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Regular tap water can be a source of many chemicals from chlorine to fluoride and many others. At our house, we have a water filter for our drinking water and we also use filters on shower heads.
Since most of our kids are not old enough to take showers yet, I also wanted to find a good option for bath water. I’m yet to find a filter adapter for a bath tub, but I’ve told my dad (an engineer) that he needs to work on one of these!
In the meantime, I wanted to find ways to reduce the chemicals my children were exposed during bath time. My son had allergies and skin troubles since he was a baby (though we’ve almost completely eliminated them now) so this was especially important for him. Switching to more natural bath products and even bath bubbles helped, but I wanted to do something more…
Chemicals in Bath Water?
In the 1990s, the Environmental Protection Agency acknowledged that a person can absorb more chlorine and other contaminants from bath and shower water than even from drinking water polluted with the same substances.
Unfortunately, this puts children most at risk, as some children bathe for 45 minutes or more several nights a week. Since children also have a larger surface-area-to-body-weight ratio, they may absorb chemicals more quickly and be more severely affected by them.
Children’s tissues, organs and biological systems are still developing, with several stages of rapid growth and development occurring from infancy to adolescence. This rapid development, combined with the immaturity of body organs and systems, predisposes children to potentially more severe consequences within certain age ranges and windows of vulnerability.”
These are the most common things we do to reduce the chemicals in bath water:
1. Vitamin C
Vitamin C is great for the immune system, but it can also play a role in reducing the chemicals in bath water. Most municipal water supplies use Chlorine to help reduce the number of pathogens in the water.
Unfortunately, the cure can sometimes be as bad as the disease, as Chris Kresser says in this post:
“When chlorine is used as a water treatment, it combines with organic matter to form compounds called trihalomethanes (THMs), also known as disinfectant byproducts. One of the most common THMs formed is chloroform, which is a known carcinogen. (2) Other THMs formed include the di- and trichloramines formed when chloramine is used as a disinfecting agent. (3) These compounds are toxic when consumed, inhaled, or applied to the skin.”
Carbon block filters (like the one we use for drinking water) will remove chlorine, but they can be tough to use for shower/bath water. Another simple option is to use Vitamin C to neutralize the chlorine in bath water. Vitamin C will also neutralize Chloramine (chlorine and ammonia) which is also often used in treating water and which can be more dangerous than Chlorine.
Two forms of Vitamin C will work to neutralize chlorine more effectively:
- Ascorbic Acid form of Vitamin C
- Sodium Ascorbate form of Vitamin C
If you are interested in the chemical reactions and the by-products, you can find them here. Personally, I prefer to use Sodium Ascorbate form since it has less of an affect on the pH, but either form will work.
Just a teaspoon of either of the above forms of Vitamin C should be enough to neutralize a tub of water and it is best to put the powder in for a 2-5 minutes before getting in the bath to allow it to work.
If you aren’t a fan of having to add powder to the bath each time, there is actually a bath ball de-chlorinator that you can use to accomplish the same thing and it is good for over 200 baths!
2. Clay
Healing clays, like Bentonite Clay, bind to heavy metals in the body and help remove them. This same action can happen externally, and clay is often added to baths for detoxing.
One of my favorites is Bentonite Clay (from a previous post):
“Bentonite Clay is a unique clay due to its ability to produce an “electrical charge” when hydrated. Upon contact with fluid, its electrical components change, giving it the ability to absorb toxins. Bentonite is known for its ability to absorb and remove toxins, heavy metals, impurities, and chemicals.
As Mountain Rose Herbs explains:
“Bentonite is a swelling clay. When it becomes mixed with water it rapidly swells open like a highly porous sponge. From here the toxins are drawn into the sponge through electrical attraction and once there, they are bound.”
I use Bentonite Clay to detox my hair and as a “shampoo” of sorts, but I also regularly add bentonite clay to my kids’ bath after removing the chlorine.
Note: Don’t use metal when dealing with Bentonite, as it makes it less effective. I mix 2 tablespoons of Bentonite Clay with water in a glass jar with a plastic lid and shake well. I then pour this in to the bath after the chlorine has been removed. The two types of clay I’ve personally used and had good results with are:
3. Salts & Minerals
I’ve written before (a lot) about magnesium (tired of hearing about it yet?). Due to depleted soil levels of magnesium and use of synthetic fertilizers, many of us don’t get enough magnesium. One of the easiest ways to help kids avoid this problem is to add these minerals to their bath water. From this article about Epsom Salt:
Studies have shown that magnesium and sulfate are both readily absorbed through the skin, making Epsom salt baths an easy and ideal way to enjoy the amazing health benefits. Magnesium plays a number of roles in the body including regulating the activity of over 325 enzymes, reducing inflammation, helping muscle and nerve function and helping to prevent artery hardening. Sulfates help improve the absorption of nutrients, flush toxins and help ease migraine headaches.
At our house, this is what I do:
“I regularly add a cup of epsom salts or magnesium flakes and a few tablespoons of Himalayan salt to my kids baths. When I have the time, I take relaxing baths in this mixture also.
When I can’t take the time for a bath, magnesium oil also helps. Amazingly, I notice the benefits of transdermal magnesium (baths or magnesium oil) much more quickly than when I take internal forms of magnesium.
My favorite Magnesium Bath Recipe
- 1-2 cups of epsom salts or magnesium flakes (magnesium flakes are absorbed much more easily)
- 1/2 cup Himalayan or Sea Salt
- 1/2 tsp of natural vanilla extract
- 10-15 drops of essential oil of choice (I love lavender and mint)
I mix the salt and magnesium flakes and then sprinkle with the vanilla and essential oil. The whole mixture gets added to a warm bath, and I soak for at least 20 minutes, though 30 is preferable.I try to make time for this at least once a week, though my kids get it added to their bath each night. (Plus some homemade bubble bath.)
For intensive therapy (illness, eczema, etc.) these baths can be done daily, though you should check with a doctor if you have any medical conditions.”
Do you add anything to your kids’ bath water? Share below!
5 Reasons to Eat MORE Salt
Thanks so much for this post. We recently moved to a new area and the water here is so heavily treated that the chlorine smell coming from my sink tap makes my eyes burn when I brush my teeth! And I have three little ones who take baths several times a week! So, I have a question… Could raw apple cider vinegar be used as a replacement for the vitamin C? I mean if it is the “acid” in the vitamin C that was neutralizing the chlorine/chloramine would vinegar work as well? I hope you get a chance to answer, I’d really like to know what you thought!
I am wondering the same. In fact, it was while doing a search on if ACV neutralizes chlorine that I found this post and this comment.
What an amazingly informative post. Thank you for this, I’ve been thinking a lot these past few months about the water i use for bathing since i moved to London where the water is very chlorinated ..you can sort of smell it when you run the tap. i have definitely noticed it isn’t good for my hair so who knows what it is doing to the skin and the rest of my body. These are seriously amazing suggestions that i’m definitely going to be doing from now on.
really great post. Thanks! xxx
we add Epsom salts and lavender oil to the kids bath. we also put the magnesium butter on their feet before bed.
What is magnesium butter?
At what age should I start adding Epsom salt to child’s bath? My little guy is 3.5 months.
My baby boy is also 3.5 months. Is this too soon to start doing this? I am also interested in if it is unhealthy to swim in the chlorinated pool water during the summer! 🙂 And a question kind of off topic – are there natural alternatives to bleach for the purpose of cleaning the tub, washing machine etc? I am just starting out to switch to non-chemical cleaners and the advice would be much appreciated. Thank you so much for your work!
I use microfiber and baking soda to clean. I do this to the bath water as soon as they are getting baths and not just in the shower with me.
I have an 8 months old baby… also i have a friend who has a 7 years old girl. She never gave her sodas or colas.. because of the chemicals. One day the girl was invited to a birthday party where for the first time she ate chips, procesed cookies and colas… she got mad, she ate it all… the other mamas noticed this and told her what was up. So she told she have never fed her girl with thah, only carrots for schools snacks, and so wellness foods…
After all this I think… is it worth to protect that much to your children when, some day they will discover all garbage food anyway.. and dirty water, and so. Isn’t bad to try to hide the sun with a finger?
Hi Marcela,
I understand what you are saying… should we shelter our children from harmful foods so much when one day they will discover them independently? I wholeheartedly say – YES! I don’t have children, but I have a friend who feeds her son very consciously and healthfully. The son, who is 7, has obviously been exposed to processed, unnatural foods from birthday parties, outings, etc., and he himself CHOOSES not to eat that food because he says “it makes his tummy hurt!”
I think most parents understand their children will be confronted with many confusing options someday, but if they start them on the right path, and as they mature, explain to them their reasoning, they are giving them a solid foundation, not to mention a healthy, robust one! Its what parents are for!
Thanks Katie! I’ll try it on that spot
I have brought my boys up without chemicals/additives etc and they all have a choice no they are older, the 19 yr old eats all sorts but knows now the foods that make him feel unwell, he is progressing on his own journey now he lives alone but I know I have done the best to give him a good foundation and a heads up on all the rubbish that makes your body ill. The 16 yr old only eats what we eat and refuses at parties etc to have anything that isn’t good for his health, the 15 yr old eats organic meat ( we dont eat meat) again this is his choice but he wouldn’t eat any meat that han’t been well looked after and isn’t organic even a family BBQs etc.
I think personally that it is better to give them the knowledge.
I am sorry, but I am confused. What do you mean you add the bentonite clay AFTER the chlorine is removed? Do you add all of these things to one bath? Could you explain it a little more, please?
I would also like to know if all the items can be added to the same bath, ie the vitamin c, clay, epsom salt and essential oils
I believe she means she adds the clay in after the vitamin C has removed the chlorine.
Love your website….what if the child swallows the water with the epsome salts, etc…or gets it in their eyes by accident?
At those levels, it will be fine 🙂
Should you use food grade epsom salt? Some of the bags I’ve been looking at say “do not ingest” and some are good as ingestable as a laxative. Is there a better one for kids?
When in doubt I think food-grade is probably safer.
Thank you! I’ve looked at the San Fran Soak Salts you link to, but can’t tell if they are? Do you know?
Another way to avoid chemicals: take fewer baths! Especially in the winter, we usually just do a bath once every few days instead of every night. Or take a “cat bath” or sponge bath instead to deals with persistently stinky areas. Americans are pretty attached to daily bathing, but it is not necessary for cleanliness or health!
I distinctly remember as young children that we always bathed on Sundays and Wednesdays. So I totally agree with this winter bathing routine. I also remember my mother quizzing us on our math facts in the bathtub…in these measly few hours per week. 🙂
Is it safe to add Epsom salts to my 17 month old’s bath? If so, should I use a smaller amount than a cup?
I add about half a cup at that age
My son is 10 months old and i am looking for something to put in his bath but not sure what is safe at this age. There is not that much water in his small bath but he sits in it for around 20 min daily as he loves his bath time.
Thanks so much.
You could fill the tub from the shower head, thus decontaminating the water with the filter. Just make the temperature a little hotter since it is likely to cool down some from the time it takes to fill.
good idea! should used filtered water from shower if bath ball filter is not available for bath.
What could be the possible harms of putting more than half a cup of Epsom salt in a baby’s bath?
Thank you so much for this! I, too, have a filter on the shower head, but just like you, my kids aren’t old enough for showers yet. I regularly the epsom salts to my kids’ baths (after reading your other post about it!) I was surprised to hear that kids’ baths are typically 45min-2hrs. My kids are in it for only about 10 minutes, tops. I don’t know if that’s enough time for the salt to absorb, but I figure it’s better than nothing, and it’s my paranoia that they’re sitting in unfiltered water that makes me want them out of there as quickly as possible. Thanks to this post, I’ll be purchasing the ball de-clorinator.
Thank You for your site, I came across it just in time since I was looking for salt table, due to your information I really know now what I was really needing.
Thank You
Have you thought about filling the tub with the shower head?
Me too. It’s 10-15 minutes with Epsom salts.
But does the Vitamin C remove fluoride? And would that irritate a child’s sensitive skin??
Ive read that a bath/shower is like ingesting a cup full of tap water. (I find ‘that much’ hard to believe being that we can’t “hydrate” our bodies from the shower… but nonetheless id like to play it safe so I’m know I’m covered. )
Hi there,
Thank you so much for this blog post. I had a little question, Is there a danger on mixing epsom salt and ascorbic acid / sodium ascorbate in baths?