Does the Listerine Foot Soak Really Work?
I have a scary secret I’m going to share with you and I am a little embarrassed to tell you but… I have gross feet. When I say gross I don’t mean gangly or that they smell funky, they don’t. My feet are dry, flakey, and my husband even calls them scaley. My heels are the worst! There are layers of dry and cracked nasty skin on my heels that are so thick that I could probably walk across hot coals and I would not feel a thing.
You’re welcome for painting that lovely picture in your mind.
Are your’s the same way?
Recently I saw this picture posted on Pinterest for a Listerine Foot Soak. I bet you have seen it too! It says the dead skin will practically wipe off. Wipe off? Like, I don’t have to use an electric sander to get it all off? I’m game!
So in the name of science, I thought I would conduct a highly scientific research study on the matter and test this concoction out.
Listerine Foot Soak Recipe
Recipe:- 1/4 Cup Listerine
- 1/4 Cup Vinegar
- 1/2 Cup Warm Water
First, can I say, Seriously? How am I supposed to “soak” my feet in a cup of liquid? I actually 4x the recipe because I am good at math at could figure it out. This is what I used.
A Usable Recipe:
- 1 Cup Antiseptic Mouthrinse
- 1 Cup Vinegar
- 2 Cups Warm Water
I used the generic brand of Listerine or Antiseptic Mouthrinse. It was cheaper and I figured I was putting it on my feet, not in my mouth – even though, just to be perfectly clear, I’m no snob. I did later use the mouthwash for its intended purposes.
Listerine Foot Soak Instructions featured by top US lifestyle blog, The Crafty Blog Stalker: bottle of distilled white vinegar and antiseptic mouthrinse or generic listerine
Combine the liquid in a nice big bowl, you want to make sure that your feet have room to be immersed and soak.
Listerine Foot Soak Instructions featured by top US lifestyle blog, The Crafty Blog Stalker: a large white bowl with the listerine foot soak recipe for dry feet and cracked heels
My feet soaked four about 15 minutes. I have to say that I really did enjoy the minty tingle on my feet and the smell was quite relaxing. Kick on some Netflix and this soak could easily last upwards of an hour, or at least until the water got too cold.
Listerine Foot Soak Instructions featured by top US lifestyle blog, The Crafty Blog Stalker: feet soaking in the listerine foot soak recipe
Does the Listerine Foot Soak really work?
To say the least, I am disappointed. I know, I am sure you are too. I really wanted to wipe away all of that nasty yuckiness but it just didn’t happen. Although, I think it did do something!Here is a picture of the before and after of my feet. This is just the soak, I did not scrub with a pumice stone or slather the lotion on. Surprisingly, my before feet aren’t that bad, they have been much worse than this.
Listerine Foot Soak Instructions featured by top US lifestyle blog, The Crafty Blog Stalker: images before and after the listerine foot soak
As you can see in the after, those yucky dry cracks on my heels are actually looking better. They aren’t as yellow or dead looking, and my feet do smell very minty and fresh.
After my research, I learned…
- The soak does feel very nice and the strong mint makes your feet tingle even after the soak is over.
- The dead skin did not simply wipe away. Wiping with a towel did nothing but dry my feet – strange.
After these pictures were taken, I did go back with a pumice stone and that did work at removing the dead skin, but that works no matter the type of foot soak so I can’t attribute that to this Listerine Soak.
My final conclusion is, I would do the foot soak again. Not to remove the dead skin but because I did enjoy the minty tingle.
I have heard of some experiences where the Listerine Foot Soak turned feet blue. However, I did not have that experience. Maybe it’s because I bought the store brand. 🙂
Have you ever tried the Listerine Foot Soak before? Did you have the same results?
