Toenail fungus can be persistent and annoying. Learn if a vinegar soak can help and how to do one step-by-step.
If you have an irritating foot or toenail fungus, you want it gone - ASAP.
And if you are someone who likes to try and take care of things yourself, you might be looking to alternative home remedies to make that foot fungus a thing of the past.
In this article, we will review the research to see if vinegar might be a viable option for podiatry fungus issues and teach you how to do a vinegar foot soak step-by-step.
But, there may only be so much a vinegar soak can handle, and ultimately if the fungus is severe, doesn’t respond to a foot soak, or you have diabetes you are better off seeing a doctor for professional treatment.
Also Read: 5 Nail Fungus Treatment Options: Prescription, Over-the-Counter, and Procedures
There are no current studies out there pitting toenail fungus against a vinegar foot soak directly, but there are a few studies pointing to vinegar having some potential benefits as a general anti-fungal.
All kinds of vinegar contain a natural mild acid called acetic acid, and this acid may be responsible for the antimicrobial abilities of vinegar.
And one study found apple cider vinegar and acetic acid to display significant antifungal activity against ear fungal infections.
So, while there is no conclusive evidence on vinegar helping with toenail fungus specifically, for a mild case it may be worth a few soaks since there is no harm from using one.
But, toenail fungus tends to be a stubborn infection, so we recommend pairing any sort of potentially beneficial foot soak with validated prescription therapy guided by a physician.
Alternatively, some may look into using an occasional vinegar foot soak to help keep foot fungus reinfections at bay or as a preventative measure.
Get a bottle of vinegar. It does not matter which kind of vinegar you use, as they will all have varying amounts of acetic acid, but you may want to stick with apple cider vinegar or white vinegar to keep things simple.
Specialty flavored or intensely colored kinds of vinegar may have unnecessary ingredients or introduce the risk of staining skin, carpet, or clothing.
In a vessel for the foot soak, mix 1 part vinegar with 2 parts water until there is enough liquid to cover the entire foot area.
If you use undiluted vinegar, you will likely not harm yourself, but you may increase the risk of skin irritation or just use up unnecessary amounts of vinegar.
This mixture will have a strong vinegar smell, but once the skin dries and the mixture is washed out the smell should dissipate.
Soak your feet in the mixture for anywhere between 10-30 minutes.
You may then rinse and dry your feet, or just let the vinegar solution air dry off of your skin.
Repeat the soak with a fresh solution each time as needed once or multiple times daily.
Pro Tip: If the fungus does not seem to be going away or getting worse, you will need to speak with a doctor to look into getting prescription therapy.
Read Related: How To Tell If Your Toenail Fungus Is Dying Off: 4 Signs
Vinegar foot soaks may be a viable option for those looking to keep a foot fungus at bay or in conjunction with prescription anti-fungal therapy, but often toenail fungus will not respond with just a vinegar foot soak alone.
Strut Nail Formula combines multiple prescription antifungal agents with a pharmaceutical-grade driving agent to ensure the medication gets through to where it needs to be.
Schedule an Online Visit with our U.S. licensed doctors today to see if Strut Nail Formula is a good option for your toenail fungus issues.
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