Sinus Bath Salts for Congestion Relief

Last Updated on December 2, 2022 by Diane Hoffmaster

Whether you have fall allergies or a horrible head cold, sinus congestion is tough to deal with.  These sinus bath salts for congestion relief may just help you breathe easier in the next couple of months. 

With herbs for congestion and a few simple pantry ingredients, these homemade bath salts will help you clear your head while you soak away those aches and pains.

When I was growing up in Connecticut, my allergies only bothered me in the spring.  Things would bloom, I would sneeze for a couple of weeks, and that was it. Then I moved south. All of a sudden, my allergies were year round and the worst time of year was fall.   Throw in the random head cold or three during the winter and I am getting a lot of use out of these sinus relief bath salts!

Natural Congestion Relief for Colds and Allergies

Why are fall allergies so bad in the south? Well, we have leaves that fall just like everywhere else but here in the south, it is still fairly warm and rainy. Fallen leaves, lots of rain and warm temperatures mean that mold allergies are a huge problem for me.

 After years of allergy shots I am finally off all of the prescription allergy medicine and I rarely get sinus infections any more.  But nasal congestion is still a huge problem for me in the fall. If you suffer from allergies like I do, check out my post on how to reduce dust in your house and how to get your dog to shed less.  You may use a lot less of this sinus relief bath if you can get the allergies under control.

 Best Herbs for Congestion Relief

I chose a few of my favorite herbs for my sinus bath salts for congestion relief.  Here are some other ideas if you want to play around with the ingredients:

• Eucalyptus is one of the most common and one I used in this sinus congestion bath.
• Try anise, thyme, and oregano. All have bold aromas and have the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status in the US.
• Use cardamom and cayenne pepper. These really get blood flowing! 
• Try peppermint. I use it as an essential oil.
• Consider fennel seed and horseradish root.  Use caution with these if you are pregnant or have sensitive skin.
• Be cautious of pleurisy root. It is an 'old fashioned' remedy but may interact badly with some medications. 

How to Use These Sinus Relief Bath Salts

You can use these sinus bath salts a couple of different ways.  They are NOT for using in a neti pot!  I find that these bath salts are wonderful sprinkled in the bathtub or used as an herbal steam for sinus congestion. Just put a few tablespoons of these sinus bath salts into a large glass bowl on the table.  Pour in some almost boiling water.  Place your face over the steam and cover your head with a towel.  Inhale the herbal steam through your nose for congestion relief!

Sinus Bath Salts for Congestion Relief

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Epsom salt
• 1 cup sea salt
• 8 TBSP dried herbs good for nasal congestion (I used 2 TBSP dried eucalyptus, 2 TBSP dried mint, 2 tablespoon dried lavender, 1 TBSP dried rosemary, and 1
• TBSP dried thyme,
• 5 drops lavender essential oil
• 8 drops tea tree oil
• 10 drops eucalyptus essential oil
• 5 drops peppermint essential oil

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a glass bowl and mix for several minutes to distribute the oils.
2. Store in a glass jar until needed.

To use:

• In bath:  Add ⅓ cup of sinus bath salts to a full, warm bath.  Soak and enjoy!
• As herbal steam:  Add 3 to 4 tablespoon sinus bath salts to a large, glass bowl.  Pour in a few cups of almost boiling water.  Place head over steam and cover with a towel.  Inhale steam for 5 minutes or so, making sure not to get your face too close to the hot water!

What herbs would YOU use in these bath salts for congestion?

(NOTE: Post updated and content added from previous publish date)

Diane Hoffmaster

Diane is a professional blogger and nationally certified pharmacy technician at Good Pill Pharmacy.  She has two college aged kids, one husband and more pets than she will admit to. She earned her BS in Microbiology at the University of New Hampshire  but left her career in science to become a stay at home mom. Years of playing with LEGO and coloring with crayons had her craving a more grown up purpose to her life and she began blogging and freelance writing full time.  You can learn more about her HERE.