It’s almost time for sandals- but I know the thought of revealing those dry, callused feet makes us all want to cringe. Yes, you can get a pedicure, but this blog will introduce a much more natural and financially conservative alternative.
Foot Bath- Organic White Vinegar
- The vinegar should be room temperature, and when you do it, you should be warm enough to sit with your feet in a bath for 10-15 minutes which is colder than body temperature.
- After the foot bath, give it a nice soaping, to alleviate the vinegar stench.
**Apple cider vinegar can be used as well, but will dye your toe nails unless they’re painted.
This can be done one to three times a week, depending on the condition of your feet. The vinegar foot bath is an antibacterial, anti-fungal, and rejuvenating bath. The dead skin will come off upon toweling, your cuticles will graciously peel and recede, and any athlete’s foot (dermatophytoses or tinea pedis) will be killed. If a fungal infection is deep into the tissue (with blistering and lesions), it might take months of repeated foot baths. If you have nail fungus, you can use this bath but it might take months to years (and treating fungus from the inside as well) before the infection is under control.
Following the bath, you can shower while using pumice (lava rock that exfoliates the dead skin) to take off additional dead skin resulting from the soak. If your feet are dry or cracked, use badger cream or another natural cream to soften your skin.
The white vinegar foot bath is my winter foot cleansing solution, the equivalent of a summer’s walk on the beach in the sand at the water’s edge.
- Use a Rubbermaid dishpan or basin, the kind you can buy at any grocery store for under $10
- Use about one inch of white vinegar with your feet already in the bath, just so your toenails are covered.
- When you’re done with the bath, pour the vinegar in a glass jar and store it on a cool shelf in the pantry.
If you read about this on the internet, most recipes suggest diluting the vinegar with water. I beg to differ and I find that I can use the same vinegar for up to three soaks before I need to toss it. Yes, some gross stuff accumulates in the bottom of the glass jar. simply try to avoid pouring it in the bath. What’s a little dead skin and sock fuzzies at the bottom of the bath?
Just a few warning about the vinegar foot soak:
- You should not do a foot bath if you have compromised sensation in your feet.
- The feet are reflex areas for other regions of the body. Any hydrotherapy moves blood and lymph and may cause a headache as a detoxification reaction.
- If you have a compromised immune system or serious health concerns, make sure someone is with you in your house while you perform this foot bath.
Enjoy the fresh air on your feet as you wear sandals and walk barefoot with nothing to hide this summer!
Soaking in vinegar will help your feel look good temporarily but you need to find out what is happening on the inside to alleviate issues forever. Call for an appointment to discuss your specific condition with one of the Doctors.
Phone: 203-264-2200 or