Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

103 replies

CanIbeRio · 20/07/2025 17:02

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!!

OP posts:
popcornpower2025 · 21/07/2025 16:59

quicklywick · 20/07/2025 17:25

Why would you do that. If you're going to be stupid enough to take medical advice of the internet at least read it properly and also since your on google, google the dangers of doing something before actually doing it

It's a well known home remedy, not just random advice off the internet. The issue is the op didn't follow the basic instructions and soaked her feet in basically pure vinegar

DontTouchTheCakeAgain · 21/07/2025 17:01

Branleuse · 20/07/2025 18:06

I used apple cider vinegar neat to treat my fungal toenail thing and didnt get this reaction, so i would not expect diluted vinegar to burn! Just goes to show how we are all different

Did it work?

BlueJuniper94 · 21/07/2025 17:03

Quamarina · 20/07/2025 17:36

I really hope you’re feeling much better soon. I made a similar mistake years ago with a bleach bath for eczema, I’d always done the same routine of 2 cups of thin bleach in a bath (very deep large bath so not as much bleach as it sounds) this occasion I used extra thick bleach because that’s all I had in the cupboard, but didn’t think to reduce how much I added & it must be so much more concentrated than the watered down stuff. My skin was livid, raw, so painful & swollen & I wasn’t in the bath for long before I knew something was wrong. I’ve switched to Dead Sea Salt, there’s zero chance of overdosing on that

A Bleach bath for excema? I've never heard of this

RoosterPotato · 21/07/2025 17:13

BlueJuniper94 · 21/07/2025 17:03

A Bleach bath for excema? I've never heard of this

Show quote history

This was recommended to us for DS by an allergy specialist when his was awful. It worked miracles.

PinkPauline · 21/07/2025 17:18

karoba · 20/07/2025 17:52

Before going on our Duke of Edinburgh expedition, we were advised a diluted white spirit foot bath to toughen the skin on our feet. My chum didn't dilute the white spirit and pickled her feet.

Surely you mean surgical spirit? Climbers use a wipe of surgical spirit to toughen their hands and feet. White spirit is what you use to clean paint brushes 😱. Very toxic as others have mentioned.

DontTouchTheCakeAgain · 21/07/2025 17:53

Branleuse · 20/07/2025 18:06

I used apple cider vinegar neat to treat my fungal toenail thing and didnt get this reaction, so i would not expect diluted vinegar to burn! Just goes to show how we are all different

Did it work?

ExpressCheckout · 21/07/2025 18:03

@CanIbeRio Lamisil (Terbinafine) can be really effective but, personal experience, I think a cream is better than the spray - you can rub it in properly.

Also, don't forget to wash socks/stockings properly in Napisan to kill the fungi, else you will just re-infect yourself - this might be what has happened here.

A normal wash won't be good enough. Also, treat your footwear - trainers can go into the Napisan, and you can spray - and repeat - non-washable shoes.

comeondover · 21/07/2025 18:40

Muffinmam · 20/07/2025 18:55

The home remedy for athlete’s foot is equal parts vinegar + Listerine mouth wash & boiling water.

Listerine mouthwash contains several ingredients with antifungal properties, primarily eucalyptol, menthol, and thymol. These essential oils disrupt the cell structure of fungi leading to cell death.

The boiling water just dilutes the vinegar and Listerine as well as heating up the solution so it can penetrate your skin more easily.

I’m thinking some of that skin weeping would be due to the fungal infection itself.

After you’ve soaked your feet you need to use a clotrimizol topical cream on your feet and wear socks to bed.

If you can’t get rid of the fungal infection you need to see your doctor so you can take oral antifungals.

I think your feet will be fine - so long as you don’t contract a secondary bacterial infection. I’m wondering if your feel will peel off like when you use a salicylic acid to remove dead skin and the whole thing peels off.

Is this a one-off thing or do you have to do it x times a day?

WaterLoadedGun · 21/07/2025 18:43

As a daughter of a podiatrist.
Its apple cider vinegar. Use 6 cap fulls with half boiling water half cold water.
Once a week and wash with soap after 10 minutes. Once dry use Canisten cream and socks.

CurlyhairedAssassin · 21/07/2025 18:53

Ooh you've got my sympathy. Back when I was first getting teenage zits I put some TCP on a plaster and put it on my nose overnight. Next morning I ripped the plaster off and a plaster-shaped layer of skin came off with it. It was down to the raw jelly-like stuff underneath. I refused to go to school for a few days. 😂

coxesorangepippin · 21/07/2025 19:13

I absolutely did not know this at all

Thanks for this

FalseSpring · 21/07/2025 20:23

karoba · 20/07/2025 17:52

Before going on our Duke of Edinburgh expedition, we were advised a diluted white spirit foot bath to toughen the skin on our feet. My chum didn't dilute the white spirit and pickled her feet.

Someone has mixed up white spirit with surgical spirit! Diluted surgical spirit is great for toughening skin.

Stillhere75 · 21/07/2025 20:24

quicklywick · 20/07/2025 17:25

Why would you do that. If you're going to be stupid enough to take medical advice of the internet at least read it properly and also since your on google, google the dangers of doing something before actually doing it

I think your post is quite rude and not helpful.

PinkyPia · 21/07/2025 20:25

I have got my hand in a container of apple cider vinegar right now. I've been doing this for about eight weeks to ward off palmoplantar pustular psoriasis.

Its helped so much.

nomas · 21/07/2025 20:30

Daktacort cream is the best remedy. Not the small 15mg tube. The 30g tube works much better for some reason.

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

CyberStrider · 22/07/2025 08:39

WaterLoadedGun · 21/07/2025 18:43

As a daughter of a podiatrist.
Its apple cider vinegar. Use 6 cap fulls with half boiling water half cold water.
Once a week and wash with soap after 10 minutes. Once dry use Canisten cream and socks.

Saying 6 capfuls without quantifying the volume of water to dilute it with is probably what got the op into this situation!

WaterLoadedGun · 22/07/2025 08:50

CyberStrider · 22/07/2025 08:39

Saying 6 capfuls without quantifying the volume of water to dilute it with is probably what got the op into this situation!

Show quote history

Probably a bowl big enough for both feet?

Tiredofwhataboutery · 22/07/2025 09:02

randomlemonsheep · 20/07/2025 18:13

I wouldn't say "easy mistake" but we all made stupid choices once in a while.

In some countries, you can go to the nearest chemists and ask questions to the pharmacist. I've tried that in England, never ever got anything else than "go to see the GP".

that never helps. The alternative is to waste GP and Hospital time with appointments -that we don't need, and can't get anyway

I’m in Scotland and local pharmacist is really helpful with rashes, skin conditions, bug bites type stuff and has helped with everything from a take an anti-histamine to a that’s going to need antibiotics. Saves loads of time.

Clairey1986 · 22/07/2025 09:05

Jesus, hope it clears up soon.

Lamisil once gel if you’ve still got athlete’s foot.🦶

Original poster
CanIbeRio · 22/07/2025 11:20

Back in A & E 😕. Redness creeping up foot and now nearly at ankles. Really fed up niw bleeping bastard vinegar 😢

OP posts:
pinkdelight · 22/07/2025 11:35

Holy shit, that sounds scary. Weird that they said it was minor yet it's doing that, unless (grasping at straws) it's part of the healing process. Don't be fobbed off and stay until you're certain it's been fully dealt with this time. Annoying that it's all come from such a mad moment, but sure you're kicking yourself for that - or would if your foot wasn't so buggered. Good luck!

Magnir · 22/07/2025 11:45

How horrible, was your ankle in the liquid as well, if not it could be and allergy to it as well as a burn.

Stillhere75 · 22/07/2025 12:06

Poor you! I hope it heals quickly and thank you for warning us. I would never have thought it could be so dangerous.

Hankunamatata · 22/07/2025 12:10

karoba · 20/07/2025 17:52

Before going on our Duke of Edinburgh expedition, we were advised a diluted white spirit foot bath to toughen the skin on our feet. My chum didn't dilute the white spirit and pickled her feet.

Do you mean surgical spirit. White spirit is paint stripper