Dermatologists sometimes recommend bleach baths to manage the symptoms of atopic dermatitis, the most common form of eczema. Eczema flare-ups cause the skin to become itchy and inflamed. This occurs when part of the immune system becomes overactive, leading to inflammation and an itchy rash.

How do you take a bleach bath safely, and how do you know whether it will help your specific eczema symptoms? Read on to learn more.

What Is a Bleach Bath for Eczema?

A bleach bath is just what it sounds like: taking a bath with a small amount of household bleach in the water. The use of bleach baths can help reduce bacteria on the skin, which may ease eczema symptoms like itchiness and skin discoloration. Staphylococcus aureus is a bacterium linked to flares of atopic dermatitis.

The small amount of bleach in a bleach bath is extremely diluted, and you only stay in the tub for about five to 10 minutes. This allows the bleach to work without hurting your skin.

When done properly, diluted bleach baths are safe for most people with eczema — even children. However, bleach can irritate and dry the skin, so it’s best to ask your dermatologist before trying a bleach bath. As one member of MyEczemaTeam said, “The doctor has mentioned bleach baths if all else fails.”

Some MyEczemaTeam members have had luck with bleach baths for eczema. One noted, “Some find bleach baths helpful for reducing bacteria, which can cause eczema symptoms to worsen.” Another said, “I came home from work today itching all over. My face broke out badly. I am beside myself. I’m taking a bleach bath!”

Are Bleach Baths Good for Eczema?

Bleach baths may help some people with eczema reduce itching, redness and discoloration, and scaly skin. Bleach baths may be particularly useful when the severity of atopic dermatitis is extreme or interferes with daily life.

How a Bleach Bath Might Help Eczema

Medical professionals believe bleach helps improve the symptoms of eczema by killing bacterial infections on the skin — particularly Staph bacteria, like Staphylococcus aureus. Because eczema can cause significant itching, people often scratch the affected areas and end up with open wounds.

Staphylococcus aureus bacteria often live on the skin and can invade these wounds, causing a bacterial infection that can lead to even more itching, swelling, and pain. Reducing bacteria with a bleach bath may help people with severe eczema feel better by easing itching and inflammation of the skin.

Bleach Baths Are Not Considered an Eczema Treatment

It’s important to understand that while bleach baths for eczema treatment may be a common practice, they may not effectively treat eczema. A 2017 systematic review found that bleach baths were no more effective against atopic dermatitis than plain water baths. A 2024 study confirmed that the benefits of diluted bleach baths for treating atopic dermatitis remain unclear. In that case, if the thought of taking a bleach bath isn’t appealing to you, regular bathwater may be just as effective.

Do Dermatologists Recommend Bleach Baths for Eczema?

It’s important to talk to your doctor or dermatologist about taking a bleach bath for eczema before trying it. Some doctors recommend them for most people with eczema (including children), while others see them as a last resort because of potential side effects.

Because bleach can worsen certain other health conditions, like asthma, your doctor will need to take your entire health history into consideration before deciding whether to recommend bleach baths for eczema on your hands, feet, and other affected areas.

Your dermatologist will also make sure you know how to take a bleach bath safely. They may recommend adding a specific amount of bleach to your bathwater or limiting the time you spend in the tub. Your doctor should also tell you what signs and symptoms to look for if irritation starts to occur, so you know to get out of the bleach bath. In some cases, they may recommend bleach bath alternatives for eczema, depending on the disease severity.

Who Shouldn’t Take a Bleach Bath

Bleach baths should not be used if you have open wounds. These baths can also be painful for people with very dry skin. Dry skin tends to tear more easily, and people with dry skin may even have small tears that they don’t know about. The bleach can enter these tears and irritate the sensitive tissue underneath, causing significant pain and discomfort. Tears in the skin can also lead to skin infections if they aren’t kept clean.

How Do You Take a Bleach Bath for Eczema?

Making a bleach bath for eczema involves using regular household bleach (unless your doctor recommends something different). Pay close attention to the concentration of bleach you use. The usual bleach bath for eczema ratio is one-quarter cup to one-half cup of bleach to a full, standard-sized (40 gallon) bathtub of warm tap water.

To avoid unnecessary skin irritation, you may want to soak only the parts of your body currently affected by eczema. This may be difficult, depending on which parts of your skin are irritated.

Never submerge your head in a bleach bath. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, it’s generally recommended you stay in the bathwater for five to 10 minutes, and do this two times a week.

After a Bleach Bath

When you get out of the tub, drain it promptly and rinse off in fresh bathwater or in a shower. This gets the remaining bleach off your skin, so it doesn’t dry there. Bleach left on the skin can cause dry skin or an increase in discoloration, swelling, and other symptoms. Long baths and excessive water exposure can also exacerbate eczema symptoms.

Gently pat your skin dry with a towel to avoid irritation and protect the skin barrier. Do not rub the eczema areas.

If you use a topical corticosteroid or other medication for eczema, apply it immediately after bathing. Then use a moisturizer on your skin to counteract the drying effects of the bleach.

As one MyEczemaTeam member advised, “Immediately apply eczema moisturizer containing 2 percent colloidal oatmeal (I like Gold Bond). Then apply Vaseline or Eucerin ointment over the moisturizer to seal and protect the moisture barrier of your skin.”

Precautions for Bleach Baths

It’s important to take precautions during the bleach bath to avoid getting bleach in your eyes. Don’t rub your eyes or touch your face if your hands have been in the bathwater.

Do not take bleach baths more than twice a week, but note that you may need to take them twice a week for maximal effectiveness.

If you are giving a bleach bath to a child, remain them at all times to make sure they do not drink the bathwater or get it in their eyes, nose, or mouth.

Bleach baths may lead to certain side effects, including dry skin, which can make eczema worse. It’s important to use a moisturizer after taking a bleach bath, so you don’t exacerbate your condition.

Never ingest bleach, as it is toxic when consumed. Make sure to cap bleach bottles tightly and, if you are bathing your child, keep the bottle out of reach.

What MyEczemaTeam Members Say

While more research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of bleach baths for eczema and other skin conditions, several MyEczemaTeam members have shared their thoughts and experiences to help others.

Here’s what they said:

• “I take bleach baths a couple of times a week, along with tacrolimus ointment on the affected areas.”
• “Bleach baths help some and not others. Maybe it depends on the type of eczema you have.”
• “My bleach bath for eczema recipe is one-quarter cup of bleach in a full tub of warm water. This seems to work for me, along with light therapy and switching topicals every few weeks.”

What works for one person may not work for you. Always talk to a medical professional before trying bleach baths and other home remedies like cleansers and oils. A doctor specializing in dermatology will usually be more knowledgeable about skin care and eczema treatments. If your health care provider runs out of ideas, seek a second opinion. You deserve to live a life free from itchy skin, rashes, and inflammation.

Talk With Others Who Understand

MyEczemaTeam is the social network for people with eczema and their loved ones. At MyEczemaTeam, 53,000 members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with eczema.

Have you used bleach baths for eczema? What was your experience? What else have you found that soothes your skin? Start a conversation by posting on your Activities page, or share your experience in the comments below.