A Royal Children’s Hospital–style eczema bath recipe to calm flares, soften skin, and reduce infection risk — with simple measuring tips that make it easy at home.
If your child’s eczema is dry, itchy, stinging in the bath, or prone to crusting/infected flares, an “eczema bath” can be a useful add-on to your usual routine. The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) recipe combines bath oil + pool salt, and in some cases bleach — all at safe, very dilute concentrations when measured correctly. (1–4)
[Book appointment] (Childhood Eczema Consultation)
Key takeaways
- This bath is designed to support the skin barrier and reduce irritation — it does not replace moisturiser or eczema creams. (1–3)
- Pool salt can reduce stinging and “soften” bath water for some children with eczema. (1,3)
- Bleach is optional and is mainly used when eczema is recurrently infected or crusting. (2–4)
- The RCH method uses a 10-litre bucket once to learn your bath volume — then you can fill the bath normally and just multiply the ingredients. (1,2)
Related pages: Daily routine • Triggers • Medications • Diet & allergy testing • Wet wraps • Infection red flags
Jump links
- Who eczema baths help most
- Safety first (important)
- The RCH eczema bath recipe
- Step-by-step instructions
- How to avoid the “15 bucket problem” (adult baths)
- Where to buy bath oil and pool salt
- How often to do eczema baths
- Rinse or not rinse?
- When to stop and when to seek review
- FAQ
- Book
Who eczema baths help most
Eczema baths can be helpful when a child has:
- very dry, itchy eczema that flares frequently
- eczema that stings with normal bath water
- recurrent crusting, weeping, or infected-looking flares (especially when bleach is included) (2–4)
- flare-ups that are slow to settle even with good routine + medication plan (Daily routine , Medications)
If eczema is mild and stable, you usually don’t need special bath additives.
Safety first (read this)
Used correctly, eczema baths are safe — but accuracy matters. (1–4)
Use only:
- plain pool salt (not perfumed “bath salts”) (1)
- bath oil designed for sensitive skin (avoid strong fragrance) (1)
- if using bleach: plain, unscented household bleach (not “splashless”, not scented, no added cleaners). (2–4)
Avoid:
- mixing bleach with other chemicals
- getting bath water in the eyes
- immersing the head under water (wet face/hair carefully without submerging). (2,3)
If your child has rapidly worsening redness, pain, fever, spreading infection, or painful blisters — skip the bath and follow (infection red flags).
The RCH eczema bath recipe (the one we base this on)
RCH recommends:
- Bath oil: 1–2 capfuls per bath (1)
- Pool salt: 100 g (⅓ cup) per 10 litres of water (1)
- Bleach (optional): 12 mL of 4% household bleach per 10 litres of water (1–4)
Other key RCH instructions:
- bath temperature no hotter than 30°C (1)
- do not rinse off after the bath (1)
- use fresh towels (1)
- wet the face/head each bath without immersing (1–3)
Step-by-step: how to do an eczema bath at home
Step 1 — Fill the bath (cool to lukewarm)
- Aim for lukewarm water (RCH: ≤30°C). (1)
- Fill to your usual level.
Step 2 — Add the ingredients (mix well)
Add to the bath water and swish around:
- A) Bath oil
- 1–2 capfuls per bath. (1)
- B) Pool salt
- 100 g (⅓ cup) per 10 L of water. (1)
- C) Optional bleach (only if advised / infection-prone eczema)
- 12 mL of 4% bleach per 10 L of water. (1–4)
Step 3 — Soak
- Soak for about 10 minutes. (2,3)
Step 4 — Wash face/head safely
- You can wet the face and head gently with bath water, but do not submerge the head. (1–3)
Step 5 — Get out, pat dry, and “seal”
- Pat dry (don’t rub). (1,3)
- Apply your plan straight away:
○anti-inflammatory cream to active patches if prescribed Medications, then
○moisturiser over the body (“soak + seal” principles from Daily routine. (3)
Adults and bigger baths: avoid the “15 bucket problem”
RCH uses a 10-litre bucket to count how many buckets fill the bath (1). That’s great for accuracy — but if you’re doing this as an adult (or your bath is large), you don’t want to haul 15 buckets every time.
A practical approach
1.Measure once with a 10 L bucket and write it down.
2.Next time, just fill the bath normally to the same level.
3.Multiply ingredients by the number of “10 L units”.
What’s a typical bath volume?
Many standard household bathtubs are roughly 150–200 litres when filled near the usual level. (5,6)
Example:
If your bath is 150 L, that’s 15 × 10 L units, so you multiply:
- pool salt: 100 g × 15 = 1500 g
- bleach (if used): 12 mL × 15 = 180 mL
Bath oil remains 1–2 capfuls per bath (not per bucket), as per RCH. (1)
Tip: once you find your preferred bath waterline, mark it discreetly (e.g., inside edge with a small dot), so you can repeat it reliably.
Where to buy bath oil and pool salt (easy options)
To keep this practical:
Pool salt
- Bunnings (usually labelled “pool salt”)
- Pool supply shops
- Some supermarkets/hardware stores (depending on brand/stock)
Bath oil
- Pharmacies (often in the sensitive skin / eczema aisle)
- Supermarkets (sensitive skin section)
Choose a bland, fragrance-free or low-fragrance bath oil if possible — heavily perfumed products can irritate eczema-prone skin. (1,3)
How often should we do eczema baths?
This depends on severity and infection risk.
- For dry/irritable eczema (oil + salt): some families use it a few times per week during flare-prone periods. (1,3)
- For infection-prone eczema (with bleach): schedules vary, but often 1–3 times per week is used, with adjustment based on how the skin responds. (2–4)
We’ll tailor frequency to your child’s age, eczema severity, infection history, and practicality at home.
Rinse or not rinse?
The RCH eczema bath guidance advises do not rinse after bathing in salt/bleach/bath oil. (1)
Some other services suggest a brief rinse. (3,4)
If you’re following the RCH method, the key is:
- pat dry and
- moisturise immediately afterwards Daily routine). (1,3)
When to stop and when to seek review
Stop and book a review if:
- baths cause persistent stinging or worsening redness
- eczema isn’t improving after 2–3 weeks of consistent use
- your child keeps getting crusting/infected flares despite using the full plan Daily routine + Medications + Infection red flags
- you’re unsure whether the eczema is infected Infected Eczema in Children
FAQ
Is the bleach concentration safe?
Yes — when mixed correctly, the target dilution is very low (commonly described as similar to a chlorinated pool). (2–4)
Can I do oil + salt without bleach?
Yes. Many children benefit from oil + salt alone, especially if the goal is hydration and reducing stinging. Bleach is mainly for infection-prone eczema. (1–4)
What if we don’t have a 10 L bucket?
A 10 L bucket is useful for measuring once. If you don’t have one, you can estimate your bath volume (many are ~150–200 L), then adjust based on your bath level — but measuring once is best for accuracy. (1,5,6)
Book an appointment
If your child’s eczema is hard to control, stings in the bath, or is frequently crusting/infected, we can build a simple written plan that combines:
- daily routine
- trigger control
- medication strategy
- infection prevention
- and whether an RCH-style eczema bath is right for your child
[Book appointment] (Childhood Eczema Consultation)
Clinics: Ivanhoe and Diamond Creek
References
1.Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne. Formula for an eczema bath (PDF). https://www.rch.org.au/uploadedFiles/Main/Content/derm/Eczema%20bath.pdf
2.Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne. Kids Health Info: Skin infections – bleach baths. https://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/skin_infections_bleach_baths/
3.Perth Children’s Hospital. Eczema – diluted bleach baths (PDF). https://pch.health.wa.gov.au/~/media/Files/Hospitals/PCH/General-documents/Patients-and-Families/Health-facts/Eczema—Diluted-bleach-baths.pdf
4.RACGP. Atopic dermatitis in children. https://www.racgp.org.au/afp/2016/may/atopic-dermatitis-in-children
5.Zure Bathrooms. How many litres in a bathtub in Australia? https://zure.com.au/apps/sections/product-knowledge-for-bathroom/how-many-litres-in-a-bathtub-in-australia
6.Volupto. How much water does a bath use? https://volupto.com.au/blogs/news/how-much-water-does-a-bath-use-a-simple-guide