15 Uses for Epsom Salts

I am trying to figure out how to store 50 pounds of epsom salts this afternoon and ran across this great information over at Food Storage Moms.  The salts really help with the soreness caused by juvenile arthritis and there are lots of other uses for them too!  I hope you find some of these uses to be helpful in your home.

Posted by Linda Loosli on 20 May 2014

What is Epsom Salts? It is not actually salt but a naturally occurring pure mineral compound of sulfate and magnesium.  It started out from a bitter saline spring at Epsom in Surrey, England. Do you remember your family always having Epsom Salts? I remember seeing this blue bag in the hall closet with the rest of the medicinal products my mother had stored. We only had a few items for any ailment we had. The ones that I remember were Epsom Salts, Merthiolate, Mercurochrome and aspirin.

Yes, that was it. We did not go to the doctor much, and if we did, we must have been close to death. I do remember having my throat painted with a purple violet ointment (Gentian Violet) , something for strep throat. I would love any comments to help refresh my memory on that stuff. We also had a yellow mustard paste you’d smear on your chest for bad coughs. Today it is all about Epsom Salts. Thank you to several readers that reminded me of the purple/violet ointment name! Another reader just emailed me and said she always puts a couple of  tablespoons in the hole before she plants her tomatoes. It helps them grow stronger and prevents blossom end rot. Thanks so much for these awesome tips!

MY 15 REASONS WHY I STORE EPSOM SALTS:

1. Throw a cupful into a warm bath along with some lavender essential oils…….relax and read a book. No need to buy expensive bath salts, plus you choose the essential oils you prefer.

2. Make a paste with water and Epsom Salts to soothe a sunburn. Take a small container and mix water and enough of the Epsom Salts to make a paste similar to thin toothpaste. Gently rub the mixture onto the sunburned skin.

3. You can do your own pedicure by soaking your feet in a bucket of warm water with a 1/2 cup Epsom Salts added. Relax and let the dry skin fall off. Use a pumice stone to remove the remaining dead skin, and then rub coconut oil into your feet to soften them. I wear socks so I won’t fall from the slippery oil on my bare feet. It really helps with those cracked heels in the summertime.

4. It is great for splinters….soak and then remove the splinter ever so carefully with clean tweezers.

5. Gout can be treated by soaking your foot in as hot as the water can be and still be comfortable, along with 1/4 cup Epsom Salts. Soak the foot for about thirty minutes. This will help ease the discomfort of a sore foot feel better.

6. Sprains can be treated by following the instructions for gout. The water with the Epsom Salts seems to ease the discomfort of the sprained ankle or foot.

7. Athlete’s Foot is treated by soaking the feet in warm water with 1/4 cup Epsom Salts for about 30 minutes. Drain the water, clean the container and repeat if necessary.

8. Gardens are benefited by preventing slugs when you sprinkle some Epsom Salts around where you do not want the slugs to enter near your garden plants.

9. Epsom Salts is a natural insecticide….sprinkle lightly around your plants to keep those plant pests away.

10. Keep your lawns green with 2 tablespoons to one gallon water and spray onto your lawn. Cheap way to keep your lawn healthy and green.

11. Fertilize your house plants. Sprinkle a litlle each week to keep them healthy and keep the pests away. (high in nitrogen, phosphorus & potassium)

12. Make your own hand wash with baby oil and Epsom Salts. Soothes dry chapped fingers and knuckles.

13. Clean your bathroom tile with equal amounts of Epsom Salts and your favorite liquid detergent, use a rag to just wipe away the grime.

14. Add a tiny amount (about 1/4 teaspoon give or take) to your regular face cleansing cream and wash your face as usual. It feels fabulous!

15. Fungus toenail or fingernail can be teated by soaking the infected nail(s) in hot water mixed with Epsom Salts at least three times a day.

If you have other ideas please comment. I would love to add them to my list. We all learn from each other. The really nice thing about Epsom Salts is the fact that they are fairly inexpensive to purchase and store in your food storage stash or pantry.

Debbie @Kneaded Creations has a great article: Kneaded Creations.

Adrienne @WholeNewMom has several ways to use Epsom Salts too.

Shelle @PreparednessMama has even more ideas using Epsom Salts.

Wayne @ AWorld4ChangeTV has a few ideas for the garden using Epsom Salts.