When I originally encountered this Listerine foot soak, at first I had a hard time believing that anyone would actually soak their feet in Listerine! But if my years of blogging about home remedies have taught me anything, it’s that sometimes the wackiest ideas are the most effective, so I figured I should give it a try before writing off the idea entirely.
While I was fairly skeptical about using Listerine as a foot soak, I’m happy to report that this miracle foot soak actually works! After a 15-minute soak and a few minutes of filing, most of the thick dead skin was gone and my feet (and my heels most especially) were much softer and smoother. Just check out these before and after pictures:
While I do enjoy the occasional foot soak to soothe sore feet, knowing this foot soak with Listerine can also help to prevent and repair the dry cracked feet I’ve suffered from for most of my life is pretty great too! Here’s everything you need to know so you can try it at home.
Vinegar and Listerine Foot Soak: Recipe & How-To
Note: This Listerine foot soak recipe makes one quart of foot soak mixture. So you may want to double, triple, or quadruple the recipe, depending on the size of your foot bath.
1. Prepare the Foot Soak
Start by adding one cup of Original Listerine (or another yellow antiseptic mouthwash*), one cup of white vinegar, and two cups of warm water to a foot soaking bath. (Don’t have a foot bath? Any wide, shallow container that can fit both your feet in it will work!)
*Note: Bright blue or green menthol mouthwashes can have a tendency to stain skin. The stain fades quickly, but you can avoid potential stains entirely by using yellow mouthwash instead!
2. Soak Your Feet for 10-15 Minutes
Place your feet in the foot bath with the Listerine foot soak and relax for 10-15 minutes, or longer if you have a substantial buildup of dead skin. (For an antifungal effect, you can soak for up to one hour.)
3. Remove Dead Skin with a Foot File or Pumice Stone
After soaking, use a foot file or pumice stone to remove the softened dead skin. Rinse your feet well, dry them off with a clean towel, and apply a generous amount of moisturizing lotion to your newly soft, smooth feet.
4. Repeat the Listerine Foot Soak as Needed
I found it easy to file off most of the dry skin after just one soak, and I have no doubt that a couple of repeat treatments will take care of the rest! If you suffer from dry, cracked heels like I do, I definitely recommend giving this a try — I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the results!
Other Benefits of This Listerine Foot Soak
Soaking your feet in a diluted Listerine solution may also help with athlete’s foot and other fungal conditions. To eliminate foot fungus and toenail fungus, you should soak for 45 minutes to an hour, in order to allow more time for the vinegar and Listerine to soften your nails as well as your skin.
The vinegar in this soak has benefits too — the acetic acid can help kill yeast and bacteria, and may even aid in wound healing. (Don’t use Listerine or vinegar soaks if you have an active infection or open wounds, and stop using it and consult a doctor if you experience any skin irritation!)
Have you tried any foot soaks for dry, cracked heels and feet?
Listerine & Vinegar Foot Soak (Step-By-Step Guide)
Video
Equipment
- Foot bath
- Foot File or pumice stone
Ingredients
- 1 cup Listerine or other yellow mouthwash
- 1 cup vinegar
- 2 cups warm water
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a foot bath. Soak your feet for 10-15 minutes.
- Use a foot file or pumice stone to remove the softened dead skin.
- Rinse and dry feet, and repeat as needed.
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Hi! I have tried this, and it does work very well! To keep my feet, and most importantly, my heels soft all through fall, winter, and spring, I use CeraVe Healing Ointment on my feet every night, covered with socks. Works amazingly well!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use Vaseline Body Lotion – unscented because of my allergies everyday after my shower. It is surprising how well it works on not just dry skin but also calluses The best part – it’s not expensive. In fact it works so well that when I go in for my pedicure the nail technician is always surprised at the softness of my feet.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have been using it for many years.
also, another thing that works good on itchy,peeling skin is Aveeno lotion but get the one for itching skin. I used it on an area of the heel of my hand and it really cleared it up.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.sounds great – will definitely try this! Also, I wonder how noxema skin care cream would work? I know someone who always used that on her feet for dry skin and said it also helped with neuropathy pain.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Does this work on cracked toes . My big toes tend to get rough.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Try Athlete’s foot cream for your whole foot.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Yes!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Found out I had diabetes last winter and one of the things that was part of it was my dry skin, especially my feet. I tried every single lotion I could find even the expensive stuff until one day I saw that Gold Bond had a body lotion for diabetics. I started using it and within a week my feet were back to normal, no more scaly skin on my heels or under my toes! It’s a miracle lotion for me, even the girls where I get toes done were amazed and now they are all using it. It’s inexpensive and really does the job and I can’t recommend it enough!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.About three years ago I began using a long handled foot file, one side coarse and the other fine, on dry feet. Don’t get carried away the first time or you will feel it the next day. I know. When you finish, smooth Petroleum Jelly on your feet just as you get into bed. Cover each foot with a plastic grocery bag followed by a sock. Don’t try to walk with these on your feet. They are VERY SLIPPERY! In the morning you will awaken with the smoothest feet you have ever had. I go bare foot or wear sandals as much as I can and never, ever have anything but soft healthy feet.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Do you soak your feet before filing, or does it work better on dry feet?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Only on dry feet.
Definitely going to try this!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.just stop using the pumice stone and any other tool to scratch the heels. In this way, after a period of adaptation, the heels will heal spontaneously and there will no longer be these problems.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’ve heard this as well but I have to disagree because my husband has never used anything on his feet ever, yet his heals ruin the bed sheets!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Yes, ruin the sheets. It’s like going to bed with cleats on. You can HEAR a nylon sock tearing away from the foot as the fibers rip during the pulling. Ugh!!
This is not the best advice (heels do not “spontaneoulsy heal” and certainly would not apply to most dry skin sufferers–many of whom do not use pumice. I’m a lab technologist and vet technician meaning I have a grasp of the healing and rejuvenation process(es). Personally, I soak 10-15 minutes in warm water with an essential oil of choice and then use a washcloth to exfoliate. Once my foot is dry and relatively smooth I use AVON Foot Works to moisturize. Likely I will discontinue with AVON altogether as they continue to test their products on animals. Boo.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Does it matter what kind of vinegar is used with the yellow mouthwash? Can it be apple cider vinegar? Or did you use plain white vinegar? I want to try this and I have terribly dry, calloused feet! Thanks, Amy in Alabama
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have the same question, apple cider or white vinegar?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Apple cider vinegar has SO many health benefits that I would definitely go with it. We take in and expel toxins through our feet so I am not sure Listerine would be the best. My poor feet need attention BADLY. Sadly, I don’t even moisturize the poor things that carry me through long and busy days!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Apple cider vinegar and white vinegar will both work!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This is my very strange solution. I use the sponge type sandpaper (like a wedge with rough edges) in the finest grade on dry heels. Then after a shower or bath I use it on the moist skin. You can find these in the hardware area and be sure to get the fine grade. It is cheap and it works well. (Don’t use this. sponge for anything else.) Have used sponges for a year as they are rinse-able. Strange but excellent.