Bath salts primarily work in the tub by altering the properties of the water itself, affecting both its interaction with soap and its density.
Key Actions of Bath Salts in Water
Based on how they interact with water, bath salts perform several functions that enhance the bathing experience.
Here are the main ways bath salts work:
- Water Softening: Some bath salts act as water softeners. This means they can help to reduce the concentration of hard water minerals like calcium and magnesium. By doing so, they change the way soap rinses. In softer water, soap can lather more effectively and rinse off more cleanly, leaving less residue on the skin and the tub.
- Increased Buoyancy: When used in high concentrations, bath salts increase the density of the water. Increased water density leads to increased buoyancy. This effect is what makes the body feel lighter in the bath, providing a sense of weightlessness and relaxation.
- Use in Isolation Tanks: The principle of increased buoyancy is taken to an extreme in therapy. Very high concentrations of salts in water are used in many isolation tank therapies. These tanks are designed to create a state of sensory deprivation by allowing a person to float effortlessly on the surface of the highly saline water.
Essentially, bath salts modify the physical and chemical characteristics of bathwater, leading to effects ranging from improved soap rinsing to enhanced buoyancy and relaxation.
