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kojodesigns

homemade bath paint recipe

May 20, 2013

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

make your own bath paint by kojodesignsbath paint recipeAs school comes to a close and summer begins this mama is looking forward to a summer of saying yes to all sorts of things that are usually too much to handle on a school night: sleeping in forts, staying up late, evenings of  total house destruction  crafting, eating watermelon shirtless in the yard…and loooong baths complete with bath paints!

DIY bath paintBath painting is seriously one of my girls favorite activities and making your own bath paints is both cost effective and super easy!

make your own bath paintHomemade Bath Paint

BATH PAINT RECIPE
1/4 cup baby shampoo/hand soap/body wash (use whatever soap-y thing you have lying around- this recipe is great for using up shampoo you didn’t like, or the end of the body wash bottle)
1/4 cup corn starch
1-2 TBS water
3-4 drops food coloring

Combine cornstarch, shampoo, and food coloring. Add water 1/2 a tablespoon at a time until the mixture is thick enough to stick to the paint brush without much dripping, but thin enough to paint a line. If it gets too runny, add more cornstarch, too thick, add more water. Portion into a kids’ paint palette.

make your own bath paintmake your own bath paintLet kids paint the walls, the bath and themselves for hours!

bath paint recipeStore in an airtight container in a cool place. This recipe makes one baby-food size jar of paint.

toy 72 Comments

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jill says

    May 20, 2013 at 3:22 pm

    Oh this is great! We are BIG bath paint fans in our house! Thanks for the recipe. I bet you’re loving the turn to good weather finally!

    Reply
    • Kirstin says

      May 20, 2013 at 5:12 pm

      Jill, I love that you guys are big bath paint fans too! 🙂
      Loving your kitchen redo, by the way! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Rachel R. says

    May 21, 2013 at 3:03 pm

    I always have a question about the paints that use food coloring. Does the food coloring stain the kids or the bathtub? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Kirstin says

      May 21, 2013 at 3:39 pm

      Rachel, not that we’ve found… we’ve tried it in a couple different types of tub (more porcelain/glass and plastic) and in both cases, a little rinse washes it right down. I will say, in the old house, we had ‘soft’ tile (travertine) and wouldn’t let the kids use the paints on there…

      Reply
      • Rachel R. says

        May 21, 2013 at 6:02 pm

        Thanks for the response! I’ve wanted to try it, but food coloring always stained my fingers, and I didn’t want to end up with green and purple kiddos. 🙂

        Reply
        • humaira patel says

          March 3, 2014 at 6:23 am

          Please tell me is it fine to use in the shower

          Reply
          • Kirstin says

            March 3, 2014 at 3:23 pm

            You could probably use this in the shower as well- it’ll just wash down the drain as it gets wet. 🙂

  3. Delia says

    May 21, 2013 at 3:28 pm

    This is so fun. We have got to try this!!

    Reply
  4. Heather says

    May 27, 2013 at 4:33 pm

    This is such a cute idea! I can’t wait to try it with my boys. Thanks so much for linking up with Moonlight & Mason Jars, I chose you as my favorite post this week! Come by and grab our “featured” button if you’d like. Hope you’ll link up again!

    Reply
    • Kirstin says

      May 27, 2013 at 7:52 pm

      Heather- thanks for featuring us! 🙂 What a compliment!

      Reply
  5. Moonlight & Mason Jars Link Party says

    May 28, 2013 at 10:01 am

    Congrats! We have featured this project on the Moonlight & Mason Jars link party this week. Thanks for linking up!

    Please grab our featured button when you get a chance.

    Love,

    Hilary @ Be Sweet Blog
    Thuy @ My Paper Pinwheel
    Heather @ Mama Dish
    Taylor @ Taylor Made
    Jennifer @ The Newlywed Pilgrimage

    Reply
    • Kirstin says

      May 29, 2013 at 7:48 am

      Thanks for the feature girls!

      Reply
    • kristie ray says

      March 8, 2014 at 9:30 am

      I love this… Thanks so much for letting me make this for my grandson… I’m on the budget not him… I feel like I have given him something to remember that didn’t have to go under to make or get this for him… He loves it <3 <3 <3 Thanks for the free info on it too… much help and fun…. thanks is not enough 🙂

      Reply
  6. Jess Abbott says

    May 29, 2013 at 10:36 am

    Ohh – what fun! My kids would love this!

    Reply
    • Kirstin says

      May 29, 2013 at 2:31 pm

      Jess, this is Jord’s recipe, but we use it around here too and the Smooches LOVE it. Like, beg to bath paint every night- haha. 🙂

      Reply
  7. Ashley says

    June 2, 2013 at 8:36 pm

    If your concerned about the food coloring staining you can buy dye made for soap making at Michaels or any craft store. Thanks for the recipe my kids will love this!

    Reply
    • Kirstin says

      June 2, 2013 at 8:44 pm

      Great tip Ashley!

      Reply
  8. Jodi says

    June 24, 2013 at 2:59 pm

    We made this and I was running around the house I was so excited! We were buying the $5 avon kind and this was the exact same! Washed off the kids great! FYI – a little splashed on the grout in the kitchen and it did take awhile to get it off completely.

    Reply
    • Kirstin says

      June 24, 2013 at 9:17 pm

      Jodi, we’ve had that problem too (in our last house), but thanks for the heads up. And so glad you guys loved it! 🙂

      Reply
  9. Randi B. says

    August 7, 2013 at 1:35 pm

    This is a great idea! I’m going to do this as a fundraiser for our church youth groups…get the kids to make and sell the bath paints!! I work with the kids and am a member of The Salvation Army in Annapolis, MD!!

    Reply
    • Kirstin says

      August 7, 2013 at 8:08 pm

      What a fantastic idea Randi! 🙂

      Reply
  10. Joe Esposito says

    September 1, 2013 at 10:05 pm

    As a 22 year veteran of the Bathtub refinishing Industry. I would not be worried about the food coloring staining. However, before you leave your kids in the bathtub fro extended periods of time please know porcelain tubs before 1984 contain lead. If the tub is worn lead will leach into the bathwater. Professional refinishing will fix the issue but just wanted to make that point. Lead test kits are available at lowes, home depot, invest in one and test your tub!

    Reply
  11. Bathtub Refinishing says

    September 1, 2013 at 10:08 pm

    One more point If the food coloring does stain please don’r use comet or s.o.s. pads try oxyclean. Food based stains are removed by oxygen. Just make a paste and let it sit.

    Reply
  12. Jennifer says

    January 28, 2014 at 9:54 am

    wE HAVE JUST FINISHED THIS ACTIVITY! wHAT FUN IS ALL I CAN SAY EVEN THOUGH IT DIDN’T JUST STAY IN THE TUB, SHE GOT THE WALL, DOOR AND FLOOR PARTIALLY COVERED AND IT ALL CLEANED UP IN SECONDS!!!! i’LL BE SHARING THIS ONE FOR ALL MY KIDDO FRIENDS

    Reply
  13. Jess @ Let's Do Something Crafty says

    April 28, 2014 at 7:10 am

    Think I will give this a go and let me kids use it outside this summer, they can paint the patio! x

    Reply
    • Kirstin says

      April 28, 2014 at 9:11 pm

      I love this Jess- what a great idea!

      Reply
  14. leah says

    June 9, 2014 at 12:16 am

    Just wondering how long the mixture lasts in the jars?

    Reply
    • Kirstin says

      June 10, 2014 at 4:50 am

      Leah- we use it all that night, so I don’t know…

      Reply
  15. Angela says

    December 2, 2014 at 5:08 pm

    This is so awesome! I just did this and right before I added food color I separated it into 4, 2oz portion cups so we had 4 colors to play with. It is such a fun, and easy project.

    Reply
  16. Dawn says

    February 19, 2015 at 10:19 am

    Great recipe! As I’m typing this, my 3 year old is having the time of her life painting the bathtub (and herself!), while singing about painting. I doubled the recipe and split it into 4 plastic fruit snack cups. No liquid food colouring in the house, so I just added about 1/2 a tsp of tempra paint to each cup. Made some nice vibrant pastel bath paints! (I’ve let her play with undiluted tempra paint in the tub before and only had some temporary staining from the red, so I expect this will clean up just fine. Enamel tub with a plastic surround though)

    Reply
    • Kirstin says

      February 19, 2015 at 11:36 pm

      Dawn, I love it that this turned out so well for you guys! Reminds me that we need to make these again soon! 😉

      Reply
  17. Ashley says

    April 7, 2015 at 8:34 pm

    I love this idea I never thought to make paint for bath time my child loves to paint on the walls and her self so this is a great ideA where she can do both

    Reply
    • Kirstin says

      April 8, 2015 at 2:25 pm

      Ashley, my kids were asking to make this bath paint last night! Such a fun addition to bath time! 😉

      Reply
  18. Lilja says

    May 9, 2015 at 11:52 am

    This just saved bath time. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Kirstin says

      May 10, 2015 at 12:37 pm

      I love this!!!

      Reply
  19. Erin says

    June 27, 2015 at 1:43 pm

    Incase anyone was looking for a food dye alternative. I was boiling beets today and it occurred to me that I could use the beet juice instead of food dyes {knowing this would end up in my son’s mouth}! I boiled down the beet water until there were only a few table spoons left, and was extremely saturated in color and replaced the water and dye with the beet water. Worked SO well! Was super bright pink! I assume blueberries and cherries would respond similarly. Any bright fruit or veggie water really and then just save it for your next batch! Can’t wait for bath time!!

    Reply
    • Kirstin says

      June 29, 2015 at 7:46 am

      What a great idea Erin! Love!

      Reply
  20. cuteprincess says

    October 31, 2015 at 6:32 am

    Cute idea……

    Reply
  21. Tonya says

    January 27, 2016 at 8:55 am

    I am making a bath time basket for a toddler and I don’t want to use glass jars. Am I able to store these in plastic bottles? Like the travel bottles the hold shampoo?

    Reply
    • Kirstin says

      February 2, 2016 at 3:25 am

      Tonya, totally! Plastic bottles would pose no problem at all…

      Reply
  22. Niki says

    February 15, 2016 at 7:38 pm

    My two little sisters and their friend had so much fun with this, this is the best bath paint recipe I’ve found so far!

    Reply
    • Kirstin says

      February 15, 2016 at 8:27 pm

      Niki, love that so much!

      Reply
      • richard says

        April 14, 2016 at 2:38 pm

        will the paint burn if it gets in the eyes? since its made with shampoo

        Reply
        • Kirstin says

          April 20, 2016 at 4:42 am

          It probably will! I don’t know why this hasn’t ever happened yet (my kids aren’t particularly careful), but I’d say that it wouldn’t be great near the eyes.

          Reply
  23. Tiffany Overstreet says

    May 18, 2016 at 6:27 pm

    Won’t the food coloring in the bath paint leave stains on shower walls, tub or my child’s skin? Answer ASAP Please and Thanks! ,
    Tiffany Overstreet

    Reply
    • Tiffany Overstreet says

      May 18, 2016 at 6:39 pm

      I just saw the comment left saying soap dye can be used in place of food coloring in the bath paint and may be purchased at “Michaels” or any craft store, so nevermind my last comment!
      Thanks,
      Tiffany Overstreet

      Reply
  24. zoey says

    September 11, 2016 at 3:03 pm

    Cool

    Reply
  25. Bonnie says

    January 2, 2017 at 10:11 pm

    Does this stain your tub using food coloring?

    Reply
    • Kirstin says

      January 3, 2017 at 4:14 pm

      Hey Bonnie- it hasn’t stained my tub. Every once in awhile, I’ll have to scrub the grout of the surrounding a tile a little, though. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  26. Kiri says

    March 19, 2019 at 5:39 pm

    My kids both loved this! I made a single recipe and poured it into an ice cube tray, then added food colouring so we could make a small amount of a rainbow of colours. My big girl loved playing with colour mixing in the tub, and the little one liked ‘erasing’ everything with a scrubber at the end. Hours of fun!

    Reply
    • Kirstin says

      April 5, 2019 at 9:18 pm

      Kiri, that’s totally what I do as well (make a bunch and then tint a whole rainbow of colors). So glad your kids loved it as much as mine do!

      Reply
  27. Priscilla Johnson says

    September 18, 2019 at 4:30 pm

    We absolutely loved your recipe. So much so that we used it on our YouTube video. https://youtu.be/5nw7ixQzye0
    Check it out to hear the shout out we gave your page. Plus we linked your webpage in our description. Please keep the fun ideas coming. #MakeWay4Janee

    Reply
  28. Michelle Suppes says

    May 7, 2020 at 11:33 am

    Has anyone used this for other things like window painting?

    Reply
    • Kirstin says

      June 3, 2020 at 3:07 am

      I haven’t (though, we’ve been intending to make this recipe again so maybe we’ll try it). Let me know if you give it a go and I’ll update the post if we try it as well!

      Reply

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