Salt has always been a popular commodity. In ancient times, salt was used as currency and in trade. Salt was so valued in ancient times that kingdoms restricted its production to keep down the supply and thus up its value. And while salt has become more commonplace, it still finds many uses around the house.
Sea salt is produced through the evaporation of sea water. Considered healthier than regular salt by some, sea salt has about the same nutritional value as regular salt. The biggest difference between table salt and sea salt is the increased volume of sea salt, which simply means you don’t have to use as much sea salt.
Sea salt itself has many different uses, ranging from flavoring food to more holistic applications. Here are some great ways to use sea salt around your home.
The biggest use for sea salt so far is in flavoring the food you eat. Keep in mind though, just like ingesting regular salt can lead to problems, so can taking in too much sea salt. As long as you use seas salt in moderation, you can safely enjoy its many benefits.
To help with dandruff, gently massage one to two teaspoons into your scalp using wet fingers. This should help loosen and remove dandruff flakes while also absorbing excess oils and moisture on the scalp.
3) Alleviates Fluid Retention
If you have problems with too much water retention, a little bit of sea salt in your diet can go a long way towards reducing this, or even prevent it altogether. All you have to do to gain the water shedding benefits of sea salt is to sprinkle a little on your food each day and it will do the rest.
4) Use as a Relaxing Salt Bath
Add a 1/3-cup of sea salt to a tub filled with warm water to create a relaxing salt bath. Soak in the bath for 15 to 30 minutes to help remove toxins, dirt, and grime, while also replenishing the protective barrier to hold in moisture.
5) Provides Needed Minerals
Sea salt is an excellent source of minerals that your body needs to function properly, including sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper, and zinc, among others. In fact, sea salt contains 84 trace minerals that can nourish your body and help make it stronger.
Mix 1/2-cup of sea salt with 1/4-cup aloe vera gel, 1/4-cup of your favorite oil, 10 drops of lavender essential oil, and one tablespoon of dried lavender flowers to make a rejuvenating body scrub. Apply while in the shower, scrubbing your skin in a circular motion.
7) Promotes Adrenal Health
Stress and a poor diet can lead to decreased adrenal health resulting in fatigue. To combat this, you can ingest sea salt. The sodium in the sea salt makes it easier for the adrenal glands to regulate the amount of sodium and potassium in the body, making their job easier.
8) Use as a Softening Body Scrub
Mix 1/4-cup of sea salt with a 1/2-cup of olive oil, making a thick paste. This mixture has minerals in it which can help soften your skin, exfoliate dead skin cells, and restore moisture to dry skin.
9) Relieves Irritated Pierced Ears
If you get your ears pierced and notice that they become irritated, soak them in a cup of warm water with some sea salt mixed in for quick relief. For the best affect, soak the affected area for at least 5 minutes.
10) Reduces Acidity in the Body
Sea salt facilitates the body’s secretion of excess acids through your urine, helping to alkalize the body. This helps the body maintain a better pH balance, which is made up of acids and alkali. If the blood gets too acidic, you could suffer from a variety of chronic medical conditions.
11) Use as a Facial Toner
To tone your face, mix one teaspoon of sea salt with four ounces of warm water and place in a spray bottle. Mist it on twice daily, avoiding getting it in your eyes. The sea salt should help clean your pores and prohibit the production of bacteria on your skin.
12) Use for More Restful Sleep
The calming affects of a sea salt bath can help you sleep better. Also, packing seas salt on the tongue can help reduce excess salivation, which can help you stay hydrated at night while you sleep.
13) Makes a Balancing Face Mask
You can make a balancing face mask by mixing honey and sea salt together. In addition to the duos anti-inflammatory properties, the mixture also helps balance oil production in the skin and can moisturize the skin at the same time.
The high magnesium count in sea salt is great for use on your skin, especially if you have acne. The salt helps cleanse the pores and keep them free of oils and dirt. Be careful when using sea salt for this purpose as too much can actually dry out your skin.
15) Brightens Yellow Linens
To brighten up your dingy yellow linens, boil the items in a pot of water with sea salt and baking soda mixed in. For best results, place a few tablespoons of the salt and baking soda in the water.
Sea slat can help increase blood circulation to areas it is applied to, including the scalp. Massaging your scalp with a sea salt solution can both strengthen the hair follicles and stimulate growth.
17) Gives Skin a Healthy Glow
To give your skin a healthy glow, massage a mixture of olive oil and sea salt into it using circular motions. Allow the mixture to remain on your skin for a few minutes before washing it off. The oil should moisturize your skin, while the sea salt should help clear away dead skin.
If you ever find that you have sore feet, mix some sea salt and warm water to soak them in. Add a few drops of your favorite essential oils, such as lavender, peppermint, and rosemary for a relaxing foot bath, and to reduce soreness, soften, and help stimulate the blood flow to your feet.
19) Reduces Eye Puffiness
To reduce swollen, puffy eyes, mix a pinch of sea salt in a little hot water. Apply it under the eyes using a cotton pad. The salts should help draw out any excess moisture, helping to tighten the skin.
Sinusitis affects millions of Americans every day. Fortunately, sinusitis sufferers can irrigate their nasal passages for some relief. A study even found that using a mixture of Dead Sea salt and irrigating solution was even more effective than normal for this purpose.
Sea salt is also great for removing moisture from shoes. Sprinkle a little sea salt inside of the shoes before wiping them out. Avoid using this trick on synthetic or leather shoes to avoid drying them out too much.
The sodium in sea salt helps your body retain water, preventing dehydration. Best of all, the sodium content in sea salt is not as high as that found in table salt, so it is more healthy to consume.
To keep your windows from frosting up, wipe them down with a salt water solution. Make sure to rub the inside and outside of the glass before following up by drying with a soft cloth.
24) Relieves Muscle Cramps
Another area where the electrolytes found in sea salt can help you is in preventing muscle cramps. If you work out regularly, drink some sea salt mixed in water before exercising. If you still get cramps, soak the affected area in a sea salt bath for easy relief.
25) Keeps Sliced fruit Fresh
By dipping sliced fruit in lightly salted water, you can keep them from turning brown longer. You can also apply the salt water to withered apple slices to make them appear fresher.
Taking a mixture of Himalayan sea salt and honey every night before bed might be able to help you get better sleep through the production of serotonin. This more restful sleep could have the added side benefit of helping if you are dealing with depression.
Sea salt is great for removing a variety of stains, including those caused by blood, wine, and perspiration. For wine, blot up as much as you can before pouring salt on top to absorb what’s left. Soak blood-stained linens in cold saltwater. Follow this up by washing the cloth in hot, soapy water. For sweat stains, dissolve a teaspoon of sea salt in a cup of hot water and sponge it on the stain.
28) Improves Brain, Muscle, and Nervous System Function
The electrolytes in sea salt, including sodium, chloride, and potassium, help improve the functioning of your brain, muscles, and nervous system. Sodium in particular is crucial to the processes involved as it has the ability to easily move in and out of cells to transmit nerve impulses.
29) Improves the Taste of Coffee
If you accidentally over-brew your coffee, add a tiny pinch of sea salt. The salt should help alleviate the bitter taste of the coffee while making it taste better at the same time.
Asthma is another condition where the anti-inflammatory properties of sea salt come into play. While there is no evidence to prove it, some even recommend sprinkling a pinch of sea salt on your tongue and washing it down with a glass of water to help with asthma symptoms.
Putting a pinch of sea salt in your milk carton can help keep the milk inside fresher for longer. Upon opening the milk carton, place the salt directly into the milk, close, and gently shake to distribute the salt.
32) Reduces Osteoarthritis Risk
Osteoarthritis is a painful condition where the protective cartilage at the end of your bones wears down, especially in the hands, knees, hips, and spine. Bathing in a Dead Sea salt bath can significantly improve symptoms of osteoarthritis, with a two-week treatment giving affects that last about three months.
33) Restores Artificial Flowers
If you have a bunch of artificial flowers to clean, sea salt can make the whole process faster and easier. Simply place a cup of sea salt with the flowers in a large gallon-sized Ziploc bag, shake and remove the flowers. They should now be dust and debris free.
Sea salt, Dead Sea salt in particular, has also been shown to help treat the symptoms of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. To take advantage of the properties of sea salt if you have either condition, apply a sea salt mud pack or take a sea salt bath.
35) Prevents Clothes from Freezing on the Clothes Line
If you need to air dry clothing on a clothes line in cold weather, add a little sea salt to the load when washing it. The salt should help keep the clothing from freezing on the line. You can slo soak the clothes line in salt water to help keep the clothing from sticking to it when it is cold outside.
36) Regulates Blood Sugar
Sea salt is also said to help with regulating blood sugar levels, improving insulin resistance in type-2 diabetics. Keep in mind that if you do decide to use sea salt as opposed to table salt to take an iodine supplement, to account for the iodine that you get from ingesting iodized salt, to prevent thyroid problems.
37) Relieves Canker Sores
To treat a canker sore using sea salt, mix two tablespoons of sea salt with 1/4 cup of warm water. Swish the mixture around in your mouth for 20 seconds before spitting out. This remedy also works great on toothaches and a sore throat.
Sea salt is also said to help with weight loss. It does this by regulating the secretion of digestive juices. Sea slat also has less sodium than table salt, which actually aids in weight loss.
If you have a fireplace, then you know how dirty a chimney can get. To help make soot removal easier, throw a handful of sea salt into the flames of the fireplace. The salt will help loosen the soot, improving the air flow, and helping to prevent dangerous chimney fires.
40) Regulates Blood Pressure
Unlike regular table salt, which can make your blood pressure go up if you consume too much, sea salt has been shown in studies to actually reduce blood pressure and hypertension in lab rats.
To relieve a bee sting using sea salt, start by removing the stinger. Next, put on a paste of sea salt and water and allow it to dry. The paste should reduce the swelling and help get rid of the pain.
42) Improves Heart Health
It is said that the sodium, chloride, and potassium in sea salt work together to regulate your heartbeat. And while its affect on overall cardiovascular health is still up for debate, it is worth keeping in mind when making health-conscious choices.
43) Extends a Broom’s Life
If you have a natural fiber broom, you can extend its life by soaking the bristles in a sea salt solution. Mix the sea salt in some hot water and place the broom into it and allow it to soak.
44) Boosts the Immune System
Sea salt is great for boosting your immune system. First off, it has an alkalizing effect that helps to prevent the formation of viruses and bacteria. Second, the minerals contained in sea salt, such as magnesium, iron, and zinc, help boost the immune system.
To easily kill poison ivy plants, mix three pounds of sea salt with a gallon of water. Pour the mixture into a sprayer and apply to the leaves of the poison ivy plant. This should kill the poison ivy plat. Avoid getting the spray on your other plants as it will kill them too.
46) Create a DIY Surf-Hair Spray
Create your own surf-hair spray by mixing sea salt with coconut oil and warm water in a spray bottle. You can even use this hair spray as a toning body spray if desired.
To keep your sponges fresher for longer, wash them with a salt water solution. Place Start by washing the old sponges with hot soapy water. Rinse them thoroughly and soak them in some cold, sea salt solution for one to two hours.
48) Relieves Rheumatoid Arthritis
The anti-inflammatory properties of sea salt make it great for reducing the pain of rheumatoid arthritis. Studies show that taking a sea salt bath helps relieve the stiffness and pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis.
49) Use to Test Egg Freshness
Adding two tablespoons of sea salt to a cup of water allows you to test the freshness of your eggs. Simply mix the salt and water together and drop in your eggs. Fresh eggs will float, while old eggs will sink straight to the bottom.
Sea salt is a great way to strengthen your nails. For an awesome nail brightening formula, mix one teaspoon of sea salt with one teaspoon of baking soda and one teaspoon of lemon juice in 1/2-cup of warm water. Place the mixture in a small bowl and soak your nails for 10 minutes before scrubbing with a soft brush. Finish by rinsing your hands and moisturizing them.
51) Removes the Smell from Food Spills
To keep your kitchen clean and odor-free, mix a little sea salt with some cinnamon. Then, when a drip occurs in the oven, sprinkle the mixture onto it as soon as possible. Once the oven has cooled, brush the salt and cinnamon mixture away for easier cleanup.
52) Create a Natural Mouthwash
Salt works great as a mouthwash as it is a disinfectant that kills the bacteria that causes gingivitis and bad breath. Mix 1/2-teaspoon of salt with 1/2-teaspoon of baking soda in a 1/4-cup of warm water. Swish the solution around in your mouth, making sure to get in between before spitting it out and rinsing.
53) Make Drip-Proof Candles
Usually when you light a candle, the wax tends to drip down the side of it as the wick burns. To prevent this dripping, soak your candles in a strong, sea salt solution for two to three hours before using them.
When the cuticles of your fingers get dry, they can become hard and difficult to maintain. Luckily, a mixture of sea salt and olive oil can fix all of your cuticle woes. Simply mix equal parts sea salt with olive oil until it forms a paste. Soak your cuticles in this mixture to soften them.
55) Create a DIY Toothpaste
You can make a great DIY toothpaste using sea salt, and sage. Start by mixing 12 ounces of sea salt with 4 ounces of sage leaves. Place the mixture in the oven and bake it on the lowest setting. Once it dries, remove the mixture from the oven and place it in a container for use.
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As you can see, sea salt works great in variety of situations. Whether you are looking to take advantage of its many health benefits, or use it around your home, you can rely on sea salt to help keep you healthier and happier throughout your day.