10 brilliant uses for EPSOM SALTS

Life made easy with this 10 brilliant EPSOM SALTS

- SHAY TROTTER

1 Relieve achy hands fast

Time spent gardening leave your hands feeling achy? Try this: Add 1/2 cup of Epsom salts to 3 cups of hot water, stir, then soak a hand towel in the liquid for 30 seconds; wring it out. Wrap the towel around your hands and relax as it cools. Compounds in the salt solution penetrate to quell inflammation and melt away stiffness, helping ease any pain.

2 Keep mud from staining

The family had a blast at the park post-rainfall, but now your car is full of muddy footprints. To clean it: Pour a 1/4"-thick layer of Epsom salts on the mud; let sit 15 minutes. The salts absorb the moisture that binds dirt to fabric so you can just run a vacuum over it to suck the dirt right up.

3 Deter raccoons from your trash

Once the weather warms up, the masked bandits like to help themselves to whatever is in your trash can. The trick to keeping them away: Sprinkle 4 or 5 Tbs. of Epsom salts around and over the top of the garbage. Raccoons dislike the taste of the mineral, so once they get a bite, they'll head elsewhere to feast. Note: Just reapply after it rains.

4 Green up the lawn for less