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Perfect for cold and flu season, use these Homemade Vicks Soother Tablets to clear your stuffy nose and relieve sinus pressure naturally. This is the original Vicks Soother Tablets recipe online and uses natural essential oils to help relieve head colds without chemicals.
Do you remember the commercials for the Vicks Vapor shower tablets thingies? You’d put one of the disks in your shower, and voila thanks to the vapors in it, you’re magically healed, your cold is gone, and your face is shockingly free of snot.
I always used to watch the “Noxema girl” splashing water on her face in those commercials and wondered how she was able to wash her face without being completely overrun with boogers.
I’m the only one? Yes? I’m stuck in the ’90s? Ok, moving along then…
What Ingredients Are In Homemade Vicks Soother Tablets?
- Baking soda
- Arrowroot powder
- Water
- Rosemary essential oil
- Lavender essential oil
- Eucalyptus essential oil
Please note, you will NOT see cornstarch in this recipe for a very specific reason. Cornstarch is horrible for clogging drains and is a plumbing nightmare!
The oils I buy from Plant Therapy have worked well for me, are affordable, and available on Amazon. I do not sell essential oils and am not part of any MLM organization. If you have an oil brand that you prefer, please feel free to use those!
Is There a Kidsafe Version?
Yes! The main essential oils in these Vicks Soother Tablets are not safe for kids under 12. If you have younger kiddos, Plant Therapy makes a Kid Safe Sniffle Stopper. Use 30 drops of that in place of the lavender, rosemary, and eucalyptus oils.
Can I Just Use Vicks?
My preference is always for a natural version of anything I am using for my health, which is why I use the essential oils. If oils are not in the cards for you, sub in 4 tbsp of Vicks Vapor Rub for the essential oils.
If you have kids under two, please make sure you use Baby Vicks Vapor Rub.
Can I Use Herbs Instead of Oils?
Yes, but you will need a large amount to replace the potency of the essential oils. You would want to use 2 tbsp (chopped) of each herb.
Can I Use Fragrance Oils?
I would not use them. Essential oils have medicinal properties, whereas fragrance oils are just there to give you the scent.
How Do I Use Shower Soothers?
You will want to place one on the floor of your shower. If you put it in the direct spray of the shower it will likely dissolve more quickly but give you a more intense hit of the oils.
Alternatively, you can put it in the direct spray while your shower is heating up, and then scoot it over to the side when you jump in. Or walk in, because jumping into a slippery shower seems kind of beetle-headed. I mean, you’re already stuffed up, why risk a concussion?
How To Store Shower Soothers
If you’re using them for yourself, throw them in an air-tight container and toss them in a cupboard or bathroom closet. If you’re gifting them for friends or family, an 8 oz jam jar with a ribbon tied around it would be cute!
How Long Do Homemade Vicks Soother Tablets Last?
Without herbs added to the mix, the shower soothers will last indefinitely. However, the strength of the essential oils will fade in a month or so. To store longterm, you can make them without the oils and add 2-3 drops of each oil just prior to using.
How to Make Soother Tablets
*Detailed and printable recipe card is available at the bottom of the post
In a mixing bowl, combine baking soda, arrowroot powder, water, and 15 drops of each of the lavender, eucalyptus, and rosemary essential oils to the mixture. Stir until the mixture forms a thick paste. Pro tip: it should be thick and viscous and with some water remaining on the top.
Scoop the paste into a muffin tin lined with muffin cups or a silicone muffin tin.
Bake at 250 degrees until hardened – about 30 minutes. Alternatively, you can set them out overnight for 12-18 hours.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Your soothers may still be a bit squishy after baking. They should harden as they cool. If you use silicone muffin tins, the bottom of the tablets may be sponge-like. That’s totally normal.
- If you leave your shower tablets out overnight to harden, please keep them in a safe place away from pets.
- A silicone muffin tin (always available at thrift stores!) makes it super easy to remove the shower tabs once cooled. If you want to use a traditional muffin tin, definitely use a cupcake liner. However, you may still have a hard time removing the tab from the liner. I love these compostable cupcake liners because nothing sticks to them!
Variations
- Feel free to add a little food coloring if you want to jazz up the appearance of these shower soothers.
- If you want to use the essential oils and also use some herbs to make them look cute, add the herbs to the top of the mixture after you have filled the muffin tin. I found out the hard way that pouring the mixture over the herbs results in them turning brown after baking. Your shower soothers may end up looking muddy or moldy. Gross!
- If you have an oil combination that you love, feel free to adapt the recipe to fit your preferences. Peppermint and eucalyptus combined are both great for clearing sinuses and perking you up! If you shower at night and want a calming soother, lavender is great for bedtime. I love Plant Therapy’s Sleep Aid blend.
These homemade Vicks Soother Tablets are wonderful to have around for cold and flu season, and I use them during the four months a year when my allergies are on full display.
MORE HOMEMADE DIY IDEAS
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Homemade Vicks Soother Tablets {Shower Soothers)
Ingredients
- 1 cup baking soda
- 1/4 cup arrowroot powder
- 1/3 cup water
- 15 drops lavender essential oil
- 15 drops rosemary essential oil
- 15 drops eucalyptus essential oil
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine baking soda, arrowroot powder, water, and 15 drops of each of the lavender, eucalyptus, and rosemary essential oil to the mixture. Stir until the mixture forms a thick paste.
- Add 15 drops of each of the lavender, eucalyptus, and rosemary essential oil to the mixture. Scoop the paste into a muffin tin lined with muffin cups or a silicone muffin tin.
- Bake at 250 degrees until hardened - about 30 minutes. Alternatively, you can set them out overnight for 12-18 hours. Store in an air-tight container until needed.
- Remove from the paper liner prior to using, and place on the floor of your shower. Breathe deeply, and enjoy.
This post on homemade Homemade Vicks Soother Tablets {Shower Soothers) was originally published in March 2012. I’ve updated it in December 2018 with new photos, details, and instructions. For reference, this is one of the photos from the original post:
I found this on pinterest and can’t wait to make these! My husband and I were totally addicted to the Vicks shower soothers. Any time I go into a new pharmacy I look to see if I can find a knock off shower tablet…a few times I’ve lucked out and I actually have one box in my bathroom that I’ve been hording until I reallllllly need it. So glad I found your recipe! Yay!!!
I did this tonight for my big baby *aka* husband. I baked them at 300 for an hour and they are definitely dry. Too dry almost. I’m not sure how the paper is supposed to come off but I imagine once you put it in hot water it’ll soak off pretty easily. Maybe though since they’re so dry, they’ll stay “alive” longer in the shower than Becky’s did.
I can’t reply to individual comments for some reason right now.
For the person who had them dissolve super quickly, I had that issue with one of the batches I made. I think my issue was too much water in the mix, and putting them in a place in the shower where they got too much direct water.
I had more success making them with less water, and putting them on our little shelf in the shower.
This looks like a great thing to try out for both of my kids who are having sinus issues. Has anyone tried to bake them? If so, what temp did you use and how long did it take?
Thanks!
oh my goodness this just made my day! Shower soothers aren’t available anymore and I fell in love with them when I was pregnant with my son ans couldn’t take anything for my cold! Now I am 8 months along and so happy to know I can make my own.
I made a batch of these last night because everyone in my family has a nasty cold. I am just wondering if I did something wrong because when we put them in the shower they melted so fast that we didn’t get the benefit of the vapor from the oils. Any suggestions?
Becky, check out the “addendum” I posted in the original post (towards the bottom). Hope that helps!
I’m pretty sure they have stopped making the Vicks shower things. They used to get really hot in when they got wet (like burn your fingers and toes hot). I was looking for them a few weeks ago when I couldn’t shake the cold I got. I am soooo going to hold onto this and make these next time I get sick. Do you know how long they can be stored?
They got hot? Weird!!!
The essential oils will start losing strength after awhile. Nothing will “go bad”, but it won’t be as “smelly” after a few months.
The problems with baking them are that the heat makes the essential oils evaporate and can causes chemical changes in the oils as well, possibly making them less effective.
The instructions she gave for baking were to wait to add the oils until after the discs were done baking.
like it says in the original instructions..add the oil after baking…it soaks in…
I think she suggested adding the oils AFTER you bake the disks. It seems to me you could also just store the un-oiled disks, adding the oil right before using for maximum potency, no?
this is awesome as I have used the Vick’s Shower Disks when my sinus infections got real bad but havent been able to find them anywhere for a few years now…so this is REALLY fantastic – thank you!
Thanks! I teach a course in essential oils & will have the class try this. Will pass on your blogsite to the group. How fun!
Do you know how long to bake them? I am an impatient creative soul and want to use them tonight in my shower. 🙂 Thanks so much for the post also! I have a very tough (firefighter/cop) hubby who turns into a whinny baby when he gets a tiny cold. He often says “I think I’m dying…..” Oh man. I could definitely use these for him.
It kind of depends on how much water you put in there. I would say less than a hour if your paste is pretty thick. Have you ever seen the “man cold” video on you tube? That is my husband, and it sounds like yours as well.
They ALL do that! My husband does too. I have to bring him things and hide my face so he can’t see me rolling my eyes. He’s actually told me he thinks he’s dying too. LOL Little kids are better than grown men with a cold. This will definitely work for him! Thank you!