To warn you about the dangers of a vinegar soak.......

CanIbeRio · 2025-07-20T16:02:54+00:00

I was diagnosed with Athletes Foot. Podiatrist recommend Lamisil spray which didn't touch it. So turned to Dr Google who recommended a vinegar Foot soak. Admittedly I didn't observe the rule for ratio of vinegar to water and sloshed in about quarter of a bottle of vinegar to not much water and merrily soaked away for 20 mins. Stung like a bitch but I thought great, it must be working. Quick rinse in shower, job done! Woke up yesterday to weeping feet and feeling like I'd been stood in stinging nettles. As the day progressed my toes got more red and angry, with weeping blisters. I have chemical burns to both feet. Been seen andvhad them dressed by my MIL who is a district nurse. Currently sat here feeling very sorry for myself and very angry at my stupidity. Of course vinegar is extremely acidic - be very careful and use it carefully - or not at all! Going forward it don't even think I could face it on my chips!!

Quamarina · 23/07/2025 11:18

@BlueJuniper94 eczema is a nightmare to manage, I feel for you trying to get on top of it, it’s very hit & miss. Photos of me as a kid are absolutely horrible, my hands & face were especially flared. Both my parents suffer it to a lesser degree. Weirdly enough I got it under control by accident in my 20s giving up milk & switching to soy, I couldn’t believe it & recurrent ear infections disappeared too. 95% of the time I’m eczema free now. But if I eat something I shouldn’t, or if I get too hot / too cold, and especially after a virus (the disaster bleach bath was after having covid & it was everywhere except my face that time) it flares again. But I keep steroid cream to an absolute minimum now, I was slathered in it daily as a kid & only use it now if nothing else works.

I’ve had alopecia on & off since my teens plus allergy to common dust & pet fur, I think there’s something wrong with my immune system as a whole

3luckystars · 23/07/2025 11:07

Yes but it’s also edible so I didn’t think it would burn through skin like molten lava.

NancyJoan · 23/07/2025 11:06

How are the feet this morning, OP? This is very much the sort of daft thing I would do, by the way.

Figcherry · 23/07/2025 11:05

There's a reason vinegar is used to remove limescale from kettles, toilets and shower heads.

3luckystars · 23/07/2025 10:59

Stillhere75 · 22/07/2025 20:35

Oh my goodness poor you! I honestly never realised how dangerous vinegar was.

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Same and thanks for the warnings!

Muffsies · 22/07/2025 21:17

CanIbeRio · 22/07/2025 20:54

Im gonna draw the line at posting pics - its not pretty. My reason for posting was just to warn you guys of the dangers of incorrectly diluted vinegar. I absolutely promise you this has been my life since Friday night!!

You don't have post pics to satisfy the ghoulish voyeurs on mn, I think your descriptions are enough to get the message across!

CalicoPusscat · 22/07/2025 21:03

It's making me a bit twitchy reading about all these injuries

Original poster

CanIbeRio · 22/07/2025 21:01

@tilypu I really wish I'd have known that on Friday before I reached for the vinegar! I love anything coconutty!

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tilypu · 22/07/2025 20:55

I have only ever had very mild athletes foot - but what I use is coconut oil. I permanently have a jar in my bathroom. It works a treat, and no pickled feet! (Rhyme unintentional). It's also good for haemorrhoids - had to have a colonoscopy once and I think that treatment that ahem clears you out, had a negative impact. The only thing I had available was the coconut oil - honestly, it sorted me right out!

It's nothing fancy, just the coconut oil that you can buy in the supermarket for cooking. I obviously don't cook with it though ..

Original poster

CanIbeRio · 22/07/2025 20:54

Im gonna draw the line at posting pics - its not pretty. My reason for posting was just to warn you guys of the dangers of incorrectly diluted vinegar. I absolutely promise you this has been my life since Friday night!!

OP posts:

Youlookgorge · 22/07/2025 20:42

Pics or it didn't happen

Aspanielstolemysanity · 22/07/2025 20:39

Hope you are doing ok @CanIbeRio . Glad you went and got it checked out

Aspanielstolemysanity · 22/07/2025 20:38

Robotnik · 22/07/2025 20:32

I had a stubborn verruca on my foot. After trying all sorts of other things, I soaked a little ball of tissue in vinegar and held it on top of the verruca with a plaster, and then fell asleep. I woke up with it burning like fire and, instead of my survival instincts kicking in, I just thought "yay, that's working," and rolled over. Result on waking in the morning: astonishingly, upsettingly deep hole burned into my foot.

On the plus side, the verruca was absolutely obliterated. On the down side, I have a permanent scar. Not recommended.

Wow! Wouldn't have expected this either

Stillhere75 · 22/07/2025 20:35

Robotnik · 22/07/2025 20:32

I had a stubborn verruca on my foot. After trying all sorts of other things, I soaked a little ball of tissue in vinegar and held it on top of the verruca with a plaster, and then fell asleep. I woke up with it burning like fire and, instead of my survival instincts kicking in, I just thought "yay, that's working," and rolled over. Result on waking in the morning: astonishingly, upsettingly deep hole burned into my foot.

On the plus side, the verruca was absolutely obliterated. On the down side, I have a permanent scar. Not recommended.

Oh my goodness poor you! I honestly never realised how dangerous vinegar was.

Robotnik · 22/07/2025 20:32

I had a stubborn verruca on my foot. After trying all sorts of other things, I soaked a little ball of tissue in vinegar and held it on top of the verruca with a plaster, and then fell asleep. I woke up with it burning like fire and, instead of my survival instincts kicking in, I just thought "yay, that's working," and rolled over. Result on waking in the morning: astonishingly, upsettingly deep hole burned into my foot.

On the plus side, the verruca was absolutely obliterated. On the down side, I have a permanent scar. Not recommended.

Original poster

CanIbeRio · 22/07/2025 20:22

Oh God.....I hope the vinegar has taken it along with my shredded skin

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ClaredeBear · 22/07/2025 20:15

Thanks for the warning, that sounds horrible! Just to flag that my husband who is fastidious with his personal hygiene and treatment of any minor ailment, ended up in hospital with infected athletes foot! Something else to watch out for.

Original poster

CanIbeRio · 22/07/2025 20:10

The creeping redness has been diagnosed as just an inflammatory response. There is a little angry red area of possible infection so am on antibiotics as a precaution. Super fed up as its my birthday on Saturday, it says I can have a drink on these antibiotics but I can't go mad. Bloody hell!! It's proper messed me up! Can't drive, walking is difficult as im limping and it makes the bloody dressing move! Cant wear any of my shoes so have ordered some granny diabetic ones wuth velcro 😆

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Original poster

CanIbeRio · 22/07/2025 20:04

I think what's happened is the vinegar has shredded the areas where the athletes foot was, obvs bc that's where the skin was already damaged. My right foot is worst affected. Between toes and my 2 toes nearest to my big toes on the tops of them are the worst by far. My left foot just the big toe on the top and Between the toe and the next one. Soles of feet were a little raw looking but are OK now.
Just highlights the danger - this is supposed to help but will make things a million times worse on the athletes foot affected skin if you don't get the dilution right

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BarilynBordeaux · 22/07/2025 15:49

Sorry you’re in…a bit of a pickle.

FWIW I use apple cider vinegar on mine and it took me some googling to figure out the ratio, this is totally something I would have done.

ChesterDrawers50 · 22/07/2025 15:39

Who'd have thought that pickling your feet would tingle somewhat, eh?

outofofficeagain · 22/07/2025 14:06

Nospringchix · 22/07/2025 12:19

Yeah, fungal toenails are a nightmare, have you tried prescription treatments? I got Itraconazole tablets from the GP and I can see the regrowth of normal looking nails.
It's a case of having to be patient though, I was advised it would take 1 to 2 years to grow out completely. ( you are not taking the treatment for all that time though)

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I haven’t tried the drugs because I worry about side effects for something which is just cosmetic really.

I googled laser treatment last week which is £360 for a course of 4.

BlueJuniper94 · 22/07/2025 13:19

Quamarina · 22/07/2025 08:33

@BlueJuniper94 its really effective especially when it’s getting to the tipping point of becoming infected (as long as you don’t use the wrong bleach of course) but I use it as last resort rather than routine maintenance & not in every bath, it’s not the most fun thing to do & I don’t enjoy the smell. & rinse off very well before getting out if your towels are any colour but white. Thin bleach is the best but it’s not that popular any more, supermarkets seem to have 10 varieties of thick bleach but not thin

I'm obviously going to have to research this, Bleach seems like the worst thing in the world! But there's bad excema in the family so needs investigation. I can't even begin to understand or guess how it might work

3luckystars · 22/07/2025 12:58

HobnobsChoice · 20/07/2025 17:20

Didn't you also post this yesterday? I've definitely read this exact post before and I don't own a time machine

I got a great deal on one on Prime Day.

Diluted vinegar though, are you allergic to it by any chance ? It’s seems like a major reaction to it. Sorry you are suffering.

Lafufu · 22/07/2025 12:50

Another forum I'm on recently had a discussion about using (very diluted) vinegar in douching. At least you didn't do that OP!