Epsom Salts is Good for the Body and Great for the Home, but not for the Garden
With us looking at old fashioned remedies as a way to keep toxins and chemicals out of our home, let us not forget about one of the best... Epsom Salt!
06/05/2022
First discovered way back in 1618, Epsom Salt is named after the town in which it was first discovered. Epsom Salt isn't really a salt but was given this name due to its crystalline structure. For hundreds of years, Epsom Salt has been used to treat a variety of ailments, aid in detoxifying the body, and is claimed to have many benefits when used in the garden. Inexpensive and available at supermarkets and health stores, a box of Epsom Salt can do a lot and should be on your shopping list. Below we look at some of the health benefits of using Epsom Salt, as well as beneficial ways to use Epsom Salt.
Health Benefits of Epsom Salt
Healthcare providers around the globe recommend Epsom Salt as a natural remedy and, while there is no concrete scientific evidence to support its benefits, there are too many people that have experienced relief from various ailments and afflictions. Here are just some of the ways to use Epsom Salt for health benefits:
- Bath Soak -
Adding a cup of Epsom Salt to warm bathwater helps relieve sore muscles and soothe itchy, dry skin. I have been using Epsom Salts for a weekly soak since being diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and it helps to alleviate the incessant itch from eczema as a result of medication I am taking. When used in a bath in winter, Epsom Salt helps to soothe the itchiness of dry skin.
Epsom Salt is the main ingredient used for making bath bombs, those scented balls that fizz when dropped into warm bath water. Mixed with essential oil, a bath bomb brings a spa experience to bathing and scents the air with perfume that relaxes and soothes body and mind.
- Foot Spa -
Add half a cup of Epsom Salt to warm water for a foot spa to ease aches and pains. It also aids in the exfoliation of dried skin and after soaking and drying, use a synthetic foot scrubber to remove old and dead skin before applying moisturiser. For a relaxing and pampering treatment for your feet, add a few drops of your favourite essential oil to the water.
- Exfoliator -
Don't spend a fortune on products that exfoliate the skin when you can use Epsom Salt. Add a pinch to your hand and combine with your regular face wash or cleanser to gently exfoliate your skin, on the face, your hands, or your body. Rinse after use and moisturise as you normally would.
- After Massage Treatment -
Massage therapists often promote an Epsom Salt bath after deep tissue or intensive massage for its therapeutic effects on soothing tired muscles as it ads in flushing lactic acid and toxins from the body. Drink a full glass of water after bathing to flush out toxins.
Epsom Salts in the Home
Epsom Salt is not only beneficial for the body, but it also comes handy for using around the home.
- Scratch-Free Scrubbing -
It's gritty texture, similar to that of salt, makes it ideal for scrubbing without scratching. Add Epsom salt to dishwashing liquid to clean stubborn grease without scratching the surface of pots and pans, add to liquid cleaner for sinks and bath to clean without too much effort, and use a paste of Epsom Salt and white vinegar to clean the grout between tiles.
- Clean Washing Machine
There are plenty of people that replace the established tradition of using bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar in a washing machine to clean it out and they substitute with Epsom Salt. This is not a good idea. Epsom Salt comprises of sulphur and magnesium (magnesium sulphate) which contributes to the forming of hard water and that means by using Epsom Salt in the washing machine you are compounding the problem if you already have hard water deposits. Stick to traditional or proven methods rather than taking advice from the ton of misinformation on the web.
Epsom Salts in the Garden
Well, the original concept of this article was to discuss the benefits of using Epsom Salt in the home and garden but after compiling a long list of research sources for more information on this topic, I was surprised to learn that Epsom Salt isn't that great in the garden. There are plenty of claims that it can be used for this and that, but evidence shows the contrary and common sense should prevail in most of the claimed areas of benefits. Included below is a video that busts the myths surrounding the use of Epsom Salt for gardening and it is well worth watching. The bottom line is don't always believe what you see or read and rather dig deeper and do your own research.