How to Do a Castor Oil Pack: Step by Step, and What You Need

A castor oil pack is a piece of cloth soaked in castor oil, laid on the skin, usually covered and sometimes warmed, and left in place while you rest. The routine is old, simple and cheap. What it does is a different question, and we answer that honestly further down.

This page is about the how: what you need, the steps, the mistakes that make a mess, and the safety points that actually matter.

What you need

• Castor oil. Hexane-free, ideally organic. Our castor oil buying guide explains the label words.
• A cloth. Traditionally wool or cotton flannel, folded to cover the area. Reusable wraps with straps are easier.
• A barrier. An old towel under you, and something to keep the oil off your clothes. Castor oil stains.
• Optional heat. A hot water bottle or a heating pad on a low setting.

How to do a castor oil pack

1. Patch test first. Rub a little castor oil on the inside of your arm and wait a day. Skip packs if you get redness, itching or a rash.
2. Protect the surface. Lay an old towel where you will lie down. Oil soaks through thin fabric.
3. Oil the cloth. Pour enough castor oil onto the cloth to make it damp, not dripping. With a reusable wrap, the Handcraft Blends instructions say the same: enough to dampen, not soak.
4. Place it on clean, unbroken skin. Most people use the abdomen. Fasten the wrap or cover the cloth so it stays put.
5. Add gentle heat if you want it. Put a hot water bottle or a heating pad on low over the covered cloth. Do not heat the oily cloth in a microwave, and do not fall asleep on a heating pad.
6. Rest for 30 to 60 minutes. Read, listen to something, or just lie still.
7. Clean up. Remove the pack and wipe the skin with a warm damp cloth. A mild soap takes the rest off.
8. Store or wash the cloth. Traditional flannel packs are often kept in a sealed bag in the fridge and reused several times. Reusable wraps can be washed with mild soap and warm water; let them dry fully.

Do castor oil packs work?

For most of what you will read online, there is no good evidence. Claims about the liver, digestion, detox or fertility come from tradition and personal stories, not from solid clinical trials. We have not found research strong enough to recommend a castor oil pack for any health problem, and we do not test products ourselves.

What is fair to say: it is a quiet half hour with warmth on your belly, and castor oil is a heavy, moisturizing oil for dry skin. If that is what you want, the routine is easy and inexpensive. If you are hoping it will treat something, talk to a doctor.

What to buy

Oil and wraps in one box

Handcraft Blends Castor Oil with Pack Wrap, 16 oz

A 16 oz bottle of the brand's USDA Organic, hexane-free castor oil with two reusable wraps: one for the stomach, with a pouch for a heat pad, and one for the neck. The wraps are washable polyester and spandex with adjustable straps, per the brand.

Handcraft Blends Pack Kit on Amazon →(paid link)

Cotton flannel wrap

Queen of the Thrones Organic Cotton Flannel Pack

An organic cotton flannel wrap, closer to the traditional cloth pack. You supply the castor oil.

Queen of the Thrones Pack on Amazon →(paid link)

Wrap kit with extras

Tavio Castor Oil Pack Wrap Kit

As pictured, the kit pairs a strapped wrap and smaller pads with a small bottle of castor oil. Handy if you want to try the routine before buying a large bottle.

Tavio Pack Kit on Amazon →(paid link)

Already have a wrap? Any hexane-free castor oil works. See our castor oil picks.