You may have heard this a zillion times or more – Vicks VapoRub is the perfect cure-all for all your cold and cough ailments! But have you ever tried mixing it into a shower melt for a refreshing and rejuvenating experience?
The concept to make homemade shower melts is simple. Mix up some Vicks VapoRub with a couple of other ingredients and mold it into a hard tablet. Simply place the tablet in the bottom of the shower before you hop in. The water melts the components into steam that you breathe in, turning your shower into a giant diffuser.
If you’re looking for relief from congestion or a cold, the presence of menthol, eucalyptus and turpentine in the Vicks shower melts will relieve you from all that congestion pressure by the end of your shower.
There is a wide range of shower melts available in the market, although they can be a heavy pinch on your pocketbook. You can save money by making your own shower melts at home.
Not to mention cheap, they’re also extremely simple to make. You can whip them up in minutes, and they are ready to go overnight. You can even create aromatic shower melts with your personal choice of fragrances, oils, shapes and sizes.
Loaded with Vicks VapoRub, these homemade shower melts are very effective. No chemicals, no preservatives, just a natural blend that will help heal you.
Here are three methods to make your own homemade shower melts with Vicks VapoRub.
Contents
Method 1: Use Cornstarch
Things you’ll need:
- Cornstarch (binding medium) – 1 cup
- Vicks VapoRub – 4 tablespoons
- Food coloring (optional) – a few drops
- Water, in a spray bottle – 2 tablespoons
Step 1. Mix cornstarch and VapoRub in a bowl
- Put 1 cup of cornstarch in a bowl.
- Add 4 tablespoons of Vicks VapoRub to the cornstarch.
- Stir until the VapoRub breaks down and meshes well into the cornstarch. The VapoRub may take some time to warm up and blend in.
Step 2. Blend in your favorite food coloring
- Optionally, mix in a few drops of your favorite food coloring. We used yellow, but you can use any color of your choice.
Step 3. Spray some water into the mixture
- Slowly spray in about 2 tablespoons of water, adding a little at a time.
- Mix well until you have a thick, putty-like paste.
Step 4. Pack the mixture into silicone molds and let them set
- Fill some silicone molds with the mixture.
- Press down the mixture gently with your fingers or the back of a spoon to pack it tightly into the molds.
- Let the mixture set in a dry space for at least 12 to 18 hours, so that it solidifies completely.
Step 5. Pop out the shower melts and use
- When the mixture hardens completely, simply pop the shower melts out of the molds. Be careful while removing them to prevent them from breaking apart.
- Store the shower melts in a cool, dry place.
- Use 1 homemade shower melt in your daily shower and let the healing steam clear out your stuffy nose. You may put them anywhere on the floor of the shower.
Method 2: Use Baking Soda
Things you’ll need:
- Baking soda (binding medium) – 2 cups
- Vicks VapoRub – 5 tablespoons
- Water, in a spray bottle
- Sprinklers (optional)
Step 1. Combine baking soda and Vicks VapoRub in a bowl
- Put 2 cups of baking soda in a bowl.
- Add 5 tablespoons of Vicks VapoRub to it.
- Stir well until the VapoRub breaks down and meshes into the baking soda. This may take some time.
Step 2. Add sprinklers to the mixture
- Shower a few sprinklers into the mixture.
This is optional and only adds beauty to the end product. The sprinklers will impart no benefits or harm to your shower melts, so feel free to use or omit them.
Step 3. Add water and mix well
- Slowly add water by spraying it into the mixture, stirring as you go.
- Continue until you obtain a thick, putty-like consistency.
Step 4. Spoon the mixture into an ice cube tray and let them set
- Pack the mixture into an ice cube tray, gently pressing with your hands to pack them tightly.
- Put the ice tray into freezer for 24 hours to allow the shower melts to set.
Step 5. Pop out the shower melts and use
- Carefully remove the shower melts from the tray.
- Store them in an airtight container.
- Use 1 each time you take a shower, placing it on the floor near the drain.
Method 3: Use Baking Soda and Cornstarch
Things you’ll need:
- Cornstarch (binding medium) – 2 cups
- Baking soda (binding medium) – 1 cup
- Vicks VapoRub – 5 tablespoons (use Vicks BabyRub for a more gentle smell)
- Water – about 2 teaspoons
- Food coloring (optional) – a few drops
Step 1. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl
- Place 2 cups of cornstarch in a bowl.
- Add 1 cup of baking soda to it.
Step 2. Add your favorite food coloring
- Optionally, add a few drops of your favorite food coloring. We used pink, but you can use any color of your choosing.
Food coloring does not add additional benefits or pose any harm to the nature of the shower melts. It simply makes them look nicer than a bland, white tablet.
Step 3. Add in Vicks and water and combine well
- Now, add in 5 tablespoons of Vicks VapoRub, followed by 2 teaspoons of water.
- Mix until the ingredients are well combined into a paste.
Step 4. Put the mixture into silicone molds
- Scoop the mixture into silicone molds. You will need to press it down with your hands or use the back of a spoon to pack it in tightly.
- Freeze the shower melts for 12 to 14 hours.
Step 5. Pop out the shower melts and use
- Gently pop the shower melts out of the molds. Be careful to keep them from breaking.
- Store the shower melts in an airtight container and in a cool, dry place.
- Use 1 in the shower for a refreshing aroma that will also help clear up the phlegm and relieve you of any congestion.
Tips
- For extra benefits and aroma, you can blend in a few drops of your favorite essential oils.
- Adjust the amount of food coloring as per your choice of color shades. You can also create a new shade by blending 2 or more food colors.
- If you have sensitive skin, wear gloves while whipping up a batch of shower melts.
- You can also use a chocolate tray or muffin tins instead of silicone molds or ice cube trays to set the shower melts.
- Make small batches that can be used up within a month.
Summary of How to Make Homemade Shower Melts
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