Epsom salt, chemically known as magnesium sulfate has a variety of surprising uses in your home. Get that container out of the sink and use it in these clever ways.
What Is Epsom Salt?
Epsom salt (or “salts”) was first discovered in the waters of a town known as Epsom in England. From the 17th century, there are reports of people who took advantage of its natural properties. It was once the most well-known medical treatment in England.
The remarkable health benefits and the versatility of Epsom salt, not to mention the fact that it’s inexpensive–make it a must-have for every home medicine cabinet. Consider these options:
1. Alleviate Body Aches
One of the main uses of Epsom salt is to treat bodyaches. The magnesium and other components are absorbed by your skin and ease pains and discomforts that arise by inflammation and tension. Epsom salt eliminates toxins your body to relieve bruises, swelling and sprains. To useit, make sure to add two cups of Epsom salt to your bath and submerge yourself for at least 20 minutes.
2. Help with Stress and Rest
When your body is deficient in magnesium it can lower your serotonin levels and make you feel sad while also affecting the quality of your food and sleep. When you bathe in Epsom salts in a bath, it aids your body in the creation of serotonin. Magnesium present in Epsom salts does more than help reduce stress and improve your mood, but will also help you sleep. Plus studies show that those suffering from Lyme disease can greatly benefit from Epsom salt soaks. Be sure that the water isn’t too hot (keep it at 95 F).
3. Healthy Feet
Not just is it possible that Epsom salt relax tired feet, it can also be used to treat athlete’s feet and nail fungus. Add 1 cup of Epsom salt to warm water, and then soak those feet.
4. Constipation Relief
In mild constipation cases, Epsom salt can be used internally as a gentle laxative. Dissolve 1 teaspoon plain (no fragrances) in 8 1 oz. of water. Drink. It is best to consult a doctor prior to drinking anything in the body.
5. Anti-Inflammatory
Epsom salt is a great anti-inflammatory that has been proven to lower inflammation, while increasing flexibility of arterial walls. Bathe your body into the Epsom salt bath a few times a week in order to decrease inflammation, which could cause joint pains.
6. Sunburn Relief
After a long day on the beach, we usually end up grabbing an aloe vera gel that is popular aloe vera to soothe sun-baked skin. Epsom salt’s anti-inflammatory properties make it a great alternative to get rid of the effects of too much sun exposure. In a spray bottle with no refill Mix two tablespoons Epsom salt with 1 cup of water. Spray the area affected.
7. Splinter Removal
The splinters are often too sharp and lead to painstakingly digging at our skin with the help of tweezers. Instead, you can soak in the bath with Epsom salts before. This increases the osmotic pressure that the skin experiences, which helps bring the splinter closer to the surface. Magnesium can also help reduce the inflammation around the splinter, which makes it less difficult to take off. If it’s just a small toe or finger, you can dissolve 2 tablespoons of Epsom salt in the water in a cup and then soak.
8. Exfoliator
You don’t have to shell out for costly spa treatments or exfoliants. Epsom salt is a great natural exfoliant. It helps to remove dead skin cells as well as to eliminate impurities, add a teaspoon to your usual face wash, and gently rub it in an upward motion, then wash off.
9. Acne Treatment
Epsom salt can also be a potent natural face cleanserthat has antibacterial, anti-fungal, and antiviral properties. This makes it an excellent option for treating acne. Before going to bed, mix one teaspoon of Epsom salt into your regular cleanser for your face and wash it just like normal.
10. Blackhead Banisher
Additionally, it helps remove dead skin and clearing up blemishes, Epsom salt works well in removing blackheads. Mix one teaspoon of Epsom salt with four drops of iodine one cup of hot water. Stir until dissolved. Once it has cooled slightly, rub the mixture on the affected skin. Dry completely, clean using warm water, then pat dry.
11. Healthy Hair
The body won’t only thank you for adding Epsom salt to your routine, but your hair will also be benefited. To remove build up of styling productslike hairspray mix 1 cup each of Epsom salt and lemon juice in one gallon water. Cover the mix and let it remain for 24 hours prior applying. Just pour it over hair and let the mixture sit for 15-20 minutes. Shampoo and condition as you normally do. For more volume in your hair, combine two equal amounts of conditioner with Epsom salt. Apply the mixture to your hair and allow it to sit for 20 minutes. The Epsom salt helps remove excess oil that weighs the hair down.
12. Moisturizing Hand Wash
Want to keep your hands soft? Make a mixture of equal portions Epsom salt and baby oil or olive oil. Make sure to store the moisturizing cleanser for your hands in bottles and put it by the sink. Massage it in and rinse after washing your hands.
13. Cold and Flu Relief
Indulging in an Epsom bath my improve your immune system, raising white blood cells to fight infection. Epsom salt baths also relieve muscles and aches which aid in restorative sleeping to fight off infections. You can add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to the bath to help you breathe easier.
14. Poison Ivy Relief
An icy Epsom salt compress could provide some relief to poison ivy sufferers by relieving inflammation and swelling. Soak a cotton washcloth with an Epsom salt solution and water (2 teaspoons Epsom salt and 1 cup of cold water), wring it out and then apply it to your affected region.
15. Bug Bite Relief
To soothe the uncomfortable itch caused by bug bites, blend 1/2 a cup of hot water and 1/2 cup of Epsom salt in a spray bottle. Spray onto the affected skin. This spray can also be used for any other cause of itchy skin.
16. Pans, Pots Pans Scrubber
The rough textures of the salt crystals help to remove food particles that have accumulated, without harming the cookware. You can simply pour a small amount of Epsom salts onto your pots or pans before you scrub them.
17. Grout Cleaner
Mix equal amounts of Epsom salts and liquid dish detergent to make a powerful grout and tile cleaner. Apply this mix to the stains in your bathroom or kitchen. Let it sit for several minutes, then scrub away grime, and then wash it off.
18. Washing Machine Cleaner
Your washing machine can get quite gritty. With use laundry detergent, and other contaminants build up inside machines. Epsom salt keeps your washing machine operating efficiently by eliminating gunk that is not needed. The washing tub should be filled up with warm water. Add 1 quarter cup of white vinegar and 1 cup of Epsom salt. Let the machine agitate for a few minutes, and then stop the process and let the solution sit in the machine for around an hour before proceeding to complete the process. You can run a wash cycle prior to adding the clothes.
19. Helper in Helper in the Yard and Garden
The advantages of Epsom salt do not stop at home. Take a stroll around the garden, where magnesium sulfate is great for greening up your yard and fertilizing your plants. It can also eliminate unwanted pests and slugs–just sprinkle lines around your garden to keep them out.
According to research, studies show that magnesium and sulfur two minerals that occur naturally that are major components in Epsom salt, may help plants grow greener with higher yields and greater blooms. Magnesium provides a favorable environment to growth . It helps seeds to germinate, increasing the amount of chlorophyll produced and improving the uptake of nitrogen and phosphorus. Sulfur is also an essential component in the growth of plants by helping produce vitamins.
The addition of Epsom salt to your soil before planting your vegetables will give it an increase in magnesium (test soil to determine if it is deficient). You can also sprinkle Epsom salt all over your plants to ensure healthier leaves. Around 1 tablespoon for 12 inches of height (once every month). Tomato plants benefit also from Epsom salt treatments. Simply make sure to water your plants with 1 tablespoon of Epsom salt in one gallon of water each two weeks. Plants that love acid, such as hydrangea, azaleas, roses, blueberry, rhododendrons as well as hibiscus, will also appreciate the treatment.
20. Healthier Plants
If your homeplants are turning yellow they might be suffering from magnesium deficiencies. Epsom salt can help! Try adding a teaspoon Epsom salt to a gallon of water, and then water as normal as well as spraying the leaves with the solution so that they grow more beautiful and vibrant.
Take note: Epsom salts are not a fertilizer that can be used for all purposes. It can create more healthy, greener, and bushier houseplants , but only if the plants aren’t nutrient-rich enough in magnesium or sulfate.
