5 Effective Natural Ways to Remedy Athlete’s Foot for Good

Health

3. Apple Cider Vinegar Remedy

The sour, tangy crunchy mama favorite that helps with everything from heartburn to dandruff can also be one of the best natural remedies for mild athlete’s foot.

Apple cider vinegar (ACV for those familiar with this crushed, fermented apple product) has been used since the times of Hippocrates, when it was prized for its medicinal properties. It’s known to be especially beneficial against yeast and fungus, and many people take it internally to keep candida in balance.

To use ACV to remedy athlete’s foot, make sure you’ve got a good, high-quality, unpasteurized version (the ones still containing the “mother” are better, and you can even make your own!). Of course you can also buy in stores or online, I get mine here.

In a foot bath container, mix together:

2 cups of water
1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar

Soak your feet for around half an hour. You can also apply plain ACV directly to the infection with a cotton ball. Apple cider vinegar will likely sting, so be aware and dilute more if necessary.

4. Essential Oil Remedies

There are a few essential oils that can be used to battle fungal infections, and skin conditions are one of my favorite uses of essential oils.

Anti-fungal essential oils include:

tea tree
lavender
oregano
thyme
geranium
clove

There are several ways you can use essential oils as natural remedies for athlete’s foot.

How to Make Your Own Salve:

Use this simple recipe for homemade healing salve to create your own anti-fungal salve by adding anti-fungal essential oils:

2 cups olive oil or almond oil
1/4 cup beeswax pastilles
40 drops tea tree essential oil
20 drops lavender essential oil
12 drops each oregano and clove essential oils

To make:

Heat the oil in a double boiler with the beeswax until melted and mixed.
Add the essential oils and stir.
Pour into small tins, glass jars, or lip chap tubes and apply to the infected areas as often as you think of it.

Apply neat or diluted.

Whether or not you use essential oils directly on the skin or dilute them is a personal and sometimes hotly debated choice. Because essential oils are highly concentrated, it is generally not suggested to use them directly on the skin.

However, some essential oils may be ok to apply neat, or directly on the skin, including lavender. The biggest concern in this case is applying the oil to broken skin, which would be painful and could cause further irritation. You can always check with a certified aromatherapist if you’re interested in using essential oils undiluted.

Otherwise, a good rule of thumb is 3-5 drops of essential oils per teaspoon of oil. Coconut oil is an excellent choice because it is also anti-fungal. Just combine any of the above anti-fungal essential oils with some coconut oil and apply to the infected areas.

Make an anti-fungal spray.

Combine anti-fungal essential oils with witch hazel to create a cleansing, healing astringent. Combine oils of choice in a spray bottle with witch hazel, keeping in mind dilution ratios, spritz on clean, dry feet, and then allow to dry. You could also kill two birds with one stone and add a little ACV to the spray.

5. Remedies for Footwear and Towels

It turns out sticking your sneakers in the freezer for about 24 hours may kill the fungus and prevent it from growing further. Additionally, you could use an anti-fungal essential oil spray like the one suggested above to spritz your sneakers and kill the fungus.

In addition to disinfecting your shoes, it is also a good idea to toss or disinfect any socks worn while infected, plus disinfect towels used.

To disinfect towels, wash on the hottest setting on the washing machine. Add anti-fungal essential oils, vinegar, or hydrogen peroxide to kill germs. In cases of persistent or recurrent athlete’s foot infections, consider throwing away items that may have come in contact with the fungus.

You Can Remedy Athlete’s Foot Naturally!

Most minor infections can be remedied at home without using harmful or toxic over the counter or prescription drugs. Athlete’s foot is no exception, and with these natural remedies for athlete’s foot, you’ll be fungus-free in no time!