Mouthwash Foot Soak! Did it work for me?

Mouthwash foot soak? Yep you heard right... a mouthwash foot soak! I have seen this recipe pop up from time to time on Facebook and getting your feet ready for summer. One of the most popular recipes uses Listerine Mouthwash which can be found on the web like Pinterest or in web search. The recipe I used can be found in multiple places and not sure where the original source is from.

Listerine Mouthwash Foot Soak Recipe 

1/4 Cup Listerine of any kind (I used some purple one)

1/4 Cup Vinegar

1/2 Cup Water

Soak for 10 Minutes

I doubled the recipe so that I could soak both feet equally

Now this recipe says that your dead skin will practically fall off your feet after the soak. When I heard this I was simply like gross and almost nixed the entire idea thinking my entire foot was going to fall off. However, because I have feet that I would like to show off in pictures, I said what the hell! I made the mixture and soaked my feet in it and yes the picture below our my size 11 feet.

Okay when I first stuck my feet in this, I thought I would feel some sort tingling or other type sensation. However, there was no feeling of that kind and all I was thinking the entire time was that my feet were soaking in a mouthwash and vinegar... what the hell is wrong with me? Well after the 10 minutes of soaking there was no noticeable dead skin trying to fall off and my feet do not look like brand spanking new. Well that is when I decided to use a pumice sponge. I prefer to use those vs. an actual pumice stone but that is just my personal favorite.

When I used the pumice sponge I did notice that my rough and dry skin did diminish. When I was done soaking and scrubbing my feet I rinsed them off, the one thing that I did notice was the air did make them felt cooler, likely to do to mint flavored mine was. I will admit I was shocked at the results but was wondering what really made it work. From my research I found that Listerine has been used in foot care recipes for athletes foot and toe fungal infections, which at first I thought must because the Listerine is antibacterial but then I remembered from a Mycology Class (the study of Fungi) that I took both athletes foot and toe fungal infections are forms of fungi and not really sure how the antibacterial plays if any role in this. My second thought was maybe it just makes the vinegar smell nice or some how cut the acid affect. A quick chemistry lesson vinegar is also known as Acetic acid and it has a pH level in the range of 2.40 to 3.40. I have included a pH chart (below) so you can see where vinegar stands to other acids and bases. I  think to be honest that the vinegar is what really makes this foot soak work by doing what acid does an eating away at the object which in this case was my feet and the dead skin.



I guess the big question is... will I try this again? I think I will because it has been the only thing that I have to include over the counter products to help remove this dead skin. Now how often am I going to do this soak? Not sure but I will probably just start with once a week.

This by far has been one of the weirdest things I have tried off the web but I must admit I was shocked about the results.

***** WARNING ******

PLEASE TRY THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK. EVEN THOUGH I HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THIS RECIPE I AM NOT A DOCTOR AND EVEN THOUGH I HAVE A STRONG BACKGROUND IN CHEMISTRY AND BIOLOGY I AM BY FAR NO EXPERT!