8 Amazing Pedicure Foot Soak Recipes

Make your very own pedicure foot soak for an in-home spa treatment any night of the week. Try any or all of the 8 different foot soak recipes that will leave the skin soft, smooth, and cleansed.

It’s time you treat your feet to a luxurious spa-like experience with one of these easy DIY foot soak recipes.

From lavender and rose to homemade soaks, enjoy total relaxation and beautiful skin with just a few simple ingredients.

What is a Foot Soak?

In its most basic form, a foot soak is comprised of warm water, salts, herbs, and other skin-loving ingredients.

Foot soaks are typically done to soften skin, soften nails, or soothe sore muscles and joints. Using warm water helps the ingredients properly dissolve, making it easiest to exfoliate the dead skin after the soak.

Homemade Foot Soak

We’ll be using just a few key ingredients for these foot soaks, including Epsom salts, white vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, herbs, and a few essential oils.

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Epsom Salt Foot Soak

Epsom salt soaks work wonderfully for dry or sore feet. In addition, using salts is an excellent way to detox the body.

The minerals found in salts enter the body through the skin to help remove toxins.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of Epsom salt
• 1/4 cup of baking soda
• 1/8 cup of dried lavender buds (optional)
• 15 drops of lavender essential oil (optional)

Instructions

1. Add all the ingredients to a bowl and stir well to combine.
2. Transfer to a mason jar or airtight container for storage.
3. Pour 1/4 cup of the bath soak into a basin of warm water, enough to cover the feet.
4. Let your feet soak for 15-20 minutes, and then pat them dry with a clean towel. Enjoy silky smooth skin!

Vinegar Foot Soak

A vinegar foot soak can be beneficial for cleansing the feet, removing odor, relaxing muscles, and even helping with athlete’s foot or fungal toenails.

Ingredients

• 1 part vinegar
• 2 parts warm water

Instructions

1. Add enough water and vinegar to cover your feet in a foot tub or basin.
2. Soak feet for 20 minutes.
3. Pat dry with a clean towel and enjoy your freshly cleansed feet.

Hydrogen Peroxide Foot Soak

Hydrogen peroxide is often used for cleansing cuts, scraps, and other skin imperfections. As a result, this hydrogen peroxide foot soak is vital for dry, cracked skin, infected skin, or fungal issues.

Ingredients

• 1/8 cup of hydrogen peroxide
• 6 cups of warm water
• 10 drops of tea tree essential oil (recommended for fungal issues)

Instructions

1. Add the ingredients to a basin and stir well to combine.
2. Let your feet soak for 15-20 minutes, and then pat them dry with a clean towel.
3. Exfoliate any loose, dead skin.

Foot soak for dry feet

I have naturally dry feet, so this foot soak for dry feet is put into regular use in our home. Foot soaks, in general, are good for dry feet, and this recipe here is no exception.

Be sure to follow it up with an exfoliator!

For this foot soak, you will need:

• 1/4 cup of Epsom salt
• 1/8 cup of baking soda
• 1 tablespoon of fractionated coconut oil (or substitute for similar carrier oil)
• 10 drops of myrrh essential oil (optional but recommended)

How to Make a Foot Soak for Dry Feet:

1. Add the ingredients to the basin of warm water. If you want to get really particular, keep the temperature between 95 and 100 degrees.
2. Soak for 20-30 minutes and pat dry with a clean towel.
3. After the soak, exfoliate the skin with a homemade salt scrub or with a foot exfoliator tool.
4. If needed, repeat steps 2 and 3.
5. After exfoliation, apply a natural body butter or lotion to the feet.

For best results, do this 2-3 times a week or as needed.

Foot Soak to Soften Nails

If you have hard, brittle, or thick toenails, soaking feet in a foot soak before cutting nails can be helpful. A foot soak can also help relieve pressure caused by ingrown toenails.

For this foot soak, you will need:

• A tub or basin of warm water (about 6 cups)
• 2 tablespoons of vinegar
• 1 teaspoon of fractionated coconut oil

Soak feet for 20 minutes to soften nails before cutting.

Check out my natural nail soak for fingernails here!

Foot Soak for Sore Feet

Foot soaks are not just for softening skin and nails; they can also come in handy for sore and achy feet.

After a long day or intense workout, try soaking your feet to relieve the discomforts caused by being on your feet for extended periods of time.

For this foot soak, you will need:

• 1/4 cup of Epsom salts
• 5 drops of peppermint essential oil
• 5 drops of lavender essential oil

How to Make a Foot Soak for Sore Feet:

1. Add the Epsom salt to 6 cups of extra warm water. Make the water as hot as comfortable to relax muscles, release tension and reduce soreness.
2. Soak your feet for 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Remove feet, pat dry, and apply a soothing lotion.

Best Home Pedicure Soak

If you get a professional pedicure at a nail salon, you’ll notice they always start off with a foot soak. This makes cutting toenails and exfoliating the skin on the feet easier and more effective.

I love a good pedicure, but doing it at home saves money and ensures natural ingredients are being used.

To make an at-home pedicure soak, you will need:

• 1/4 cup of Epsom salts
• 1 tablespoon of vinegar
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 10 drops of lavender essential oil
• Lemon slices (optional)
• Dried lavender sprigs (optional)

Add the ingredients to about 6 cups of warm water, or at least enough to cover the feet completely.

Soak feet for a minimum of 10 minutes before the pedicure.

Homemade Foot Soak without Epsom Salt

Most foot soaks call for Epsom salt because salt can help with skin irritations and muscle aches and detox the body. However, other salts can also be effective for this, not just Epsom salt.

If you want to make a foot soak without Epsom salt, you can use sea salt for similar benefits. Or leave the salt out altogether and use the vinegar or hydrogen peroxide foot soak recipes in this post.

Soaking in warm water alone can help to relax muscles, loosen joints, and soften skin, nails, and cuticles.

Shop this post

• Epsom salts
• Celtic sea salt
• baking soda
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Vinegar
• Fractionated coconut oil

How to Remove Dead Skin from Feet?

Simply exfoliating the skin can be very successful for dry skin or cracked heels. The best way to remove dead skin from the feet is by exfoliating the skin after a foot soak.

Soak your feet in any one of the recipes listed here for at least 20 minutes, remove your feet from the water and exfoliate with a salt or a sugar scrub.

For very dry feet, repeat until the skin is soft.

Why you will love these foot soaks

Not only will these DIY foot soaks leave you feeling relaxed and rejuvenated, but they’ll also keep your feet looking beautiful. Enjoy more than just a relaxing soak — take care of your skin too!

FAQs & Tips

Foot soaks are great for anyone on the go, usually only requiring a few minutes — 15-20 minutes is enough, depending on the foot soak you choose.

Remember to always be mindful and check in with how your feet feel — if they start becoming uncomfortable, it’s time to take them out!

After soaking your feet, follow up with a gentle exfoliator to remove any stubborn dry, or dead skin.

For sensitive skin, or anyone looking for even softer results, try using a sugar scrub to buff away dry areas and leave your feet feeling soft and smooth.

Be sure to rinse off the mixture and then apply a moisturizing foot cream.

Salt is naturally drying to the skin, so be sure to use these recipes only once or twice a week!

Key takeaways

Soaking your feet can be an easy and luxurious way to end a long day.

Use the pedicure foot soak recipes above to create your own special blend of aromatic herbs, oils, and other ingredients.

Finally, sit back, relax and enjoy your spa-like experience at home!

I hope you enjoyed this post. Let me know which foot soak you went with and how you liked it in the comments below!

And if you are looking for more great recipes, you may like this baking soda foot soak next!