To get the benefits of your favorite bath additives without the mess, try making these convenient bath sacks at home with these do-it-yourself instructions and tips.
Bath Sack Ingredients
Making a bath sack is almost as easy as slipping into a warm tub. It's so simple, in fact, that you can easily try this craft with the kids. Just remember to do all the cutting for them beforehand. These bath sacks are basically tiny drawstring pouches. The material used for the sack can vary depending on what you have around the house, but water-friendly fabrics like terrycloth washcloths are the most popular. Using these will make them good for scrubbing as well as holding bath ingredients. The drawstring you choose should also be able to hold up to repeated drenching, so avoid yarn or delicate ribbon. You can try hemp cord, sturdy ribbon from the sewing department, or other such items. If you want to display your bath sack in the bathroom or give as a gift, you can coordinate the cloth and drawstring colors.
Sack Instructions
To make your bath sack, begin by cutting your fabric into two four-by-four-inch sections. To keep the ends from fraying, apply FrayCheck (available in sewing departments) to all the raw edges and allow it to dry or stitch them down by hand. Next, cut small holes along one end of each piece of fabric for the drawstring to thread through. (These should also be stitched or sealed with FrayCheck.) You can now sew your pieces together, making sure that the holed ends face up and are not stitched. Cut an eight-inch piece of your drawstring ribbon, FrayCheck the raw edges, and thread it in and out of your holes until the ends meet. Finally, fill your bag with your favorite bath ingredients, cinch the bag, and tie it shut with a bow.
Herbal Additives
Of course, no bath sack would be complete with the right ingredients, so here are some ideas to get you started. Some herbs make delicious bath additives because the heat and moisture release their beneficial oils. For an invigorating bath, add a tablespoon of peppermint leaves to the sack. To create a sense of calm as you bathe, try using a bit of lavender or chamomile flowers. Sage is reputed to give mental clarity, while basil is said to relax frayed nerves. The addition of either of these will also give your bath a wonderful fragrance. You can achieve a romantic scent by including rose petals or cinnamon powder. Blend these and your other favorite herbs to achieve the perfect aroma for bathing bliss.
Nourishing Additives
While herbs have their place in the tub, no bath is complete without some softening and soothing extras. The easiest to add is soap, which both cleanses and fills the tub with mountains of bubbles. To include it in your bath sack, simply grate a tablespoon of your favorite body bar. If you want something more exotic, follow in Cleopatra's footsteps by adding powdered milk to your pouch. A tablespoon of powdered goat's milk or whole milk will fill your bath with the ingredient's softening protein. If you still need more nourishment, you cannot ask for a better additive than plain oatmeal. This common grain is packed with vitamins and proteins that are perfect for stressed-out skin. Simply put two tablespoons of it in to food processor, grind it to a powder, and transfer it to your bath sack.
How to Use It
Having created the perfect bath pouch, you should be more than ready to sink into a warm bath with it. To use, place your sack in the tub as you will it with water. If you like, you can hang it from its tie over the faucet so that that water pours over it. This way, its contents will enter the bath water more quickly. Now, just ease yourself in and enjoy. After you have relaxed and allowed your skin to soak up all its bathing nourishment, take your sack out and empty the contents into the trash. If you rinse it out and allow it to dry, it can be refilled for future use almost indefinitely.
Once you have tried your first bath sack, you will never again want to take a bath without one. These simple creations are so versatile! You can just fill them with goodies to enrich the body during baths or take them in the shower. When filled with soap, they lather up wonderfully and are even better than a bath poof. They are so simple to make that you can give them as gifts or just keep an endless supply for yourself. So try out these little treats for yourself and say goodbye to picking flower petals out of your bathtub forever.
