Foot soaks have long been used as a means of self-care for tired feet. And with the addition of apple cider vinegar—the fermented tonic that's hailed as a natural do-it-all—it may provide even more substantial benefits.

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.

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.

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."

If you want to recreate the salon pedicure experience, a foot soak pre-polish is an easy way to do that. There are many fun foot-soak add-ons you can play around with to achieve different benefits, like Epsom salts for muscle tension or essential oils for aromatherapy.

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. 

In general, foot soaks of any kind can relieve stress and tension. Studies show that nightly foot soaks can help relieve anxiety and may even improve sleep quality. One 2016 peer-reviewed study found that a nightly foot soak was able to help patients sleep more soundly throughout the night—these benefits were even greater when paired with a gentle foot rub.

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.

This is purely a logistical benefit. While we are believers in the holistic benefits of an apple cider vinegar bath or any type of bath, really—not every home nor apartment has a bathtub for soaking.

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. 

You hear a significant amount of anecdotal evidence about how you can pull toxins from the body through your feet.

There is no sound evidence to support this, and it has also been debunked in scientific research time and again5.

Apple cider vinegar has many uses, from acne to home cleaning—and for feet specifically, it may help with fungal infections, odor, and even nail health.