How to Use Hot Moist Towels in Massage Therapy

Heating the Towels

1). Heat your towel cabinet to 150 degrees.
2). Stack the 12 hand towels next to sink or basin. Run the hot water until it warms up completely and stop the drain.
3). Add three drops of eucalyptus oil and six drops of lavender to the water.
4). Submerge each towel in the hot water, wring it until almost dry and roll it into a cylinder. Add more lavender and eucalyptus oil to the water if needed. Stack the rolled towels on a clean tray.
5). Transfer your towels from the tray to the cabinet. If your cabinet is in the same room as your sink, you can bypass the tray and transfer them directly from the sink. Close the cabinet and let the towels heat for at least 10 minutes.

1). Dress your massage table with a bottom sheet, a top sheet and a blanket. Have the recipient undress and lie facedown between the sheets.
2). Take one towel from the cabinet and test the temperature against the inside of your forearm. If the towel is too hot, shake it out once or twice to release some heat.
3). Fold back the coverings and spread the moist towel over the recipient's bare back.
4). Fold a dry bath towel in half and cover the moist towel, then fold the coverings back over the recipient. The bath towel will hold the heat and keep the bedding from getting wet.
5). Massage the recipient's legs. After each leg replace the hot towel with a fresh towel.
Spread the new moist towel on top of the dry bath towel. Flip all of the towels over so that the fresh towel is against his back and the old towel is on top. Remove the old towel. If the bath towel is damp, replace it with a fresh bath towel.
6). Massage the recipient's back. Flip the towels so that the dry bath towel is against his skin. Remove the moist towel and gently press on his back to blot any moisture. Roll the dry towel off his back and massage as you normally would.

1). Dress your massage table the same way as you would when working on the back.
2). Fold a bath towel in half and place it at the head of the table. Have the recipient undress and lie faceup between the sheets with his head on the towel.
3). Take one moist towel from the cabinet and test it. Roll the towel into a cylinder and place it under the recipient's neck.
4). Wrap another moist towel loosely around the recipient's face, leaving his nose and mouth uncovered.
5). Massage the recipient's legs and arms. Replace the towels under his neck and around his face after each part.
6). Remove the rolled towel from the recipient's neck and replace the towel around his face. Then massage his neck and shoulders.
7). Wrap another fresh towel around his face. Press gently into the towel to massage his forehead and cheeks. Remove the towel and gently blot his face with a dry hand towel.