5 Simple & Natural Detox Bath Recipes

Katie Wells Avatar

Reading Time: 4 minutes

This post contains affiliate links.

Read my affiliate policy.

Detox bath recipes
Wellness Mama » Blog » Beauty » 5 Simple & Natural Detox Bath Recipes

Nothing is more relaxing than a warm bath… except perhaps a relaxing warm detox bath that also helps cleanse the body in other ways.

If you struggle with toxins or skin issues these natural recipes are a simple, easy, and inexpensive way to boost health. I’m always up for a warm bath, and these natural add-ons help improve health while you relax.

A good detox bath will also tend to make you tired so I suggest doing them as part of your bedtime routine.

Natural Detox Bath Recipes

You may have heard of an Epsom bath (and that is our base recipe here), but what about a clay bath, vinegar bath, or even a mustard bath?!

These are all natural ingredients, available in most of our kitchens or pantries, that can boost the circulatory and olfactory senses, stimulating relaxation and building up magnesium stores.

You only need a few simple ingredients to make some or all of these detox bath recipes:

  • Epsom salt
  • apple cider vinegar
  • baking soda
  • bentonite clay (one more specialized ingredient that has lots of other purposes, so consider stocking up!)
  • mustard powder or ginger powder
  • essential oils (mix with powder or salt rather than directly to the bath)

These recipes are also safe and soothing for kids too! (But choose your essential oils wisely.)

Basic Epsom Salt Detox Bath Recipe

Here’s my basic detox bath recipe. Find the other variations below. Mix and match, or find your favorite!

Detox bath recipes
Print
4.26 from 137 votes

Salt Detox Bath Recipe

This simple salt bath recipe is great for soothing skin irritation, boosting magnesium levels, and overall detoxing.
Prep Time15 minutes
Yield: 1 bath
Author: Katie Wells

Materials

Instructions

  • In a small pan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil.
  • Pour the water into a quart-size mason jar.
  • Stir in the sea salt, Epsom salt, and baking soda.
  • Fill the bathtub with warm/hot water.
  • Add the apple cider vinegar.
  • Pour the salt mixture in and add essential oils if using.
  • Soak in the bath for 30 minutes or as long as desired.

Notes

With any detox bath, you may feel tired or lightheaded when you get out. I don’t recommend doing this while home alone or before going somewhere in case you are tired or need help.

Clay Detox Bath Recipe

Clay Detox Bath Instructions

Dissolve the Epsom salts in a warm/hot bath and add essential oils if desired. For the clay there are two options:

  1. Vigorously mix the clay into a small amount of water until the clumps are mostly dissolved. Do not use metal for this! I mix with a plastic spoon in a glass jar. Add the clay mix to the bath and soak for at least 20 minutes.
  2. Mix that clay with a small amount of water to make a paste. Stand in the tub full of water and rub the clay mix all over your body to create a skin mask and let dry for 5 minutes before sitting down. This provides direct contact with the skin and effectively pulls toxins from the skin. Soak in bath at least 20 minutes or as long as desired. While soaking, use a wash cloth to scrub any remaining clay off the skin.

This bath is great for removing a lot of toxins as the clay binds to heavy metals and the Epsom salts help pull a variety of toxins from the body while replenishing magnesium levels.

Oxygen Detox Bath Recipe

This bath is especially helpful during illness as the ginger helps clear congestion or alleviate body aches. It can also be helpful for allergies or skin irritation.

Oxygen Detox Bath Instructions

  1. Fill the tub with warm/hot water and add the hydrogen peroxide and dried ginger.
  2. Soak in tub for 30 minutes or as long as desired.

Vinegar Detox Bath Recipe

This is an excellent bath for soothing skin problems since vinegar balances the skin’s pH. While I don’t love the smell of vinegar, if anyone in the family has sunburn, eczema, dandruff, or dry itchy skin we take a vinegar bath.

Apple cider vinegar has a whole host of benefits, and I find it helps not only my skin but leaves me with soft skin and shiny hair as well.

Vinegar Bath Instructions

  1. Once or twice a week, I fill a tub with warm to hot water and add 1-2 cups of apple cider vinegar.
  2. I soak for 20-30 minutes, using a washcloth to clean my face and making sure to get my hair wet as well.

After bathing, I rinse off in a cool shower, though some sources recommend letting the vinegar water dry on the skin.

Mustard Detox Bath Recipe

I know, I’ve lost my mind right? If it helps, I’m talking about organic mustard powder, not the yellow stuff in a bottle! Ancient cultures often used this spice in preparations to soothe colds, flus, and sore muscles, thanks to its circulation-stimulating properties.

Magnesium and essential oils make this bath both detoxifying and aromatic.

Mustard Bath Instructions

I use this recipe which uses organic mustard powder, Epsom salts, and a mix of essential oils.

Additional Detox Bath Notes

  • The warmer the water, the more powerful the detox effect will be.
  • If you have chlorine and fluoride in your water, I recommend adding a few tablespoons of bentonite clay to any of these baths to help absorb the chemicals so they aren’t absorbed into the skin. Here are some other ways to reduce chemicals in bath water as well.
  • Any of these natural ingredients can be used alone or in combination for a cleansing effect.
  • All recipes can be doubled or tripled but this will increase the detox effect.

More Bath Recipes for Natural Detoxification

I recommend starting slowly with these bath detox recipes or any health change. To help, I’ve compiled all of my ideas for detoxing your body and your home in my book The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Important: I am not a doctor or medical professional and the advice in this post is for informational purposes only. If you are pregnant or have a health condition, consult a doctor before adding anything to your health routine.

This article was medically reviewed by Madiha Saeed, MD, a board certified family physician. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.

Ever taken a detox bath? Got a different recipe you use? Share below!

Sources

Become a VIP member!

Get access to my VIP newsletter with health tips, special deals, my free ebook on Seven Small Easy Habits and so much more!

Easy Habits ebook on ipad

Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

273 responses to “5 Simple & Natural Detox Bath Recipes”

  1. Fernie Avatar

    For those who are worried about plumbing I recommend putting 1 cup baking soda down your drain and pore1 cup white vinegar down let it fizz for 20-30 min then pour down 1 pot of boiling water follow with water flush. I have used this method in my shower and tub . I do this at least once a month or more often if drains slow down. I need to do in sink my husband uses, do not know why his is so slow.

    1. Linda Avatar

      …..Just a thought, Fernie, about your husband’s sink: I wonder if it’s from rinsing his razor? What’s goes down the drain is bound to build up over time…..it happens at my house. :~ )

  2. Celina Williams Avatar
    Celina Williams

    I can’t wait to try these! Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

  3. Julie Avatar

    Hi Katie! Excellent post and recipes, thank you so much. As I get the ingredients for these baths, I’m curious if you have a good supplier for Himalayan salt in bulk? Would appreciate your suggestion. Thanks in advance! <3

  4. Jane Avatar

    Any concern for vaginal yeast infection or vaginitis after using these ingredients in the bath? I seem to always have issues with commercial bath salts and soap, and have never tried epsom salts as I was worried about that. Any experience with this?

    1. Janet Avatar

      For me it’s the soaking in hot/warm water that causes bacteria back up the vagina to create an infection. I have to limit my baths to less than once a week, not have the water too hot, and not stay in for too long. These natural ingredients themselves are actually healing, in my view.

  5. Karen B Avatar

    The one I like best is:
    2 C Epsom Salts
    1 C Braggs ACV
    1/2 C Bentonite Clay
    10 -20 essential oils

    Soak 20 – 40 minutes!

  6. Kelly Avatar

    My tub drain plug and overflow valve are metal – does the bentonite clay not react to those metals? Thanks for these!!

    1. Katie - Wellness Mama Avatar

      It might, but it will just activate it. It should not hurt the metals, just make the clay less effective, but probably not at a fast enough rate to deactivate the clay in your tub.

  7. Mo'nique Avatar
    Mo’nique

    The bentonite clay and Epsom salt detoxic is wonderful if you want to add more detoxing to it try oil pulling with coconut oil the results are great and yes the results are within 24-48 hours.

  8. thersia Avatar
    thersia

    ive only done the detox bath with green alcohol n epsom salt works great too.

  9. Roni Avatar

    You mention adding Sodium Ascorbate to the bath, in another article. Should I add the Sodium Ascorbate and Clay, or just one of them? Thanks

  10. Nony Avatar

    Hi Katie
    Is there a particular brand of epsom salt you would recommend? I bought mine from Walgreens….wondering if that is good.

    Thanks
    Nony

  11. Andrea Avatar
    Andrea

    You said not to use metal with the bentonite clay mixture but are the other two safe with metal? I live in Japan and the older tubs are all stainless steel, which is what I have. I figure the other two detox mixtures are ok, but I wanted to check first.

  12. Courtney Avatar
    Courtney

    I cannot wait to try one of these! Do you think it would be safe to enjoy a glass of wine while taking one of these detox baths?

    1. Wendy Avatar

      I would say “no” for two reasons. First, alcohol causes your blood vessels to dilute and move closer to the surface of your skin (this leads to the false feeling of warmth people report feeling when they drink. It doesn’t actually make you warm though…you are really losing heat). The reason why this is important is that as your blood vessels dilate, there is more blood in your extremities (and therefore less going to your head), which can result in dizziness. As relaxation (such as a warm bath) also dilates your blood vessels and could lead to dizziness, doing two things that can cause dizziness at the same time is not a good idea. A second reason why I would say “no” is that the purpose of having a detox bath to take toxins out of your body is undermined if you are putting toxins (alcohol) right back into your body. Yes, I know there are benefits to moderate wine drinking but it is still a toxin that your liver has to eliminate from your body.

  13. Liz Avatar

    Hello, I am planning to do a detox bath; however, I don’t have ginger powder….can I use fresh ginger in my detox bath? I have tea tree oil, bob’s baking soda and epsom salt

  14. nicole Avatar

    In regards to the detox baths what should the proportions be for 1 year olds?

  15. allyson Avatar

    I would like to detox my 9 year old son who was diagnosed with adhd of metals and toxins. I read in an article bentonite clay has toxins and to be careful. can you recommend a certain brand. also read when using clay, it’s extremely important to use vitamin c. am confuse and would like a safe and simple approach to detoxing him. He’s also been suffering with mild eczema on elbows, knees now it’s appearing on his hands and under toes. thanks.

  16. Rachel Avatar

    This is something I would love to try but I am kinda nervous after reading that it can make you light headed and weak. Is it safe to do this if you have no prior health issues? Also is it recommended to do before going to sleep?

  17. Karen Avatar

    Does anyone know if this will help with eczema? I have apparently developed a severe case of it back in October and have yet to find anything that will help clear it up or at the very least ease the symptoms. I have read several things about detoxing and am ready to try it, especially if it will help with my skin condition…fingers crossed that it will!!

    1. Carrie P Avatar
      Carrie P

      When my eczema acts up I take a bath with coconut oil and Epsom Salt and that works wonderully with helping it clear up. Also ater my bath I put coconut oil on all over.

    2. Danese Avatar
      Danese

      I suggest home made kefir, often skin rashes are because our gut flora are out of balance. Find good kefir grains with a lot of bacteria strains. As with most new things, start out with a small amount of kefir and work up to 1 cup for at least 4 -6 months for benefits. Store bought kefir is processed and does not usually have more than 13 strains of kefir grains.

4.26 from 137 votes (132 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating