Sea Salt Soak Basics: Everything You Need to Know

Have you gotten a piercing and want to keep it clean? Are you looking to destress and give yourself some self-love? Then you should consider getting a sea salt soak.

Sea salt baths have been around for centuries as a remedy for many ailments. One can use them for a relaxing bath or as a wound cleaner. If you have an interest in sea salt soaks and how to make your own, then keep on reading.

Did you know that you can use a sea salt soak to sterilize wounds? Sea salt soaks have a variety of uses depending on how you prepare them.

So, what is a sea salt soak, and how do you make one? What are the benefits, especially for piercings? This sea salt soak guide has all you need to know.

What is a Sea Salt Soak?

If you prepare your sea salt soak the right way, it becomes a saline solution. Doctors often also use this to clean and sterilize equipment and wounds. A sea salt soak has a composition like distilled water, making it clean and safe to apply to wounds.

A sea salt soak has a variety of uses. You can use sea salt as a body exfoliator scrub to get rid of dead skin and even clear out imperfections. However, you should only use a 0.9 % saline solution for sterilization.

How to Prepare Your Sea Salt Soak

You can prepare your sea salt soak in many ways, depending on what you need to use it for. If you recently got a piercing, you have created an open wound in your body. A sea salt soak can be helpful in cleaning and healing this wound.

Sea Salt Soak

The word "soak" might be misleading to those who have never tried a sea salt soak. To have a sea salt soak, you don't need to be in a bathtub. You can apply a sea salt soak to a sterile dressing or bandage and drape it on your wound or piercing.

To prepare your own sea salt soak, you would need 1/8 to 1/4 of a teaspoon of sea salt. While you may think this is not a strong solution, this is the recommended amount of sea salt. Adding more sea salt can irritate your wound or piercing.

Boil 1 cup of water for at least 20 minutes. You can also use one cup of distilled water for this. Mix 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt with your water. Cut up your gauze or dressing to a square the size that covers your wound or piercing.

Dip this square gauze or dressing into your sea salt solution. Then, apply them to the affected area and secure the gauze with tape. After using your soak, you can rinse with water to remove any residue.

DIY Sea Salt Solution

A salt solution is what people use to clean wounds. This is different from sea salt soaks as they make use of non-iodized salt. A salt solution is also called a saline solution.

You can't rub salt on your wound to sterilize it. You would need to follow a sea salt soak recipe. To do this, you must have at least two teaspoons (tsp) of non-iodized sea salt on hand.

Boil 4 cups of water for at least 20 minutes, or you can also use 4 cups of distilled water. Then using a clean mixing utensil, mix the boiled or distilled water with 2 tsp of sea salt. Place your sea salt mixture in a clean, airtight container.

If you want to make a smaller batch, you can use 1 cup of distilled or boiled and mix with 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt. It is essential to boil tap water for at least 20 minutes to kill off any bacteria it may contain.

When done, make sure to let it cool before using it. Then, you can apply this mixture to your wound to sterilize and help it heal. You can use this for a saltwater nasal spray and more.

How to Use a Sea Salt Soak

Are you new to sea salt soaks? Here are some recommended ways of treating yourself with a sea salt soak.

1. Sea Salt Foot Soak

If you have issues with dry or painful feet, we have the perfect sea salt soak for you. A sea salt foot soak is a perfect way to relax your feet while taking away all those callouses.

You will need a foot bath or any water basin that can fit your feet and add hot water anywhere between 92 to 100 °F or 33 to 37 °C. For your sea salt soak solution, you will need a few ingredients.

The first is 1/2 cup of sea salt of your choice. Then get 1 cup of apple cider vinegar and any carrier oil like jojoba oil.

Add 1 cup of apple cider vinegar to your foot bath with warm water. Then mix equal parts of sea salt and carrier oil of your choice in a bowl and then set this mixture aside.

Soak your feet in the foot bath with apple cider vinegar for 5 to 10 minutes. After that, use your sea salt mixture to scrub your feet. You can use a pumice stone or a foot file to help exfoliate your feet.

After that, rinse your feet with fresh water and dry them with a towel.

2. Sea Salt Ear Soak

You can also use sea salt soaks for ear piercings. Sea salt ear soaks have the same recipe as ones used for wounds. All you need is 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt, depending on your preference.

Boil a cup of water for 20 minutes or use a cup of distilled water. Mix your sea salt with your boiled or distilled water. Then, cut up your dressing or gauze to a square the size of your piercing.

Apply this to your ear piercing for 5 minutes. When done, remove the soak and clean your piercing off with fresh water. This helps remove any residue from your sea salt soak.

3. Sea Salt Nasal Soak

A sea salt nasal soak has the same recipe as the ones used for piercing. Mix a cup of distilled or boiled water with 1/8 to 1/4 tsp of sea salt. This is also called a saline nasal wash which helps with sinusitis and nasal infection.

Put 8 ounces of sea salt solution in a rubber ear bulb syringe or a nasal saline rinse bottle. Tilt your head sideways so that one nostril is above the other. Then squeeze half of your solution into the top nostril gently.

Breathe through your mouth and not your nose to avoid choking. After a few seconds, the solution will come out of your other nostril. Repeat this process so that your other nostril is at the top.

Blowing your nose gently helps prevent the solution from getting into your ears. If some of the solutions get into your ears, it is okay but may cause some discomfort. The discomfort will be gone after a short time.

If you are using any nasal medication, make sure to apply your medication before doing a nasal sea salt soak. Doing a nasal sea salt soak will rinse your medication off.

4. Sea Salt Soak for Wounds

This recipe is the same as the one used for piercings. All you have to do is boil 1 cup of water or get 1 cup of distilled water. Mix in 1/8 to 1/4 sea salt.

Then get your gauze or dressing and ensure you have enough to cover your wound. Next, soak your gauze or dressing in your solution and apply it to your wound. You can only do this for a maximum of 5 minutes, or it may irritate your wound.

Bonus: Sea Salt Body Scrub

Did you know you can use sea salt for a body scrub? Sea salt can also serve as a natural exfoliator for your body. This helps brighten your skin and exfoliate dead skin.

Sea salt body scrubs can have different formulations that help address skin issues. This includes anything from exfoliating and evening-out skin tone. If you have dark underarms or thighs, then a sea salt scrub can help lighten those areas.

Some sea salt scrubs have other chemicals added to their products. This can make their sea salt unsafe for things like wound cleaning. If you are looking for a sea salt that's 100% organic, then try out Hebe Botanica's sea salts.

Hebe Botanica only sells vegan and organic products free from any harmful chemicals. Our products come blended with relaxing salts and premium essential oils.

Get a Sea Salt Soak Today

These are only a few basic things you need to know about a sea salt soak. Whether you're looking to destress or disinfect a new piercing, a sea salt soak is perfect for you!

Are you looking for vegan products to add to your skincare routine? That's where we come in! Contact us today at Hebe Botanicals.