How to Do a DIY Eyelid Scrub for Blepharitis

If you have blepharitis, your healthcare provider may recommend using an eyelid scrub. This can help relieve blepharitis symptoms like dry, itchy eyelids quickly. You can purchase eyelid scrubs over-the-counter or you can make your own with a few simple items.

This article discusses eyelid scrubs for blepharitis, how to make one at home, as well as other treatments that relieve symptoms of eyelid inflammation.

A man washing his face in the sink
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How Eyelid Scrubs Relieve Blepharitis

Eyelid scrubs are a process for removing material from the eyelids in order to treat blepharitis. Since they're inexpensive and easy to perform at home, eyelid scrubs are a great way to keep your eyelashes clean and alleviate symptoms like itching and inflammation.

Blepharitis can develop when there are excessive bacteria on the eyelids and at the base of the eyelashes. Blepharitis can also develop if the oil glands in the eyelids become clogged and lead to irritation or inflammation.

Types of Blepharitis

There are two main types of blepharitis. You may have one type or a combination of both:

  • Anterior Lid Margin Disease (ALMD): Crusting at the base of the eyelashes as a result of a superficial infection by any of a number of micro-organisms
  • Posterior Lid Margin Disease (PLMD): Due to the production of an irregular, thick, oily, and unstable tear film by dysfunctional glands within the eyelids

Blepharitis is often associated with other conditions, including dandruff, rosacea, oily skin, and allergies that affect the eyes.

Blepharitis gets better with treatment, but it usually does not completely go away. It is commonly a recurrent problem that can be managed with regular daily eyelid hygiene.

Blepharitis

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DIY Eyelid Scrubs

Although there are many different over-the-counter eyelid scrubs available for purchase, it's easy to make your own eyelid scrub at home for a fraction of the cost.

What you Need

  • Clean washcloth or Q-tip
  • Warm water
  • Baby shampoo

It is best to use medical-grade Q-tips because they are sterile and more tightly wound, so you won't get pieces of the Q-tip cotton in your eye.

What to Do

  1. Mix baby shampoo with clean, warm water in an equal one-to-one ratio to make the eyelid scrub solution.
  2. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
  3. Soak a clean washcloth in warm water.
  4. Apply a small amount of the diluted baby shampoo solution to the washcloth or Q-tip.
  5. Close one eye and gently rub the base of your eyelashes with the warm washcloth or Q-tip. Rub the entire area for one minute.
  6. Carefully rinse your entire eyelid with clean, cool water.
  7. Repeat with your other eye, using a fresh clean washcloth and Q-tip.

Useful Tips

  • Your healthcare provider may recommend that you use an eyelid scrub two or three times each day to help alleviate your symptoms.
  • Some healthcare professionals may suggest using a different over-the-counter cleansing agent in place of baby shampoo.
  • Always use a clean washcloth for each eye to avoid spreading germs or bacteria from one eye to the other.
  • If you have recurrent blepharitis, eyelid scrubs might become part of your daily eyelid hygiene routine.


1:24

Click Play to Learn How to Make Homemade Eyelid Scrub

This video has been medically reviewed by Casey Gallagher, MD.

Over-the-Counter Eyelid Scrubs

Over-the-counter eyelid scrubs contain ingredients that treat the root causes of blepharitis. They may come in the form of eyelid cleansers and eyelid wipes.

The right medicated wipes or eye solution will depend on the underlying cause, so ask your healthcare provider about which one to use. You can find over-the-counter eyelid scrubs in pharmacies or order from many online retailers.

Tea Tree Oil for Blepharitis

Some studies suggest that tea tree oil, which has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, can help with blepharitis. Because undiluted tea tree oil can be extremely irritating to the skin and eyes, it should be used with caution—especially with home remedies.

That said, researchers have identified the active ingredient in tea tree oil responsible for easing blepharitis. This ingredient (4-Terpineol) is now available through a line of eyelid cleansers known as Cliradex.

Other At-Home Treatments

People with blepharitis need to practice good eyelid hygiene.

In addition to using an eyelid scrub, a regular daily routine may also include:

  • Warm compresses: A clean, warm washcloth is applied over a closed eyelid for three to five minutes at a time to break down oils that may be clogging the eyelid glands.
  • Eyelid massages: After applying a warm compress, massaging the eyelids can help move oil out of the eyelid gland. Gently rub along the length of the upper and lower eyelids for 30 seconds.

When to See a Healthcare Provider

If your blepharitis doesn't get better or keeps coming back, you may need to talk to your healthcare professional about other treatments. A healthcare professional may recommend:

  • Steroid eye drops for reducing swelling and inflammation
  • Antibiotics, if a bacterial overgrowth is identified
  • Treatment of the underlying health problem, such as dandruff or rosacea

Summary

You can make your own eyelid scrub for blepharitis by simply using warm water and baby shampoo. Eyelid scrubs (homemade or OTC) can help wash away micro-organisms and crusts that form along the lash line, which can ease itching and inflammation caused by blepharitis.

Complete elimination of blepharitis may not be possible, but adhering to a regular eyelid hygiene routine should reduce symptoms, severity, and flare-ups. Regular use of warm compresses and gentle eyelid massages may further relieve blepharitis symptoms.

8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. National Institutes of Health. Blepharitis.

  2. National Eye Institute. Blepharitis.

  3. Aryasit O, Uthairat Y, Singha P, Horatanaruang O. Efficacy of baby shampoo and commercial eyelid cleanser in patients with meibomian gland dysfunctionMedicine (Baltimore). 2020;99(19):e20155. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000020155

  4. American Optometric Association. Blepharitis.

  5. Maher TN. The use of tea tree oil in treating blepharitis and meibomian gland dysfunctionOman J Ophthalmol. 2018;11(1):11-15. doi:10.4103/ojo.OJO_205_2016

  6. American Academy of Ophthalmology. Tea tree oil for mites.

  7. Putnam CM. Diagnosis and management of blepharitis: an optometrist’s perspectiveClin Optom (Auckl). 2016;8:71-78.

  8. Soparker CNS, Patrinely JR. Benign Essential Blepharospasm Research Foundation (BEBRF). Blepharitis.

Additional Reading

By Troy Bedinghaus, OD
Troy L. Bedinghaus, OD, board-certified optometric physician, owns Lakewood Family Eye Care in Florida. He is an active member of the American Optometric Association.