What to Do When Your Bath Bombs are Crumbling

If you find that your bath bomb is crumbly, have it in mind that the mixture may be too dry. You can rectify this issue by adding more witch hazel or oils that will give the mixture a more moist texture, which will be less likely to crumble and crack once removed from the mould.

Also, if your fizzy is cracking after it is been in the mould, it is possible that it was too wet and the mixture is expanding as it sits in the mould. This can be as a result of clumps in the dry ingredients or not fully mixing the fragrance oil.

Baking soda for instance tends to clump together. Before adding oil, colour, fragrance or other additives, break up large clumps with your hands. To remove and break up smaller clumps, pour the dry ingredients through a fine mesh sifter. This extra step gives a smooth texture.

Nonetheless, bath bombs are a great project for both beginner and advanced crafters. Making bath bombs is an easy process, but it takes practice. Bath bombs are also known to be sensitive to moisture and can be finicky.

Without the right mixture of ingredients, bath bombs can crumble, fall apart or fizz incorrectly. Bath bombs consist of baking soda and citric acid. When these two ingredients are combined and introduced to water, they create a fizzing reaction.

Have it in mind that the standard ratio is 2 parts baking soda to 1 part citric acid. Once the dry ingredients are combined, a small amount of liquid is introduced to create a mouldable, wet sand texture.

The liquid is mainly witch hazel, but oils and butters can also be added for moisture and additional skin benefits. The bath bomb mixture can be further customized with fragrance, colour and the shape of the mould.

Top Reasons Why Your Bath Bombs Are Crumbling and Ideal Solutions

There are several factors as to why bath bombs crumble. Bath Bombs mainly crumble because the mixture may be too dry or the bath bomb moulds are not packed with enough of the mixture. Humidity in the air can also play a huge part in why bath bombs are crumbling. Bath bombs crumble for many different reasons and below are few reasons why they do;

1. Not Packed Into The Mould Tight Enough

Note that your bath bombs may be crumbling because your bath bomb mixture may be too dry, or not be packed hard enough into the moulds. Have it in mind that if you put your mixture into the moulds and don’t press it in really well, then you will get crumbly once the mixture is dry.

2. The Mould Is Too Flimsy

According to experts, the best moulds for making really good bath bombs that don’t crumble are stainless steel bath bomb moulds, rigid plastic moulds, and bath bomb presses. You can use silicone moulds too, but just make sure that you can press the ingredients in really tightly. Some silicone moulds are way too thin so ensure you are purchasing a quality mould.

3. The Mixture Is Too Dry

Also remember that you will have to constantly adjust your bath bomb formula or recipe depending on the humidity in the air. Not enough moisture will cause your bath bombs to be very crumbly and not hold together right. However, there is no ‘one recipe fits all’ when it comes to making bath bombs. You might follow a recipe perfectly and still get crumbly bath bombs. So you will have to adjust the wet ingredients. Too much moisture and you will get bumps on your bath bombs.

When striving for a perfect balance to form a firm bath bomb that doesn’t crumble, add in your wet ingredients slowly to the dry ingredients and then adjust with witch hazel or alcohol. Squeeze a bit of the mixture into your hand. Now when you open your fist, is it staying in the same shape? If not, that means you may need a bit more of the witch hazel or alcohol, but not too much. A little bit at a time.

4. They Are Not Dry Enough Before Removing Them From The Mould

Another reason your bath bombs might be crumbling is because they might not be dry enough yet. When you are making bath bombs you should leave them in the moulds for at least 4 – 5 hours and preferably overnight so they come out perfectly formed and not crumbly.

5. Humidity Levels Are Not Optimal

If, for instance, you live in a dry climate, you might have to wait until the humidity levels rise. So making your bath bombs the day after it rains might be something to try. On the other hand, if you live in a moist climate, it is a very bad idea to make bath bombs on rainy days because they can cause premature fizz and that’s when you get those little annoying bumps all over the bath bombs.

Conclusion

You will have to keep practicing until you get a formula that is right for your area. Immediately you have that, write it down or make a spreadsheet documenting your process. It really helps! And you can use any practice bath bombs or leftovers. Just crush it all together to use as bath salts. However, make sure the mixture is totally dry before packaging or it could turn into a hard rock-like substance. If you prefer not to use witch hazel, oils are a great way to help give the bath bomb mixture a mouldable texture. Some crafters use a mixture of 99 percent isopropyl alcohol and water to help give their bath bombs the correct texture.