Baking soda—aka sodium bicarbonate, if you want to get scientific—is just one of those things that everyone should have because it is incredibly useful. In a concentrated paste, it’s a natural and powerful deep cleaner for your home. Adding a few cups to a warm bath makes it a comforting, relaxing, and health-boosting soak. Although it may not have the glitz and glamor (or the price tag) of many other ingredients in the marketplace, baking soda might just top the charts for the most versatile beauty ingredient.
Don’t get baking soda mixed up with baking powder. While they are similar, baking powder isn’t going to give you the results that you’re looking for. Baking powders usually have weak acids in them, but we need our baking soda to be 100% basic (on the pH scale, obvi), coming from sodium bicarbonate.
The reason baking soda works so well is because it’s alkaline and, when combined with water, makes the water slightly more alkaline, too. You can feel the difference as soon as you add it—the water seems a little more silky without feeling outright slippery on your skin. Adding baking soda to your bath can reduce skin irritation and itching and also provide detoxifying benefits.
You can add up to 2 cups of baking soda to your bathtub for the perfect soak, but feel free to adjust this to your preferences. You can also do a couple of things to prep your body to make the most of the bath as well.
If you’re not hopping into the tub to sort out your skin issues (further details on this below), you’ll want to use a dry brush all over your body before getting in. Dry brushing helps remove any dead skin cells and other buildup, so you can get the most detoxifying and purifying benefits from your bath. Make sure always to brush in the direction of your heart to boost circulation.
There’s no reason that you shouldn’t light a few candles, put on some tunes, and make it a super blissful experience! If you’re a fan of bath bombs but find the added fragrance and color just too much for your skin, baking soda is a great alternative (plus, it’s actually good for you!)
Want to know exactly what baking soda can do for you when added to a warm bath? Here are my top 8 reasons why you should be doing a baking soda soak on the regular.
8 Reasons to Add Baking Soda to Your Next Bath
1. Eczema
Eczema is an incredibly common skin condition. Only eczema sufferers know how itchy and horribly uncomfortable it can be (including me!) Studies have found that frequent baking soda baths can help relieve the severe itching that comes with eczema [source].
Eczema is often coined “the itch that rashes,” so controlling the itch is key to soothing flare-ups and healing your skin. Also, it’s super important that you use lukewarm for eczema rather than steaming hot water, which can dry and inflame your skin further.
2. Detox
If you’re feeling sluggish and under the weather for no obvious reason, you might just need a detox bath to perk you up again. Baking soda is amazing for cleansing and removing toxins from your whole body, which boosts your immune system and energy.
Drawing impurities and toxins out of the skin while softening at the same time—is there anything baking soda can’t do?!
3. Sore muscles
Another must-have for everyone’s medicine cabinet, Epsom salts (aka magnesium sulfate), when combined with baking soda, make an excellent therapeutic soak for soothing sore muscles after a gym sesh. Recovery is key to making good progress with your workout routine—so be sure to do a therapeutic muscle soak at least once a week.
4. Hives
If you’ve ever had hives, you know that the need to scratch is something terrible. The skin gets raised, raw, and red, and there’s not a lot you can do about it short of applying steroid creams. If you have already seen your doctor for medical treatment, try taking a cool bath with a little baking soda sprinkled in. Stay in this medicinal bath for about 10–15 minutes, and then get out and gently blot the skin dry with a towel.
5. Poison ivy
If you’ve accidentally encountered some poison ivy or poison oak leaves, baking soda is a perfect natural remedy. A few cups added to a lukewarm bath will help relieve the itching. Or, for a more concentrated treatment, a paste of water and baking soda can be directly applied to the skin to calm the inflammation and itching.
6. Odor
Sometimes, that body odor just gets to you, doesn’t it? When you’ve been ill or are fighting a hangover, the detoxification process your body goes through can be overwhelming, especially when you feel like you can’t get rid of that lingering smell coming out of your pores.
Long known for its ability to absorb odors in refrigerators, kitchen waste, and even rooms, baking soda is a perfect addition to your cleansing bath to lift and clear out the smells [source], leaving you feeling clean and refreshed without requiring masking perfumes.
7. Skin fungus
Baking soda has unique antifungal properties that could help resolve skin or nail fungus issues. The fungal infection will sometimes show itself as a discolored nail (girl, I hope you didn’t go to a sketchy nail salon!) or an odd rash.
Along with using the medication your doctor prescribes, regular baking soda soaks can inhibit the growth of the fungus and get your skin back to normal [source].
8. Diaper rash
And baking soda baths aren’t just for adults—they are safe enough for babies’ skin, too. Adding a few teaspoons to a baby’s bath can help soothe and heal their sensitive skin from diaper rash.
Baking Soda Bath Soak
Instructions
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Mix the baking soda and Epsom salt together in a bowl and add the essential oils. The oils will be absorbed into the baking soda and salt, instead of sitting on top of the water in your bath.
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Add to a warm bath, and soak for 20–40 minutes.
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Can repeat up to twice a week.
References:
Eczema and bathing. National Eczema Association website.
Qamaruz-Zaman N, et al. Preliminary observation on the effect of baking soda volume on controlling odour from discarded organic waste. Waste Manag. 2015.
Letscher-Bru V, et al. Antifungal activity of sodium bicarbonate against fungal agents causing superficial infections. Mycopathologia. 2012.
This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Gina Jansheski, a licensed, board-certified pediatrician with more than 20 years of practice experience. Learn more about Hello Glow’s medical review board here. As always, this is not personal medical advice, and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.
Photos by Ana Stanciu