Bleach baths (or soaks) are something quite a few people with eczema have tried! The idea is that diluted bleach helps reduce bacteria on the skin, which can ease itching, redness, and inflammation.
A MyEczemaTeam member shared: "I take bleach baths a couple of times a week, along with tacrolimus ointment on the affected Show Full Answer
Bleach baths (or soaks) are something quite a few people with eczema have tried! The idea is that diluted bleach helps reduce bacteria on the skin, which can ease itching, redness, and inflammation.
A MyEczemaTeam member shared: "I take bleach baths a couple of times a week, along with tacrolimus ointment on the affected areas." Another noted that bleach baths work for some and not others, possibly depending on the type of eczema. For a hand soak specifically, the general ratio to follow is:
- 1 teaspoon of bleach per gallon of lukewarm water
- Use regular strength (6%) plain, unscented bleach only
- Avoid splashless, concentrated, or fragranced bleach
- Soak for 5–10 minutes, no more
- Rinse with clean lukewarm water afterward
- Gently pat dry, then apply any prescribed medication followed by moisturizer
A couple of important cautions:
- Never apply bleach directly to eczema-affected skin
- Bleach can dry and irritate skin, and if there are any small skin tears, it can be quite painful
- Daily use is too much — a couple of times a week is generally recommended It's also worth knowing that research on bleach baths is mixed — some studies suggest they're no more effective than plain water soaks. So if the idea doesn't appeal, a plain warm water soak followed by moisturizer may be just as helpful.
Always check with a dermatologist before trying this, especially for hand eczema, to make sure it's the right approach for the specific situation.
September 17
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