I’m always on the lookout for new ways to use products I already have – especially if those products don’t have chemicals or toxins in them.

But when it comes to dusting, I don’t even bother with products. I just use an old sock. Sure, this gets rid of the dust, but our furniture never shines or gleams.

I decided to see if there was a natural alternative to all the dust-busting sprays out there. And I found something even better – more alternative uses for that product!!

An article at curbly.com reports that you can mix olive oil with lemon juice and use a soft rag (old sock, maybe?) to polish your furniture to a beautiful shine. This article also suggests polishing brass with olive oil.

I’m really surprised I hadn’t thought of, or heard of this before. I’m all for alternative uses for kitchen products.

But I only had one use for olive oil – butter knife de-gunker

Our butter knives never come out of the dishwasher looking clean. The little serrations always look gunky. Sometimes even hand-scouring won’t do the trick. I tried rubbing them with a little olive oil, and they looked so much better. They even stayed clean after 2 or 3 washes.

An interesting blog called The Olive Oil Sources reports that olive oil is great on squeaky hinges. This blogger suggests putting the olive oil in a spray bottle for this application.

All of these uses make sense, but there are some that I never would have come up with on my own.

An article on Associated Content claims that olive oil can treat ear infections. They recommend warming a teaspoon of olive oil (not too hot) and putting half a teaspoon in each ear and sealing with a cotton ball.

Have dandruff? The Dry Skin Care Guide recommends massaging a mixture of olive oil and almond paste into your scalp.

Olive oil can also help with another heady problem – lice. Head Lice Info suggests using it as part of a 5-step program. The olive oil can help suffocate lice.

Got a mole problem? Just put an olive oil-soaked rag down the mole hole. According to a different article on Associated Content , the moles will leave because they do not like the smell of olive oil.

While olive oil isn’t loved by moles, an article at Heart of Wisdom reports that it can help your cat avoid hairballs.

I had no idea this tasty cooking oil was so versatile away from the kitchen? Have you tried any of these uses for olive oil? Know of any that I didn’t find?

In an effort to find less toxic ways to clean and garden, I’ve discovered many new uses for salt – yes, salt! The Salt Institute reports that salt has more than 14,000 known uses – many of them not as flavoring!

Here are some green uses for salt in and around the house.

Inside uses for salt:

Greenlivingtips.com suggests using a paste of salt and white vinegar as a polish for some metals.

The site also recommends using salt to scrub grease off of cookware and soak up oil in the kitchen.

Want to make that kitchen sponge last a little longer? Greenlivingtips.com recommends you soak it in a strong saltwater solution to help kill the bacteria. Speaking of bacteria, you can cover your cutting board with salt and let it sit for a while before rinsing to get rid of the bacteria.

The Hippyshopper suggests using salt to clean up foods that spill over inside the oven. If you sprinkle salt on the mess right away (during baking) it will help prevent smoke and odor. Once the oven has cooled, the spot should just brush away.

You can also use salt to test if an egg is rotten. Put your egg in a cup of water with 2 teaspoons of salt. An egg that’s rotten will float, while fresh eggs sink.

Outside uses for salt:

A great article on howstuffworks.com details many uses for salt outside the house.

Did you know a strong, soapy saltwater spray could kill poison ivy? Just mix three pounds of salt with a gallon of soapy water and spray directly onto the plant.

Pour a mixture of 2 tablespoons salt, 5 tablespoons vinegar and a quart of hot water onto weeds to kill them.

And if ants are starting to make their way into your house, sprinkle some salt around the areas where they gain entry.

Want to keep ice off of your windshield? Spray a saltwater solution on your windshield at night. This works because the dew that forms becomes saltwater, which freezes at a lower temperature than fresh water.

Health uses for salt:

The Hippyshopper also suggests using salt to soothe a bee sting. Just wet the stung area and then cover with salt.

You can add some salt to your bath to soothe scratches, rashes and cuts.

If you have a canker sore, mouthache or toothache, dissolve a teaspoon of salt into a cup of warm water and gargle a few times a day. It takes me several mouthfuls to finish the cup. This stings a bit, but definitely helps with the pain and quickens the healing time.

Do you have any other great uses for salt?