Indulge in a spa-worthy escape with our guide on how to make herbal tub tea at home. Blend relaxing herbs, skin-soothing botanicals, and nourishing essential oils to create a personalized tub tea recipe that will elevate your next soak session.
Nothing restores your body like a good long soak. But you know what’s not very soothing? Cleaning the tub afterward.
Baking soda and Epsom salt baths are no problem, but when you start adding herbs things get tricky. And trust me, you do not want to spend 10 minutes after a relaxing bath cleaning up a chamomile explosion in your tub.
That's where these easy breezy tub tea bags come in. Steep one in your bath or drape it over your faucet and let the salts, oils, and flower essences diffuse into the water.
Jump to:
What Is Tub Tea?
Tub tea is just what it sounds like – little tea bags filled with herbs, flowers, baking soda, and salts that you steep in the tub. It’s the perfect way to relax in cold winter months and the ingredients will do wonders for your dry, itchy skin.
Loose flower petals, tea leaves, and herbs are great for the skin but they can be quite messy in a bathtub (and wreak havoc on your poor bathroom drain). So bundling everything together in a tea bag helps to contain the mess and makes for super easy clean up.
Simply drop a couple in a hot bathtub or run ‘em under warm water to relieve sore muscles, soothe pain, and hydrate parched skin. When you’re done, simply toss the bag in the trash (or empty it and use it again later).
And voila! No messy cleanup or herbs to pick out of the drain.
Best Herbs for Tub Tea
These DIY bath teas are a lot like teas for drinking. Choose herbs based on their stress-relieving qualities and let them steep in hot water before taking a dip.
Here’s a breakdown of a few of our favorite herbs and their benefits:
Chamomile: Chamomile has a calming effect on children and adults, has soothing anti-inflammatory properties, and aids in relaxation during nighttime routines.
Lavender: Calming and relaxing, lavender is widely used for stress relief and promoting a good night's sleep.
Lemon Balm: Calming and uplifting, lemon balm is known for its mild citrus scent and relaxation-inducing properties.
Rosemary: Invigorating and stimulating, rosemary is often used to boost mental clarity and focus. Can also help promote hair growth and stimulate circulation.
Roses: Roses bring a luxurious and fragrant touch to your tub tea. Adding rose petals to your bath helps reduce stress and promotes self-love and relaxation.
Calendula: Calendula has skin-soothing properties and is often used for its anti-inflammatory benefits.
Mint: Refreshing and cooling, mint can provide a revitalizing sensation during your bath.
Eucalyptus: Known for its respiratory benefits, eucalyptus can help open up the airways and promote a sense of clarity.
Jasmine: The sweet and exotic fragrance of jasmine is associated with relaxation and can add a touch of luxury to your tub tea.
How To Make Tub Tea
Step 1 | Mix the Ingredients
In a bowl, combine the dried herbs and flowers with Epsom salt or other ingredients. The salt helps to relax muscles and soothe the skin.
Step 2 | Add Essential Oils
If you want to enhance the aroma, add 5-10 drops of your favorite essential oil. Popular choices include lavender, eucalyptus, tea tree, or chamomile.
Step 3 | Fill the Bags
If you're using muslin bags, cheesecloth, or a tea ball, fill them with your herbal mixture. Leave enough space for the herbs to expand when they come into contact with water.
Step 4 | Secure the Bags
Tie the bags securely with a ribbon or string. Make sure the bags are tightly closed to prevent the herbs from escaping into the bathwater.
What Else Can I Add To Tub Tea?
—Powdered whole milk is a great addition to soften the skin
—Dried ginger to soothe irritated skin and reduce inflammation
—Epsom salt or sea salt for added minerals
—Citrus peels or mint for a refreshing bath
—Essential oils will add a little aromatherapy action, while the herbs will soothe your skin and the hot water relaxes tense muscles. Try oils that are good for the bath like ylang-ylang, cedarwood, and lavender for a relaxing soak.
Check out this post for more skin-softening bath ingredients.
7 Herbal Bath Recipes
Here are a few tub tea blends that you can try, combining different herbs for various purposes:
Relaxation Blend:
- Lavender buds
- Chamomile flowers
- Rose petals
- Epsom salt
- Optional: a few drops of lavender essential oil
Soothing Skin Blend:
- Calendula petals
- Oats (ground or colloidal oatmeal)
- Chamomile flowers
- Lavender buds
- Epsom salt
- Optional: a few drops of chamomile essential oil
Refresh and Revitalize Blend:
- Peppermint leaves
- Eucalyptus leaves or dried eucalyptus
- Rosemary leaves
- Green tea leaves (for antioxidant benefits)
- Epsom salt
- Optional: a few drops of peppermint or eucalyptus essential oil
Floral Citrus Bliss:
- Rose petals
- Orange peel
- Lemon balm leaves
- Lavender buds
- Epsom salt
- Optional: a few drops of orange or lemon essential oil
Grounding and Balancing Blend:
- Patchouli leaves
- Sandalwood chips or powder
- Lavender buds
- Rose petals
- Epsom salt
- Optional: a few drops of patchouli or sandalwood essential oil
Energizing Minty Mix:
- Peppermint leaves
- Spearmint leaves
- Lemon verbena leaves
- Epsom salt
- Optional: a few drops of peppermint or spearmint essential oil
Romantic Rose Delight:
- Rose petals
- Hibiscus flowers
- Lavender buds
- Epsom salt
- Optional: a few drops of rose essential oil
Tub Tea Sachet Options
Reusable sachets
To make reusable sachets, I purchased a few muslin tea bags from a nearby health food store. Add a loop at the top so you can hang it over the faucet. Make sure it’s loose enough to let the water run through, so the herbs can diffuse in the bath water.
The muslin bags are completely reusable, so next time you’re in the mood for a bath you can simply refill it with your favorite bath salts or herbs.
You can also make sachets using cheesecloth. Cut a square of cheesecloth, place the herbs in the center, and tie at the top with kitchen twine.
Another reusable option is using tea balls.
Disposable tea bags
If you're giving them as gifts, these heat-sealable tea bags make an easy disposable option. When you’re done, simply toss the herbs in the trash can, rinse out the tea bag, and let it dry.
How To Use Tea in the Bath
Run a Warm Bath: Fill your bathtub with warm water. As it's filling, drop the tub tea bag into the water.
Steep and Soak: Let the tea steep in the warm water as the bath fills up. You can also knead the bag a bit to release more of the herbal goodness.
Enjoy Your Bath: Once the bath is ready, step in and enjoy a relaxing soak. The herbs, flowers, and essential oils will infuse the water, creating a soothing and aromatic experience.
Dispose of the Residue: After your bath, simply discard the used tub tea bag. If you use a reusable bag or a tea ball, empty the contents into the compost or trash.
Soothing Floral Tub Tea + Relaxing Herbal Tub Tea Recipe
Equipment
- Reusable muslin tea bags
- Heat Sealed Tea Bags
- Optional: String, paper and gluestick for labels
Materials
Relaxing Herbal Blend
- ⅛ cup lavender buds
- ⅛ cup chamomile buds
- ⅛ cup calendula buds
- 2 cups sea salt
- 1 cup baking soda
- ½ cup powdered milk
- 15-20 drops essential oils of your choosing
Soothing Floral Blend
- ½ cup baking soda
- ¼ cup sea salt
- ¼ cup powdered milk
- 3 tablespoon dried ginger
- 1 cup dried flowers lavender, roses and chamomile are a great place to start
Instructions
To Make Reusable Muslin Bags
- Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.
- Spoon into muslin tea bags until the bag is ⅔ of the way full. Cinch the drawstring tightly and store tea bags in an airtight glass jar.
- To use, place a tea bag in the tub or drape it over the faucet and let the water run through it while the tub fills. Allow the herbs to infuse the bathwater.
To Make Disposable Tea Bags
- Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and stir to combine.
- Spoon the mixture into the tea bags until about ¾ full.
- Clip a piece of string approximately 4 inches long. Tuck inside your tea bag and use an iron to seal the tea bag shut.
- Make the label by cutting a small strip of paper and folding it over the loose end of the string. Use a glue stick to affix it.
- Tuck 4 or 5 tea bags into a metal tin for a last minute holiday gift.
- To use, hook one or two tea bags over the tap while you run your bath, letting the water flow through the bag. When you’re done, simply toss the bag in the trash.
