What are bleach baths for?

• Bleach baths are helpful as part of the treatment of atopic dermatitis especially in persons with frequent skin infections or atopic dermatitis that is difficult to control.

How to prepare a bleach bath?

• For older children and adults:

  • Mix ½ cup of Clorox bleach in a full tub, or

  • ¼ cup in a half full tub

  • Soak all skin from the neck down for at least 10 minutes

• For infants:

  • Fill a standard baby tub half full and add 1 tablespoons (15 mL) of Clorox.

  • If they use a regular tub, use the concentrations above.

• For those without a bathtub:

  • Prepare the bleach bath in a plastic gallon container using one teaspoon (5 mL) of Clorox per gallon (~4 liters) of water, then this water can be used to rinse in the shower or put in a spray bottle.

What to do after a bleach bath?

• Rinse skin with regular lukewarm water.

• Pat dry, then apply prescribed cream: _________________________

• And, moisturizer: _________________________

How often?

• Your doctor has recommended bleach baths _______________ times per week.

Notes:

• The child should remain in this bath for at least 10 minutes.

• All skin from the neck down should be submerged in the water.

• There is a lesser concentration of bleach in this bath than the concentration of bleach used to disinfect cloudy drinking water.

• There is no harm if some of the bathwater gets into the child's eyes/mouth or is swallowed.

Additional instructions:

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