Here’s what you can expect from an apple cider vinegar foot soak, and how to make one at home. 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 bacteria1, including many strains commonly found on the body known to be odor-causing, like Staphylococcus aureus. 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. But as functional medicine practitioner Will Cole, D.C., IFMCP, explains, “Apple cider vinegar has also been shown2 to have antiviral, anti-yeast and antifungal benefits, all helpful in supporting your microbiome balance.” In a 2018 study, scientists found that the vinegar can inhibit growth of C. albicans1 in a petri dish1. It works by destroying the fungus’ cell structure, along with specific enzymes the fungus needs to survive. Though the experiment involves a dish instead of humans, the results are promising. 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 properties3 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.” Another small human study found that when elderly patients had a twice-daily hot foot soak, their overall energy levels improved. An additional small human study also done with elderly patients found that a regular foot soak may reduce stress and hypertension. And finally, a recent pilot study found that foot baths helped lower levels of cortisol4, the stress hormone, in patients. Apple cider vinegar doesn’t have any mood-altering effects in and of itself, however, but can be a good addition to a foot soak if you are trying to combat any of the above issues while aiming to relieve daily stress. And for those people, enjoying the many benefits of hydrotherapy seems out of reach; however, given what we just learned about a foot soak’s full-body capabilities, you may be able to get many of the benefits in a fraction of the space. Instead of a spacious soaking tub, all you need is a basin that will hold water and fit both of your feet. There is no sound evidence to support this, and it has also been debunked in scientific research time and again5. There are many science-backed benefits of taking a foot soak or apple cider vinegar foot soak, but a full-body detox is not one. But a foot soak can help in more ways than that: Foot soaks can be quite stress-relieving. Plus, they’re so easy to do at home, especially if you do not have a bathtub in your house or apartment.
