I am also using bleach soaks at 80% water and maybe 20% bleach. When I wash my feet before adding the topical ointment, I also use the same mixture of bleach/water as a cleaning agent. I don’t rinse it off either before putting on the topical fungal agent. Maybe I should rinse off the bleach to get a better result? Hopefully the bleach is not killing the good stuff in the topical ointments.

I was also told it helps to put facial bleach (the kind that removes dark skin spots) on your affected areas, and then cover it with a bandage for as long as you can keep the bandage in place (hours at least). Sadly, I don’t have good bandages, only the cheap kind, and they fall off quickly. Still, it seemed to help! The concept here is to dry out the fungus and starve it since it probably needs moisture and oxygen to live! The ointment might keep it moist, but the bandage keeps the fresh oxygen out!

I put some of the bleach solution in an old plastic jar, that originally came with peanuts in it, and keep it on my nightstand for quick access. After using the bleach solution, I let my hands/feet dry for a short time, and then I put on the topical ointment. I don’t mix the different ointments because I think one might overrule another. Then I immediately put on a pair of very clean socks (very hot water and vinegar to help kill the fungus in the washer!). The blogs recommend all cotton socks if you have any. I don’t! I keep several pairs of clean white socks on my nightstand so I can change them whenever I feel any itching and need to do a re-treatment. Colored socks will probably be ruined by the bleach solution.

I wake up sometimes and just put more miconazole on my hands just because. I am kind of using the topical ointments like hand lotion. When I can’t feel the moisture of it any longer, then I apply more!

The bleach will hurt if you have open areas, but it does stop the itching almost immediately. I also use the bleach to clean all doorknobs, light switches, keyboard and mouse of my computer, cell phone, regular telephone, and anything else I think I may be touching that might be carrying the fungus.

The blogs recommend that you don’t wear the same shoes two days in a row. Or slippers! Switch it up to keep them from remaining moist and providing a good environment for the fungus to grow in. Also, I washed all of my tennis shoes, and slippers in very hot water with vinegar (about 1.5 cups added to the wash water). You can add baking soda to your wash water (about 1 cup) if you don’t have white vinegar. If you put both together, they foam up and probably kill each other!

I have been doing this for a week, and my feet are much better with less itching and much less callous. My hands still have somewhat raw areas that are still flaking, but they look much better. I was told it is ok to remove the flaking pieces of skin, but make sure you are not leaving those bits around wherever you have been sitting/laying down. These carry the fungus and can be picked up by your feet, etc. Vacuum your house a lot, and change your sheets/bedding often. The fungus can live on the sheets in your bed, including the pillow cases where your hands touched it to move the pillow around!

Also, do not wear the same clothes for a second day. Even make sure to change your pajamas each and every day. Socks of course are of supreme importance. I am changing mine several times a day – after I clean and treat my feet.

Bleach your bathtub/shower, and be sure to wipe the handles to the faucets and handheld shower wands. I even bleached the toilet seat (top and bottom) to make sure I wasn’t getting the fungus when I lifted or closed the lid! Don’t forget the edges of your medicine cabinet and the containers of topical ointment! You can actually get some of the fungus on the outside of the tubes.

I am not cured yet – only been a week, but my feet are better, and my hands look better too! They seem to be healing, albeit kind of slow. They still itch too, so I know I haven’t conquered it yet. I plan to get some more pure tea tree oil, and will use the plain yogurt rubbed on my hands and feet as soon as I finish this blog. I don’t have any raw honey, but even regular honey might help as it does contain natural bacteria!

I tried soaking my feet in Listerine for 20 mins. and it didn’t sting like I expected, and only turned my feet kind of blue. No benefit I could see, but maybe I have the wrong kind? I also tried making a poultice of baking soda with water to make it into a paste. I then smeared it on my hands, and then put on a pair of latex gloves (the kind for food handling, or even the kind for hair coloring). This stung really bad the entire time I had the gloves on my hands! Didn’t want to do it again after that!

I haven’t tried the tea bag soak, or the olive oil with garlic poultice. Probably will if the methods I am already using don’t clear it all up very soon!

I wish all of you well who are trying to conquer this ugly fungus! One web site I visited recommended putting one of the poultices on your feet, and then wrapping the feet in plastic wrap for as long as bearable! Once again, the concept is to starve the fungus to death! Haven’t tried this yet, but the bandages on the fingers definitely helped!

Dr, Oz suggests:
Athlete’s Foot Fungus Step #3: Garlic & Olive Oil Home Remedy
Doctor Oz’s home remedy for Athlete’s Foot is to make a paste out of olive oil and garlic, and apply it to your infected foot.

http://www.aloeplant.info/athletes-foot-fix-get-rid-of-that-awful-itching-and-burning-with-aloe/

Hope it helps!