Five Salt Tricks for Coffee and Stubborn Stains

A pinch of salt stirred into an overcooked, bitter cup of coffee cuts the bitterness noticeably, rather than pouring the whole pot down the drain.

Adding four tablespoons of salt to the water and running a normal percolation cycle cleans out a percolator; just rinse well with plain water before using it again.

White wine only dilutes a red wine stain rather than removing it. Wiping the area with a cold-water-soaked sponge, then sprinkling salt over the wet stain and letting it sit for 10 to 15 minutes, lifts it out for good on carpet or fabric.

Lemon juice and salt sprinkled over a grass stain and rubbed in works surprisingly well, without needing an expensive stain remover.

Dissolving five tablespoons of salt into a liter of hot water and rubbing the solution onto a sweat-stained shirt helps lighten even stubborn, set-in stains.