Uses for Talc: Baby Powder Shampoo and Household Cleaner

If you’re like me, you want non-toxic health and beauty products and chemical free cleaning products. Talcum powder, better known as baby powder, is a naturally occurring mineral that is used in a wide range of settings, including in cosmetics, roofing shingles, tires, food packaging, antifungal powders, in the treatment of pleural effusion, and about a thousand other things. Here’s a list of ways that you can use baby powder as a natural alternative to some cleaning and health and beauty products. But beware, women across the country are seeking justice and compensation via talcum powder lawsuits and are alleging the product can cause cancer.

Uses for Talcum Powder

Cover stain with talc, let sit a full day, cover with a little laundry detergent and scrub with toothbrush. Dunk toothbrush in hot water to help moisten and lift stain.

Baby powder is used in the industrial setting as a lubricant. In the home, quickly and easily untangle shoelace knots by sprinkling some baby powder on the laces. Use on necklaces, bracelets, or anything else that gets knotted.

Another way to use baby powder as a lubricant is to use it to “oil” squeaky floor boards. Just spritz a little powder under the board or in between the lengths of wood to “desqueak” your floor.

Use gloves to wash dishes and clean up around the house? Sprinkle baby powder on your hands before donning your gloves and they will slip right off when you’re done.

Protect your new flower bulbs from grubs, voles, and moles by coating them with baby powder before you plant. This is easiest done by dropping a handful of bulbs in a zippered freezer bag and add in a few tablespoons of baby. Gentle shake the bulbs and distribute the powder.

Sprinkle baby powder around your window sills and door jamb, around your picnic blanket, and around your camping tent to keep away ants and other crawling bugs. Talc is a less expensive than chemical bug repellants and safer too.

Pour some talcum powder in a small jar and place in your closet to reduce musty smells, absorb moisture and reduce odors. Use on carpets to freshen the whole room. Just sprinkle a light coating of baby powder across the carpet, let it sit up to 30 minutes, then vacuum. The talc will absorb smells, oils, and moisture and leave your room smelling fresh and light.

Baby Powder Shampoo and other Beauty Uses

If you are rushed for time and can’t wash and style your hair, consider talc dry shampoo. Simply rub some into the roots of your hair with your fingers, then comb through. The powder will soak up the excess oil and leave your hair feeling fresh and smelling great. If you have brown hair, add just a little cocoa to the powder to darken the color, and if you’re a redhead, some cinnamon will do the same.

Talc works the same for your pets. If you don’t have time to give Fido a bath, sprinkle some baby powder on their coat and massage it down into their fur with your fingers. Leave it on for five or ten minutes and then brush your doggo thoroughly. They will smell better and their coat will look great.

Baby powder can be used on the face to help set your makeup. It helps hold the makeup to your skin and reduces cracks, lines, and fading. You can also add baby powder to makeup that is too dark for your skin tone to lighten the color and smooth application.

If you get razor burn under your arms or on your legs when you shave, consider using baby powder to reduce irritation and smooth the skin. It has a wonderful cooling affect.

If most deodorants and antiperspirants make you itch or break out in a rash, consider using baby powder instead. Just sprinkle some in your hand and rub under your arms for a cool, fresh feeling that absorbs moisture and reduces odor.

Warning: baby powder should not be inhaled or used for feminine hygiene. Studies have shown a connection between products like Shower to Shower powder and Baby Powder and certain types of cancers.