Try this easy recipe to make your own shower steamers. (2024)

What are Shower Steamers?

Try this simple shower steamer recipe with ingredients you probably already have on hand.

To be honest, up until this year, shower steamers which are also known as Shower melts and shower steamer tablets were nowhere on my Radar.

I’d heard of standing in a steaming shower to help support wellness.

Truth be known, before kids I had been known for standing in a steaming shower for as long as the hot water lasted.

I like breathing in the steam and how it opens up my lungs and relaxes me.

But then Shower Steamers entered my life.

Hello, awesomeness.

DIY aromatherapy shower steamers

Shower Melts / Shower Steamers are made to sit in a corner of your shower floor away from the main flow of water. They are a great alternative to bath bombs when you don't have the time for a relaxing long bath.

The way I use my Shower melt is I place the homemade Shower steamer pod on the seat in my shower.

I know everyone doesn’t have a shower seat so placing it in the far corner of the floor of the shower works great too.

The shower disk will slowly dissolve from the small amount of shower water it gets. As the shower disk melts it releases whatever Essential oil blends you have added to them.

This gives you an amazing aromatherapy session right there in your shower as you breathe in the steam and vapors.

Now I know you can buy these in the store but I don’t want to pay $16+ for something that goes down the drain so fast.

I’m a bit frugal.

But with kids running around, I’m no Martha Stewart either.

DIY projects must be fast, easy, and inexpensive. This self care project fits all those requirements.

Try this easy recipe to make your own shower steamers. (1)

*This post contains affiliate links to the essential oils and other products I talk about in the post.I will receive a small commission from your purchase. The statements made and the products mentioned on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please talk with your medical professional before using essential oils.

What do you need to make simple shower steamer pods?

Baking soda

Essential Oils

Water

Silicone molds or muffin tin

Glass bowl

Metal spoon

Pretty much most of this you probably already have in your home.

How do you make a homemade shower steamer tablets?

This is my favorite recipe to make essential oil shower steamers. I don't include coconut oil in my shower tablets because I don't like the idea of fat going on the shower floor to cause a slip hazard.

  1. Place baking soda in to a glass or metal large bowl.
  2. Add essential oils
  3. Slowly add water
  4. Stir till it is a pasty consistency
  5. Measure out the mixture into Silicone molds or cupcake tins
  6. Allow pod to dry and harden
  7. Store in an airtight container preferably glass.

I have super in-depth instructions down below so you can whip these out fast.

But first, let’s answer a few questions that most people new to DIY Shower Disk and essential oils have about this project.

Try this easy recipe to make your own shower steamers. (2)

Can you use these shower steamer recipes as bath bombs in the bath?

The answer to this question relies on how much essential oil is used.

Following the recipe in this post, I would suggest not using the Shower melts in the bathtub if you plan on soaking and sitting in the water.

The reason for this is the number of drops of essential oils being used.

This DIY shower steamer recipe calls for more essential oils than what I would use in a bath bomb.

Bath bombs are used when you are planning to sit and soak in a tub.

So in a bath bomb or salt bath recipe, I would use a lot less pure essential oils.

Too much essential oil used in a bath can cause skin irritation and can cause a reaction.No one wants a chemical reaction to essential oils. They are not fun.

I use a higher concentration of essential oils for this recipe because it needs to be released aromatically and some of it will end up going down the drain. This higher amount is safe to use because a large majority will never touch your skin.

Try this easy recipe to make your own shower steamers. (3)

Can you use essential oils in the shower?

Yes, you can definitely use essential oils in the shower.

Essential oils are actually a part of every product I use in the shower from the shampoo and conditioner I use to the body wash and shave oil. the Aromatherapy benefits

of using essential oils in the shower are amazing.

I love that Young Living, who I get my essential oils from, is a company that creates products for your whole home.

This way you can ditch the toxic personal care products you have been using and switch to a healthier version using essential oils.

Another great way to use essential oils other than in personal care bath products, homemade beauty products, and in DIY aromatherapy shower steamers is to place 2-3 drops of essential oil on a wet washcloth and then place the washcloth to your face and inhale the oils. It's an easy way to create a spa-like shower but with less water and work. I love to use this method for my morning shower when time is important.

Try this easy recipe to make your own shower steamers. (4)

How long does it take to make this diy shower steamer recipe?

From grabbing all my ingredients, mixing, and then drying time it takes me about an hour.

Most of that is drying and cooling time. Actual work time is under 20 minutes and I’m not super fast at it.

I’ve tried several ways to dry these so they form a hard disk.

First, I tried to freeze them to dry them out using an ice cube tray.

But once I removed them from the freezer they just fell apart and made a mess. So storage outside of the freezer was a no-go.

To be honest, I’m too impatient to do the whole air-drying thing. Which is probably in truth the smartest way.

So into the warm oven, they go. I will say when you open the oven be prepared for your eyes to water when the vapors get released especially if you use eucalyptus oil to make a menthol shower steamers recipe.

How do you make shower melts with essential oils?

I love creating my own DIY shower steamers using different essential oils and natural ingredients.

My favorite are the lavender shower steamers with just a bit of essential oil called stressaway. They turn a quick warm bedtime shower into an aromatherapy spa for supporting great sleep. This recipe will show you how to make shower steamers without citric acid.

Try this easy recipe to make your own shower steamers. (5)

Yield: 6 pods

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

These simple DIY shower steamers are great for supporting wellness and relaxation while you shower. The number of essential oil steamer pods you make is based on the size of your mold and how much you fill each mold.

Materials

  • 1 cup Baking Soda
  • 3-6 tablespoons of water
  • 20 drops of Essential Oils

Tools

  • Silicone Molds or Muffin Tin
  • Glass bowl
  • Metal Spoon

Instructions

  1. Measure 1 cup of Baking soda into a large glass bowl
  2. Add 10-15 drops of essential oils
  3. Add water starting with 4 tablespoons and stir.
  4. Add more water till it reaches a dry/ pasty consistency. You want it the consistency of wet sand.
  5. Add DIY shower steamer mixture to molds
  6. Tap the mixture with the back of a spoon to compact and press the mixture to the mold.
  7. Baking in a 250 oven for 20 mins till dry and hard.
  8. Allow to cool.
  9. Store in an air-tight container.

Notes

Place one pod in the corner of the bottom of your shower. Turn on warm to hot water for shower. Allow pod to dissolve as you shower. Inhale and enjoy the steam.

If stored in an air-tight container shower steamer pods should last a month or two.

You can add a drop of food coloring if you want a colored shower pod. One drop goes a long way. Before using any coloring, I would think about the possibility of staining any surfaces the pod comes into contact. If this is a worry, I would avoid using coloring.

Try this easy recipe to make your own shower steamers. (8)

Recipes for different Shower Steamers

Feel free to create your own shower steamer recipe by varying the amount of essential oil but I would keep the total amount to around 20 drops of essential oils. I would not use fragrance oils for these recipes. You want to use pure essential oils from a good source so you know your aromatherapy recipe will work the best.

For wellness and sinus congestion support-

10 Drops Raven essential oil blend by Young Living

5 Drops Peppermint oil

5 Drops Lavender oil

For Relaxation- (using Young Living Premium Starter Kit Oils)

15 drops Stressaway essential oil blend by Young Living

5 drops Lavender oil

For Energizing Boost- (using Young Living Premium Starter Kit Oils)

10 drops Citrus Fresh essential oil blend by Young Living

10 drops Peppermint oil

Deep Breathing- Eucalyptus shower steamer recipe-

10 drops of Eucalyptus oil

5 drops Rosemary oil

5 drops tea tree oil

Try this easy recipe to make your own shower steamers. (9)

When to use these Shower steamer recipes

You can use them anytime you take an everyday shower. They also make great gifts for those you want to give a little aromatherapy love to.

I created the wellness recipe for supporting the respiratory system.

So this is a great go-to essential oil use for winter wellness.

The Young Living Essential Oil Blend Raven which is the main part of this recipe has:

Eucalyptus

Wintergreen

Peppermint

Camphor

and lemon

All these essential oils are known for helping to invigorate your senses and support the respiratory system.

(All three oils, Lavender, Peppermint and Raven, in this recipe are a part of the Young Living Premium Starter Kit)

How to use these DIY Shower steamers

I like to place the shower steamer pod in a corner of my shower or tub away from the main flow of water. This way the pod gets a light misting of water spray that allows it to dissolve slower.

As the shower disk dissolves, it releases the essential oils into the air so that they are picked up by the steam created by the warm shower.

I then relax and deeply inhale the steam and oils.

Once the Shower pod is completely dissolved I rinse my body and feet well to insure there is no left over residue from the shower steamer and then I do a quick rinse of the tub and shower.

These shower pods can be used with older kids but I would make sure there is always a parent or an adult in the room to supervise.

NOTE- It’s not recommended to use Camphor or Eucalyptus around small children or infants. If you want to use a shower pod for them I would use Frankincense, Lemon and Lavender in a pod at 4 drops each.

If you have questions regarding using essential oils safely around your children check out our super simple Safety Sheet for using essential oils safely.

What do I do if my homemade shower steamer doesn't dissolve?

Most likely if your shower steamer mixture isn't dissolving when placed on the floor of your shower it is that it is not getting enough water from the shower head. Next time, try moving the shower tablet to another location on the bottom of the shower with more spray.

shower steamer recipe

Try this easy recipe to make your own shower steamers. (2024)

FAQs

How do you make a simple shower steamer? ›

  1. In a bowl, combine 1 cup of baking soda and 1/4 cup of water. Mix together until completely combined. ...
  2. Fill Muffin Tin.
  3. Use a spoon to scoop an even amount of the mixture into each muffin mold. ...
  4. Bake Steamers.
  5. Bake at 350 degrees for fifteen minutes. ...
  6. Add Essential Oils.
  7. Time to add the oils! ...
  8. Store Steamers.

How do you make shower steamers that don't fall apart? ›

Shower Steamer Ingredients

The Epsom salts help harden them and castor oil acts as an emulsifier so they're less likely to crumble. Kaolin clay also makes them harder and can add a nice color. You could also add some mica powder or natural food coloring if desired.

How long do homemade shower steamers last? ›

As long as they're properly stored, unused bath bombs and shower steamers can last for several months or up to a year. After a year, they are still usable, but the “wow” factor diminishes.

What makes shower steamers hard? ›

Sodium Bicarbonate. You probably recognize this one by its common name, baking soda! While the ingredient is often used in cooking, it's also used in bath products, too. When mixed with citric acid, this ingredient creates hard, but dissolvable products like bath bombs and, you guessed it, shower steamers.

How do you make a Vicks shower bomb? ›

directions
  1. Heat water enough to melt Vicks.
  2. Add in baking soda and cornstarch and mix into a thick paste, if you need to, add more water.
  3. Line a muffin tin with paper cups, fill each cup about half way with mixture.
  4. Let dry overnight.
  5. Remove from paper cups when discs are hard and store in an airtight container.

Do shower steamers make shower slippery? ›

Since the steamers don't come in contact with the skin when you use them, they use essential oils for fragrance only, and generally avoid heavy use of oils so as not to make the shower floor slippery.

How long do shower steamers last in the shower? ›

How long do shower steamers last? How long the steamer lasts will depend on how direct the water stream hits the tablet, and the depth of the water on the shower floor. On average the steamers last between 5-10 minutes. Can you use shower steamers as bath bombs?

How do you make a bath bomb with household items? ›

Get the How-To
  1. 4 ounces baking soda.
  2. 2 ounces corn starch.
  3. 2 ounces citric acid.
  4. 2 ounces epsom salt.
  5. 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons water.
  6. 5-10 drops essential oil of choice.
  7. 1¼ teaspoon oil (I like coconut or olive oil here)
  8. 1-2 drop food coloring (optional)
May 3, 2023

How do you make a bath bomb with epsom salt? ›

Easy DIY Bath Bombs
  1. 1 cup Baking Soda.
  2. 3/4 cup Citric Acid.
  3. 1/2 cup Corn Starch.
  4. 2 tbsp Epsom Salt.
  5. 1/2 cup Coconut Oil ( melted)
  6. 20 drop essential oil of your choice.
  7. Bath Bomb Mold.
Apr 29, 2020

How do you make a shower bomb with epsom salt? ›

Directions
  1. Combine baking soda and Epsom salt in a bowl.
  2. Add 20 drops of essential oil.
  3. Add 3 tablespoons of water. ...
  4. Mix with your hands.
  5. Prepare a cookie sheet by lightly coating it with Crisco or cooking spray.
  6. Fill a soap mold or muffin tin with the mixture packing it tightly.
Feb 20, 2023

Can any shower be turned into a steam shower? ›

A: Converting a standard shower to a steam shower is possible. It takes quite a bit of work though. A steam generator must be added including plumbing and electrical supplies. The standard shower door must be replaced with a door that seals the steam inside.

Can I use Epsom salt as shower steamer? ›

The first remedy we made was something called "shower steamers" which are disks made of epsom salt, baking soda, and essential oils. To use, you place them in the bottom of your bathtub when you shower, and the scents should combine with the steam to bring relief to a sore throat, cough, or stuffy nose.

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