| |

Homemade All-Natural Vapor Rub With Essential Oils

How to make homemade vapor rub to have on hand for cold and flu season. Use this natural remedy even on toddlers and young children to clear up stuffy noses and chest congestion.

an amber glass jar with homemade vapor rub in it

With 7 kids, it seems like there’s always someone battling a runny nose throughout cold season! Vick’s vapor rub used to be my go to remedy when my kids were all stuffed up and couldn’t sleep well at night.

It seemed to do the trick. They were able to breathe and we all slept better, but their colds still seemed to linger and last a good long time.

Now that I’m better about researching things before applying them to my kids’ bodies, I’ve found out that Vick’s really just tricks your brain into thinking you’re breathing better without actually clearing up congestion!

Not only that, but Vick’s vapor rub is made with turpentine and petroleum. Uh, hard pass!

Now homemade vapor rub, along with my old fashioned cough syrup are the way we battle colds and coughs around here. That’s a real immune boosting, anti-viral combination that clears up Winter illnesses much quicker than any store-bought remedies ever did!

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Get my full disclosure here.

Why You’ll Like This DIY Vapor Rub Recipe

all natural

One of the main ingredients in commercial vapor rubs is camphor, a chemical made from turpentine. Camphor is deadly poisonous when ingested or absorbed through the mucous membranes.

This is one of the many reasons why vapor rub is unsafe to use on children under 2.

This homemade version is made with completely natural ingredients like coconut oil, beeswax, shea butter and essential oils. No scary, toxic chemicals!

safe to use on toddlers

The active ingredients in this recipe are the essential oils. Some essential oils are too strong to use on babies’ sensitive skin, so if you are making homemade vapor rub to use on children under 2, follow the recipe for “baby safe” vapor rub.

easy to make

It takes 15 minutes total to make a batch of your own vapor rub that should last your family all Winter! It’s as easy as melting the ingredients together, adding the essential oils and pouring the mixture into a jar for storage.

really works!

The real question is, does it actually work??

And the answer is yes! The essential oils listed in this post are all known for their decongestant properties. They can open up the airways and boost the immune system, helping to actually clear up cough and cold symptoms more quickly!

an amber glass jar with homemade vapor rub in it with a striped green and white towel laid under it

What You’ll Need For This Homemade Vapor Rub Recipe

ingredients

coconut oilcoconut oil is gently healing and anti-inflammatory making it a good carrier oil for the essential oils in this recipe. Olive oil, jojoba oil and almond oil can be used instead.

shea butterunrefined shea butter (can be substituted with cocoa butter) is rich in fatty acids and vitamin A, E and F. Shea butter is also very gentle on the skin and known for it’s healing properties.

essential oilsusing pure, quality essential oils is the key to making an effective vapor rub. Choose a combination of 4-5 oils from the list below.

an amber glass jar with homemade vapor rub in it with a striped green and white towel laid under it and essential oils laying next to it

Tools to Use:

How To Make Your own Homemade Vapor Rub

Combine – In a double boiler (or heat safe bowl over a saucepan with a little water in it), melt the coconut oil and shea butter until there are no solid bits left.

Add Essential Oils – Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool for a few minutes before adding the essential oils to it. Stir completely.

Store – Pour the mixture into a small jar. Let it harden and seal with a lid.

eucalyptus oil being dripped into a bowl with melted vapor rub in it

Tips For Success

To Use – Apply a small amount of homemade vapor rub to the bottoms of the feet, chest and spine. Rub well to help the essential oils work more quickly.

Avoid getting vapor rub anywhere near the nostrils, mouth and eyes. Try to apply it to areas your child can’t reach with their hands that way they can’t rub it into their eyes on accident.

To Store – Homemade vapor rub should be stored in an airtight glass container in a cool, dark place for up to a year. The essential oils will lose effectiveness over time, especially if they are exposed to light or heat.

Substitutions – Cocoa butter can be used in place of shea butter.

Olive oil, almond oil or jojoba oil can be used instead of coconut oil.

Variations – For a kid safe vapor rub choose from these more gentle oils:

  • Fir
  • Cedarwood
  • Lavender
  • Tea Tree
  • Thyme
  • Frankincense

FAQ About Homemade Vapor Rub

How do you make vapor rub at home?

Mixing essential oils known for their decongestant and anti-viral properties with a carrier oil will give you a natural and effective homemade vapor rub.

What essential oils are good for toddlers with congestion?

Cedarwood, lavender, tea tree, thyme, frankincense and any of the fir essential oils are good for little ones with congestion. These oils are also gentle enough to use on babies’ skin when they’re mixed with a carrier oil.

an amber glass jar with homemade vapor rub in it with a striped green and white towel laid under it and essential oils laying next to it

what is the fastest way to relieve a child’s cough?

These are a few ways to relieve a child’s cough at home:

how long does homemade vapor rub last?

Homemade vapor rub will last almost indefinitely without spoiling since it doesn’t contain any water. But over time, the essential oils will become weaker if they are exposed to sunlight and air.

To extend the life of the essential oils in this recipe, store it in a cool dark place in an airtight container.

where do you rub essential oils for a cough?

Mix essential oils with a carrier oil before applying them to the back, chest and bottoms of the feet. Make sure to avoid getting essential oils near the eyes, mouth and nostrils.

an amber glass jar with homemade vapor rub in it with a striped green and white towel laid under it and essential oils laying next to it

what are the best essential oils for a cough or cold?

  • rosemary – the antiseptic properties of rosemary oil help fight respiratory infections.
  • eucalyptus – working in a similar way to menthol, eucalyptus oil can reduce stuffy nose symptoms, making it easier to breathe.
  • peppermint – peppermint oil contains menthol, which affects the mucus receptors, helping to open the airways.
  • tea tree – tea tree oil can make it easier to breathe by reduce inflammation caused by a sinus infection.
  • frankincense – frankincense essential oil can break up mucus in the respiratory tract.
  • oregano – oregano is a wonderful immune booster since it’s known as a natural antibiotic!
  • thyme – if you’re struggling with a dry cough, adding thyme essential oil can help your throat to relax and heal.
  • lavender – lavender oil reduces pain and swelling caused by a sore throat.
  • spearmint – spearmint is especially good at reducing inflammation and providing relief from cold symptoms.

More Homemade Natural Remedies:

If you liked this post, I think you’ll really enjoy these other DIY natural recipes on the blog!

I hope you love this homemade natural version of Vicks vapor rub! If you make it, I’d love for you to come back and leave a comment and rating so that I know how you like it!

Pin these steps to try later. Tag @athomeontheprairie on Instagram to share what you’ve made with us!

an amber glass jar with homemade vapor rub in it with a striped green and white towel laid under it and essential oils laying next to it

Homemade Vapor Rub

Yield: 4 ounces
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

How to make homemade vapor rub to have on hand for cold and flu season. Use this natural remedy on toddlers and older kids to clear up congestion and improve sleep.

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons coconut oil
  • 2 Tablespoons shea butter
  • 1 Tablespoon beeswax
  • 30 drops essential oils (choose from the list of oils below)

Instructions

  1. In a double boiler (or heat safe bowl over a saucepan with a little water in it), melt the coconut oil, shea butter and beeswax until there are no solid bits left.
  2. Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool for a few minutes before adding the essential oils to it. Choose 3-5 essential oils from the lists below and use even amounts of each to equal 50 drops. Stir completely.
  3. Pour the mixture into a small jar. Let it harden and seal with a lid.

Notes

To Use - Apply a small amount of homemade vapor rub to the bottoms of the feet, chest and spine. Rub well to help the essential oils work more quickly.

Avoid getting vapor rub anywhere near the nostrils, mouth and eyes. Try to apply it to areas your child can't reach with their hands that way they can't rub it into their eyes on accident.

To Store - Homemade vapor rub should be stored in an airtight glass container in a cool, dark place for up to a year. The essential oils will lose effectiveness over time, especially if they are exposed to light or heat.

Substitutions - Cocoa butter can be used in place of shea butter.

For Vapor Rub for Adults/Teens -

  • eucalyptus
  • rosemary
  • lavender
  • tea tree
  • peppermint
  • spearmint
  • frankincense
  • oregano
  • clove

For Kid Safe Vapor Rub - For a kid safe vapor rub, choose from these more gentle oils:

  • Fir
  • Cedarwood
  • Lavender
  • Tea Tree
  • Thyme
  • Frankincense

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *