Alum for Athlete's Foot
Thomas (Salem, Oregon) on 12/18/2014:
Alum works to treat athlete's foot. Use cooking alum. My Vietnamese wife prepared this treatment for me. Warm up a pot of hot water and dissolve the alum in it. She might have added salt also. Soak the feet in it for an hour. However, I have found apple cider vinegar to be just as effective. Soak the feet in 100% ACV for an hour. Repeat daily for a week or so. Improvement will come after the first or second soak. Keep the feet dry and allow the feet to breathe. Avoid synthetic fabrics. Use only 100% cotton socks and 100% cotton bed linens.
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?
