How to Make a Homemade Foot Soak for Sore Feet

Few things are more relaxing than enjoying a nice warm foot soak. In addition to relieving soreness and aches, they can also revitalize your feet's skin. So naturally, you will be eager to learn how to make the perfect one yourself at home.

Preparing a homemade foot soak for sore feet requires essential oils, Epsom salt, and carrier oil. Mixing these ingredients with hot water creates a rejuvenating bath that can melt away your foot aches and pains. You can also add other ingredients for more benefits, such as lemon for fighting fungus.

Below, we'll explain exactly how you can make the ultimate foot bath—plus why they're so great for your feet.

How to make a homemade foot soak

A homemade foot soak is an excellent way to help soothe your sore feet. And thankfully, they're also pretty easy to prepare!

To make one, you'll need:

• Epsom salt
• Your choice of two essential oils
• Carrier oil (grapeseed or jojoba)

Here's how to create the perfect homemade foot soak:

1. Boil a pot of water.
2. Pour the water into your soaking basin. If using a tub, fill it to ankle height with hot water.
3. Add ½ a cup of Epsom salt to the water and stir. Use a spoon or stick to avoid burning yourself.
4. Add 3 drops of both of your chosen essential oils. Increase to 5 drops for larger basins and tubs.
5. Add 1 tablespoon of carrier oil, and stir again. By now, the water should be cool enough to enjoy.
6. Enjoy your soak for 10 to 20 minutes. Consider listening to your favorite podcast or watching a show to help you unwind.
7. Pat your feet dry afterward with a towel.

What are the benefits of a homemade foot soak?

You now know that a homemade soak is a perfect remedy for sore feet. However, you might be surprised at just how many other benefits these baths provide:

• Softer skin: It's easy for our feet to get callused and rough—especially if your work requires lots of walking. Thankfully, foot soaks prevent this by keeping your skin soft and smooth.
• Moisturization: Hot soaks are the perfect solution to dry, peeling skin. After all, the warm water helps dead skin soften and fall away. Meanwhile, the oils moisturize and refresh your feet.
• Pain relief: Dipping your toes in a homemade foot soak will make that soreness melt away. To enhance this soothing effect, ensure you don't lean on your feet while soaking them.
• Fragrance: Whether you wear heels or boots, a long day at work can leave your feet less than fragrant. Foot soaks remedy this by washing them and leaving the aroma of their essential oils.
• Mental health: Believe it or not, the benefits of a foot soak aren't limited to your feet! The enjoyment and relaxation you get from a soak can also help alleviate stress.

How are homemade foot soaks healthy?

So, a homemade foot soak can do wonders for your feet. But how exactly do they rejuvenate our skin and relieve pain so well?

As it turns out, the benefits they provide come from a few different sources:

• Firstly, floating in water is a great way to relieve joint and muscle pain. During most of the day, gravity puts constant physical stress on your feet—especially if you have a job that requires a lot of standing or walking. So by letting your feet float in your bath, those muscles get a chance to relax and recover.
• What's more, the oils you add to your foot bath help rejuvenate your skin. The carrier oils, in particular, make your dry and callused patches much softer and smoother. This also makes it easier for you to scrape dead skin away with pumice stones after.
• Finally, essential oils are naturally aromatic and absorb well into the skin. As a result, they make your feet feel fresher and smell more fragrant.

More foot soak ideas

Your homemade foot soak doesn't have to be limited to the above ingredients. In fact, there are several things you can add to your mixture to give it even more health benefits:

• Vinegar: Both white and apple cider vinegar have antifungal properties. So consider adding some to your next soak if you suffer from athlete's foot or other foot fungi.
• Baking soda: Baking soda is a powerful cleanser that can exfoliate your skin. It's the perfect ingredient for your soak if you have itchy or peeling feet.
• Pumice stone: Are your feet callused or covered in dead skin? Then try using a pumice stone after your next soak. Your skin will be softer and thus easier to exfoliate.
• Lemon: Lemon juice softens your skin while simultaneously fighting fungus. And when you also consider the refreshing citrus smell, it makes a great addition to any foot bath.

How to get the most from your homemade foot soak

Now that you're ready to make a homemade soak, there are just a few more tips you should know.

For one, ensure that the Epsom salt you buy is for human use. Because you may not realize it, but there are two grades of Epsom salt: technical and pharmaceutical.

You want the pharmaceutical grade as it's guaranteed to be safe for your bath. In contrast, technical grade salts can be impure since they're for industrial and agricultural use. Thankfully, most pharmacies and retail stores only sell the pharmaceutical grade.

This is the good stuff (it also comes in different scents so you don't even need to have your own essential oils on hand):

Dr. Teal's Epsom Salt Bundle, 3 Items, 48 Ounce each

View on Amazon

Additionally, avoid soaking for longer than 30 minutes. Otherwise, your skin may get pruney and dry out later. Plus, the water will eventually cool down and lose some of its therapeutic benefits. 10-20 minutes is the sweet spot.