Natural Remedies to Treat Athlete's Foot Effectively

This completely cured my boyfriend's horrible athlete's foot. He had been using OTC creme for over a year and it did noting. He was itching all the time and his foot looked awful. I finally got sick of it and insisted he soak in a solution of ACV and a little water every night for 20-30 min. After about 1 1/2 weeks the fungus is gone and no more itching! Highly recommended!

Most of the posts I've read about treating athlete's foot with ACV say that a) it dries out the skin and b) wear sandals. The problem I have is that when I wear sandals, my rash gets so dried out that it cracks when I take a step--and that's without the ACV! I'm sitting soaking my nasty feet in the ACV/water solution now and the stinging pain is sending me through the roof! It's been years that I've had this chronic problem. It's in the arch of my feet, peels, gets raw, itches, and then burns when I succumb to scratching the itch! The dermatologist gave me Salex to remove the layers of skin easily, but that only treated the symptoms and not the source. I hope, HOPE ACV works. I'll let you know.

Apple Cider Vinegar for Athlete's Foot.

My husband had suffered for years (he's 48) with horrible, deep cracks in his heels, as well as between his toes. He had to be on his feet all day, so it was very hard on him. We have only been married for 6 months, and I was shocked when I first saw his feet. Anyway, I convinced him to try soaking in ACV, used undiluted. The first time it stung, but he did it anyway as he was desperate for relief. By the third day, all cracks between his toes gone, and he was pain free. After one week, he said his feet felt slippery in his socks, they were so smooth. He said he can't remember when his feet have felt so good. Now, he also gets terrible cracks in his fingers from working outside - he goes through boxes of bandaids. He hasn't wanted to try the ACV yet, as it will hurt at least the first time. If I can get him to do it, I will post the results!

ACV is healing my atheletes foot. I had it on the bottom of both feet and on my leg. I used OTC spray, cream, and powder to no avail. The doctor gave me anti-fungal cream, still no help. After reading these posts I soak my feet in ACV for 30 minutes each night and has done more in two months than the others did in 5 months. It is gone on one foot, and only one little spot left on the other. I get the generic ACV from Smart & Final for a little over 3 bucks a gallon. I warm it up so it is more comfortable and it seems to work better when warm.

First -- Thanks to ALL the members who have contributed to this thread!

SECOND: My Moccasin Heel Athletes feet have shown MORE improvement in one week using ACV than all the other endless professional treatments in the last three years.

Also, essential oil of lavendar, used undiluted has worked wonders for me. I "contracted" athletes's foot while vacationing at a hot springs resort. Much like a public swimming pool, it would be ahrd to avoid. I have never had it before and when it started to develop I had no idea what it was. By the time I realized it was athlete's foot, it was well underway on my two outside toes. I tried tea tree, acv, oil of oregano. none of it seemed to worked and the Apple Cider Vinegar and oregano stung.

I am not sure how I heard of lavendar oil, but I used it undiluted (just drizzle some over the affected area) and in 2 days the skin was smooth and healed. I plan to use lavendar oil as a preventative when I think I could have come in to contact with the athlete foot fungus. I have learned since that lavendar is a great antifungal. Additonally, wiping out your shoes and washing socks in lavendar oil probably wouldn't hurt as it would likely help break the fungal cycle. Lastly, I also dosed myself pretty heavily (internally) with colloidal silver solution a few days after the athlete's foot started to clear up. I thought I was getting a cold and cs works wonders. I bet spraying cs on the foot would also be very helpful.

buy a box of borax powder. (available in your local grocer detergent aisle). Pour it in a bowl large enough for your foot. Wash and thoroughly dry your foot and bury your foot in the borax.... While you watch tv etc... For at least an hour a day, replacing the borax daily. Wash a dry your feet after soak, you can also sprinkle some borax in your socks, slipper etc... To help absorb sweat... Did wonders for me when a specialist and his "magic steroid cremes" did nothing.

After reading the comments on this site, I tried apple cider vinegar (with the mother in it) as a soak to cure my moccasin athlete's foot. Basically, after 4 months of use, it was better but definitely not cured. I had the moccasin athlete's foot on both feet and one hand and had been unable to shift it, (in spite of frequent trips to the doctor), for 5 years.

In its favour, the apple cider vinegar did a lot more for me than the steroid creams my doctor prescribed and was also better than the OTC anti-fungal drugs. It did make my skin softer and helped heal some of the painful cracking. However, it could not kill the fungus. I suspect that this is because moccasin athlete's foot is extremely difficult to deal with once it gets hold and perhaps if I had used ACV years ago, before the moccasin athlete's foot became chronic, it might have worked.

For anyone wondering whether I managed to cure it some other way, the answer is yes, but not at home. In the end I was so desperate that I went to a traditional chinese herbalist who gave me a pile of herbs (many of which looked like fungus, bark and mushrooms) to boil up every night as a foot/hand soak. I was pretty skeptical but amazingly it worked within a week and I'm so happy! It wasn't as cheap as ACV, two consultations plus the herbs cost me around £80 (GBP), but for me it was worth it.

In conclusion, if you've got a really bad case of moccasin type athlete's foot, my experience has been that apple cider vinegar will soothe it - maybe even halt its development - but it won't give you a complete cure.

Do you need to use "new" ACV everytime you bathe your feet, or can you use the same ACV solution more than once. Thank you

I used raw Apple Cider Vinegar on some nasty-looking athlete's foot for two weeks, and I now have beautiful new skin on both feet and no sign of the infection. I simply soaked a cotton ball to saturation and applied liberally (to dripping point) all over the affected areas. I then let it dry in the air and didn't rinse it off. I did this twice or three times a day, changed my socks the same number of times, and saw improvement daily. I can't thank you enough for all your advice and encouragement!

There is no cure to bad foot other then prevention. IF you do get it I swear on my life that ACV and Tea Tree Oil will calm it down. When my whole body shakes cause it itches so bad I soak it 50 percent water and 50 percent ACV for 15 to 20 mins on both feet. Even if its on one toe or foot both, add the other so it prevents it. Trust me it wont spread to the other foot.

I would suggest to elevate your foot on a regular basis, above the level of your heart any time you're not walking. Try putting alum or talc powder in your sock (tall tube sock) before putting it on, then wrap your foot and leg in an ACE bandage to apply compression. Elevate the foot and wrap an ice pack around it. Do this as often as possible (2-3 times per day minimum).

I have been using this for weeks and have begun to see an improvement. I believe mine is the moccasin type, as I had large blisters on the bottom of my feet and along the sides of my feet. Unfortunately it has spread to my leg, and I now have crusty scales on that leg. No matter what I do, they just keep coming back and it is not improving at all on my leg. My foot and leg are so swollen, that it is difficult to wear shoes. Nothing my doctor gave me has helped, and I don't see a dermatologist for another month. Any suggestions as to how I can get some of the swelling down in my foot and leg?

I am a PhD student at the University of Michigan earning my degree in a very empirical field. I tried almost 2 dozen expensive and doctor prescribed products for my case of athletes foot - which I've had for about 7 years - and nothing worked.

I finally tried something more "natural" and I must say that ACV has been an absolute (dare I say) miracle! I soaked my feet in a small tub that was 50% ACV 50% water every morning and night (20 mins each session and longer if possible). My athletes foot is completely gone after staying with this regime for 2 weeks. I had lost hope because it wasn't working the first week, but sticking with it payed handsome dividends. I'm going to look up some other things on this website now and must say that I'm slowly becoming a believer in both science and these more "natural" remedies. Thank you all previous posters!

I had a bad case of athlete's foot on my left foot that plagued me for well over a year. I wanted to try a natural remedy, and I found this site and used a combination of ACV (swabbed on with a cotton ball) followed by tea tree oil. This worked somewhat, but did not cure it. What finally got rid of it once and for all was soaking my foot in straight ACV for 10-20 minutes. The trick for me, I think, was that I needed to leave it soaking in the vinegar until it started to burn and itch. That's when I knew that it was working, it felt like the fungus was being killed off. After I did this, the next day I saw a big improvement, plus I found small white blisters. I did this once a day for about a week, and it completely went away. It has been about 6 months now, and it is still gone. I hope this testimony helps someone else out!

I acknowledge the success of Stephen from Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan, BUT he suffered from inter-digit type. It's short-lived. I am suffering from "moccasin" type known as Trichophyton rubrum, which is long-lasting and very difficult to treat. I've had this 8 months now with ups-downs. Vinegar soak helps but seems to have put the infection in a hibernation like state. Tolerable but not cured.

Is there truly a positive difference between Apple Cider Vinegar and white vinegar? I've been suffering from the moccasin type for 8 months.

Matt, you can rinse you feet if you want, but don't wear socks unless your feet are dry. What I did, and what I forgot to add in my yea post was that at night, after soaking my feet, I left the vinegar to dry and then put my feet in plastic baggies with rubber bands to hold the baggies in place. I rinsed my feet in the morning, dried really well and wore sandals for the day. Also throw away all socks and buy new ones. Put your shoes in plastic bags, seal the bags and stick in the freezer over night. The fungi can survive the washing machine and stay in your socks. No joke!! Good luck!

This works people. Garlic does work in the beginning, but it won't cure your feet like the Apple Cider Vinegar will. Warning!! Your feet may actually become dry using ACV. Mine did, but it is way better than damp feet. If your feet get too dry you can always rub a little foot lotion on your feet, but if you do, DO NOT put socks over your feet that you just put lotion on.

Remedy: Apple Cider Vinegar
Usage: 1Day/1Time/2Weeks for 30Minutes before bed
Cured: Yes

Ok this my sound a little harsh to some, but sometime the truth hurts. 99. 9 percent of all athletes foot can be prevented by one simple step. WASH YOUR FEET EVERYDAY!! I myself sometimes neglected my feet (and don't say you haven't) during quick showers not to mention military days when there were no "Hollywood showers" allowed. Well I don't want to place all the blame on the military, but I was in boots more than out of them during my tour. I didn't even have athletes foot til I got out of the military. WTF. ;o;

Well it was worst on my left foot between my little (weewee)piggy and my starved piggy. Cracking, itching, peeling, etc. Never spread though. Thank God. I tried it all. Bought all the fix it quicks online, the crap from the doctors office, and online healing BS. Then I found this site and read each and everyone of your reviews. I thought what the hell. Let me give it a try. I went to Costco and bought boxes of ACV. The first week I used the stuff straight outta the bottle covering both feet 20 minutes a night. The first treatment was already mind blowing. The next morning I looked at my feet and the redness was almost gone. After the first week I could see not signs of the fungus. I then started diluting the ACV into water at a 2 to 1 ration. The smaller being water. Continued for another week and I think I am cured. I am washing my feet like crazy everyday just to be extra safe. I can tell you I now am not embarrassed when the ladies come over and can take of my socks without worrying about my feet. Damn!! I got beautiful feet again. The only downside to the ACV (and I think this was already said) but it does dry the hell out of your feet. Better dry than moist I guess. THANK YOU EARTHCLINIC for putting up this site and allowing me to find a cure for the devils fungus. If you have not experienced athletes foot then good for you, but you best never neglect your feet or Mr. Fungi might come a knocking. Use the Apple Cider Vinegar!! I am telling it works. Just don't half ass the remedy though. Stick to it every day until you kill those little critters eating away at your feet.

Since moving to Costa Rica 4 years ago, I have had severe athletes foot. I don't know why, but only my left foot has it(never my right foot). It is present in between the toes and along the sides of my toes. OTC solutions have not worked and are kind of expensive. My big toe and little toe nails have turned a dirty looking yellow(the 3 center toes are normal). The nails are brittle and distorted and twice as thick as normal nails. The quick underneath seems to be eaten up and now there is a space between my nail and toes. Today I am starting the Apple Cider Vinegar treatment(40% water/60% APC), 25 minutes/twice a day. I am also going to use baking soda in my shoes and maybe try cayenne pepper in my socks. Should I leave the Apple Cider Vinegar on my feet without rinsing, and then put my socks and shoes on, or should I rinse my feet off with water after each Apple Cider Vinegar treatment?

I tried soaking my feet in apple cider vinegar straight out of the bottle, straight off the shelf of the grocery store (Heinz), and after battling athletes foot for over 20 years, I am free of this pest finally. Soaking lasted for about 30 minutes a day for a week. After the first day, I noticed an improvement as did my wife. Each day showed a bit of a difference, and I decided after a week to stop. By the middle of the next week, my feet showed NO SIGNS whatsoever of mocassin athletes foot. No peeling, no redness, no cracked skin, no pustules, nothing. That was four months ago and I have since maintained the same active lifestyle (running, tennis, hiking) and have not had one flare-up. In fact, my only concern is that my feet are often very dry. Works out nice, actually, as the wife lotions them up and nothing beats a foot massage with lotion =)

If you have your doubts, try it. I didn't use organic or some other over-priced product. Give it a shot. A $5 bottle of vinegar and a week's worth of your time is worth it for almost anything, much less a chance to get rid of AF.

i find the old saying if your feet stink you need zinc. at least 15 mgs a day with food or it will upset your stomach. also rubbing oil around and on your toes is a good way to fight the fungus. try mixing 10 drops of tea tree oil in 1 oz of olive oil.

Hello, I just wanted to praise the healing effects of Apple Cider Vinegar and Garlic for my recent bout with Athlete's foot. I have never had a case before in my life, but I picked it up from my recent trip to New Orleans. It was awful. I knew it was bad to scratch but I couldn't help myself at first because it itched so bad. It was present on the top of my foot only, and the more I scratched the farther it spread. When it was approaching my toes and I saw that I was beginning to bleed I knew I had to do something. I used this site for a previous ailment that I had and it worked so I trusted the the apple cider vinegar and garlic remedy as suggested would work as well. It was also great because they were already two ingredients I had in my pantry. So at first I soaked my feet in a basin with non-diluted store brand ACV.I must say IT BURNED. I also got nervous after I saw my pickled feet and the the rashes raise up on my feet. I did this 1x/day for a couple of days and then I started to come to the last of my ACV. So I diluted about 3 cups vinegar and filled the rest of the basin with water. I reused this for about a week and then replaced the vinegar-water solution the next week. Each night prior to going to bed I sliced two cloves of fresh garlic and placed them on my feet directly on the rash areas and then put ankle socks over it so they would stay in place.WARNING-I advise not to do this during the day especially if you in public around people. I did it one time and the smell was so strong people were literally looking at me in disgust. just wear sandles during the day if you can or if you have to wear socks then I suggest sprinkling a little cayenne pepper in them (that's what I did). The combination of ACV and garlic everyday for two weeks has resulted in a DRAMATIC improvement in my feet. The skin is now smooth. I still have a couple of scabs that are still healing. I will continue this treatment until all signs of this are gone. I read how this condition can be persistent. Your feet will smell like vinegar and garlic a lot after its done but that does not compare to fungus-infected, bleeding feet! I just thought I would provide my testimony and really hope in some way this will help someone else. I know it has worked WONDERS for me. Good luck!

Vicks didn't work for me. Tried it for weeks. It did seem to slow down the fungus and moisten my feet but not get rid of it.

About two years ago, I tried taking ACV to cure my athlete's foot. It didn't work at all! I tried everything but it wouldn't go away.

Then about a month ago, after being off of ACV for a half a year or so, I started taking it again for allergies. Looking at my feet at the end of the week when I took a bath, I noticed about 50% of my athlete's foot had disappeared. I have no idea why it didn't work the first time. I hadn't changed my diet much except I had less processed foods.

Anyone wanting to cure Athlete's Foot should give ACV another try.