Detox Baths For Kids To Boost Immunity And Good Health

Why read: Find out the many benefits of detox baths for kids, along with the safety measures and best recipes.  

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Are you looking for a way to help promote your child’s health that is fun, easy, and affordable?

Try a detox bath!

It’s an easy way to enhance health and prevent the build-up of toxins in their little bodies.

Plus, it’s a fun and relaxing experience for the young fellows.

Not only are detox baths for kids relaxing and soothing, but they’re also an effortless way to increase essential minerals in their bodies, i.e., magnesium, calcium, and sodium.

Today, I’ll explain what a detox bath is, how it can benefit your child, and how to give one safely.

I’ll also provide you with some easy DIY detox bath mixture recipes. 

So let’s dive right in!

What Is a Detox Bath And Why Should Kids Take One?

In today’s ever-polluted environment we come across hundreds of toxins every day. Small kids are the most susceptible to the adverse effects of the harsh chemicals and toxins present in the air, water, food, and everyday care products. 

A detox bath helps detoxify the body and remove impurities through the skin.

These baths are often made with Epsom salt, baking soda, apple cider vinegar, and Dead sea salts. All of which are excellent natural detoxifiers.

Do detox baths help with colds?

Yes, absolutely! 

When your little one’s body becomes overloaded with toxins its ability to function properly drops. This, in turn, leads to weakened immunity and more chances of your child becoming vulnerable to various viruses. 

Make it a habit to give your child a detox bath every other week at the beginning of the school year as a natural immunity booster.

Since salts penetrate the pores and nourish our bodies with essential minerals, they will regulate your kid’s enzyme functions and improve their health. 

If your child catches a cold, increase the frequency of the detox bath to 2-3 times a week.

Add several drops of essential oils to your child’s detox bath for a more soothing experience. These quick homemade spa treatments are great to alleviate cold and flu symptoms, can help with relaxing their bodies and promote sleep, and even heal headaches. 

Benefits Of Detox Baths For Kids

Soaking in a detox bath can help promote your child’s health in many ways. Detox baths for kids:

• promote detoxification of the body and cleansing of the skin
• boost the immunity system
• improve circulation
• help with calming a colicky and gassy baby
• reduce stress and promote relaxation
• help to clear up eczema and other skin conditions
• relieve aches and pains
• reduce inflammation
• reduce fever, relieve cold and flu symptoms
• aid digestion and help with relieving constipation in babies and toddlers
• improve quality of sleep

Related: 6 Basic Nutrients Required For Your Child’s Healthy Diet

Supplies Needed To Make a Detox Bath for Kids

Drawing an Epsom salt bath for kids might seem an extra task on your to-do list, but it’s surprisingly easy and effective.

Once you have the ingredients ready and know a few detox bath recipes, the rest of the steps are straightforward. 

To start, stock up on the following detox bath staples (if you already don’t have most of these). Buying in bulk will save you money and ensure you have the needed ingredients for the whole year. 

This is what I use interchangeably with my kids for a health-promoting detox bath: 

• Epsom salt infused with essential oil (as an added benefit)
• Magnesium flakes (for better absorption)
• baking soda
• Bentonite Clay
• apple cider vinegar
• Dead sea salt
• hydrogen peroxide
• lavender or other essential oils (make sure to use 100% pure, therapeutic-grade oils)
• some bath toys for a little playtime

Which Ingredient To Choose For Your Child’s Detox Bath

As you can see from the above section there are many options to choose from when drawing a detox bath for your child. Depending on what you’d like to achieve with the detox bath, you might concentrate on one particular ingredient or mix and match. So let’s understand the benefits of each ingredient: 

• Epsom salt is not actually salt but a pure naturally occurring mineral of magnesium sulfate. It is known to detoxify the body and replenish the body’s magnesium levels which are essential for many biochemical reactions including helping to reduce inflammation and stress, ease muscle pain, etc. 

• Baking soda helps detox your body and skin, ease itchiness and irritation, and soothe sunburns.

• Bentonite clay binds to positively charged toxins such as lead, mercury, and aluminum like magnets thanks to its negative ionic charge and helps remove them from the body. It’s also known to be helpful in detoxifying the liver. Plus, it’s a powerhouse of such minerals as potassium, calcium, iron, and zinc. 
• Apple cider vinegar is excellent for balancing the skin’s PH level.  It helps with soothing different skin conditions like sunburn, eczema, diaper rash, dry itchy skin, cradle cap, dandruff, and many others. 
• Hydrogen peroxide is a natural disinfectant that can help kill bacteria and viruses.
• Dead Sea salt regulates fluid in the body and detoxifies the skin. It’s also rich in such minerals as magnesium, calcium, and potassium which are all essential for good health.

Which Essential Oil To Choose For Your Child’s Detox Bath

Remember to use only 100% pure, therapeutic-grade level essential oils in your little one’s detox bath. Choose the right essential oil depending on what effect you’d like to achieve: 

• lavender or cedarwood oils – have a relaxing and calming effect, ease anxiousness and stress, and promote better sleep
• eucalyptus oil – helps relieve cold and flu symptoms, ease congestion and clear sinuses
• tea tree oil – has antifungal and antibacterial properties
• cardamom or ginger oils – help with digestion and stomach aches, relieve constipation
• chamomile oil – soothes itchy and dry skin, can calm sunburn and rashes
• marjoram oil – helps improve circulation and relieve pain

Note! Not all essential oils are suitable for detox baths. Oils like peppermint and cinnamon can burn your child’s sensitive skin. And lemon oil is very photosensitive, so skin should not be exposed to sunlight when using lemon oil.  Make sure you do your research when using a new essential oil or simply stick to the list above. 

How To Make a Detox Bath For Kids 

Here is how to make a detox bath for kids:

• First and foremost, make sure you follow all safety measures outlined in the next section! 
• Fill the tub with lukewarm water. You don’t want the water to be too hot, as it can strip the natural oils from your child’s skin.
• Add all of the ingredients to the tub and stir until they are fully dissolved (scroll down for detox bath recipes). 
• Do not add any soap or bubbles. 
• Have your child soak in the tub for 10-15 minutes. A flu bath soak in warm water can be a little longer (up to 20 minutes).
• After your child is done rinse off with clean plain water. Do not use soap or body wash to avoid reintroducing toxins. 

As most kids love to play in the bathtub, this at-home spa will be your child’s – and your’s too! – favorite activity before bedtime.

Are Detox Baths Safe for Kids?

Detox baths are safe for kids when you follow all the necessary safety measures: 

• As with anything related to your child’s health, before starting detox baths get approval from your pediatrician first. 
• Make sure the water is not too hot. Hot water can be drying and irritating to the skin.
• Choose a detox bath that is specifically designed for kids and that uses ingredients that are safe for them (read in the next sections). Strictly follow the mixture recipe and do not overuse Epsom salt to avoid magnesium overdose! 
• Do not let your child soak for more than 30 minutes. This could lead to dehydration.
• If you are using essential oils, make sure they are diluted and used in a safe way according to the instructions. Use only 100% pure, therapeutic-grade essential oils. As these are expensive, skip adding essential oils if not in your budget. 
• Rinse off your child with clean water after the bath.
• If your child has any cuts or open wounds, wait with the detox baths until the wound is completely healed as detox bath ingredients can cause irritation.
• Keep an eye on your child during the bath and make sure they are comfortable.
• Give your child lots of water after the bath to continue washing out toxins and to avoid dehydration. 

Can Babies Take Epsom Salt Baths?

While it’s safe to give detox baths even to babies, you need to be extra cautious to make sure you don’t cause any harm. 

I’d avoid giving a newborn or infant a detox bath to be on the safe side.

The only time that you might consider giving your infant a detox bath is when your baby is sick or has a health condition in which your baby’s pediatrician specifically recommends a detox bath. Make sure you consult with your pediatrician as to which ingredients to use and the exact amounts for a safe detox bath for your little one. 

When your baby is 5 months old, you can start to gradually introduce detox baths to promote good health.

Follow these safety tips for a detox bath for babies:

• Start giving your baby a detox bath only after getting approval from your pediatrician. 
• Strictly follow the mixture amounts to not overuse the Epsom salt (see the next section). 
• Use only natural products with no additives. Sky organics Epsom salt and Baking soda from Pure are the best options for babies and toddlers.
• Start with short detox baths of 3-5 minutes and gradually increase the time to 15 minutes as the baby gets older. 
• Do not add essential oils to your baby’s bathwater. Essential oils are not water-soluble and can irritate your baby’s sensitive skin. For the relaxing aromatherapy effect, you can add essential oil to a separate basin and put it in the bathroom while your baby is having the detox bath. 
• Watch your baby for any irregular behavior after the bath. While Epsom salt baths for babies are beneficial and soothing, it might take your baby some time to get used to these. If your baby shows extra sensitivity after the bath by fussing more and having disrupted sleep, try decreasing the amount of Epsom salts or try other ingredients. Reintroduce Epsom salts when your baby is a little older. 

Detox Bath Recipes For Babies and Toddlers

You can go wild with what mixtures you do for your own detox bath. But when it comes to kids – especially babies and toddlers! – less is always more! 

Keep things simple and use only 1 or 2 natural ingredients for your little one’s detox bath. 

And always strictly follow the mixture amounts! 

In most part of the United States, chlorine is added to tap water. Please note that all of the ingredients in this article contain baking soda as it helps to neutralize the chlorine present in the water and prevent it from being absorbed by the body. You can skip baking soda if you have water purification system or use filtered water. 

Recipe # 1. Epsom Salt and Baking Soda

• Add 1 tsp. of Epsom Salt and 1 tsp. of baking soda to a baby bathtub. 
• For a regular size bathtub, use 1/2 cup of Epsom salt and 2 tbsp. of baking soda. 
• Mix the water with your hand until the salts are fully dissolved! 

You can always take a detox bath together with your baby – this would be a great bonding time and detox session for both the baby and parent. 

Recipe # 2. Apple Cider Vinegar and Baking Soda

• Add 4 tsp. of apple cider vinegar and 1 tsp. of baking soda to a baby bathtub. 
• For a regular size bathtub, use 1 cup of apple cider vinegar and 2 tbsp. of baking soda. 

Recipe # 3. Epsom Salt, Chamomile Flowers and Baking Soda

• Add 1 tsp. of Epsom Salt, 1 tsp. of fresh or dried chamomile flowers and 1 tsp. of baking soda to a baby bathtub. 
• For a regular size bathtub, use 1/2 cup of Epsom salt, 3 tbsp. of fresh or dried chamomile flowers and 2 tbsp. of baking soda. 

Tip! Use a tea strainer or a tea bag for chamomile flowers to make cleaning the bathtub from the loose chamomile flowers easier. 

Recipe # 4. Epsom Salt, Dead Sea Salt and Baking Soda

• Add 1 tsp. of Epsom Salt, 1 tsp. of Dead Sea Salt and 1 tsp. of baking soda to a baby bathtub. 
• For a regular size bathtub, use 1/4 cup of Epsom salt, 1/4 cup of Dead Sea salt and 2 tbsp. of baking soda. 

Detox Bath Recipes For Kids (60lb+)

As your child gets older and weighs over 60lbs you can start introducing other ingredients to their detox bath and mix things together. 

You can use all the recipes from the previous section for older kids too, just double the amount of each ingredient. All of these recipes are for a regular-size bathtub. 

If you have more than one child, you can have them all take one bath together for more fun. But always use the ingredients and amounts based on the age of the youngest child. 

For adults and children, that way over 100lbs double the amounts of each ingredient in these recipes. 

There are many benefits to detox baths for kids, including helping to boost immunity, detoxify the body, and improve circulation. Here are three great recipes to get started:

Recipe # 1. Epsom Salt, Dead Sea Salt, Apple Cider Vinegar, Baking Soda And Essential Oils

• 1/4 cup of Epsom Salt
• 1/4 cup of Dead Sea Salt
• 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup of baking soda
• 5 drops of essential oils (choose which essential oil to use based on the effect you want to achieve described in the “benefits of detox bath” section above)

Recipe # 2. Epsom Salt, Bentonite Clay And Essential Oils

• 1/2 cup of Epsom Salt
• 1/2 cup of Bentonite Clay
• 5 drops of essential oils (choose which essential oil to use based on the effect you want to achieve described in the “Benefits of detox bath” section above).

Tip! Bentonite clay doesn’t fully dissolve in water. To make mixing easier, mix the clay in a bowl full of hot boiled water as much as possible, then add to the tub. Alternatively, mix the clay with a little water to make a paste and then spread it on your child’s body and have them wait until the clay dries. After that your child can sit in the tub with Epsom salts. Make sure you use a bathtub strainer to not let clay go down the drain as it can clog it. The best thing would be to use a kids tub for this detox. Even if your child is older, you can have him sit in the kiddy tub and then hose off the clay in the backyard. 

Recipe # 3. Epsom Salt, Hydrogen Peroxide And Apple Cider Vinegar

• 1/2 cup of Epsom Salt
• 1/2 cup of hydrogen peroxide
• 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup of baking soda

One Last Thing 

When done correctly, with all necessary safety measures in mind, detox baths for kids provide numerous health benefits.

Detox baths along with other natural immunity-boosting and health-promoting measures are another step in ensuring your child has a sickness-free year. 

Your Turn 

Do you have a favorite recipe for a detox bath for kids? Please share with us in the comments for other parents to try! 

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