Cleaning with salt is one of the easiest ways to be a little "greener" at home. Salt has a multitude of uses as a natural cleaner. It's very, very cheap, does no harm to he environment and it's easily available. The salt we are talking about here is table salt, or sodium chloride. Any table salt from the supermarket or grocery store works fine. This is how you use salt in your cleaning programme. General household cleaning Salt dissolves easily in water and can be used by itself or mixed with several other environmentally-friendly cleaners. You can combine it safely with vinegar, lemon juice, or even washing up liquid. Mix salt with vinegar for a good general purpose cleaner. Don't use it on lino, waxed surfaces, or marble. The vinegar may cause damage to the surface. Salt and vinegar will also remove stains from teacups and teapots. Salt and vinegar solution leaves glass and tiles shining. Washing up Try it if you run out of washing up liquid. Just sprinkle a tablespoonful of salt into the water. Rinse the dishes well afterwards. You may want to wear gloves or use a skin cream after using it as salt is rather drying for your skin. Oven and hob spills Oven and hob spills can be covered with salt. Let the mixture stand for a few minutes. Add a little water if necessary. Then wipe up. The salt absorbs the liquids and helps lift them from the surface. It is particularly good at absorbing grease and oils. Cleaning pans Salt can be a great cleaner for cast iron pans. Sprinkle salt around and then wipe clean. You can even do this instead of washing it in water. It seems to work as a scouring paste does. It helps protect the surface and makes it more like a non-stick pan. Pans seem to develop a patina that helps them slough off dirt. Alternatively, use it with hot water. Rinse the pan afterwards and brush with  oil. Add a few tablespoons of salt to burnt pans as soon as the damage occurs. This makes them easier to clean. Most of the damage lifts right out with a normal pan scourer. Cleaning metal Salt can be mixed with lemon juice to clean metals. Use lemon juice or lime juice and salt to clean  brass and pewter. Sprinkle salt into an empty squeezed-out lemon half and rub down the metal. Rinse off the gunk and buff the surface to a shine with a soft cloth.