# another reason to purge crawfish w/ salt



## boat_money (May 21, 2004)

got a few lbs from heb last weekend for a snack. while rinsing them, i noticed these little, tiny parasites. strong little buggers. they attach to the sink and even the spray hose wouldn't dislodge them. sprinklle with salt tho and they quickly stop squirming. i know boiling h2o would kill 'em too, but i repeated the salt h2o purging process many times. never noticed them b4 and not a whole lot of info on google. anyone got a little more info on them?


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## DANO (May 23, 2005)

boat_money said:


> got a few lbs from heb last weekend for a snack. while rinsing them, i noticed these little, tiny parasites. strong little buggers. they attach to the sink and even the spray hose wouldn't dislodge them. sprinklle with salt tho and they quickly stop squirming. i know boiling h2o would kill 'em too, but i repeated the salt h2o purging process many times. never noticed them b4 and not a whole lot of info on google. anyone got a little more info on them?


Tricky little buggers must be hiding,...I can't see um,...


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## PasadenaMan (Dec 5, 2007)

WHAT THA??
Found this
http://freshare.net/article/missouri_issues_warning_on_eating_raw_crawfish/

At least three individuals have contracted a lung parasite after eating raw crawfish from rivers in southern Missouri. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services along with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources has issued a warning to not eat raw crawfish. 
Crayfish, crawfish or crawdads contain parasites that can cause severe lungworm disease in people and animals. Cooking crawfish kills the parasite and makes the invertebrate edible for humans.


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## baytownboy (Jul 24, 2009)

My next door neighbor cooked some last weekend brought a plate over, and from Monday thru today, I have had stomach cramps, maybe that's why? Maybe not cooked enough? They came from *HEB *here in Baytown


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## Rusty S (Apr 6, 2006)

If you buy a sack how do you keep them alive, shade tree and wet the bag? rs


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## Gilbert (May 25, 2004)

PasadenaMan said:


> WHAT THA??
> Found this
> http://freshare.net/article/missouri_issues_warning_on_eating_raw_crawfish/
> 
> ...


who would eat raw crawfish?


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## DANO (May 23, 2005)

Gilbert said:


> who would eat raw crawfish?


somewhere around here there is a picture or 2 of people collecting corn from deer feeders,....


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## boat_money (May 21, 2004)

Rusty S said:


> If you buy a sack how do you keep them alive, shade tree and wet the bag? rs


keep the bag closed tight or they start killing each other. i usually pour them out and purge them in my icechest. $.99/lb at heb when you buy the whole bag. that's a lot of yummm for $33. they were good sized too.


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## Hotrod (Oct 11, 2006)

Rusty S said:


> If you buy a sack how do you keep them alive, shade tree and wet the bag? rs


Like overnight? Put them in a cooler in the bag they came in and put a bag of ice on them, unopened ice.


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## mastercylinder60 (Dec 18, 2005)

"purging" crawfish is for weenies.


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## baytownboy (Jul 24, 2009)

How do you purge them, and what happens if they are not ? Don't laugh, heck I don't know, I have only eat them 1 or 2 times, and last Sunday I eat them and and have had stomach cramps, and other "STUFF" since then. I don't know if they were purged them or not and if that would make you sick?


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## frank n texas (Aug 11, 2004)

Dano...That is why those little bugs are called "no see ems"

:biggrin:

P.S. Always purge and Never boil the dead ones...


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## mastercylinder60 (Dec 18, 2005)

baytownboy said:


> How do you purge them, and what happens if they are not ? Don't laugh, heck I don't know, I have only eat them 1 or 2 times, and last Sunday I eat them and and have had stomach cramps, and other "STUFF" since then. I don't know if they were purged them or not and if that would make you sick?


got stomach cramps? where are you from? new york city? :smile:


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## Fuelin (Jun 21, 2005)

I have talked to 4 people who had the stomach cramp thing after eating crawfish last weekend! ***?


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## baytownboy (Jul 24, 2009)

Fuelin said:


> I have talked to 4 people who had the stomach cramp thing after eating crawfish last weekend! ***?


 These came from HEB here in Baytown.


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## speckledred (Jun 1, 2004)

Eating the bugs that were dead before boiling will make you sick and yes you can tell the difference when peeling the tail the meat towards the head will be very dark or you may notice a dark line on the tail meat. I noticed this when purchasing from Krogers out here in Rosenberg on a boil a few weeks back.


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## FireEater (Jul 31, 2009)

The best way to tell if a mudbug was dead before going into the pot is the tails. 

Never eat one with a straight tail, the tail has to be curled up after coming out of the boil. When boiled alive the mudbug will curl it's tail up as it hits the hot water. 

So a straight tail means it went in dead.


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## Hotrod (Oct 11, 2006)

baytownboy said:


> How do you purge them, and what happens if they are not ? Don't laugh, heck I don't know, I have only eat them 1 or 2 times, and last Sunday I eat them and and have had stomach cramps, and other "STUFF" since then. I don't know if they were purged them or not and if that would make you sick?


When you purge em you salt the chit outta them, then rinse them down in a cooler or tub then drain, the water will be dirty. Do this several times to get all the mud and other **** outta them. Never eat one that has been cooked without a curled up tail. If the tail is straight after cooking it was dead before he hit the pot. Im no crawfish expert, but my wifes side of the family are all from Louisanna, after being with her for 15 yrs I have attended and had many crawfish boils. Last weekend was the first time I ate some, lol.


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## bassguitarman (Nov 29, 2005)

I just received this email. You have to look for bugs everywhere, click on the video on this page:

http://star-k.org/cons-vegdetail.php?ID=48


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## gigem87 (May 19, 2006)

Nucking fasty! I'd just about as soon eat a cockroach!!! No idea why you guys go nuts for eating bugs?!? That's what cows, chickens and fish are for!


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## Hotrod (Oct 11, 2006)

gigem87 said:


> Nucking fasty! I'd just about as soon eat a cockroach!!! No idea why you guys go nuts for eating bugs?!? That's what cows, chickens and fish are for!


I totally agree, I dont get all the hype over bait. I ate some for the first time last week and they aint all that.


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## frank n texas (Aug 11, 2004)

And that is why I never eat boiled crawfish in a restaurant or boiled by someone I do not know....


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## ReelDeal50 (Mar 2, 2010)

You can keep them mudbugs... Shrimp are much better.


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## Barbarian (Feb 12, 2009)

The cramps are from 1 of 3 reasons:

1. You ate some straight tales.
2. If they weren't purged, they more than likely wasn't cleaned and they usually come very dirty. No telling what is in all that mud.
3. You can't handle the seasoning.

If they are cleaned right, cooked right, seasoned right, and you have any clue how to clean more than 10/hour, crawfish are awesome to eat. But if you fail at either one of those, it will not be a good experience.


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## ChickFilet (May 20, 2004)

Thank you Doctor.

OR he had cramps for other reasons such as hantavirus, too much beer, that time of the month, or a thousand and one other things.

The poop is not pretty but it's not going to make you sick either. Like the rest of the crawfish, it has been boiled.

Carry on.


Barbarian said:


> The cramps are from 1 of 3 reasons:
> 
> 1. You ate some straight tales.
> 2. If they weren't purged, they more than likely wasn't cleaned and they usually come very dirty. No telling what is in all that mud.
> ...


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## baytownboy (Jul 24, 2009)

FishinChick said:


> Thank you Doctor.
> 
> OR he had cramps for other reasons such as hantavirus, too much beer, that time of the month, or a thousand and one other things.
> 
> ...


*Way too old for the time of month thank you!!, LOL
Dont drink beer or any other "STUFF" like that
A lot of the tails were straight
I asked the neighbors if they had purged, and they said "WHAT IS THAT AND HOW DO YOU DO THAT!!!
So the conclusion is probly tainted "BUGS" RIGHT
So the practical solution is "DONT EAT WHAT YA DONT KNOW WHERE ITS BEEN, HOW THEY FIXED IT, HOW LONG ITS BEEN DEAD, ETC, YADA YADA, RIGHT, LOL
*


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## nhampton (Aug 8, 2007)

The reason I "purge" crawfish is because when they run the traps, they just pick up the trap and dump it into the sack. The weeds, grass, bait, and crawfish all go into the sack. The weed and grass don't bother me, but the week old bait mixed with what I'm going to eat does. By the time you get ready to cook the crawfish, they've likely been in the sack and haven't eaten anything for three or four days. Probably already purged themselves. When I wash them, I get a lot of stuff without using salt, you may get more with salt, I just haven't seen a lot of difference and I'd rather not have the salt in my yard or down the storm drain. It's bad enough getting rid of the boiling water.


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## ChickFilet (May 20, 2004)

Poor man. It sounds like a fun time was had by all. I suspect you weren't the only one with the trots today. Good luck!


baytownboy said:


> *Way too old for the time of month thank you!!, LOL
> Dont drink beer or any other "STUFF" like that
> A lot of the tails were straight
> I asked the neighbors if they had purged, and they said "WHAT IS THAT AND HOW DO YOU DO THAT!!!
> ...


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

If you've ever seen what happens to the clean water you put the crawfish in after you purge them you won't knowingly eat unpurged crawfish lol. Also by purging you can pick the dead ones out and toss them away.

You should be able to tell a crawfish that was dead before being put into the boil by how soft it is. The softer it is the longer it's been dead.

TH


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## Sunbeam (Feb 24, 2009)

Two and half years in Laos, Cambodia and N Viet Nam. Then twenty one years working in Asia, Mid East and Africa. Had to eat most anything that did not eat me first. I don't think a little mud bug hitch hiker would be that big a threat to my system if well cooked. But if you have not been exposed to such mico-terrorist then better to prepare them right or pass.
I got 33 lbs Friday from the Livingston HEB. They were huge and very clean. Only one dead one in the whole bag.
I love them but they can be a acquired taste. Not as good as shrimp or crabs but still a spring time treat.


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## Lord of the Salmon (Feb 17, 2008)

The ones that were dead before the boil have a different meat texture, tend to have mushy meat (not the usual shrimp-like texture), softer than usual heads, darker color and/or stripes of black, missing legs, and generally a straight tail but not always.

Also, when you purge them, the dead ones tend to float.

Anyone who doesn't purge these guys is half-assing their boil.


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## baytownboy (Jul 24, 2009)

Well I can say one thing about them da-n bugs, I want ever ever eat another one, cooked, boiled, baked, fried, road side kill condition, dead, alive, bought, free, give away type, rented, borrowed, microwaved, bar-b-qued, grilled, sun dried, freeze dried, stewed, in chile or any other way I can think ever ever again!!!!! *LOL* thats it.


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## Won Mo Kasst (Mar 27, 2008)

Pouring salt on crawfish does not make them throw up or blow out their guts, just doesnt add up, just pizzes them off. Yes, I as well did this for every boil, until I learned the true way to get some crawfish clean. Keep them alive for a day, in an ice chest with plenty of oxygen and clean the water often. With nothing to eat, they dump themselves empty. Best craws you will ever have. Learned this from my bio professor. The water would be dirty whether they had salt in it or not... everything they eat has dirt and mud in it, they are constantly dropping the kids off at the pool and most of it is dirt and mud.


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## mini me (Aug 7, 2006)

dead ones easy to find, they aint moving in the cooler  don't see why that is so hard to figure out


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## tx-fisherdude (Dec 4, 2005)

baytownboy said:


> Well I can say one thing about them da-n bugs, I want ever ever eat another one, cooked, boiled, baked, fried, road side kill condition, dead, alive, bought, free, give away type, rented, borrowed, microwaved, bar-b-qued, grilled, sun dried, freeze dried, stewed, in chile or any other way I can think ever ever again!!!!! *LOL* thats it.


Sissy


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## MarshJr. (Jul 29, 2005)

you must be watching good eats...I saw this episode and I disagree

if you put crawfish in an icechest with water and you drain it, the water comes out dirty but not too bad...you put crawfish in an ice chest with water AND salt and the water will come out dark and filthy
Ive experimented with this to determin if it was worth it or not.....I say purge

and to answer th question about "who would eat a raw crawfish".....I have one time, its a long story and alot of alcohol was involved...lol



Won Mo Kasst said:


> Pouring salt on crawfish does not make them throw up or blow out their guts, just doesnt add up, just pizzes them off. Yes, I as well did this for every boil, until I learned the true way to get some crawfish clean. Keep them alive for a day, in an ice chest with plenty of oxygen and clean the water often. With nothing to eat, they dump themselves empty. Best craws you will ever have. Learned this from my bio professor. The water would be dirty whether they had salt in it or not... everything they eat has dirt and mud in it, they are constantly dropping the kids off at the pool and most of it is dirt and mud.


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## Mr. Breeze (Jan 6, 2005)

Guess thats why the big crawfish joints have big purging tanks. They take them right out of the clean water and boil em. I vote purged is better. No salt needed.


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## baytownboy (Jul 24, 2009)

tx-fisherdude said:


> Sissy


*Yep, I'm a sissy and da-n well proud of it, after 6 days of this stuff, NO MORE!! LOL
Rember I didn't cook these little buggers, my next door neighbor did.
 *


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## Mr. Breeze (Jan 6, 2005)

baytownboy said:


> *Yep, I'm a sissy and da-n well proud of it, after 6 days of this stuff, NO MORE!! LOL*
> *Rember I didn't cook these little buggers, my next door neighbor did.*


Go get some Kaopectate, no need to suffer if you have the runs. 6 days is wayyyy to long. Will cure it in no time.


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## baytownboy (Jul 24, 2009)

Mr. Breeze said:


> Go get some Kaopectate, no need to suffer if you have the runs. 6 days is wayyyy to long. Will cure it in no time.


Went to the ol saw bones on Tuesday, gave me anitbotics and some other "STUFF" cramps sorta setting down and potti trips have slowed.


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## Melon (Jun 1, 2004)

*Bunch of rookies! lol*


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## Rusty S (Apr 6, 2006)

MarshJr. said:


> you must be watching good eats...I saw this episode and I disagree
> 
> if you put crawfish in an icechest with water and you drain it, the water comes out dirty but not too bad...you put crawfish in an ice chest with water AND salt and the water will come out dark and filthy
> Ive experimented with this to determin if it was worth it or not.....I say purge
> ...


 _ agree with anyone this cat says, rs_


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## mastercylinder60 (Dec 18, 2005)

since the ol' "to purge or not to purge" question came up again, i decided to do a little internet research on the subject. it seems that most people have false illusions when it comes to "purging."

from most everything i read, "purging" is only a fancy word for rinsing, which is all most of the louisiana professionals seem to recommend, and most agree that adding salt to your rinse water does absolutely nothing. salt does not make them regurgitate or do anything else beneficial prior to cooking.

most of the old-time professionals simply recommend putting the crawfish in an ice chest or similar tub of water several times before cooking to rinse off the external dirt and other contaminants and debris until your water is relatively clear.


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## frank n texas (Aug 11, 2004)

How does one know if a crawfish throws up or not when forced to be in salt water for a spell?

:wink:


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## Lone-Star (Dec 19, 2009)

frank n texas said:


> How does one know if a crawfish throws up or not when forced to be in salt water for a spell?
> 
> :wink:


One could "purge" them in tap water until its clear and then put them in salt water, if the water gets dirty again then it must have come from inside the crawdads.


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## boat_money (May 21, 2004)

mastercylinder said:


> since the ol' "to purge or not to purge" question came up again, i decided to do a little internet research on the subject. it seems that most people have false illusions when it comes to "purging."
> 
> from most everything i read, "purging" is only a fancy word for rinsing, which is all most of the louisiana professionals seem to recommend, and most agree that adding salt to your rinse water does absolutely nothing. salt does not make them regurgitate or do anything else beneficial prior to cooking.
> 
> most of the old-time professionals simply recommend putting the crawfish in an ice chest or similar tub of water several times before cooking to rinse off the external dirt and other contaminants and debris until your water is relatively clear.


well my purpose was that when just rinsed, i did not see these little worms/parasites(looked like microscopic leaches) in the water when drained. but they came out in force when i added salt. and if i added enuff salt, which was alot, they died. kinda like when you were a kid and salted a slug or snail.

i had some at the bar at briar forest and wilcrest that does all u can eat once. you could taste the mud, i mean it was gritty. they did not purge and i won't go back...


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## Kenner 23 (Sep 14, 2009)

Won Mo Kasst said:


> Pouring salt on crawfish does not make them throw up or blow out their guts, just doesnt add up, just pizzes them off. Yes, I as well did this for every boil, until I learned the true way to get some crawfish clean. Keep them alive for a day, in an ice chest with plenty of oxygen and clean the water often. With nothing to eat, they dump themselves empty. Best craws you will ever have. Learned this from my bio professor. The water would be dirty whether they had salt in it or not... everything they eat has dirt and mud in it, they are constantly dropping the kids off at the pool and most of it is dirt and mud.


Finally someone with the correct answer, putting salt in the water with the crawfish does not purge them. The only way to purge crawfish is to put them in a holding tank overnight and let mother nature take over. Don't know who started this wives tale but it is BS. Crawfish will keep for several days in an ice chest if you cover them with ice and leave the drain open and on an angle. You "Girls" head over to Louisiana and eat some real crawfish one day because no one purges here, not enough time since we eatem so fast.


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## Little-bit (Oct 19, 2005)

I have purchased crawfish several times at HEB in Bay City. They smelled horrible every time. Im not sure why they stink so bad from there.


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## Main Frame 8 (Mar 16, 2007)

Just eat shrimp.


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## FireEater (Jul 31, 2009)

We have done both with and without salt. We also rinsed the bag real good before hand. 

Water was cleaner without the salt and was dirtier in the tub we used salt on. 

So believe what you will and do what you want, but for us, we will always purge using salt. 

Not like salt cost that much anyway.


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## MarshJr. (Jul 29, 2005)

right? its like 33cents for a carton

even if its not purging, look at it as preseasoning....



FireEater said:


> We have done both with and without salt. We also rinsed the bag real good before hand.
> 
> Water was cleaner without the salt and was dirtier in the tub we used salt on.
> 
> ...


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## InfamousJ (May 21, 2004)

baytownboy said:


> My next door neighbor cooked some last weekend brought a plate over, and from Monday thru today, I have had stomach cramps, maybe that's why? Maybe not cooked enough? They came from *HEB *here in Baytown





Fuelin said:


> I have talked to 4 people who had the stomach cramp thing after eating crawfish last weekend! ***?





baytownboy said:


> Went to the ol saw bones on Tuesday, gave me anitbotics and some other "STUFF" cramps sorta setting down and potti trips have slowed.


I havent done the dr thing but I too got cramps after eating a bunch of soft mushy crawfish the weekend you did.... I have had the cramps for about a week and a half now... they come and go now... never ever had a problem before and I love crawfish... this is weird to see and hear about others with the same.... I'm going to have to find out if any of the other people at the boil got the same cramps too.... weird. Mine is just cramping, nothing running out either end.. just cramps. Come to think of it, I was questioning how soft the meat seemed to be.. I bet they served all dead f'n crawfish... dangit..


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## Blue Water Breaux (Feb 6, 2008)

The later it is in the season, the more prominent the little parasites on them become. I typically dont eat bugs much later than this in the season.


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## rockhound76 (Feb 22, 2007)

You don't need salt to purge crawfish, but you do need to purge them. Plain fresh water rinsing works just as well. All the salt does is make them sick and salty. 

We use a big washtub with a drain about 3" below the rim and just let a hose run in it until THE WATER IS CLEAR and remains clear. 

If you dont' purge them, they are really nasty with mud and grass and all sorts of gunk. While they are rinsing/soaking, you can sort the dead ones out. 

Some live crawfish will get "squished" with flattened tails and some dead ones will curl, so your best protection is pre-sorting. If you miss one and it gets boiled, it will be obvious, with a squishy shell, or dark color. The good meat is firm, slides out whole and is evenly and lightly colored.

I've never seen parasites on them. If salt water works for this, then great. Otherwise, it's a waste of salt and it will kill your grass.


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