I didn’t really appreciate baths until I became a mom and the chance to sit undisturbed in a tub of hot water went from sounding like a chore to absolute bliss. My love for baths got even more serious when I realized that I could multitask relaxing all the while actively supporting my health.

Detox baths go beyond just soothing and boosting our well-being by strengthening our immune system and preventing disease. Our bodies are subject to more toxins than ever in our food, water and air. Truth be told, toxins are unavoidable, but it becomes an issue when they are left unchecked, opening us up to irritation, harm and destruction in the body. Thankfully, a detox bath is an easy and gentle healing therapy we can do to support our body’s natural detoxification system. Ready to add some you time to your Self Care routine?

Steps for the Perfect Detox Bath:

Add your detox agent to a standard tub full of hot/warm water. The hotter the water, the more you’ll sweat, and the better you’ll detox.
If your bath water is not filtered, add 1 cup of baking soda to help neutralize the chemicals, primarily chlorine, as well as increase mineral absorption.
Immerse yourself in the water – get as much of your body underwater as you can. Close your eyes, take some deep breaths and relax for at least 20 minutes.
Once you are done soaking, get out of the tub carefully – it’s common to feel a bit light-headed. This should go away shortly and a quick rinse off with cool water can help!
Moisturize, but steer clear of soaps, shampoos and lotions with artificial fragrances, dyes, and toxic chemicals as your pores are open post bath and can more easily absorb the chemicals found in those products.

Detox Agents:

Epsom Salt

The most popular of the detox baths, epsom salts are a salt made of magnesium and sulphate. Both are critical nutrients for the human body, but can be poorly absorbed from our food. However, soaking in Epsom salts counteracts this problem as these minerals both absorb readily via the skin. They have long been used to stimulate detoxification, reduce inflammation in sore muscles, lower blood pressure, promote healthy circulation, and help with relaxation and normalizing sleep patterns. Start out by adding one cup of Epsom Salt to your bathtub and gradually increase to two or three cups.
Tip: sprinkle just a bit of your fancy bath salts into a bath, then add more Epsom salts to make your pricey salts go further! You get the relaxing scent and benefits of the nice salt blend + the detox of the Epsom salts.

Baking Soda

Baking soda baths are naturally alkalizing and are beneficial for boosting liver function, supporting digestive issues and for combating a sore throat (including strep throat). When combined with sea salt, this bath is also great for combating any exposure to environmental radiation, x-rays, plane flights or airport screenings. Dissolve two to four cups of aluminum-free baking soda in your tub and soak for at least 20 minutes.

Ginger bath

Try this sweat inducing bath to fight off sickness at the first sign of any cold symptoms. Similar to a sauna or steam room, a ginger bath is a sure way to clear out all those nasty toxins out of your body and leave you feeling energetic. Add ½ a cup of grated ginger to a hot bath and soak for 15-20 minutes. The ginger bath will make you sweat profusely for at least an hour afterwards, so be sure to wear a robe or clothes you don’t mind getting sweaty.

Apple Cider Vinegar

The apple cider vinegar detox bath is great for inflammatory body ailments, like arthritis, for those dealing with candida issues and can help with body odor. Like the ginger detox bath, it is an especially sweat inducing bath, which aids your body’s detox process, so don’t be surprised if you continue sweating for a bit afterwards. Add one to two cups of pure unfiltered apple cider vinegar and soak in the tub for up to 30 minutes.

Helpful Hints:

Hydrate with plenty of water before and after to support your body’s detox process.
The best time to do the detox is before bed – detox baths can leave you feeling drowsy and a great night of sleep post-bath is an amazing way to support your body’s rejuvenation process.
Start slow. The more agent you use and the hotter the water, the more intense the detox.
If the detox bath is making you feel uncomfortably nauseous, lightheaded, or just plain sick (common side effects of intense detox), try cutting back on the detox agent, switching detox agents, using cooler water, and/or bathing for a shorter amount of time.
These detox baths are generally safe for kids, just reduce the amount of agent used.

TAKING YOUR BATH FROM CALMING TO HEALING