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Home Remedies for Foot Warts

Warts can show up on several body areas, including the feet. These foot warts are called plantar warts and can grow anywhere, although the Mayo Clinic says they most commonly appear on pressure points like your heels or the balls of your feet. They don't cause any complications, but they can hurt when you walk. If you have painful foot warts, you have several home remedy options ranging from freezing or medication to plain duct tape.

  1. Freezing

    • Several companies, such as Dr. Scholl's and Compound W, make home remedies that kill foot warts by freezing them. They can be purchased over the counter and may get rid of the warts in only one treatment, although multiple treatments may be necessary. Although they are effective for many people, the Mayo Clinic warns that they don't work as well as a freezing procedure performed in a doctor's office. This is because they don't reach as low of a temperature as the products used by a doctor.

    Salicylic Acid

    • Salicylic acid is a common over-the-counter home remedy for foot warts. It is available from Dr. Scholl's, Compound W, Curad and other manufacturers. The acid comes impregnated in pads or strips that are easy to apply to the foot. They stay in place until you are ready to apply a new one; this is usually done daily. The Mayo Clinic recommends removing dead wart tissue with a pumice or emery board before applying a new pad or strip. While acid is effective, it can take many weeks to completely dissolve plantar warts. Consult your doctor before trying this or other treatments, to determine which is the best route for you.

    Duct Tape

    • The Mayo Clinic says that duct tape has been proven by research as an effective home remedy for foot warts. It takes about two weeks to work, which is comparable to the length of treatment required with salicylic acid. A new piece of duct tape is applied every six days, and dead skin and tissue is removed with a pumice or emery board before each new application. The foot should be soaked before filing down the wart.

    Castor Oil

    • Dr. Thomas Goodman, Jr., of the University of Tennessee Center for Health Sciences, says that castor oil can be used with tape as a home remedy for foot warts. He recommends using first-aid tape that can be placed snugly over the wart after a drop of castor oil has been applied. He recommends repeating the process every day until the wart is gone. Jane Bothwell, an herbal consultation, recommends mixing the castor oil with baking soda. She says to apply this as a paste once or twice a day and cover it with a sock rather than tape.

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