DIY Vicks Shower Disks & Other Tips

Not the best pictures, but I didn't feel good so that also means I don't want to spend the time to take good pictures.

   With  the sudden weather changes we've had since switching seasons came with a few downsides like feeling a little sick. One day I woke up feeling stuffed up and having some chest pains (my asthma, maybe), but the next day I felt worse and so I wasn't too thrilled to go to work. I had the classic sinus headache, stuffy nose, the horrible dry couch and I just wanted to spend the day in bed.And it seems to be getting worse as the days go by.With work, some big upcoming events at church soon, and a big family dinner (over 20 people) the last Sunday of this month with some new relatives we just met, the last thing I need or want it is to get sick.

  I remembered pinning a link on pinterest to make your own shower disks that smelled like Vicks vapor rub. I quickly found the link and made a batch. I was excited since we had everything in the house to make the disks.

The little trouble makers sunbathed while I was making the shower disks.

A few other tips:

• Since we have 6 cats; we buy the big bags of baking soda at Walmart (In the pool section) which helps keep the litter fresher longer and costs a lot less than if we just bought the little boxes in the baking section. Also it's good to have around for other cleaning purposes and DIY crafts like this. 
• Have a mouse problem? In  our sun-room, we keep our dog/cat food, some of my dad's tools, and some of our food. Well, once my mom forgot about some of her diet food and the mice ended up finding it and created a big mess. And then one got into my drawer that I had my gluten-free flours in and ate through the bags. But mice hate the smell of peppermint oil so if you put a few drops (a little goes a long way) on a cotton ball and scatter it around the room, the mice won't come in. 
• I used NOW oils which you can purchase at GNC, Amazon, and even support local businesses near you if they sell oils like Purple Ranch which is in our area.
• Eucalyptus oil is a popular for all different uses.
• Detoxing by juicing or on a liquid diet is good, but did you know that you could also detox by soaking in the tub? All you do is add a handful of epsom salt, 1/2 cup baking soda, some drops of lavender oil to a hot bath and soak for 20 minutes. 
• One thing I always do when my dad or I are congested is a spiced steam session. In a large pot filled with water, add 1-2 cinnamon sticks, 3-4 whole cloves, and either fresh or dried orange and/or lemon peels. Boil, remove from the stove, lean over the pot, cover your head with a towel, and breathe in the steam. Plus, It makes the house smell like spice bread. 

  After going through my most popular post (zucchini tots) to update on some tips that readers suggested, I thought I would read through the comments for the shower disks so I could give you as much helpful information and tips before you tried making them yourself. So be forewarned most of the "recipe" is notes and tips.

a picture from my phone of the 1st batch. 

DIY Vicks Shower Disks

adapted: Frugal by Choice 

1 cup baking soda
1/3 cup water (it equals 5 T + 1t)
essential oils: rosemary,lavender, eucalyptus, and peppermint*

Notes:

• *oils: The original recipe used rosemary, eucalyptus, and lavender, but I added some peppermint oil to use up the bottle we had and because I thought it smelled good, but only add a few drops to the entire bowl because for some people when the peppermint mixes with steam it can irritate people's eyes by making them watery or making them sting. 
• If you want to make a bigger batch, the ratio is about 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water.
• After reading through the comments on the original post, I noticed that a lot of people were allergic to lavender (it gave them migraines or rashes) so you can leave it out and just add a few more drops of the other oils. 
• I used a cute ducky silicone ice cube tray that I got from the craft store, when I was wanting to make sugar cubes (which I still have not gotten around to making)  and I thought that it was appropriate for this project. The only thing is that the ducks had little tails which chipped a bit when removing them from the mold. I used Method#1 for the molds. 
• If you have kids, you can maybe add a few drops of food coloring to the mix, but I would only add a small amount since you don't want to stain your shower floor. 
• I had a small amount of the mixture left over which I poured on my shower floor and took a hot shower to get some fast relief.

Method  #1: -the method I've used twice
1. In a bowl slowly combine the baking soda and 4 tbsp water to make a thick paste.If needed add the rest of the of water.If your mixture is too wet, then add a few tablespoons more of baking soda.
2. Shake 18 drops of each oil (if using peppermint oil then about 8 drops) into the bowl and stir.
3. Line a mini muffin tin with liners or a silicone mold, fill, and let sit in a dry place for 12-20 hours to dry.
4. Remove the disk from the mold, put on the floor of the shower, turn the water to hot, and prepare to feel a little better.

Method #2:
Some people said their end result was "crumbly" so follow step #1 & #3 above, bake at 350F for 20 minutes, and then shake a few drops of the oil onto the warm disks. 

To Store: You will want to store these disks in a resealable bag or an air-tight container because if you leave them out at room temperature after a few days the scent will decrease and when you take a shower, they won't really be fragrant. Any leftover pucks that you haven't used, but have lost their scent are still good to use if you put a few drops of any essential oil before you take a shower.