12 Ways To Use Leftover Epsom Salts

Many people purchase a bag of Epsom salts when they need a purifying and pain-relieving bath. The magnesium in these salts provides a lot of medicinal healing power. These salts added to a bath provide stress relief and relaxation, and even help with joint pain. But these salts often come in a huge bag, which means it can be hard to use it up just by taking an occasional bath. The good news is there are other ways you can use your leftover Epsom salts.

When you have leftover Epsom salts, add some to your laundry detergent to boost its cleaning power, or sprinkle it on hard-to-clean pots and pans. You can use it to help soothe mosquito bites or rashes associated with poison ivy. Epsom salts can be consumed and used as a laxative, or to soak your feet to cure athlete’s foot. You can even use it to make bath bombs.

Epsom salts are available in most grocery stores and nearly every pharmacy. While they may be quite popular, very few people know all the varied ways they can be used. If you have a bag of Epsom salts or enjoy using it from time to time, then make sure you keep reading. Below is a list of 12 ways you can use up leftover Epsom salts — and some of them might surprise you.

12 Creative Ways To Use Up Your Extra Epsom Salts

1. Help Relieve Itchy Bug Bites

If you are someone who gets bitten by mosquitos in the summer months, then you will be happy to know Epsom salts can help. Not only will an Epsom salt bath help your skin feel better, but dissolved salts can also help relieve itching associated with mosquito bites.

Make an Epsom salt paste using equal parts warm water and salt. You can apply this paste to all your bug bites. Let it sit as the paste soaks in and soothes your bug bites and the surrounding areas. 

2. Treat Your Sunburn

After a long day at the beach, you might find yourself as red as a lobster. When you look for the remedy in the bathroom, you likely reach for aloe vera. While aloe vera can help soothe your sunburn, Epsom salts can also help with the pain.

Epsom salts are an anti-inflammatory. These properties can also relieve the pain associated with sunburn. Add two tablespoons of Epsom salts to each cup of water and dissolve. Use a spray bottle to spray this mixture directly to your sun-burnt skin.

3. Create DIY Bath Bombs

If you are looking for a DIY holiday gift-giving idea, you can make bath bombs with your Epsom salt leftovers. To make bath bombs, you only need Epsom salts and a few other ingredients, many of which you may already have on hand. 

Bath bombs make a great gift, or they are also a great self-care treat you can give yourself and the people who live with you. The ingredients needed to make bath bombs are listed below.

• Epsom Salts
• Citric Acid
• Coconut Oil
• Essential Oils Of Your Choice
• Baking Soda
• Corn Starch

4. Apply It To A Poison Ivy Rash

Mosquito bites aren’t the only itchy situation that comes with spending time outdoors. Poison ivy is a plant that can cause severe allergic reactions. The oils cause a rash that can ooze and spread. 

You can apply an Epsom salt paste to the rash to help treat it. This paste works in two ways. First, it helps soothe the itching and pain associated with this rash. Furthermore, the salt helps dry out this oily rash, which can also help to speed up the healing process.

5. Get Rid Of Constipation

One less common but effective use of Epsom salts is to use them as a laxative. If you have digestive problems or find yourself constipated for some reason, you might be able to cure your issue with a spoonful of these magic salts.

To help remedy constipation using Epsom salts, add two to four tablespoons of Epsom salts with eight ounces of water. Make sure you drink the liquid right away. If you have scented salts, make sure they are safe to consume.

6. Combine With Water As A Fertilizer Substitute

While too much salt can kill your plants, did you know that a little bit of Epsom salt can help your plants grow? The key is not to use too much salt in the water. Use one ounce of Epsom salts for every gallon of water.

Use this mixture to spray around your garden. The magnesium and other nutrients in the salts help many plants grow bushier, and may even help plants produce more flowers.

7. Add It To Your Laundry Detergent

If you have a lot of Epsom salts left over, consider bringing it to your laundry room instead of leaving it in the bathroom. Adding Epsom salts is a great way to boost your existing laundry detergent. 

Simply add one or two tablespoons of the salts to a load of laundry with your laundry detergent and you should notice an improved cleaning power. Furthermore, Epsom salts act as a natural fabric softener. Therefore your clothes will be cleaner and softer.

8. Make An Exfoliating Body Scrub

Leftover sugar and salt both make great a homemade exfoliator, and Epsom salts are no exception. If you need a good exfoliator for your feet, elbows, or even face, then consider making an exfoliating scrub using your leftover Epsom salts.

You can make your exfoliating scrub very easily. For a quick and easy scrub, mix Epsom salts with olive or almond oil. Then scrub it on your face or other body part, and this mixture will help get rid of your dead skin, leaving you soft and smooth.

9. Use It To Scrub Stains Off Tiles

Your skin isn’t the only surface that Epsom salts can help clean and exfoliate. You can also use these therapeutic salts to help cure your dirty floor tiles. If your regular floor cleaner isn’t getting hard-to-lift stains and dirt off your floor tiles, consider using Epsom salts.

Make a mixture using equal parts dish cleaning liquid and Epsom salts. Apply this mixture to your dirty tiles and scrub with a brush that won’t scratch or damage your tile. This mixture can help lift stains off your tile, and also clean grout.

10. Scrub Your Hard-To-Clean Pots And Pans

If you cooked a casserole recently, you are all too aware of how hard some pots and pans can be to clean after they’ve spent a long time in the oven. Instead of soaking and scrubbing them for days, you can use some of your leftover Epsom salts to help clean your crusted-over pots and pans.

All you need to do is sprinkle Epsom salts directly to the sponge you plan to use to scrub the pan. Next, apply the sponge directly to the grimy surface of the pan. The abrasive nature of the salts will help to clean your pots much better than if you just used the sponge.

11. Soak Feet To Treat Athlete’s Foot

If you are struggling with athlete’s foot, or some sort of toenail fungus, before you head to the doctor or buy an expensive over-the-counter cream, try using Epsom salts first. If you soak your feet in a warm Epsom salt bath, you can help treat athlete’s foot.

Add one-half to two-thirds of a cup of Epsom salts to a basin of warm water. Make sure there is enough water to cover your feet up to your ankles. Let them soak for thirty minutes, and then dry and moisturize your feet.

12. Use Epsom Salt Water To Help Remove Splinters

When you get a splinter, you might immediately reach for a needle to remove it, or just pick at the area in hopes of taking out the tiny shred of wood. While a set of tweezers is a popular way to remove splinters, you can also use Epsom salts.

To use Epsom salts to treat a splinter, add one cup of the salts to a container of warm water and dissolve them. Soak the affected area in the water for at least 10 minutes. The Epsom salts create osmotic pressure, which helps push anything foreign to the surface of the skin. This will make hard-to-reach splinters much easier to grab with tweezers. 

Summing Up Ways To Use Your Leftover Epsom Salts

If you find yourself with a lot of leftover Epsom salts, you can make DIY bath bombs, or add a few tablespoons to each load of laundry. You can use it to help fertilize your plants or clean your dirty tile floors. Epsom salts also help relieve pain associated with sunburn, mosquito bites, and even poison ivy.

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