Make these bath salts for cold and flu before you get sick so you'll have them on hand when you aren't feeling well.

Tis the season for colds and flu. I have been down for over two weeks with bronchitis, and my husband is on week four of pneumonia.

It's not fun to be us right now! I'm still not feeling great, but I am able to get up and do a few things each day.

I made sure to make these bath salts for cold and flu because they are nice to have on hand. When you feel yucky is not the time to start to think about making these. They will sit on the shelf for months, so make them now for when you need them.

This is one recipe from my new book Bath Salts: 30 Easy Recipes for Fun & Profit.

BATH SALTS FOR COLD AND FLU RECIPE

Links in this post may be affiliate links, which means that I earn a small commission from sales.

Unfortunately, life doesn't stop when I'm sick. I tend to be overly sensitive to cold medications, so I don't like to take them. Even non-drowsy formulas make me pass out while sitting. So needless to say, I prefer to use other remedies to help me feel better.

One thing that really helps me when I'm congested is steam. I like to take a hot shower, but a warm bath usually helps ease my aching joints, helps me relax, and helps relieve the congestion.

While you could just take a bath and get a lot of benefits, I wanted to make bath salts for cold and flu for even more benefits.

EPSOM SALTS

You can use either Epsom salt or sea salt in this recipe, but I prefer to use Epsom salts

. The magnesium in the Epsom salt can help relieve sore muscles, which are common when you are sick.

If you don't have any Epsom salt though, feel free to use sea salt.

You can also use a combination of sea salt and Epsom salt. Just make sure you have total of one cup of salts if you do use both kinds.

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ESSENTIAL OILS
Eucalyptus essential oil

is a great oil to use if you are sick because it is a natural decongestant. As the eucalyptus releases from the salts, you'll breathe it in and help loosen congestion.

The vanilla relaxes you and smells great. You don't have to use the vanilla extract, but it really does smell nice.

I used to use eucalyptus and vanilla, but now I use an essential oil blend called Breathe Easy. It's a blend of:

eucalyptus
rosemary
lavender
tea tree
cedar leaf
clove
marjoram
peppermint
pine
spearmint
anise

You can get it at Hobby Lobby or on Amazon.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup Epsom salt or sea salt
1/2 cup baking soda
3 drops eucalyptus essential oil or Breathe Easy
8 drops vanilla extract (omit if you are using Breathe Easy)
Green food coloring if desired

You can also use other essential oils for cold and flu for a custom blend.

DIRECTIONS

Just mix all of the ingredients well and store in a container. I really like the wide mouth short mason jars.

If you use food coloring, it could stain plastic containers, but it won't stain your tub or your skin.

Use 1/4 to 1/2 cup per bath when you have a cold or flu.

This recipe stores well, so you can double it or triple it. I like to keep several cups of it around when cold and flu season hit so I don't have to make it when I'm sick.

OTHER NATURAL HOME REMEDIES FOR COLD AND FLU

At the first sign of getting sick, I put Breathe Easy in my essential oil diffuser.
Drink a honey and lemon drink or tea to help loosen congestion.
I also use a cool mist humidifier at night to keep the air moist.