How to Use White Vinegar to Treat Nail Fungus

Nail fungus infections affect an estimated 12 percent of all Americans, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Fungal infections become increasingly common with age and affect the toenails more often than the fingernails. Symptoms of nail fungus include thickening, flaking, and discoloration of the nail. Medical treatments for nail fungus may cause potentially serious side effects. For this reason, many people turn to home remedies to treat nail fungus. One such remedy, white vinegar, relieves itching caused by nail fungus and stabilizes the pH balance of your skin, making the nails less hospitable to fungus.

Things You'll Need

• Nail clippers
• White vinegar
• Cotton swabs

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Instructions

• 1

  Trim your nails as short as possible, and keep them trimmed short until your infection clears. If your nails are very thick, you can try filing them down with a nail file.

• 2

  Prepare a solution of equal parts warm water and white vinegar in a tub or large bowl. Soak the affected nails in the vinegar bath for 30 minutes, two to three times each day.

• 3

  Dry your nails thoroughly after removing them from the vinegar bath. Use a hair dryer on low heat, if necessary. Allowing your nails to remain wet encourages the growth of nail fungus.

• 4

  Use a cotton swab to apply white vinegar directly to your nail. Wet the end of the cotton swab, rub it over the entire nail, and use it to push vinegar as deep under the nail as possible.

• 5

  Continue treating your nail for at least one month after the fungal infection clears. This will help prevent recurrence and will kill any remaining microorganisms. To ensure the fungus is gone, wait until the entire nail grows out, and then soak your nail periodically in vinegar solution.