Epsom Salts Magic: 13 Unexpected Home Uses

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Epsom Salt

There’s no reason that every household shouldn’t have at least a bag of Epsom salts in it – Not only are they dirt cheap (a super big bag of it usually runs you about five dollars), but they’re such a versatile product that they can end up saving you a ton of money!

Until recently, I only used them in the bath to help ease my sore muscles and chase away any sickness that happened to plague me, but it turns out that there are so many other uses for these wonderful little rocks of magic:

Inside

In The Bath

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Let’s get the most obvious one out of the way first, shall we? I mentioned before that Epsom salts are incredible when used in a detox bath, but even if you don’t have those ingredients on hand a cupful or two of just the salt can help calm aching muscles and help relieve stress.

Our bodies need magnesium, and most of us don’t get enough of it – A twenty-minute soak can make all the difference in the world in how you feel. Soaking in an Epsom salt bath is also absolutely great for anyone who suffers from migraines or headaches regularly, or for anyone who has trouble sleeping (if you have a child that tends to fight bedtime, try adding ½ – 1 cup of Epsom salts – and some lavender essential oil if you have it – to their nightly bath and watch them drift off to sleep with no issues at all).

If you don’t have a bathtub to soak in, you should definitely consider investing in a foot bath (or at the very least a large enough plastic bin for your feet to fit into comfortable) – Absorbing the magnesium sulphate through your feet is better than not absorbing it at all. If you have dry and/or cracked feet, scrub them with a loofah or pumice stone after they’ve soaked and watch all of that dead skin come right off!

In The Shower

Don’t have time to soak in the bath for twenty minutes but still need some relief? Simply mix ½ cup of Epsom salt with ¼ cup of carrier oil such as olive or grapeseed (I’d stay away from using coconut oil in this instance unless you don’t mind the possibility of your drain becoming plugged). Your skin will be unbelievably smooth and any muscle aches you’ve been experiencing should start to relax.

Need more than that? Mix a tablespoon of Epsom salts with your shampoo and use it to clean your hair and scalp deep or mix equal parts of the salt and your conditioner, leave on your hair for about twenty minutes, rinse well (like, really well) and let your hair air dry for a thicker appearance (I have relatively thick hair to begin with; I’ve never tried this myself, and therefore can’t tell you if it makes your hair thicker or not nor can I find any studies that back it up. That said, there are tons of people all over the internet who claim that the mixture does make their hair thicker, so I figured it was worth mentioning).

And When You Get Out Of The Shower

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None of those things seem practical to you? Well what about this – You can make magnesium oil that can be rubbed into your aching muscles after you get out of the shower or bath instead.

If you’ll be immobile for a while, consider putting the oil on your feet instead and letting it absorb (and make your feet smoother) that way. To make the oil, mix equal parts of Epsom salt and hot water in a watertight container (I use a mason jar) and shake until it’s dissolved.

Usually, you make magnesium lotion with magnesium flakes, but if you can’t find those or all you have on hand is Epsom salts, no worries! My recipe for the lotion is to mix equal parts of salt and hot water until all of the salt is dissolved and then I mix in a little coconut oil. If you’d prefer a less oily version of the solution, there are quite a few recipes that mix the salts with actual body lotion (just make sure that if you choose to go this route you choose a lotion that’s organic and paraben/gelatin free).

You can also make a facial scrub with the salts by mixing a teaspoon or so in your hand with some cleanser, or instead opt to mix them with an egg white, apply to your face as a mask and let dry for ten or 15 minutes, and then rinse off with warm water if you’re looking to get rid of pesky blackheads or tighten up your pores.

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That’s still not all, though! You know those beach-ready waves that are almost unattainable no matter what texturizing spray you sink your hard-earned money into?

You might not be the most pleased to hear this. Still, you can get exactly those waves by dissolving a tablespoon of your Epsom salts into a cup of hot water (make sure you mix or shake it up really well so that all of the salt dissolves), spritz it all over your hair and then scrunch it to get that California style in seconds (if you happen to have stick strait hair you’ll have to braid your hair with the solution and leave it for an hour or so, then take the braids out and scrunch your hair to get the look).

You Can Even Clean The Shower (And Floors) With Them!

If your tile and grout are starting to look a little worse for wear (which is pretty much an inevitability unless you live alone and/or happen to be one of those people that’s OCD about cleaning your shower every single day), you can mix equal parts of Epsom salts and dish soap. Rinse with warm water and you’ll have yourself a natural, streak free shine (Don’t expect magic here – It might take a little bit of elbow grease, but I promise you you’ll think it’s worth the effort in the end).

To Help Your Plants Grow

If your houseplants are starting to look a little sad, mix a couple of tablespoons of Epsom salts into the water before you water them and watch them return to life.

To Make Your Laundry Softer

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Pour ½ – 1 cup of Epsom salt in your fabric softener dispenser or add it to your rinse cycle when you’re washing your clothing. After one wash you’ll never want to waste money on fabric softener again (if you’re someone that simply can’t survive without fragrance, add some lavender and/or lemon essential oil to the salt).

To Sooth Charred Skin

And bug bites! Simply dissolve ¼ cup of the salts in warm water and apply to the irritated area with a cotton ball. If your skin is sunburnt, follow the solution up with some coconut oil and pure Aloe Vera (or some organic aloe gel).

And Even Remove Splinters

Splinters can be one of the most irritating things, but they don’t have to drive you crazy anymore – When you get on, simply soak the area in which it sits in warm water with Epsom salts and the next thing you know the splinter/sliver will be drawn to the surface of your skin, making it much easier to remove.

To Remove Stuck On Foods

It’s great when your kids and/or significant other want to make dinner for you (even if they can’t cook all that well) – You’re super grateful regardless of what you end up eating, right up until you have to scrub the burnt on food off of the pots. Next time that happens (and trust me – If it hasn’t happened to you yet, it will happen at some point in your life), all you need to is scrub the pot with a little bit of dish soap, some hot water, and a few tablespoons of Epsom salts and that stuck on food will wipe right off.

Outside

To Keep The Raccoons At Bay

Sometimes, battling raccoons is completely unavoidable, especially if you live in a city and don’t have a garage at your disposal. If you’re sick and tired of having to clean up the mess that the raccoons leave for you day after day, try sprinkling some Epsom salts around where your garbage cans live – Apparently, the adorable little creatures don’t like the smell of them.

And To Keep Your Lawn And Garden Looking Incredibly Healthy

When the spring comes and it’s time to plant your garden again, consider adding some Epsom salts to the soil before tilling it to help replenish some of the magnesium used to grow the produce or flowers the previous year.

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Once your plants have been planted and they’re beginning to grow, you want to see them flourish as much as possible, right? To help you out with that, sprinkle a few tablespoons of Epsom salts at the base of your plants and you’ll begin to notice that your flowers are more vibrant and that you get more of a yield out of your garden in the fall.

A lush, green lawn is one of the most difficult things to keep in the summer. To help get the most out of the color of your landscape, spread a cup of Epsom salts over every 100 square feet of lawn and lightly water it into the soil. Within a week you should notice a difference in the colour of your grass.

You Can Easily Get Rid Of Any Tree Stumps

If you’ve ever tried to get rid of a tree stump before (whether you cut the tree down yourself or it fell down in a storm), you know firsthand just how much of a (sometimes rather costly) pain it can be. Before you call a removal service or rent a backhoe next time, try this method first – Drill a few holes into the tree stump and fill each one of the holes with Epsom salt. Add a little bit of water to each hole to help the salts absorb into the wood and you should notice the stump beginning to rot within a few weeks.

And Even Make Washer Fluid!

When winter hits, nothing on earth is more important to a driving Canadian than having windshield washer fluid in your vehicle that doesn’t freeze to absolutely everything when you spray it. While most people are prepared, there’s always the exception to the rule – Sometimes, you just forget to ensure that your levels are where they should be and you run out. The next time that happens to you – Consider making some antifreeze windshield washer fluid with your Epsom salts.

Tips & Tricks

Always Remember To Read Your Labels

As with everything else, manufacturers have figured out a way to synthesize Epsom salts from naturalized sulphuric acid, which means that just like everything else, you’re going to have to read the labels carefully when you’re at the grocery or health food store – You want to make sure that you’re investing in a high quality, naturally occurring form of the mineral. If you don’t know what you’re looking for, ask – If the person you ask at the store doesn’t know, get the name of the supplier or manufacturer and ask them. It’s your body and you have the right to know exactly what you’re using on it.

“Food Grade” Epsom salts are also a perfectly safe choice, so if all else fails, you can reach for those with no worry.

Always Skin Test

Especially if you have sensitive skin before you use this in a highly concentrated form (such as in the lotion or as fabric softener) – People with more sensitive skin might experience some itchiness (which goes away rather quickly, but it’s still not the most comfortable thing).

Less Is More

At least when you’re starting out and using them internally or topically – You’re likely magnesium deficient and like any other big change in your life, you should take small steps to avoid shocking your system.

There! Now that you’re finished reading, you can go to your local grocery (or health food) store and pick up a bag (or a tub!) of your own Epsom salts, too!

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