Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsBenefitsRecipesWho Shouldn’t Use a Listerine Foot SoakFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Benefits
Recipes
Who Shouldn’t Use a Listerine Foot Soak
Frequently Asked Questions
A Listerine foot soak is, as the name suggests, an at-home treatment that involves soaking your feet in a bath of Listerine mouthwash and water. Proponents of this therapy say that it may help treatathlete’s foot(a fungal foot infection), soothedry, cracked, and scaly feet, and even treat diabetic foot pain.
Ingredients in Listerine contain antibacterial, antioxidant, and antifungal properties. However, there are no official studies to back any claims about the benefits of a Listerine foot soak.
That said, this remedy is inexpensive, easy to make, and safe for most people, if you want to give it a try.
This article explores the possible benefits of a Listerine foot soak, gives recipe options, and explains when it should be avoided.
Jasmin Merdan / Getty Images
Listerine Foot Soak Benefits
There is no research regarding Listerine foot soaks specifically. But research does confirm that essential oils found in Listerine have beneficial antimicrobial and antifungal properties that may help kill fungi and bacteria and soothe skin.
Beneficial properties may include:
Simply soaking your feet in warm water has benefits in and of itself: As anyone who has ever gotten a pedicure knows, enjoying a warm footbath can be relaxing and soothing to the skin.
The practice also has study-proven benefits: Several studies have found that soaking feet and lower legs in warm water for 20 to 60 minutes before bed significantly improves sleep quality.Other studies suggest a footbath can help improve circulation to the lower extremities.
How Does Listerine and Vinegar Cure Toenail Fungus?There is little evidence that vinegar will cure a toenail fungus, but it may help. Research shows that vinegar slows the growth of some funguses includingCandida, the fungus responsible for athlete’s foot.
How Does Listerine and Vinegar Cure Toenail Fungus?
There is little evidence that vinegar will cure a toenail fungus, but it may help. Research shows that vinegar slows the growth of some funguses includingCandida, the fungus responsible for athlete’s foot.
Listerine Foot Soak Recipes
For a basic Listerine foot wash, you will need three things:
To do a Listerine foot soak:
Don’t have enough time to soak for 45 minutes to an hour? You’ll still get some benefits from a shorter 20- to 30-minute soak.
Before trying any DIY treatment on the skin, especially if you have a skin condition or open wounds, contact your healthcare provider to make sure the ingredients are safe for you to use.
Recipe Variations
For when you want to give your feet an even more thorough soak or do some exfoliating, consider adding additional ingredients to your mixture such as:
To modify your Listerine foot soak recipe, options include:
For an extra relaxing scent, you can also add a few drops of lavender oil or other fragrant essential oils.
You can also use a cotton ball to apply Listerine directly to a fungus-infected toenail to help treat the infection.
A Listerine foot soak should be avoided if you have the following conditions:
If you notice anything unusual on your feet or have a foot fungus that has gone untreated for a long time, make an appointment with your healthcare provider. They can give you a diagnosis and advise you on the proper treatment.
Summary
Listerine foot soaks have become popular as a possible treatment for athlete’s foot and other fungal infections of the feet. While there is no research to verify the benefits of this practice, Listerine does contain four antimicrobial essential oils that may be effective at killing fungi.
A Word From VerywellA Listerine foot soak may provide relief from some foot ailments. As with any product, do not use if you are allergic to any of its ingredients, avoid use if you have open wounds or lesions, and perform a test on a small patch of skin prior to soaking. This foot soak may provide some improvement and relief, but it’s best to check with your healthcare provider and see if there is a proven treatment available for your condition.—DANIELLE MCNEIL, DPM, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
A Word From Verywell
A Listerine foot soak may provide relief from some foot ailments. As with any product, do not use if you are allergic to any of its ingredients, avoid use if you have open wounds or lesions, and perform a test on a small patch of skin prior to soaking. This foot soak may provide some improvement and relief, but it’s best to check with your healthcare provider and see if there is a proven treatment available for your condition.—DANIELLE MCNEIL, DPM, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
A Listerine foot soak may provide relief from some foot ailments. As with any product, do not use if you are allergic to any of its ingredients, avoid use if you have open wounds or lesions, and perform a test on a small patch of skin prior to soaking. This foot soak may provide some improvement and relief, but it’s best to check with your healthcare provider and see if there is a proven treatment available for your condition.
—DANIELLE MCNEIL, DPM, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
The general recommendation is to soak your feet for 45 to 60 minutes. This allows plenty of time for the essential oils in the mixture to soak into skin and toenails and kill the fungus. A shorter soak of 20 to 30 minutes will still have benefits.
7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Listerine Professional.4 essential oils.Kowalczyk A, Przychodna M, Sopata S, Bodalska A, Fecka I.Thymol and thyme essential oil-new insights into selected therapeutic applications.Molecules. 2020;25(18):4125. doi:10.3390/molecules25184125Kamatou G, Vermaak I, Viljoen A, Lawrence B.Menthol: A simple monoterpene with remarkable biological properties.Phytochemistry. 2013 Dec;96(1):15-25. doi:10.1016/j.phytochem.2013.08.005Chandorkar N, Tambe S, Amin P, Madankar C.A systematic and comprehensive review on current understanding of the pharmacological actions, molecular mechanisms, and clinical implications of the genusEucalyptus.Phytomed Plus. 2021 Nov;1(4):1-20. doi:10.1016/j.phyplu.2021.100089Wang J, Zhao X, Chen J.Efficacy and mechanism of methyl salicylate in the enhancement of skin delivery of herbal medicines.J Trad Chinese Med Sci. 2021 Oct;8(4):336-342. doi:10.1016/j.jtcms.2021.09.001Valizadeh L, Seyyedrasooli A, Zamanazadeh V, Nasiri K.Comparing the effects of reflexology and footbath on sleep quality in the elderly: a controlled clinical trial.Iran Red Crescent Med J. 2015;17(11):e20111. doi:10.5812/ircmj.20111Dias de Castro R, Gama Mota AC, de Oliveira Lima E, Dantas Batistas A, Oliveira J, Cavalcanti A.Use of alcohol vinegar in the inhibition ofCandidaspp. and its effect on the physical properties of acrylic resins.BMC Oral Health. 2015 Apr;15(1):52. doi:10.1186/s12903-015-0035-5
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Listerine Professional.4 essential oils.Kowalczyk A, Przychodna M, Sopata S, Bodalska A, Fecka I.Thymol and thyme essential oil-new insights into selected therapeutic applications.Molecules. 2020;25(18):4125. doi:10.3390/molecules25184125Kamatou G, Vermaak I, Viljoen A, Lawrence B.Menthol: A simple monoterpene with remarkable biological properties.Phytochemistry. 2013 Dec;96(1):15-25. doi:10.1016/j.phytochem.2013.08.005Chandorkar N, Tambe S, Amin P, Madankar C.A systematic and comprehensive review on current understanding of the pharmacological actions, molecular mechanisms, and clinical implications of the genusEucalyptus.Phytomed Plus. 2021 Nov;1(4):1-20. doi:10.1016/j.phyplu.2021.100089Wang J, Zhao X, Chen J.Efficacy and mechanism of methyl salicylate in the enhancement of skin delivery of herbal medicines.J Trad Chinese Med Sci. 2021 Oct;8(4):336-342. doi:10.1016/j.jtcms.2021.09.001Valizadeh L, Seyyedrasooli A, Zamanazadeh V, Nasiri K.Comparing the effects of reflexology and footbath on sleep quality in the elderly: a controlled clinical trial.Iran Red Crescent Med J. 2015;17(11):e20111. doi:10.5812/ircmj.20111Dias de Castro R, Gama Mota AC, de Oliveira Lima E, Dantas Batistas A, Oliveira J, Cavalcanti A.Use of alcohol vinegar in the inhibition ofCandidaspp. and its effect on the physical properties of acrylic resins.BMC Oral Health. 2015 Apr;15(1):52. doi:10.1186/s12903-015-0035-5
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Listerine Professional.4 essential oils.Kowalczyk A, Przychodna M, Sopata S, Bodalska A, Fecka I.Thymol and thyme essential oil-new insights into selected therapeutic applications.Molecules. 2020;25(18):4125. doi:10.3390/molecules25184125Kamatou G, Vermaak I, Viljoen A, Lawrence B.Menthol: A simple monoterpene with remarkable biological properties.Phytochemistry. 2013 Dec;96(1):15-25. doi:10.1016/j.phytochem.2013.08.005Chandorkar N, Tambe S, Amin P, Madankar C.A systematic and comprehensive review on current understanding of the pharmacological actions, molecular mechanisms, and clinical implications of the genusEucalyptus.Phytomed Plus. 2021 Nov;1(4):1-20. doi:10.1016/j.phyplu.2021.100089Wang J, Zhao X, Chen J.Efficacy and mechanism of methyl salicylate in the enhancement of skin delivery of herbal medicines.J Trad Chinese Med Sci. 2021 Oct;8(4):336-342. doi:10.1016/j.jtcms.2021.09.001Valizadeh L, Seyyedrasooli A, Zamanazadeh V, Nasiri K.Comparing the effects of reflexology and footbath on sleep quality in the elderly: a controlled clinical trial.Iran Red Crescent Med J. 2015;17(11):e20111. doi:10.5812/ircmj.20111Dias de Castro R, Gama Mota AC, de Oliveira Lima E, Dantas Batistas A, Oliveira J, Cavalcanti A.Use of alcohol vinegar in the inhibition ofCandidaspp. and its effect on the physical properties of acrylic resins.BMC Oral Health. 2015 Apr;15(1):52. doi:10.1186/s12903-015-0035-5
Listerine Professional.4 essential oils.
Kowalczyk A, Przychodna M, Sopata S, Bodalska A, Fecka I.Thymol and thyme essential oil-new insights into selected therapeutic applications.Molecules. 2020;25(18):4125. doi:10.3390/molecules25184125
Kamatou G, Vermaak I, Viljoen A, Lawrence B.Menthol: A simple monoterpene with remarkable biological properties.Phytochemistry. 2013 Dec;96(1):15-25. doi:10.1016/j.phytochem.2013.08.005
Chandorkar N, Tambe S, Amin P, Madankar C.A systematic and comprehensive review on current understanding of the pharmacological actions, molecular mechanisms, and clinical implications of the genusEucalyptus.Phytomed Plus. 2021 Nov;1(4):1-20. doi:10.1016/j.phyplu.2021.100089
Wang J, Zhao X, Chen J.Efficacy and mechanism of methyl salicylate in the enhancement of skin delivery of herbal medicines.J Trad Chinese Med Sci. 2021 Oct;8(4):336-342. doi:10.1016/j.jtcms.2021.09.001
Valizadeh L, Seyyedrasooli A, Zamanazadeh V, Nasiri K.Comparing the effects of reflexology and footbath on sleep quality in the elderly: a controlled clinical trial.Iran Red Crescent Med J. 2015;17(11):e20111. doi:10.5812/ircmj.20111
Dias de Castro R, Gama Mota AC, de Oliveira Lima E, Dantas Batistas A, Oliveira J, Cavalcanti A.Use of alcohol vinegar in the inhibition ofCandidaspp. and its effect on the physical properties of acrylic resins.BMC Oral Health. 2015 Apr;15(1):52. doi:10.1186/s12903-015-0035-5
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