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This detoxifying foot bath recipe is the ultimate way to end a long day. It is a perfect natural foot soak for a gentle detox of the body and stress relief. Make it in under 5 minutes with just a few simple ingredients!
A soak in a foot bath can be just the thing your feet need after a long day. I spend most of the day on my feet, as I’m sure many of you do too. At the end of the day, when I sit down (or better yet, lay down), I will notice just how tired my feet are.
A good old-fashioned foot soak can do the body some good. Foot baths are relaxing, soothing to sore muscles, and promote healthy skin on the feet.
This detoxifying foot bath provides all of the wonderful benefits of a foot soak with some additional detoxifying benefits, too. You’ll love unwinding at the end of the day with this simple foot soak while your body detoxes!
Why You’ll Love It
- Household ingredients: I love finding a DIY recipe for which I already have the ingredients. This detoxifying foot bath requires simple ingredients that you may have in your pantry! Skip the trip to the store and enjoy your foot bath right away.
- Relaxing: There’s nothing like sinking your feet into a warm foot bath at the end of the day. It’s a great way to set aside 20 minutes for yourself and treat your hard-working feet!
- Great for you: Not only is this foot bath relaxing and enjoyable, it also brings some benefits to your health! A detoxifying foot soak can moisturize and nourish your feet, relieve muscle tension, and help your body with its natural detoxification process.
What Goes Into This Recipe
- Baking soda: I use baking soda in many of my foot soaks because it can deodorize the feet and help with itchiness. Baking soda also has cleansing and detoxifying properties, making it an important ingredient in this detox foot bath.
- Epsom salt: Also known as magnesium sulfate, Epsom salt is a common addition to baths as it relieves muscle tension and promotes relaxation. Epsom salt is a key ingredient in this bath for detoxifying the body and it can help soften rough, dry skin.
- Sea salt: I recommend a quality sea salt because of the trace minerals they provide.
- Apple cider vinegar: Vinegar is an effective ingredient for foot soaks as it can “help slow foot fungus, prevent foot odor, and soothe dry skin,” according to Healthline. You can also make your own apple cider vinegar recipe to use!
- Carrier oil: A bit of carrier oil in the bath will help moisturize the feet as they soak. You can use any liquid carrier oil; I prefer fractionated coconut oil.
- Essential oils: Use a single oil or create a blend to add aromatherapeutic benefits and promote skin health. Keep reading for some suggestions.
Essential Oil for a Detoxifying Foot Bath
Essential oils can be used to help skin irritations, cleanse, purify, and even gently detox the body. You can add a single oil or a blend of essential oils to the bath soak. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Peppermint: Peppermint oil soothes achy muscles and provides a cooling effect on the skin. I use it in my homemade foot lotion for this very reason!
- Lavender: Lavender is my go-to oil for skincare products because of its calming and relaxing effect and a plethora of skin benefits. Lavender oil aids dry skin, soothes sore muscles, and has anti-inflammatory and wound-healing properties, to name a few.
- Tea tree: Tea tree oil is known for its detoxifying properties and it can help with fungus on the feet or toenails.
Other great essential oils for detoxification include rosemary, tangerine, cilantro, lemongrass, geranium, and frankincense.
How to Make a Detoxifying Foot Bath
Step 1. Combine the dry ingredients (baking soda, Epsom salt, and sea salt) in a large bowl.
Step 2. Stir to thoroughly mix the ingredients.
Step 3. Add the carrier oil, then slowly add the vinegar. It will react with the baking soda and fizz; this is normal and temporary.
Step 4. Add the essential oils and stir once more. Store in an airtight container.
How to Use
Once you have made the foot soak salt, you can use it in a relaxing and detoxifying foot bath.
Step 1. Add a half cup of the detoxifying foot bath salt to 2 gallons of warm water.
Step 2. Soak your feet in the bath for up to 30 minutes.
Expert Tips
- I like to add dried lavender buds to my foot bath to create the ultimate relaxing experience.
- After you have finished your foot bath, follow it up with a moisturizing foot mask or whipped body butter to moisturize the skin.
- It’s always a good idea to check your water temperature before submerging your feet in the bath. You want it to be warm, but not scalding hot.
- Avoid “hot oils” such as oregano or clove when choosing the essential oils for your foot bath.
- You can make your foot bath in the bathtub or in a small bin or basin. I prefer to use a small tub so I can enjoy the foot bath at my desk or on the couch.
- The salt in this recipe can be naturally drying to the skin, so limit use of it to 1-2 times a week.
Recipe FAQs
Soaking your feet in a homemade foot bath can have several benefits for you, especially if you have sore, tired feet. Foot baths can relieve muscle tension, reduce stress, hydrate the skin, reduce swelling, and even boost your magnesium levels if you use Epsom salt! Plus, relaxing with your feet in a warm foot bath is a great way to take some time for yourself and wind down at the end of the day.
There are many essential oils that can help your body to detox. Some of the best essential oils for detoxing are rosemary, tangerine, cilantro, geranium, lavender, tea tree, lemongrass, clove, frankincense, and myrrh.
I would recommend limiting your detoxifying foot soaks to about once or twice a week. The ingredients in this foot bath are gentle on the skin, but they can be drying if used too often.
More Natural Foot Care Recipes
- 8 Amazing Pedicure Foot Soak Recipes
- Best Homemade Foot Scrub to Remove Dead Skin
- All-Natural Foot Balm Stick
- Baking Soda Vinegar Foot Soak
- DIY Foot Mask
If you tried this Detoxifying Foot Bath Recipe or any other tutorial on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Detoxifying Foot Bath Recipe
Ingredients
- 2.2 oz baking soda, ¼ cup
- 2.2 oz sea salt, ¼ cup
- 2.2 oz Epsom Salt, ¼ cup
- 1 oz apple cider vinegar, ⅛ cup
- 0.5 oz carrier oil, 1 tbsp
- 10-15 drops essential oils
Instructions
- Mix all the dry ingredients together in a medium-size mixing bowl.
- Add in the wet ingredients and stir until well combined.
- Dilute half a cup of the foot bath ingredients in two gallons of warm water. Soak feet for up to 30 minutes.
Video
Notes
- You can alternatively dissolve this foot bath in the bathtub.
- For best results, pat your feet dry and follow up with a homemade whipped body butter or foot mask to hydrate the feet.
- Avoid hot oils such as oregano or clove when choosing the essential oils for your foot bath. My favorite oils to use are lavender, peppermint, and tea tree.
- The salt in this recipe can be naturally drying to the skin, so limit use of it to 1-2 times a week.
Hi Laura,
I love your recipies! I think it is worth considering to publish a book with all of them :).
I often use a simple foot bath soak with just sea salt when feeling on the edge of cold. I want to try your recipe next time. What oils would you add in case of sneezing and under the weather state?
Thank you!
Thank you so much! I already have a book! You can find it on amazon or most bookstores. It is called, ” Natural Remedies for Your Health and Home.”
I would add in some immue boosting oils, I have a whole blog post on this!
Could you replace the apple cider vin. in this foot soak with witch hazel?
So do I use all of that in one foot bath?? it seems like a lot of ingredients. Im not trying to sound naive, but I am very very new at this!!
Thank you so very much for your help!
After the foot bath, do you recommend rinsing your feet with water or just dry them? Thank you.
I rinse and pat dry.
Hi! Is the recipe for one treatment? Just clarification. It says to add to 2 gallons of water. Then I also read to add 1/2 cup of the mixture to water. Is that the mixture adter it’s been added to 2 gallons of water? Thanks!
You add a 1/2 of a cup of the salt mixture to the water when you are ready to do the soak. 🙂
I would like to do as gifts, make and put into a mason jar and use a scoop to pull out as needed. Put everything except the apple cider vinegar in and just add that to whatever amount mixture you want to use. Or would the carrier oil and essential oil added to dry mixture and left to sit not work very well or go bad?
Yes that sounds like a great plan!
The recipe calls for Sea Salt and Epsom Salt. Do you highly recommend using both? Would Pink Himalayan Salt work as a substitute for either of them?
They both have different benefits for the skin and detoxing so that is why I do a blend of both. You can use pink himalayan too!
Okay, that makes sense!! Thanks:)
If making for gifts how long should you store it? And should you store in the fridge after you mske it
You can make the salt part and leave out wet ingredients until gifting.