I never knew how many different uses there were for Epsom Salts until I read Christina Strutt’s A Guide To Natural Housekeeping. From uses in the garden to beauty therapies and remedies for ailments Epsom salts are amazingly versatile!
Epsom salt is actually magnesium sulfate, named for Epsom, England, where it occurs naturally in hot springs as a result of rock formations. I must admit that I haven’t ever bought Epsom Salts before, but have put them down on this week’s shopping list and will eagerly try some of these uses over the next few weeks, particularly in the garden and the bath…..
Relaxing and sleep-inducing bath: Soak in warm water and 2 cups of Epsom salt.
Foot soak: Soothe aches, remove odors and soften rough skin with a foot soak. Add 1/2 cup of Epsom salt to a large pan of warm water and add a drop of peppermint oil if you have it. Soak feet for as long as it feels right. Rinse and dry thoroughly.
Soak sprains and bruises: Epsom salt will reduce the swelling of sprains and bruises. Add 2 cups epsom salt to a warm bath and soak.
Splinter remover: Soak in epsom salt, it will draw out the splinter.
Homemade skin mask: Apply the mask to damp skin. For normal to oily skin, mix 1 tablespoon of cognac, 1 egg, 1/4 cup of non-fat dry milk, the juice of 1 lemon, and a half-teaspoon of epsom salt. For normal to dry skin, mix 1/4 cup of grated carrot, 1 1/2 teaspoons of mayonnaise and a half-teaspoon of epsom salt.
Skin exfoliator: Massage handfuls of epsom salt over your wet skin, starting with your feet and continuing up towards the face. Have a bath to rinse.
Hair volumizer: Combine equal parts of deep conditioner and epsom salt. Warm in a pan. Work the warm mixture through your hair and leave on for 20 minutes. Rinse.
Fertiliser: Studies have shown that magnesium and sulphur enrich the soil to benefit vegetable and flowering plants. Epsom sales help seeds to germinate, promote bushier plant growth, encourage flower plants to produce more flower, increase chlorophyll production and improve the phosphorus and nitrogen update of plants.
Epsom salts can also correct magnesium deficiency in soil and plants. Magnesium deficiency is particularly common in gardenias, tomatoes, citrus and other fruit trees. It shows up as a yellowing and/or browning around the outer part of the leaf especially in older leaves.
Epsom salts can be used to produce successful crops of tomatoes, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbages, and other brassicas and to promote leaf groth and plenitful flowers on shrubs, flowering plants and fruit trees.
To use them in the garden, dissolve four handfuls into 10 litres of water. You could also sprinkle around the roots of plants and water it in. Epsom salts are not persistent so cannot be overused.
Clarifying hair rinse: Mix 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1/4 cup Epsom salt, and one litre water, leaving them to stand for 24 hours, and using the mix as a clarifying rinse. If you have product buildup that's making your hair lank, dry, greasy, and hard to style, clarifying rinses can really help breathe back life into your hair!
Tile cleaner: Epsom salt can pull up soap scum on til.! Use a paste to scrub bathrooms, sinks, and showers; the Epsom salt will lift up the buildup without scratching the surface beneath.
Weed control: A solution of Epsom salt, vinegar, and Dawn works like a treat for eliminating weeds without introducing toxins to the garden.
Pest control: Spraying a solution of Epsom salts on the lawn can control insects without damaging the grass, and it's totally nontoxic. Sprinkle some dry Epsom salt to deter slugs and snails.
Beachy hair: Loose, messy locks that look like you've just returned from surfing? If you don't have the luxury of living by the beach but you want the look, you can use Epsom salt to make a hair spritz that works just like those expensive ones you find at the salon, for a fraction of the cost.
If you have used Epsom salts for another purpose I would love to hear about it. Drop me a post or email me at livewelllivesmart@gmail.com .
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