Our kids today are exposed to so. many. toxins[1, 2, 3].
In the air we breathe, to the food we eat, we are overloading our body’s natural detoxification system. Sometimes, our body just needs a little extra help ridding itself of these toxins and this can especially be true in children who get sick often or suffer from skin conditions like eczema (find out more about naturally healing your child’s eczema here.)
A build-up of toxins in your child’s body can reveal itself in a magnitude of different ways, including insomnia (which could be a sign of liver overload), skin problems, flu-like symptoms, allergic reactions (hives) and even behavioral upset[4, 5].
The detox bath aids your child’s liver by opening the pores and removing toxins through the skin. It’s soothing for the child, while also giving you both a time to bond and heal together. One major point to note: during and after the detox bath, your child’s pores are wide open. Harsh, scented soaps should not be used. If you just can’t stand that fresh apple cider vinegar smell, a soap like Dr. Bronner’s
 would be absolutely perfect.
For this detox bath, you will need:
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Food-Grade Diatomaceous Earth (get it here)
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Bentonite Clay (get it here)
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Baking Soda (for dechlorinating the water)
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Apple Cider Vinegar (get it here
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Epsom Salt (get it here)
Draw a tub, full enough to your comfort, with hot water. Obviously, you don’t want to scald your child, but you also want to keep in mind that hot water is what opens the pores. As the tub is filling, add the baking soda.Â
Baking Soda
Chlorine can be found in so much of our water. While we have been lead to believe that its disinfectant abilities far outweigh any risk to humans, new information is surfacing saying that may not be so true. In fact, a recent study examined the higher-than-normal cases of asthma among swimmers and found that it was due to their constant exposure to chlorine[6]. In the 1990s, the EPA recognized that people absorb more chemicals, including chlorine, in their bath and shower water than they do when drinking water contaminated with the same substances.
Your skin is your largest organ.Â
Baking soda is an extremely alkaline substance. Adding about a cup of baking soda to a tub full of water 5-7 minutes before getting in will help alkalinize the water and neutralize the chemicals, including chlorine.Â
After the water has had time to neutralize, you can begin adding your other ingredients.
Diatomaceous Earth
I love DE. It is seriously such an amazing substance. I’ve touched on the topic a little bit when introducing my natural toothpaste, but my family is still only in the beginning stages of exploring the incredible benefits. When diatomaceous earth enters the body, it kills parasites and viruses that it may come into contact with. Even when suspended in liquid, DE still remains a stable particle allowing it to attach to harmful toxins. A majority of Diatomaceous Earth is made up of the component silica. Silica is an amazing detoxifying agent, and even The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has praised its ability to remove heavy metals from the human body[7].
DE is also an incredible water purifier. Tap water is far from perfect, just ask the people of Flint, Michigan. Numerous types of viruses and bacteria have been found in our tap water[8]. Shocked at this information, researchers examined the effects of DE filtration on water and found that it was able to absorb more than “…80% of enteroviruses (poliovirus 1, echovirus 5, and coxsackievirus B5) and coliphage MS2 present in tap water…”[9]
It is very important that only FOOD GRADE diatomaceous earth be used, industrial-grade is toxic to humans.
Just 1/2 cup of DE added to bathwater can reap so many benefits for your little one.Â
Bentonite Clay
We have long understood the benefits of clay, just look at the many options of clay masks for sale. There are many different types of clay, mined from different areas and substances of the earth, and they are classified by their mineral properties. Bentonite clay is mined from weathered deposits of volcanic ash. When mixed with water, bentonite clay becomes negatively charged. This electrical charge, like a magnet, attracts positively charged metals like mercury, lead, cadmium, aluminum, bismuth, antimony, and barium. In fact, a majority of heavy metals are classified as cations, which means they carry a positive charge.
Bentonite clay’s properties also attract viruses and bacteria. One study found that an active ingredient in bentonite clay can have a bactericidal-type effect on the bacteria that cause staph[10]. Adding bentonite clay to the bath of a child who suffers eczema can be life-changing. By removing the toxins from the child’s skin, they can begin to see healing.
Bentonite clay is also extremely nutritional, containing components like magnesium, calcium, potassium, silica, and copper.
Add 1/4 cup of Bentonite Clay to the bathwater before you little one hops in, stirring to remove any clumps.Â
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is an absolutely magical liquid that, just recently, people have been delving into the benefits of.
Some foods (especially processed foods), when broken down, create excess amounts of uric acid in the body. While the filtering of this acid is typically left up to the kidneys, adding a little ACV into your child’s bathwater can give their kidneys a boost. Adding ACV into the bathwater of children with skin issues like eczema or yeast can help balance the pH of their body and promote healing.
Add about 1/2 cup ACV to your child’s bathwater before letting them get in.Â
Epsom Salt
Epsom salt has a long history of use in home remedies, as it has so many benefits. Epsom salt, which is very different from sea salt, was first found in a saline lake in England, and it contains high levels of magnesium. Considering the fact that most Americans are deficient in magnesium, this is already a beneficial ingredient to add into your child’s detox bath. Like bentonite clay, epsom salt are also extremely high in magnesium and other minerals. Simply soaking in epsom salt can increase magnesium levels enough to skip the need for a magnesium supplement. Science and studies have shown that magnesium deficiencies can be absolutely devastating to the human body[11].
Not only does epsom salt boost levels of magnesium in the body, it also heals the body. Because of its particular properties, epsom salt has been known to greatly reduce inflammation, aiding in healing those bumps and bruises our little ones seem to acquire on the daily.
In children under 60 lbs: add 1/2 cup Epsom Salt to bathwater
In children over 60 lbs: add 1 cup Epsom Salt to bathwater
Make sure your kiddo soaks for about 25-30 minutes to ensure that you really see the benefits from the bath. As with any detox, push fluids afterward to make sure they stay hydrated.
Detox baths usually leave my little guy feeling relaxed and sleepy, so they are best when done before bed.
Until next time,
Savannah
How often do you give such a bath? It seems intensely detoxing for a kiddo…
I give my son an Epsom salt bath 3-4x a week but was told by a naturopath to leave out the baking soda because it’s too much for a kid. He’s 6 yrs & 45lbs. Thoughts?
Hey JMCCS,
Children are soooo exposed to toxins, detox baths like these are absolutely necessary. I do this bath once a week for my son, and have since he was younger than a year old, and have seen no adverse reactions. I’m curious why the baking soda would be too much for a child. Baking soda baths are an amazing treatment for diaper rash, and the baking soda does so much good. If you are only comfortable using the ES on your kiddo though, that is fine too! My son has displayed signs of toxic overload, like eczema, so more complicated detox baths work best for us <3 Thanks so much for reading!
Hi! My son is 8 months old and I believe he may have eczema. Dry, rough spots on his back, shoulders, and chest. I see you mentioned you detoxed your son before he was one. My son hasn’t had vaccines since 2 month but I guess those still left their damage :(. I was wondering how much of each thing you used for a child so small. I still bathe him in his baby tub(mostly oatmeal baths with only dr. Bronners baby soap on his hair and coconut oil and shea moisture lotion after) so it’s not that much water. Maybe how much of each ingredient per gallon. Sorry to be so lengthy but I just hate it for him, so much and I don’t know anyone else to ask. Has your sons cleared up? And also what else do you use on him?
Hey Jazmin,
Oh no, I know that eczema is NOT the thing you want to be seeing on your kiddo-it’s awful! I have, most definitely, seen soooo much improvement on my son’s skin since starting these detox baths. In fact, if his eczema seemed inflamed or red, tossing him into a bath like this seemed to calm his skin tremendously.
This detox bath isn’t as strong as some with, say, essential oils, so it is much safer and more gentle on the younger crowd. I don’t know the amount per gallon, but in a baby tub I would say to try using 1/4 of the ingredients. If you’re worried about using so many new ingredients at once, you can start by slowly adding 1-2 ingredients into the bath, and introducing new ones for the next bath. Thanks for reading!!
No problem! Thanks for this article and your reply! I’ll probably start with just epsom salt/baking soda until I can get the rest of the ingredients. Pray it helps my sweet boy also! God bless!
Thank you for this post. My daughter has some sign of eczema on the back of her arms. Where do you buy the clay?
Hey Jennifer! I’ve shared my link to twitter above <3 Thanks for reading!
Wow this is interesting. I guess I never realized how many toxins our children can be exposed to! Thanks for posting.
Yes, Ashley, it’s terrifying when you really think of all the awful chemicals, and toxins that are absorbed by our children’s bodies! Thanks so much for reading <3
I never thought to detox in a bath! How old do you think they need to be?
Hey Shannon!
The bath is such a wonderful way to detox, because our skin is just soooo big, it can pump out lots of toxins in a short period of time! I’ve been doing detox baths with my son since he was about 5-6 months old!
Wow this is amazing information! Thank you so much!!!!
Is it important to wait for baking soda before adding other ingredients?
My boys like to play and bath together. Does at change the amounts the ingredients you put in?
Nope, I would just use the same measurements (:
Interesting and something I’d never thought of for kids! Thanks for sharing #KCACOLS
Epsom salt is awesome. Love that stuff. We sell a lot of it at the pharmacy. #kcacols
Wow I did not even think about doing a detox bath for my son. I regularly use Epson and cider vinegar in soaks but have never thought about him. The other ingredients I will have to check out, especially that DE that sounds like it should be the name of a superhero baddie. Such an amazing, informative post. Thank you for linking up to #KCACOLS we hope to see you next Sunday x
Make sure that the Diatomaceous Earth you use is FOOD GRADE, not the kind that is used in swimming pool filters.
I’ve never heard of any of these ingredients. My son has eczema which flares up in regard to his dairy allergy so I will be looking to get some of these ingredients to put in his bath. Really cute pics! Thanks for linking up to #KCACOLS
Really interesting as my kids have eczema so worth a try! #KCACOLS
I have never heard of most of these ingredients, I wonder if I can find them at the local health food store. #KCACOLS
Yes I’ve researched a lot of these things and they great for you
Wow! Thank you for this information! How often is this safe to practice??
I do it like once a week typically, but if it seems like he may be getting sick I’ll sometimes bump it up to twice a week (:
Thanks, that was going to be my question 🙂
Am I right to assume that if I am on well water I don’t need the baking soda?
I’d say that’s probably a safe assumption (:
Question: I’ve been told a clay bath draws out the heavy metals, and as a result you can expect some temporary increase in the problems associated with heavy metal in the child’s system. How true is this and what might I expect if I do a detox bath?
Savannah, may I respectfully request that you amend this post to let your readers know that they should be sure to use only food grade DE and not the kind used in pool filters.
Great comment. So important
Thanks for the suggestion, SuperGram! <3 I've added that disclaimer – as it is a very important point!
Is this OK for a 10 month old baby?
I’ve been using this bath on my son since he was about 7-8 months old! If you’re worried about a reaction, you can always try adding ingredients slowly, one bath at a time (: But, I don’t see why this would be unsafe for a baby that age.
WIll this still be effective without DE?
Great information, Thank you
Is it safe if your child drinks the bath water? My girls love putting their faces in the water, but sometimes they will drink .
Everything should be safe, just be prepared as Epsom salts are often used as a laxative. ?
I have three kids 4 and under, do you think they need a separate detox bath, or would sticking them all in the tub together be okay? Would I need to up any ingredients?
I think bathing them all together would be fine!
I would bathe them separately as one can absorb the others toxins.
I don’t think that’s quite accurate, or else why wouldn’t a child reabsorb their own toxins?
My child has excema as a food allergy reaction. Are you saying that this bath could potentially reverse the allergy or just heal the skin ?
This bath would just help with healing the skin, but if the underlying allergy is still in play, then the eczema will never truly go away. For us, it took removing that allergen completely before we saw total healing.
My 22 mth old was in the bath for 27 minutes and this is what her skin looked like even hours after coming out of the bath. I did everything as instructed except for the baking soda. I posted about this in a group and was told not to ever exceed 15 minutes as it turns to poison instead of detox. I was also told not to combine bentonite clay with epsom salts, but sea salt. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/bfe400801621402c61549fac772fe9860c5ef46e7ea36fee6e5e26744c70fe86.jpg
Hey Tiffany,
I’m so sorry to hear that this bath seems to have irritated your daughter’s skin. I’ve never heard anything about it turning to poison, or that bentonite clay shouldn’t be combined with epsom salts though, and I’ve done lots of research on these ingredients. Is there any way those group members could share sources so I could see what they’re talking about?
Is your daughter naturally more sensitive to things? I would go for a more gentler version of this bath (maybe start with only baking soda and epsom salts), and seeing how she does with that. You can then add each ingredient back one at a time to see which one reacts badly with her skin!
I will ask them. I also had my 3yr old in the bath with her and they said his toxins would enter her body 0.0 so now I think I have to do it again with them separately!