How To Use Hydrogen Peroxide For Nail Fungus
Hydrogen peroxide can be used separately to kill toenail fungus or in combination with other active antifungal agents such as vinegar.
Hydrogen peroxide foot or hand soak
It is a fact that using hydrogen peroxide for nail fungus is quite effective but how do you go about it? Soaking the affected nail in hydrogen peroxide will increase the oxygen level around the infection which is hostile to nail fungus. This is called an oxidate therapy.
- Get hydrogen peroxide with concentration level not higher than 3% to prevent skin damage
- Dilute hydrogen peroxide with warm water in a bucket or basin
- Soak the affected hand or foot in the hydrogen peroxide solution for about half an hour at least once a day
- Then dry the nails thoroughly
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How Do You Make A Vinegar Foot Soak
If you would like to try out a vinegar foot bath at home, you can follow the instructions below.
Step 1: Get a bottle of vinegar. The type of vinegar you use doesnt necessarily matter most people either take a white vinegar foot soak or an apple cider vinegar foot soak. The important thing is the pH of the vinegar, which should typically be 2-3. So, its not a question of what is better for toenail fungus , its a question of whether youve selected vinegar with a pH of 2-3.
Step 2: Fill a sink or bowl with 1 part vinegar and 2 parts warm water .
Top tip: if youre finding the smell of vinegar too strong or unpleasant, you can add a few drops of essential oils to the mixture, such as lavender oil.
Step 3: Soak foot for 15-30 minutes daily in the mixture. Do not soak for longer than 30 minutes.
Step 4: Make sure that you dry your foot/feet thoroughly after your soak. The fungus grows best in a moist environment, so leaving feet damp encourages fungal growth especially if you are putting on socks or shoes next.
Step 5: Repeat this process daily until you can see that your infection has disappeared.
If you have particularly sensitive skin, you may find that vinegar causes some skin irritation. If this is the case, you can try decreasing the time you spend soaking your feet to 10-15 minutes or diluting the mixture with more water. You could also try reducing the amount of foot soaks you try to a few times a week instead.
Home Remedies To Help Remove Or Stop Toenail Fungus From A Harrisburg Podiatrist
Toenail fungus is extremely unattractive and can make individuals feel self-conscious about their feet. If stopping into your local foot doctor is not a possibility, you are not entirely out of luck. There are five home remedies that work well above the rest as toenail fungus treatment options.
1. Use a Rub of Tea Tree Oil and Orange Oil
A mixture of 1 teaspoon tea tree oil, half a teaspoon of orange oil, and half a teaspoon of grapeseed or olive oil can be rubbed onto the toenails with a cotton ball to clear up toenail fungus. This treatment is not one your University Area podiatrist will provide so you will have to do this at home as part of your daily routine. The natural anti-bacterial and fungicidal properties of tea tree oil make it a very promising toenail fungus treatment option.
2. Rub Coconut Oil on Your Feet
Coconut oil is one of the most commonly used products for natural remedies. When it comes to foot fungus, this product works like magic. The fatty acids in coconut oil work as natural fungicides, causing the fungal membranes to break down and clear up. Use gloves to rub coconut oil to the infected toenail. You can even rub coconut oil over your entire foot to leave your skin soft and nourished. A thin layer applied 2 to 3 times a day works great as a toenail fungus treatment.
3. Soak Your Feet in Baking Soda and Vinegar
4. Olive Tree Extract
5. Oregano Oil
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Tip : Cleaning Your Shoes Regularly
Make sure your shoes are always clean. Smelly and wet shoes is an ideal environment for bacteria and fungi to grow and thrive. Therefore, you need to wash your shoes periodically.
Airing your shoes in the sunlight is also a great way to keep them away from foot fungus and bacteria. See also how to clean white mesh shoes via this guide.
Making A Vinegar Soak

If you want to try treating your nail fungus with vinegar, then the best thing to do is soak your foot in a vinegar-water mixture. Diluting the vinegar is important to prevent it from irritating your skin. Try a daily soak and see if it helps clear the infection. If not, then don’t panic. You can still use more conventional treatments.
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Blends Of Essential Oils
The essential oils are very effective in treating toenail fungus. There are several essential oils from tea tree oil to jojoba oil you can pick any oil you like. Mix it with a carrier oil, apply it every day and wait for the results. Essential oils can be harsh on the skin, but the best part is the moisture, the moisture that will keep the toenail nourished throughout the treatment.
Apple Cider Vinegar With Copper Sulfate
Copper sulfate contains antiseptic and anti-fungal properties which fight off the fungus on the nails.
- Combine 40ml apple cider vinegar and 20gms of copper sulfate.
- Mix well and pour the mixture into 1-liter spray bottle and fill it with water.
- Spray the solution on the affected nail.
- Let it dry completely.
Also Check: How Do I Get Rid Of Toenail Fungus For Good
What Can Be Added To An Apple Cider Vinegar Foot Soak
Using diluted apple cider vinegar on its own in a foot soak can offer great benefits when it comes to getting rid of toenail fungus. The antifungal properties and acidic nature help to make sure nail fungus doesnt ruin the health of your feet.
But, there are things you can add to a foot soak to make it even better. Some ingredients may help to speed up the healing process of a fungus. Others are good for the general health of your feet.
If you want to make the most of your ACV foot soak, consider adding one or more of the following ingredients into the basin youre using:
What Is A Listerine Foot Soak
As the foot detox trend continues to surge, Listerine is the latest ingredient that soakers are pouring into their basins. A Listerine foot soak is a mixture of equal parts Listerine and water, and supporters claim the mixture contains antifungal, antiseptic, and cooling/calming properties. Weâll dig more into the efficacy ahead.
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Apple Cider Vinegar Drops On Toenail Fungus
Aside from foot soak, you can use apple cider vinegar for toenail fungus treatment by applying drops of the apple cider vinegar directly to your toenail bed. Once applied, you should allow the ACV to sit on your toenail bed for about 10-15 minutes undisturbed.
This method works perfectly for those who do not have 30 minutes two times daily to soak their feet in Apple cider vinegar. For quicker results, those who want can combine this method with the foot soak method.
Whichever of these two methods you intend to use to treat your toenail fungus, should be used for several months or until the fungus toenail is restored back to it normal state.
Does Apple Cider Vinegar for Toenail Fungus Home Remedy Have Any Side Effects
Home remedies generally have no side effects and thats not different with Apple cider vinegar for toenail fungus treatment. ACV is used as preservative we eat them in our foods at home and cause us no harm. They are only harmful to fungi. However, in everything moderation is important. You should not overuse ACV foot soak simply because you want to get rid of your toenail fungus infection overnight.
How Long Does It Take For Apple Cider Vinegar To Cure or Kill Toenail Fungus
Q: Im an avid reader of your column, but I am skeptical about some of the suggested remedies such as a bar of soap for leg cramps. I see no rhyme or reason for it.
Alternates For Apple Cider Vinegar To Cure Toenail Fungus
Apple cider vinegar is a home remedy to treat toenail fungus, but there are several other ways also to treat the nail fungus.
The fastest yet costly, is the Laser treatment, the cheapest, reliable and most effective after laser is the Urgent fungus destroyer. The rest will be cheaper but will take so long time to fix up the toenail fungus.
Here are these.
- Urgent fungus destroyer .
- Laser treatment for toenail fungus.
- Topical creams.
- Bleach or Hydrogen peroxide or coconut oil.
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Nail Fungus A Common Condition
Nail fungus is a common condition that begins as a white or yellow spot under the tip of your fingernail or toenail, says the Mayo Clinic, a US non-profit medical centre. As the fungal infection goes deeper, nail fungus may cause your nail to discolour, thicken and crumble at the edge.
The fungus can affect several nails. There are a number of risk factors that can increase a persons chance of developing a foot fungus. These include diabetes, a history of athletes foot, or walking barefoot in damp areas.
Mild infections may not need treatment but you should see a doctor if a rash doesnt improve within two weeks.
Natural Home Remedy For Athlete’s Foot: Vinegar Soak And Baking Soda

- B.A., Writing and Communications, Maryville College
Are you battling an itching, burning case of athlete’s foot? It is caused by a fungus that likes a moist environment as found between your toes. You can fight back with this home remedy that uses only natural ingredients rather than nonprescription antifungal treatments. A caution is that if you have diabetes, it’s best to consult your doctor to discuss appropriate treatment before trying a home remedy.
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Tip : Dont Walk Barefoot In Public Areas
The fungus can be spread from person to person. For example, if a dead skin of a person infected with toenail fungus goes barefoot in a sauna, the fungus will have a chance to multiply there. When you walk barefoot in that area, you get infected. Therefore, to protect yourself and others, you should wear shoes, sandals, or socks when in crowded places.
Apple Cider Vinegar Foot Soak For Your Nail Fungus
Apple cider vinegar has become one of the most popular at-home remedies for toenail fungus due to its antifungal properties . Vinegar has shown to slow the growth of most fungus. There are many ways to use apple cider vinegar on your feet and one of the most popular uses is a foot soak.
This article, will cover the uses of ACV, the benefits, how to properly use it, and more.
CAUTION: If you have diabetes you should avoid all treatments listed below. People with diabetes should have their healthcare team treat any foot issues they have.
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Apple Cider Vinegar Soak
Things to Remember
- For effective vinegar treatment, trim your nails and file down the top surface to make it as thin as possible before soaking. This helps the vinegar to penetrate below the nail and work effectively.
- Never soak in the same solution twice: It is not advisable to use the same solution for multiple soaking. Once you have soaked, the water gets contaminated. Soaking in contaminated water doesnt yield any results and might even slow down the healing process.
How To Cure Toenail Fungus: Can Vinegar Help
This article was co-authored by Zora Degrandpre, ND. Dr. Degrandpre is a Licensed Naturopathic Physician in Vancouver, Washington. She is also a grant reviewer for the National Institutes of Health and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. She received her ND from the National College of Natural Medicine in 2007.There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 19 testimonials and 87% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 1,091,339 times.
Nail fungus refers to a fungal infection that starts underneath your toenails. It could cause discoloration, thickening, or crumbling on one or more of your nails. This is a frustrating problem, so youll naturally want to get rid of nail fungus as soon as possible. One remedy you may have heard of is soaking your foot in vinegar to clear the infection. Vinegar is acidic, so it will kill bacteria and fungus.XResearch source However, this remedy has very limited success because the vinegar cant penetrate under the nail. You can try it if you want to, but visit a podiatrist for further treatment if you dont see any results in 2 weeks.
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Most Read Life Stories
An intriguing recommendation was published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology . The authors suggest a vinegar sock soak. Here is their protocol:
Each evening, patients go to a bathroom or other place with a vinegar-resistant floor, don old cotton socks, pour a few spoons of plain or apple-cider vinegar and a few spoons of water over the toes, and sit and read for 10-15 minutes. They then doff the socks, apply topical antifungals, and go to bed. In our experience, compliance, efficacy, and satisfaction are high, with most patients achieving complete clinical responses within a year.
Q: I have listened to Dr. Tieraona Low Dog on your radio show describe the benefits of thyme and sage teas for colds and coughs. As a physician myself, I have found the results nothing short of amazing. Adding ginger for congestion also has worked for my friends and family. Please share the recipe with others.
A: Dr. Low Dog is one of the countrys foremost experts on the scientific evidence behind herbal therapies. In her book Healthy at Home, she notes that: Thyme is definitely my go-to acute cough syrup because it works quickly, tastes great, is very safe, and costs so little to make.
Q: I have followed your advice about the benefits of magnesium, both as a dietary supplement and using topical milk of magnesia as a deodorant. This has worked very well, but lately Im experiencing loose stools.
When To See A Bethesda Md Or Springfield Va Podiatrist
If you try several of these remedies and see no results, its time to see a podiatrist. Toenail fungus is notoriously stubborn, so dont be too surprised if home remedies dont quite work. It can also take quite a long time for these home remedies to work because you have to continue doing them consistently until the new nail has fully grown out.
If youve tried the homeopathic route and arent satisfied with the results, you can always come see Bethesda, MD & Springfield, VA Podiatrist, Dr. Paul Ross! If you have moderate to severe foot fungus, it is recommended that you see a doctor anyway because there can be complications if the infection is left untreated. Call us at . We offer same day appointments if you dont want to wait.
The Podiatry Centers treat all medical and surgical foot and ankle conditions. Licensed Bethesda, MD Podiatrist, Dr. Paul Ross can help bring you foot and ankle pain relief.
Our Bethesda, Maryland and Springfield, Virginia Podiatry offices offer the most effective and state-of-the-art, quality podiatry care services with a smile to patients in our local community, including: Woodbridge VA, Fairfax VA, Annandale VA, Arlington VA, Alexandria VA, Burke VA, Gaithersburg MD, Potomac MD, Silver Spring MD, Rockville MD and Chevy Chase MD.
Return to a pain-free life and get back to the things you love!
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