Natural Remedies For Athlete's Foot

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Suzy (Eugene, Or) on 07/03/2012
★★★★★

I found this site back in April. I swim 3 times a week and even though I wear flip flops I am very prone to athletes foot fungus and have been for 34 years ie.. Since high school gym class! A few years ago I even was prescribed an antifungal -- which did clear it up for a few months. But it has always came back. I had used with some success a mixture of garlic and lavender oil. But the smell was somewhat offensive. I began soaking my feet in ACV a non organic type. I must have a high tolerance for pain or it just felt better than the itch and burn as I can soak for 30 minutes. Just stick my feet in and sit back and watch the BIG BANG. I also began taking at the same time internally (once a day) ACV but the organic type with mother. 2 Tablespoons with about one half teaspoon of organic raw local honey. (I also have allergies and asthma and thought this might help). My athletes foot (toe type) has completely cleared. I am very careful and wash my feet daily with DR Bronners peppermint soap and then blow dry them. I did not treat my shoes or socks... Although I did buy 20 mule team Borax with this intent. I still have an issue with some ugly cracked heels, but the there is no burning and itching between my toes and no skin sloughing off.

I am certainly looking at other information on this site and have been doing the mini beet protocol but will post later regarding my results with that. Thank you EC.

Essential Oils

Posted by Delila (Tel Aviv, Israel) on 05/21/2012
★★★★★

I have suffered for years from smelly, itchy dry athletes foot and have had many sleepless nights itching and scratching feet to the point of bleeding. After using this treatment, my feet no longer smell or itch!! Before beginning make sure everything is ready and prepared and its best done after taking a shower or bath as its easier to remove the dead skin. Put some newspaper on the floor so as not to mess up the place. If you also suffer from fungus toes clip and file off as much of the diseased nail as possible with a nail file and then file off as much dry skin as you can with a good quality callous stone from all the dry rough areas of the feet.

Now for the treatment take 2 drops of eucalyptus oil, 2 drops of peppermint oil and 2 drops of teatree oil and mix with a small amount of almond oil and thoroughly massage feet for a few minutes concentrating especially between the toes and the very dry rough areas. Then take some tissue and rub vigourously feet to remove residue oil and to remove and smooth out all the dry skin. Once again take the callous stone and file off and remove any dry skin that you feel until the feet are smooth. You will see great improvement within days but repeat this treatment until completely healed and then every now and then for maintenance!!!

Apple Cider Vinegar, Coconut Oil

Posted by Melynda (Seattle, Wa) on 05/09/2012
★★★★★

Soaking my feet at least once a day in ACV, full strength, for at least 10-15 minutes, followed by rubbing a little coconut oil on the affected areas has cured my athlete's foot. Also, it is helpful to know - pantyhose, are not so great for the health of your feet - they trap the moisture and create problems. Wear foot wear that allows your feet to breathe as much as possible. Trader Joe's has a great ACV that is unfiltered 'with the Mother', that is not terribly expensive. Since other posts have asked - I will note that I have re-used my ACV with no problems. I store it in a tupperware container, so that it is air tight when not being used, and replenish as needed.

Salt Water

Posted by Jimbo (Glendale, Calif. Usa) on 04/30/2012
★★★★★

For: athletes foot. if you live near the pacific ocean (any ocean). Walk along the sandy beach and let the ocean waves wash up on shore over your feet. The natural salt water will heal your athletes foot. (30 minutes or more, if you have the time. It will cost you nothing. I had A/F as a kid and the salt water cured it every single time.

Go for it! and heal your feet.

Garlic

Posted by John (Encinitas, Ca) on 03/29/2012
★★★★★

I've been to doctors that have prescribed toxic, dangerous medicines affecting the liver. The best natural cure for athletes foot for me is garlic. I rub a garlic clove on the affected areas. While garlic has not irradicated my fungal infection it does seem to work better than the expensive sprays and creams that are sold over the counter.

Oil Pulling

Posted by Chloe99 (Seattle, Wa) on 11/14/2011
★★★★★

Had a bad outbreak between toes.... Very painful. I drizzled ACV from a cotton ball on the toes and it helped, but when I "Oil Pulled" it went away almost by the next morning! Was completely healed in 3 days!!

Cheeseweed

Posted by Darlene (Kewaskum, Usa) on 09/28/2011
★★★★★

Regarding athlete's foot: try locating a weed, locally called cheeseweed and found on farmsteads [scientific name: malva neglecta; it looks like a low growing viney geranium with little blue or purple blossoms and round nutlike fruit that is edible], place a handful in water and bring to a boil; simmer for a while to extract nutrients; when cool enough to touch, dip a cloth into the 'juice', squeeze out, hold onto any location that is infected until cool; repeat this as often as possible until compote is cooled, you can repeat the process as often as you want. You can also place the foot or hand in the 'juice' until it has cooled; repeat as desired.

This 'juice' has been effective in drawing infection out of insect stings or slivers, clearing up athlete's foot, even drew blood poisioning out of my father's arm when it had nearly reached his shoulder. It is not a one time process; must be done repeatedly over days (you can reheat and reuse the original compote until it's really slimy) to achieve the end, but you should notice improvement after a few applications.

Apple Cider Vinegar, Garlic

Posted by Hiker (Vista, Ca, Usa) on 09/05/2011
★★★★☆

I have a nasty case of Moccasin type Athlete's Foot. The entire front portion of the soles of both feet (from the top of the arches forward) exhibited a thick fungal scaling. I have had it for many months, probably over a year by now. I don't like using the OTC creams and since the itching initially was only in the evenings and only when I walked in tennis shoes for a long period I had been (to my regret) ignoring it. The arrival of summer's heat led to intense daily itching anytime my feet perspired.

I researched alternative treatments and decided to give vinegar and garlic a try. Distilled White Vinegar (4%) (DWV) was initially used because my local grocery store didn't carry any Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV).

Both feet were soaked (undiluted) for 5-15 minutes (10 minute average) twice a day and 1-2 cloves of fresh garlic were eaten twice a day. Having read that Moccasin cases are much more resistant to treatment, I thought garlic with its potent anti-fungal properties would promote faster recovery. I also started walking around in thongs only.

The DWV soaks alleviated the itching immediately. No significant improvement in appearance was seen until the morning of the 8^th day. I switched to ACV (5%) soaks (undiluted) that evening to see how it would work. The ACV was less harsh than the DWV and left my skin feeling very soft. A little improvement was seen nearly every day thereafter.

The garlic seemed to help. While continuing soaking I discontinued the garlic for two days and my feet didn't show any improvement. I resumed the garlic and the next day my feet looked much better. It may not be necessary for everyone but in my resistant Moccasin case it seemed a benefit.

A little tip: Garlic is very harsh -- don't take it on an empty stomach! On two occasions I did and immediately threw it up. When taken with a good sized meal it wasn't a problem. To make it easier on my stomach in the second week I reduced my garlic to 1-2 cloves per day, which seemed adequate. Luckily I wasn't one of those people that develop an odor problem while consuming garlic.

Another tip: -- make sure during your soaks that you don't rest your feet on the bottom of the container. Doing so can press the toes together and keep the vinegar from contacting the recesses between the toes and the soles of the feet. The same vinegar was used for several soaks in a row, which didn't seem to hamper its effectiveness.

I think long soaks are unnecessary. Beyond 10-15 minutes they often just irritated the skin and didn't seem to hasten recovery. Shorter multiple daily soaks seemed more effective than longer less frequent ones. Yesterday I soaked my feet about 5 times and upped my garlic to 2 cloves twice a day. Today my feet appeared much better. It has been 15 days and my feet are about 90% improved. Most of the scaling on the soles and under the toes is gone.

I have a fungal infection in the toenail of one toe. Unfortunately, I have to report that there has been little improvement in appearance. I don't know if the nail has to grow out before the toenail looks better or if it is not working. Will have to wait and see.

If you elect to treat your Athlete's Foot with ACV and garlic be patient. Long standing and/or Moccasin cases may take weeks to completely heal. I will post again later to update my progress.

Vetericyn

Posted by John (CA) on 11/09/2021
★★★★★

I would like to add my voice in endorsing Vetericyn for athlete's foot. I bought the Vetericyn that is formulated as a hydrogel. I have been dealing with athlete's foot for well over a decade; most likely much longer. Recently it flared up causing the usual lesions between toes becoming swollen and somewhat painful to walk around on. The fungus had, over the years, affected my left foot and the skin was dry and cracking to the point of bleeding. I read the post I am replying to and decided to try this product since I had worked with about everything else with mixed results. In using this product for only about two weeks it has been a most remarkable result. The athlete's foot lesions between my toes are, at this point, healed and the entire foot looks to be healing with the skin becoming more normal and soft. The hydrogel form allows for easy spray and then massaging into the tissues. I sprayed at least three times a day in the beginning massaging it in between the toes and all over the foot and part way up the calf (I did not know how far the fungus has progressed by this time. I want to say I noticed a change after only 24 hours of use but I was not sure it was just wishful thinking on my a part. All I can say is give this product a try. All of the testimonials indicate it really works and apparently is quite benign for healing of all sorts of problems. I hope this works for others living with problems such as this.

Iodine

Posted by Chuckbrt (Alden, Mn) on 07/13/2011
★★★★★

Athlete's foot is a fungus, surface applications give temporary relief. To kill the fungus from within a person needs to take an anti-fungal. I had cracked and stinky feet, started taking Iodine and two days later the stink was gone. A week after I started Iodine, the cracks were healing.

Lavender Oil

Posted by Amy (Atlanta, Georgia) on 04/17/2011
★★★★★

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.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Michell (Oregon) on 12/31/2015

ACV is without a doubt the only way to deal with the foot fungus. At first if it burns deal with it just think the next day you will be a new person, don't forget to trash the shoe pads away and take newspaper spray some disinfectant on the paper and stuff the shoes with the paper every day and rotate your shoes! Believe me, this takes care of your feet and your hands and you'll be a happy camper!

Apple Cider Vinegar, Garlic

Posted by Hiker (Vista, Ca, USA) on 09/09/2012

I wanted to post an update to my original post. The Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) soaks completely cured my feet. They had rough spots and I thought they may have been residual fungus but I was wrong. My feet stayed the same for months. After about a year when it started getting warm again the fungus returned. I hadn't used the ACV soaks since my initial treatment and I ignored it until it started itching on the archs of both feet. It has been two treatments and my feet look and feel better already. This time I didn't take any garlic internally. I used full strength soaks for 30 minutes and have had no adverse reactions to them at all. ACV rocks!!!!!!!!

Iodine

Posted by Superslide (Las Vegas, Nv, Usa ) on 05/07/2010
★★★★☆

My friend had a minor case of athletes foot and small blisters on his feet almost every day. We have been taking an iodine supplement that has greatly improved our over all health and got rid of his athetes foot. But the blisters still kept popping up. Mind you, he has had them forever. Every day after work, he would be popping them. So since the iodine has helped his athletes foot, maybe the body needs a little more help with the blisters. It has been amazing!!!

Recipe::
Take a bath to soften the skin.
Cotton ball with regular iodine disinfectant from pharmacy.
Coat foot with iodine.
Let dry or put on a nylon sock.

Results::
soft feet for first time ever.
In 3 days, only one blister appeared.
Much more comfort when walking around.

Tea Tree Oil

Posted by Moises (New York, Ny Usa) on 11/02/2009
★★★★★

Athlete's Foot: I mixed one part tea tree oil with 4 parts olive oil. Twice daily I washed me feet with soap and water. Then I dried them. Then I used an eyedropper to apply the tea tree oil dilution between the toes.

My athlete's foot cleared up in less than a week. This was after using Lamisil ointment for more than 3 weeks.

The first time I used Lamisil (terbinafine hydrochloride 1%), years ago, it also worked in a few days. Each successive time, it required more days to eliminate the athlete's foot. I have only tried tea tree oil one time. So, I do not know yet if its effectiveness diminishes with repeated use, the way Lamisil does.

Alum

Posted by Denise (Austin, AR) on 07/29/2009
★★★★★

I have had problems with athlete's foot since I was a teenager. Now my teenage son has become bothered by it. I was told by an old friend that if I were to sprinkle a little bit of old fashioned cooking alum into his and my shoes and a little in our socks that it would take care of the athlete's foot and actually make his feet odorless. She (the friend) said that the alum closes the pores which prevents the feet from sweating, stopping the odor, and also the athlete's foot. I was told about this probably about ten years or so ago but have been reluctant to try it because it just doesn't sound like a healthy option. I'm certainly not going to try it on my child without knowing what repercussions will be as a result. Has this ever been suggested before?

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Shaun (York, UK) on 04/04/2009

Try soaking your feet in a household ammonia solution (50/50 ammonia and water) for a while. Works a treat for me.

Urine

Posted by Scott (Anaheim, CA) on 03/04/2009
★★★★★

I tried everything OTC and nothing worked well. Literally everything. I am even put VICs on my feet before sleeping for 1 month. It cleared up the nails, but it came back really quickly after stopping. The nails started to get dark again. I did vinegar soaks and that didn't help either.

Finally, I decided to PEE on my feet twice a day (morning pee and night). I remembered a few years back, I had this bad headache that wouldn't go away and I ended up drinking my own morning urine for a week after trying everything else. It fixed that headache. Its really amazing, but it cleared up my feet in a matter of days, not months or 1 year. Don't believe those that say it doesn't work. Urine has thousands of nutrients, many of which can't be detected with our equipment. It literally cleared it up in 1 week. I also resorted to spitting on my feet and rubbing in the SALIVA letting dry. Remember dogs and cats always licking their paws? Its Saliva they are spreading and used to clean their paws.

Dietary Changes

Posted by Lyle (Gaborone, Botswana) on 05/14/2013
★★★★☆

Yes Cheryl, dietary changes work too. I thought I had cleared the athlete's foot. But when I stopped rubbing the garlic on my feet, it came back after about 3 months.

I then got a herbal tea mix of the these herbs: garlic bulb, barberry and milk thistle. Within two days of taking this, the funugs dried on the skin under my feet. It took about a month for the skin to fall off. After about a month, I ran out of the tea and the fungus attacked again within two weeks. I guess there are lots of spores in my body.

I intend to take this herbal tea for the whole year in a bid to clear the spores from my system. I am much happier with the tea since it doesn't smell. Also, I like prefer tea (compared to rubbing on the body) since I can drink it cold in the summer and warm when its cold, it cleans the body from inside, just what I need. Man, I havent been to the gym in ages now due to this fungus.

I probably need to get rid of my shoes and socks as well so I dont get re-infected.

This herbal tea was formulated to treat Thrush, but it works for both thrush and athlete's foot.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Bethany (Westminster, CA) on 02/20/2009
★★★★★

My husband had a severe case of athletes foot, and his skin would crack from how think and hard it was. We tried every cream, spray and powder out there, it helped with the smell but that was it. My sister told me about raw organic unfiltered apple cider vinegar and that it would kill the fungus. I figured we would give it a shot, and after the first night there was an improvement, and when he came home from work the smell was gone! So we kept on it soaking his feet in it for 15 mins a night after he got home from work and took a shower. after 2 weeks of this no more athletes foot, he now has soft normal skin on the bottom of his feet and they dont stink!!! give it a shot it is an amazing cure for athletes foot!!