Add 2 parts warm water and 1 part Heritage Apple Cider Vinegar to a tub and soak the feet for 15–20 minutes. Please note that a person should be cautious to use a vinegar soak if they have any cuts, sores, or scratches, as the vinegar may irritate open areas of skin.
Due to apple cider vinegar’s antibacterial properties, it can help neutralize the odor-causing bacteria on your feet. While it’s totally normal and healthy that your body is covered with an array of bacteria and other microbes—collectively called the skin microbiome—sometimes that bacteria can get out of balance. Then when your body produces sweat, the bacteria overgrowth “feeds” on the sweat and produces pungent, less-than-ideal smells.
However, research has shown that apple cider vinegar has significant bacteria-eliminating powers. A 2018 review found that ACV was able to disinfect multiple strains of bacteria, including many strains commonly found on the body known to be odor-causing, like Staphylococcus aureus.
Another type of overgrowth may result in odor: Fungal overgrowth is actually the cause of tinea pedis, or what’s commonly called athlete’s foot. It’s caused by the overgrowth of fungus like Candida albicans, trichophyton, epidermophyton, and microsporum. Much like how bacteria is a vital part of your skin’s microflora, fungus is too. The problem arises when the balance of all these microbes are thrown off. In the case of athlete’s foot, these fungi thrive in wet, warm conditions like your feet after being tucked into socks and shoes all day or after a workout.
You can try an apple cider vinegar foot soak to give skin and nails a soft chemical exfoliation—and this gentle chemical exfoliation is more preferable to those potentially harsh pumice stones or sandpaper-like files. Not to mention: Your actual nails need exfoliation, too, to remain healthy and strong.
Apple cider vinegar has natural alpha-hydroxy acid properties and therefore may help slough off dead skin cells and encourage cell turnover. Specifically, ACV contains “AHAs like lactic, citric, and malic acids,” says board-certified dermatologist Keira Barr, M.D. When applied topically, these acids work to “exfoliate the uppermost layers of the skin, revealing skin that appears smoother and more hydrated.”