According to the Salt Institute, which could be biased in favour of sodium chloride, there are more than 14,000 uses for salt. But even if you don’t work in the chlor-alkali industry there are plenty of ways to use up your 100kg Lidl value sack without exceeding your recommended daily intake:

Murder slugs

Apparently it’s not a very pleasant way to go, but if they will insist on eating your petunias…

Check your eggs are fresh

For dads who don’t believe in best-before dates. Put your ageing egg in a cup of salted water, if it floats you can feed it to the wife and children, if it sinks you need to go shopping.

Melt snow and ice

One of the most common large-scale salt uses is for de-icing roads. It also works on icy windows, slippery top steps and frozen washing lines.

Gargle it in warm water

Cheaper than Listerine* and helps soothe your mouth by cleansing cankers, abscesses and other oral irritants.

Stop your shoes smelling so bad

An occasional shake of salt into your trainers will soak up excess sweaty moisture and help reduce the odour.

Throw it over your left shoulder

Bit frivolous, mid-credit crunch, but then you may be in extra need of some good fortune.

Soothe bee stings

Not for those with severe bee sting allergies. Wet the sting immediately and cover it with salt. It will hurt (slightly) less.

'Seed' or disperse clouds

Beijing Olympic organisers are said to be planning a cloud-free opening ceremony using this controversial technique. The complex choreography and stretchy material could be bathed in sunshine thanks to salt and other hygroscopic materials being released into the air

Create snowflakes in watercolours

Solve the age-old problem of capturing snowflakes in your artwork by sprinkling salt onto your sky wet wash – the granules will soak up some of the paint creating a little star around each piece of salt.

Rub it into wounds

This hurts, so only do it to someone annoying. It is unclear whether the chemical properties of the salt or simply the act of grinding grit into a fresh cut is the key.

Make your toothbrush last longer

It is thought that soaking your toothbrush in salt water before you use it will allow the bristles to last longer. Scientists have suggested it may also make your toothbrush taste of salt.

*A mind-boggling array of other anti-bacterial mouthwashes are available

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