia.

A Roman soldier’s pay consisted in part of salt, which was known as salarium argentum, from which the word salary was derived.

In the Middle Ages, salt became linked with superstition, and spilling salt was considered bad luck. After spilling salt, a pinch of it was cast over the left shoulder where evil spirits were believed to congregate.

Until the 18th century, the social rank of guest at banquets was gauged by their position in relation to the table’s salt cellar.

The host and distinguished guests sat at the head of the table, and people seated below the salt were considered unimportant.

Salt taxes imposed by governments made them rich but also contributed to their downfall.

For centuries, the French were forced to buy salt from royal depots.

Louis XVI’s salt tax was so high, it became a major public grievance, adding fuel to the fires of discontent preceding the French Revolution.

As late as 1930, Gandhi led an Indian Pilgrimage to the sea to make their own salt, in protest against Britain’s high tax on salt, thus publicising their fight for independence throughout the Western World.

The popular phrase a grain of salt may be a recipe for scepticism, but there can be no doubt about how salt has seasoned history.

The Uses Of Salt

Stains

Alcohol

Sprinkle generously with salt, then sponge with warm water when the salt has absorbed the color from the stain. If there is any part of the stain remaining, it can be removed with methylated spirits.

Blood

Soak in cold water, adding 15ml of salt per litre.

On carpets, use blotting paper to absorb as much of the stain as possible, then sprinkle with salt and leave for an hour. Sponge with cold water.

Oil or Soot

Rub the stain with plenty of salt and wash.

Fruit Juice

Sprinkle with salt and leave for an hour. Rinse in hot water with 15ml of salt per litre.

Ink

Sprinkle stain generously with salt and leave for an hour. Rinse well in hot water with 15ml of salt per litre.

Petrol

If petrol is used to remove a stain, it often leaves a mark. Rinse in a solution of 3 x 15ml of salt per litre, and this will not happen.

Grease

Sprinkle with salt and leave for an hour. Remove salt and rinse in warm water.

Polished Wood

To remove heat and scorch marks, take 3 x 15ml spoons of salt and mix to a paste with some olive oil.

Spread the paste over the stained area and leave for half an hour. Wipe off with a clean cloth and polish.

Perspiration

Soak in a solution of 3 x 15ml spoons of salt per litre for one hour and then rinse in clean warm water.

Rust

Dampen the spot with lemon juice or clean vinegar, sprinkle with salt, and leave to bleach in the sun.

Bamboo and Wicker Furniture

Rub the stain vigorously with a damp cloth dipped in salt.

Baths and Basins

Rub drip marks with a cloth dipped in paraffin and salt. Rinse with hot, then cold water. A damp, salted cloth will clean baths and basins.

China

Rub tea and egg stains with a damp cloth dipped in salt.

Cork Surfaces

Rub the stain vigorously with a damp cloth dipped in salt.

Smells

Rub hands with salt, and the smells of petrol and onion will disappear.

Glass

To clean glass vases, put a 15ml spoonful of vinegar and 15 ml of salt in the vase and fill it up with warm water. Leave to soak for 2 hours. Shake and rinse in clean water.

Windows and Mirrors

A damp cloth sprinkled with salt will remove paint splashes from windows and mirrors with gentle scrubbing.

Burnt Saucepans

Cover charred remains with cerebos salt and when cool, add cold water, then leave to soak for a few hours before cleaning.

Copper and Brass Ornaments

Add 2 x 15 ml spoons of washing powder to a bowl of warm water. Dip half a lemon into the salt and rub the tarnished area. Rinse in the warm washing solution to remove salt and dirt. Polish with a clean cloth.

Flowers

A dash of salt added to water in a vase will keep cut flowers fresher for longer

Wooden Chopping Boards

Rub the wooden surface with a half lemon dipped in salt. For polished chopping boards, use a cloth dipped in vinegar.

Brooms

To stiffen up the bristles of a broom, old or new, add a handful of salt to a basin of warm water and soak overnight.

Dustbins

To counteract unpleasant smells from dustbins in hot weather, sprinkle the interior liberally with salt.

Deodorising Shoes

Sprinkle a little salt in canvas shoes occasionally, and this will absorb the moisture and help remove odours.

Weeds

If weeds or grass grow between the patio bricks, carefully spread salt between them, then sprinkle with water.

Candles

Drip-proof candles by soaking the new candles in a strong salt solution for a few hours and drying them well. When they are burned, they will not drip.

Fridges

Salt and soda water will clean and sweeten the inside of your fridge, and it won’t scratch the enamel.

Frying Pans

To prevent food from sticking to new aluminium pans, cover the base well with a thick layer of salt. Heat slowly for about an hour and allow to cool. Remove salt and wipe. Do not wash.

Silver

To give a new lease of life to tired silver, rub the silver all over with a damp cloth dipped in salt. Rinse thoroughly and polish with a clean cloth.

Cooking Hints

Apples and Bananas

To keep peeled and sliced fruit from discoloring before cooking, place it in a cold solution of 1 x 15ml salt per 500 ml. Rinse before use.

Chicken

To achieve a crisp, tasty chicken, rub salt into the skin before roasting or braaiing.

Braaiing

Before starting to cook, throw a handful of salt over the hot coals to prevent flames from flaring and burning the food.

Potatoes

Sprinkle roast potatoes and chips with salt to keep them crisp.

Rub baked potatoes with salt before cooking to bring out the flavor and keep the skins crisp.

Baking

Salt brings out the flavor of all pastries, cakes, biscuits, and breads. In yeast cookery, salt prevents the yeast from fermenting too quickly.

Cucumber

If a cucumber is sprinkled with salt before mixing with salads, it will draw out the excess water, keeping salads crisper.

Nuts

To salt peanuts, cashew nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, or almonds, heat a little vegetable oil or butter in a frying pan.

Add the nuts, tossing them gently until evenly browned. Sprinkle liberally with salt and shake well. Coll on absorbent paper and store in an airtight container.

Mustard

Add a pinch of salt to the mustard when mixing to impart flavor and prevent it from becoming dry and discolored.

Coffee

Add a pinch of salt to ground coffee to bring out the full flavor.

Sweet Flavors

Salt acts as a stimulant to sweet flavors. Try salt on melon, etc, instead of sugar.

Salads

To crisp salads or vegetables, place in a very cold solution of 1 x 15ml of salt per litre of water for ten minutes.

Pork

To achieve a professional crackling on a roast pork, score the skin and rub it well with salt before placing it in the oven. Do not baste while cooking.

Pickles

Whatever the recipe, salt is the most important ingredient as it brings out the full flavor of the pickle and acts as a preservative.

Eggs

To get the greatest bulk from an egg white, add a pinch of salt before whipping.

To test the freshness of an egg, mix 250 ml of water with 1 x 15ml spoon of salt. A stale egg will float, and a fresh one will sink.

Milk

Adding a pinch of salt to milk will keep it fresh longer.

Cheese

Prevent mold on cheese by wrapping it in a cloth dampened with saltwater before refrigerating.

Too Much Salt

If you have made your soup, gravy, or sauce too salty, add a peeled potato and allow it to simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Strain off the potato before serving.

Health Hints

Salt is essential to every healthy diet, and although we take in quite a lot of salt with our food, we also lose quite a lot through perspiration.

With a too low salt level in our bodies, we may feel listless, especially in a hot climate.

Recently, it has been found that increased salt intake has been successfully used to combat chronic fatigue syndrome with some very satisfying results.

Salt also has a very beneficial effect on the body externally. A salt bath eases aches and pains or tired feet, makes a soothing eye bath for tired and sore eyes, and mixes with oil as an all-over rub to soften and make the skin glow.

Aches and Pains

Put three cups of salt into your bath water and you’ll find that it relieves aches and pains and refreshes.

Gotres

Iodated salt can help prevent goitres

Babies Bottles

Rub the insides of teats with salt to loosen any dried milk before sterilising.

Bee Stings

Make a thick salt and water paste and place it over the sting to relieve the pain.

Cuts

Rinse small cuts in a warm solution of 1 x 15ml spoon of salt per 250ml of water to check bleeding and then cover with an adhesive dressing.

Eye Bath

Mix 1 x 2.5 ml salt with 500 ml boiled water. Allow to cool and bathe eyes.

Feet

Soak feet in a bowl of warm water that has 4 handfuls of salt added.

Teeth

Using a soft toothbrush, brush teeth and gums with salt to stimulate gums and whiten teeth.

So, as you can see, we simply cannot do without salt in our lives.