Q. I read in the paper a few years ago to soak nails with fungus in amber-colored Listerine every day for 20 or 30 minutes. I am so happy to say that it worked!
I soaked my toes every morning as I read the paper. (In the beginning I soaked in the evening too.) It took several months, but I could see the healthy nail growing out at the cuticle so that kept me going. I now have been fungus-free for over a year!
Before the Listerine soak, I had tried prescriptions from my doctor and remedies I found online. Everything seemed to help a little but nothing cured it. Listerine soaks are the answer!
A. Listerine contains a number of herbal oils that have mild anti-fungal activity in an alcohol base. We have heard from a number of other people who have had success treating their nail fungus with Listerine soaks.
Suzy shared her experience:
“I’ve been soaking my toes in a 50%/50% solution of Listerine (use Original formula — the Freshmint made my feet green) and apple cider vinegar for 20 minutes each day, faithfully. I clip my toenails once a week. I make just enough to cover my toes in a small plastic container. I put plastic wrap on the surface of the solution when I’m not using it to keep the air out, and I change the solution every two weeks.
“In six weeks, I’ve seen a REMARKABLE difference. The fungus stopped spreading and the solution actually seems to be repairing the damage, if that’s possible. My nails are growing in healthy and they look great. I’ll probably continue to use the solution periodically to prevent this embarrassing fungus from ever coming back. I wish I could tell everyone about this inexpensive and effective solution.”
Not everyone benefits from Listerine, but it is inexpensive and seems to be safe. Other home remedies that people have tried for nail fungus include Vicks VapoRub, which contains many of the same herbal oils as Listerine. Some folks find that tea tree oil solutions are beneficial, and others swear by decolorized (“white”) iodine. Read more here.
