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This detox foot bath is the ultimate way to end a long day. It is a perfect natural foot soak to relax and soften tired feet. 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 is so relaxing. Foot soaks are soothing for tired feet, and they leave your skin feeling soft.
This foot bath gives you all the wonderful perks of a good foot soak. You’ll love unwinding at the end of the day with this simple recipe!
Why You’ll Love It
- Household ingredients: I love finding a DIY recipe for which I already have the ingredients. This foot bath uses 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!
- Softening: On top of being relaxing, this soak helps moisturize and nourish your feet and leaves rough, dry skin feeling softer.
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 soften the skin.
- Epsom salt: A classic addition to any soak. It’s so relaxing, and it helps soften rough, dry skin.
- Sea salt: I like a good quality sea salt for the little bit of extra minerals and that spa-like soak.
- Apple cider vinegar: Vinegar is a great addition to a foot soak because it helps with foot odor and soothes dry skin. 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 a lovely scent. Keep reading for some suggestions.
Best Essential Oils for a Foot Soak
You can add a single oil or a blend of essential oils to the bath soak. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Peppermint: Cooling and refreshing on tired feet. I use it in my homemade foot lotion for this very reason!
- Lavender: My go-to for a calming, relaxing scent, and it’s lovely for the skin.
- Tea tree: A fresh, clean scent that helps keep foot odor in check.
Other favorites to try are rosemary, tangerine, geranium, lemongrass, and frankincense.
How to Make a Detox 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 It
Once you have made the foot soak salt, you can use it in a relaxing foot bath.
Step 1. Add a half cup of the foot bath salt to 2 gallons of warm water.
Step 2. Soak your feet in the bath for up to 30 minutes.
Variations
This soak is easy to make your own. I haven’t tested all of these myself, but here’s what a lot of people like to do:
- Toss in a handful of dried lavender buds or rosemary for a spa-like touch.
- Stir in a spoonful of colloidal oatmeal if your skin is feeling extra dry.
- Add a few extra drops of peppermint for a cooling, refreshing soak on hot summer days.
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 to 2 times a week.
A Few Safety Tips
- Test the water temperature before you get in; it should be warm, never hot.
- Avoid hot oils like oregano or clove, and dilute your essential oils in the carrier oil.
- If you notice any irritation, rinse and stop use. This is for external, cosmetic use only.
- Keep the ingredients stored out of reach of children.
Recipe FAQs
Soaking your feet is a great way to relax and unwind after a long day. It soothes tired feet, softens rough skin, and gives you a few quiet minutes to yourself.
Lavender, peppermint, and tea tree are my favorites, but rosemary, geranium, tangerine, lemongrass, and frankincense are all lovely too.
I would recommend limiting your foot soaks to about once or twice a week. The ingredients 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 Detox Foot Bath 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.
- For external use only. Test the water temperature before soaking (warm, not hot), avoid hot oils like oregano or clove, and keep out of reach of children.
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.