How to Take a Bath

Treating yourself to a period of time in a warm bath or hot water can give you a feeling of luxury. You can relax after a long day, warm up on a winter night, or heal sore muscles with a bath. With just a little preparation, you can turn your bathroom into your own spa and enjoy a clean, comfortable, and relaxing feeling after bathing.

Table of Contents

Prepare the bath

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Rinse the tub if it hasn’t been cleaned recently. The best time to clean your bathtub is right after you shower. But if you haven’t used it in a while, you need to clean it again to make sure it’s not soaked in dirt or mold. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Spray a mixture of warm water and white vinegar in a 1:1 ratio into the bath. Let the mixture soak for 15 minutes and then wipe it off with a towel or sponge. Rinse with clean water and wipe again. Or you can use tissues, sprays, and commercially available bathroom cleaning products. ^{[2] X Research Source}

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Attach the stopper to the drain hole and start opening to let water flow into the tub. You may have to turn the lever near the faucet or prepare a rubber stopper/tub stopper to store water. If you’re not sure if the stopper is still working, you can try flushing some water into the tub. The water level will not change if the stopper is effective. If the stopper is broken, lost, or ineffective, you can prepare a temporary stopper so you can still enjoy the bath:

Place the flat rubber jar opener – a special tool used to open difficult-to-open jar lids – on the drain hole.
Wet a large handkerchief and twist it to stuff it into the drain hole. Do not push down too deeply.
Place the unused coffee filter in the open drain hole.
If it is an up-down stopper, you can use Putty to seal around the stopper

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Adjust the water temperature so that it is not higher than 38 degrees Celsius. You may find it relaxing to take a hot bath, but water that is too hot stimulates the nervous system and lowers blood pressure. Your heart will start pumping blood faster and make you feel dizzy or tired. Most importantly, water that is too hot can make it difficult to relax and fall asleep after bathing. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Use a thermometer if you want to make sure the water in the bath isn’t too hot. This step is especially important for pregnant women.
Test the water with your wrist, not your hand. Compared to other places on the body, the wrist helps you feel the temperature of the water more accurately. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Improved bathing experience

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Create a relaxing environment. If the purpose of the bath is to relax, then bright overhead lights and background noise won’t help you. Instead, you should turn on dim lights or light a few candles in the bathroom. Play some soothing music like classical music or background sounds like waves or birdsong. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

If the bathroom has a curtain, you should close the curtain or pull it half open to trap the steam and heat inside. Just make sure the curtain doesn’t get dipped in the tub.
If there is a heater in the bathroom, you should turn it on to make sure the temperature outside the tub is not too cold. Turning on the water in the bathroom with the door closed also helps to create a warm environment. Be careful not to get the heater wet.
Do not use electronic devices in the bath. This action is dangerous (and possibly deadly). Although it does not cause an electric shock, the phone or e-reader will be damaged when dropped in the bath.
Be careful when lighting candles. Candles can fall while you shower and cause a fire. Do not place unsecured candles near the bathtub.
Bring magazines or books to read. It is easier to read paperback books in the bathtub than to carry heavy hardcover books.

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Add foaming shower gel, salt, or essential oils to the bath. Enjoy a personalized bath experience by adding foaming shower gel or bath bombs to the tub; use essential oils to experience aromatherapy and moisturize the skin; Or add Epsom salts, honey, or oats to your bath to soothe or heal skin and muscles.

Add oil or other ingredients to the bath when the water is half full to ensure the oil is evenly dispersed in the water. ^{[9] X Research Source}
Use at least a cup full of oil per bath to moisturize your body. ^{[10] X Research Source}

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Use a face mask or hair conditioner. This is a great time to pamper yourself. Exfoliate the whole body with a sugar scrub. Apply mud or face mask, apply cucumber slices over your eyes to soothe and reduce swelling. Try steaming and conditioning your hair with a deep moisturizing conditioner. ^{[11] X Research Source}

Try a hydrating mask if your skin is normally dry or if you’re worried about your skin drying out in the shower.
Use a clay mask for super smooth skin. This is a great choice for oily skin or large pores.
Tea tree oil can help treat dandruff and moisturize dry hair.
Try a little Moroccan oil for shiny, greasy hair.

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Massage. Bring a small ball into the tub and place it between your body and the tub. Roll on the ball to massage your back muscles. If your body is too tense, you can control the pressure by letting your torso float in the water. ^{[12] X Research Source}

Try a relaxing facial massage
Use your fingertips to massage your temples in a circular motion. This helps relieve stress and relieve headaches.
If it’s cold, you can massage the bridge of your nose to open up the sinuses. Pinch the bridge of your nose and then slide your finger down to the nostril.

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Grab a fur coat or towel and have it ready. If you still want to feel refreshed after stepping out of the bath, nothing is more luxurious than a large fur coat or a luxurious soft towel. ^{[13] X Research Source}

Be prepared to have a robe or towel in the bathroom to wrap yourself up in immediately after showering.

Take a bath

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Take a bath for no more than 30 minutes. There are different opinions on the right time to take a bath, but it is best to be between 15-30 minutes. Bathing for too long increases the risk of severe dry skin. Wrinkled fingers are a sign that you should stop bathing. ^{[14] X Research Source}

If you take a bath longer than 30 minutes, make sure to moisturize your body as soon as you step out of the bath. ^{[15] X Research Source}
Bathing with salt can help ease sore muscles, but it also dries out the skin quickly. Therefore, you should take a quick bath if using salt. ^{[16] X Research Source}

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Do not use soap or just leave it to the end. Hot water can dry out the skin, but soapy saliva is the cause of the most damage. You should shower with body wash or shower gel as bar soap can strip the skin of its natural oils. Or you can wait until the bath is over so you don’t have to soak in the soapy water for at least another 15 minutes. ^{[17] X Research Source}

Look for a foaming shower gel that contains hydrating oils, or add oil to a foaming shower gel to prevent dry skin after a shower. ^{[18] X Research Sources}
Use soap that contains a lot of fat, which contains a lot of oil to moisturize the skin. ^{[19] X Research Source}

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Shower quickly before or after bathing (optional). There are different opinions on whether it is better to take a shower after or before a bath. Showering first will make it easier to exfoliate and your body will be clean when you soak. ^{[20] X Research Source} Taking a shower after will help remove any oils, masks, and conditioners that may still be on your body. ^{[21] X Research Source}

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Apply moisturizer and pat dry. Wet skin acts like a sponge, so applying moisturizer right after showering helps skin absorb as much of it as possible. Gently pat dry with a towel and don’t scrub too hard to avoid irritating your skin and wiping away your moisturizer. ^{[22] X Research Source}

Try using coconut oil, shea butter, cocoa butter for extra moisturizing effect. “Butter” and “oil” are much more moisturizing than “lotion”. ^{[23] X Research Sources}

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Drain the bath water and dry with a clean towel. Taking a moment to wipe off excess oil and moisture in the tub is a long-term way to help prevent the build-up of soap scum, dirt, and mold. ^{[24] X Research Sources}

Clean the bathtub quickly with clean water, then use a clean, dry towel, microfiber cloth or soft sponge to dry the water. ^{[25] X Research Sources}

Warning

Never use electronic devices in and around the bathtub. This action is very dangerous, can cause electric shock and death.
Always check the temperature of the water before entering the bath to make sure the water is not too hot or too cold.
Be careful not to slip when getting in or out of the tub.
Sleeping in the tub can lead to drowning. You can avoid drowning by adding only a small amount of water to the tub.

Steps

Prepare the bath

Improved bathing experience

Take a bath

Warning

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