Vinegar Home Remedies For Toe Fungus

Toes are often damp, moist and warm, making them an attractive breeding ground for fungus. Toe fungus could cause you discomfort via toenail disfigurement or discoloration, not to mention a foul odor (thanks to all that debris residing under your nails). If you're looking for an alternative to oral antifungal drugs and their possible side effects, try the following vinegar home remedies to get rid of toe fungus.

Basics

• Fungus detests acidic environments, which makes vinegar the ideal remedy to combat toe fungus. Use vinegar to relieve itching, soothe your discomfort and restore your pH balance, which you need at its highest levels to get rid of onychomycosis (fungi).

  While you may select from any vinegar type, apple cider vinegar may deliver the best results in your fungal fight. Apple cider vinegar acts as a strong astringent and reduces inflammation; alternate using vinegar and hydrogen peroxide on alternate days for an even greater chance of killing bacteria and viruses.

Topical Remedies

• Soak your foot three times daily for at least 30 minutes in a bath mixture of of 50 percent water and 50 percent apple cider vinegar. Alternate cold baths with hot baths, once in the morning, once in the afternoon (if possible) and once in the evening. When you have finished soaking your foot, use a soft cloth or dry towel to wipe your toes.

  Rather than soak your foot in a bath, try applying two drops of apple cider or distilled white vinegar directly on the growing base of an infected toenail twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. Apply the vinegar with a dropper bottle or use a soaked cotton swab to apply the vinegar. Make sure you hold the swab firmly on the affected area long enough that it has time to work against the fungus.

  If you regularly apply vinegar to the base of your toenail, you should see normal nail growth at your nail's base. Continue the treatment until your infected nail grows right off the body. As the infected nail grows out, cut and file the nail. Any new nail that grows daily is vulnerable to fungal reinfection, so do not miss a vinegar application.

  Results could appear anywhere from three weeks to three months for either topical treatment, but your full fungal healing should occur when the healthy nail outgrows the infected part of the nail.

Oral Remedy

• Topical vinegar use should help you relieve your toe fungus, but you also can use apple cider vinegar as an oral anecdote. Vinegar has a sour taste, but it's non-toxic and has enjoyed a lengthy history as a medicinal tool.

  To reduce the sour taste of apple cider vinegar, mix the vinegar with a carbonated beverage or fruit juice. Rinse your mouth or brush your teeth after every use, as drinking any acidic beverage could lead to tooth decay.

  If your toe fungus does not show much improvement after using vinegar, consult your physician to discuss alternate remedies.