Natural Remedies for Nail Fungus: Home Treatments

Hydrogen Peroxide

Posted by Daisy (Elk Grove Vlg. IL)
★★★★★

My BIG toes are victims of injuries from "new" shopping carts 2 summers ago. I was wearing sandals both times. Our visiting podiatrist said that due these injuries I may have a nail fungus. But, my nails are NOT yellow. They were only bruised and the "mother cells"/half-moon seem to be helping them to grow to the "free edge." The podiatrist removed the loose nails and now the left toe "new nail" has nearly reached the "free edge." The right toe was re-injured accidentally and only has grown 1/2 way to the "free edge." My Dr. said the remedy he had in mind would be unaffordable for me. I have resorted to "peroxide" treatments and my toenails look like they are healing.

Peroxide seems to help the "mother cells" grow a new nail. I apply it once every day with a cotton ball saturated with the peroxide. Naturally it dries it out, but I do see some growth on the nail. Time will tell and I will keep in touch with the results.

I don't know if it because I have a 9 1/2 shoe size that my wonderful grand kids keep stepping/jumping on the "trying to heal" big toes of mine ..........or what. But, it certainly slows it down.

Also, my primary Dr. didn't know how to cure a "root type" ....which could be a cyst on a node on my ring finger. I used a prescribed ointment called HYDROCORTISONE CREAM USP 2.5% strength. The sac became irritated again. I use this "lightly" as directed about 3 times per day with the results that it has cured the irritation although I can still see the dried up tiny sac. The cream I use is comparable to the "off the shelf" hydrocortisone cream USP but, it has a stronger effect on the affected area.

Hope this feedback helps and you can pass it on. These are only my ways of curing and rather experimental.

Black Walnut Tincture

Posted by Dano (Ontario) on 06/25/2025

I am thinking that combining it with DMSO would make it far more effective. I have the beginnings of a toenail fungal infection. I will report back with my findings.

How to Self-Test for Internal Fungus

Posted by Holly (Millersville) on 11/07/2017

ORH,

Sorry to be clueless here...but even if the jar is sterile and closed, the air within the jar could have spores, bacteria, etc. Kind of like when you preserve food by canning. Using just sterile jars won't work. You have to process via heat to create a vacuum and kill all pathogens first.

Thanks for your help. Holly

Milk of Magnesia

Posted by Sue (New Jersey) on 09/24/2017
★★★★★

I've used milk of magnesia (dry COMPLETELY) for skin fungal infections. Desitin works too.

Bleach

Posted by Erika (Hawaii) on 09/18/2017

My history with fungus started 6+ years ago. The infection was acute and was on the nails on both big toes. I went to a podiatrist who removed what remained of both nails and told me to use vinegar at home. At the time I was in a residential treatment facility and had no access to vinegar for the 3 months. Now the new growth about mid-way was reinvented and for the next 5 years was this tug of war with the infection. I used vinegar soaks every night for a month with hardly any improvement. I even used straight the distilled vinegar and no success. I was using bleach soaks with moderate success and stopped after the third try. Well, guess what? It seemed like the fungus built up an immunity to bleach and came back with a vengeance! That pic is what it looks like now. I am going to try the bleach but won't stop it until I know for sure it's been eradicated. I ordered colloidial silver with a high ppm number to use that am/pm. I will update my progress ( hopefully ) and include pics. Wish me luck!

Coconut Oil and Crushed Garlic

Posted by Jimc160 (Cardiff) on 03/24/2017
★★★★★

Have noticed a significant improvement over the last few weeks from using coconut oil and a crushed garlic clove mixed together, this was recommended to me by a friend who used the same treatment successfully on nail fungus.

Bleach

Posted by Ruralady (Illinois) on 11/23/2024 106 posts

I tried everything to cure my toe nail fungus. I finally found a tea tree oil on Amazon which states it also cures nail fungus. I had tried TTO b/f but this one seemed to work better. I got my toenail back.

White Vinegar

Posted by Joy (Greer, Sc) on 05/14/2016
★★★★★

I, too, have had success with vinegar for toenail fungus, even after previously battling a very advanced case for 10 years, although I still have it in one stubborn toenail. I used white vinegar. It was recommended to me to spray it on twice a day, which I think is the fastest and easiest thing to do. I used a 2 oz sprayer found in the travel toiletries section. Wasn't told to soak, but it occurred to me just a few weeks ago that maybe I should soak and saturate that nail, and it is now much improved. Hasn't come back in the other nails, either. Am so happy about this safe, easy and inexpensive treatment.

Urine Therapy

Posted by Richard B. (Oregon) on 03/10/2016
★★★★★

This may sound bad but it works on fungus between toes. Soak your feet in your fresh urine for about 20 minutes, wash feet. Fresh urine would be urine from that day. Cured mine within a few days. Investigate urine therapy

Gentian Violet

Posted by Rob (Kentucky) on 12/08/2015
★★★★★

6 year battle with toe nail fungus is finally over! After trying numerous OTC products with no success. Probably because of my lack of daily applications. I finally found a product that worked with only applications once every 3 weeks or so. And it only took 18 months. Starting out my big toe was solid black. Yuk! Now it looks normal again. I'm sure it would have worked faster if I applied it more often but its hard when your busy all the time.

Gentian violet is an antiseptic dye used to treat fungal infections of the skin (e.g., ringworm, athlete's foot). It also has weak antibacterial effects and may be used on minor cuts and scrapes to prevent infection. It will stain our toe nail (and everything else it contacts with...) but that is the working power behind it.

Apply with a Q-tip, allow to dye, put a sock on if you don't want your bed sheet with a purple streek on them from sleeping on them. Give it time, it does work.

Ozonated Olive Oil

Posted by Nanowriter (Hotspot, Texas) on 05/10/2015

Hi Tassi, what you describe makes me think you may have had a cancer that inflamed and then was dismantled, leaving a space under your skin. I say this because I have used vitamin c on my skin cancers and experienced the swelling and then tissue loss as the cancer tissue is removed. It left a definite divot at the time.

The good thing is that the tissue loss in your face will likely fill back in over time.

Lemongrass Essential Oil

Posted by Cc (Slc, Utah ) on 02/01/2015
★☆☆☆☆

Two years ago I tried Lemongrass oil on my toe nail fungus and all it did was to make my nail color go black. It never worked. I had a black nail for months also the nail was curved due to the amount of fungus under the nail.

I finally got it to clear up by using Iodine and Castor Oil applied to the nail and over time the new nail grew in clear and the problem has not come back.

Bleach

Posted by Js (New York, Ny) on 08/03/2014

I am following up to my post in June. I am continuing to soak my foot with a bleach solution for nail fungus twice a week. 2 of the infected nails are clear (yahoo!!! ). The big toe which was the worst of the lot, looks a lot better and has grown out halfway mostly clear. The issue is that the big toe nail is very weakened from fungus, so it looks like it can get reinfected very easily. Does anyone have a supplement recommendation to strengthen nails that have been infected with nail fungus? That seems to be what is needed to prevent reinfection. Thanks!

Ted's Remedies

Posted by Om (Hope Bc Canada) on 12/18/2013

Hi John BKK -

May be you won't like my advice but I use the following daily and am a senior with beautiful skin all my life. At the moment I am using Ted's borax remedy for mites in my face. As it is very drying I alternate this with the mid stream of my own urine on a washcloth, massaging it in. However, drugs and meat and alcohol must be left aside for your own blueprint to work. It is a remedy without peer. Use it fresh so there is no odour which only develops when exposed to the elements. Om

Oregano Oil

Posted by CC (Collierville, Tn./USA) on 07/18/2013

All anyone needs for any kind of fungus, is Wild Oregano. You can purchase it at a health store. It kills the fungus! It comes in dropper, capsule, or oil gel cap forms. It will kill any yeast type infections (fungus), and other forms of infection, too. It works by taking it internally, and for a nail fungus, apply to area, as well. I have used it on my animals, also. For over a year, my dog could not get rid of yeast in her ears. Nothing from the doctor worked. I gave her two oil gel caps, twice a day. In three days, it was gone. I gave it to her for another week, just to be sure, like you would take an antibiotic. Do the same for human consumption. Remember... All yeast/fungus related ailments!

Oxine AH

Posted by Trudyg (Waynesboro, Va, Usa) on 06/04/2013

I have chickens. In my research for respiratory concerns, I learned of a product called Oxine AH. The AH is for animal health and is identical to the oxine used in brewing. They say it's used in municipal water disinfection because it's so safe. This stuff is supposedly stronger than bleach, kills mold, fungus, virus--all by fogging the area (the chickens are supposed to inhale the mist to fix fungal infection in their lungs). This is for animals! I did not see any place saying use if for humans. But, they use it to clean ductwork, eradicate mold in the home--I'm thinking I personally would try it on ringworm or toenail fungus. Anyone have any experience with it?

Listerine

Posted by Joylie (Solana Beach) on 04/08/2014

I googled, "Triclosan" as someone suggested. It is BAD for your health. Google and see...

Distilled Vinegar

Posted by Renee (Bergen Co., Nj) on 04/12/2013
★★★★★

White Vinegar for Toenail Fungus: Apply white vinegar liberally using a cottonball after every shower or anytime your feet get wet. My husband also applied it at bedtime and again in the morning. Allow it to dry thoroughly (hair dryer is good). Continue for several months until the whole nail has grown out. Otherwise, it will probably come back. He also applied Vaporub on the first night, which had a quick effect, turning it black, but he didn't want to keep using a petroleum product for months.

Grapefruit Seed Extract

Posted by KT (Charlottesville, Virginia) on 03/16/2013
★★★★☆

I used grapefruit seed extraxt (citricidal) on toenail fungus which I've been fighting for about 4 years. First, I thoroughly cleaned the area removing as much of the infected area (toenail and skin) as possible. I then applied a generous drop of citricidal directly on the area and covered with a bandaid. There is a warning on the bottle which says "do not use full strength on the skin". I did it anyway. I'm not recommending anyone else do this; I'm just saying that's what I did. The area was sore for about a day. I've repeated this procedure about 4 times so far with about 2 weeks between each treatment. The results? So far, my toenail has been growing back and there appears to be no trace of fungus. The area is greatly improved. I will continue with this process until my toenail is restored to normal. So, the citricidal seems to be working for me.

Vitamin E Oil

Posted by Boonie (Waukesha, Wi) on 03/11/2013
★★★★★

Vitamin E oil for fungus nails: use a Q tip or cotton ball to massage in to your nails on both sides after your bath or shower. It may take a year to do this every day but the nail will grow out clear. It takes about a year for the new nail to grow out completely. Trim regularily and continue to oil your toe nails every day as needed. Oil all the way to the cuticle to top of the nail and underneath nail surface as much as you can.

Oregano Oil

Posted by Lian (Nairobi, Kenya) on 11/29/2012

I am saying Amen!!!!! To Oregano Oil, had Fungal that refused to go completely for the last TEN years. As we speak, my face is really glowing and am very confident walking with my head's high. It is a powerful cure.

Apple Cider Vinegar, Hydrogen Peroxide

Posted by Jc (Columbus, Ga, Us) on 07/23/2013

How long did you soak your toe nails each day, for them three days.

Apple Cider Vinegar, Hydrogen Peroxide

Posted by RB (Somewhere in Europe) on 02/23/2022 86 posts

Question for everybody: How long do you have to soak, before this thick unsightly toenail comes ovf painlessly?

What is it that I'm doing wrong?

I soak the nail in a 3% white vinegar for up to 6 hours per day, but the thick unsightly part of the nail remains hard as a rock. Neither my nail scissors nor my nail file is, or seems to be, any help.

Any advice?

Apple Cider Vinegar, Hydrogen Peroxide

Posted by zalmus (Israel) on 09/25/2023

My guess it has to be ACV, not white vinegar. Although many comments relate to White Vinegar too. Also Hydrogen Peroxide 3%.

Castor Oil

Posted by Wolfgang (New York) on 08/07/2017

I have had nail fungus on three toes on my left foot for years. I know this happened because of poor hygiene.

It basically only hurt on the big toe. Keeping pressure off of the foot in a shoe helped but was not a solution.

I read about clorox to help this so I brushed every day and certainly there was soon less pain. My feet felt clean. It still has not gone away but now I see that Castor oil helps a lot.

I think both are good. Tee tree oil did not work for me also too expensive.

Iodine, Hydrogen Peroxide, Colloidal Silver

Posted by Hippocrates (Odin, Missouri, USA) on 04/29/2012 9 posts
★★★★★

Hello all, Many years ago, I went to Hawaii. I walked on the beach barefoot, it was fun. I am unsure if this was the cause but, I came back home, and one toe nail started to get thick and brittle a few months later. It got so thick, toe nail clippers won't go over it to cut it, so I have to hack away at it to get it cut. The others have been totally unaffected.

One day, I decided to cut it, but then went outside and sanded it down to a slightly less-than-normal thickness out of frustration. I noticed that the outside looked normal-ish, but inside it was pithy, like old dead wood, small hollow pockets with brown streaks.

So, I mixed up some iodine I had, some hydrogen peroxide, and some 500 ppm colloidial silver. It was 60% iodine, 20% hydrogen peroxide, 20% colloidial silver. I would paint it on in the morning a few times so that it soaked in nicely, then put on a bandage over the nail or a "finger cot" (like a condom for your finger), then take it off in a few hours. Then, when I got home, I would paint it on several times again, but let it air dry.

The nail started to grow back normally from the base of it, but I moved and was unable to continue to the current living arrangement for a year. It reverted back to the old thick nail by the end.

I am now able to continue my earlier treatments, but didnt figure that you would want to wait a year or two to find out how it goes. It takes about a year for a nail ripped off to grow completely back in (dont ask me how I know ;), so if you do this, I would continue for 2 years to make sure that it was completely gone, then a periodic treatment, once a week or twice a month or so, to make sure that it doesnt come back. If it is thick, even possibly not, make sure to sand it down quite a bit, so that it can absorb down into the nail bed better, since nails arent the most porous of substances. The key is to get it into the nail, as if you put it on and then put on socks that absorb the liquid, it wont go into the nail. That is why I used something to keep the solution from drying out and not soaking in.

Multiple Remedies

Posted by Debbie (Melbourne, Australia ) on 01/28/2012

You have obviously gone to a lot of trouble with your post but I can't agree with some of what you are saying. I cured my toe nail fungus (which had spread to more than one toe) by just drinking the ACV a couple of times a day. I had had the problem for quite a few years. As the nail grew out so did the fungus and I just kept cutting it. Three months later it was pretty much cleared up. There is no need for me now to wash my feet differently or be careful with this or that, my body is healthy. The fungus will only be a problem if the body is not healthy. I heard a great saying once... "you can't fish in dirt". It is the same with our bodies, disease and sick only occur if the body is in a state that allows it to. The same with your immune system. Everyone around you can be sick but if your immune system is strong you won't get sick.

As for plantar warts Edgar Cayce (per the link below) had a great remedy for them without having to resort to cutting them out.

http://wartcure99.blogspot.com/2010/04/edgar-cayce-wart-remedy_17.html

Multiple Remedies

Posted by Courtney (Granite Bay, Ca) on 01/28/2012

I beg to differ. Surgery is not the only alternative.

After trying countless conventional methods over the span of three decades, I was finally able to get rid of my plantar wart for good by using the duct tape method. It took patience and diligence, but it worked!

I suffered with every step I took for ages, and have been free of that pain (and the wart) for almost a year now.