10 Best Home Remedies for Cracked Heels: Keep Your Feet Soft

Do your cracked heels remind you of a famine struck, parched landscape? It's not just moisture loss, but many factors like vitamin deficiencies, poor foot hygiene etc. can lead to a rough, chapped skin on your feet. If this condition is becoming painful day by day and giving you embarrassment while removing your shoes in public, we have some good news! These 10 Home Remedies for Cracked Heels can soothe your feet and bring back their softness.

Along with replenishing the lost moisture levels in the skin of your feet, these all-natural methods also repair damaged cells and promote the growth of healthy ones. Without wasting one more second, let us explore these best remedies for cracked feet.

Top 10 Home Remedies for Cracked Heels:

Here are the best foot crack home remedies, with benefits and detailed steps:

1. Listerine and Vinegar Foot Soak:

One of the easy remedies to treat cracked heels is a foot soak prepared with Listerine and Vinegar. The acidic nature of these ingredients can dissolve the dry and dead skin. This makes it easy for you to remove the hard layer on the feet with a foot file or a scrub. Also, Listerine's antifungal properties can get rid of foot fungus that causes stinky feet, athlete's foot, and toenail infections.

Ingredients:

• White Vinegar – 1 Cup
• Listerine – 1 Cup
• Water – 2 Cups
• Tub

How to Do?

• In a tub, add all the ingredients and mix well
• Soak your feet in the water for 10-15 minutes
• Remove from tub and use a towel to soak the excess water
• Use a foot file to scrub your feet
• Rinse thoroughly with water
• Apply a foot cream

Precaution: If you have sensitive skin or open wounds/cuts on your feet, Listerine may cause irritation or burning sensation.

2. Baking Soda:

One of the main reasons behind that rough and hard skin on your feet is a pile of unwanted dead cells. Baking Soda works like a natural exfoliant, as it loosens the impurities quickly when compared to using just plain water. The anti-microbial properties of this ingredient can reduce the invasion of bacteria and fungus which destroy the health of your feet.

Ingredients:

• Baking Soda – 3 tbsp
• Warm Water – 1 Bowl
• Tub

How to Do?

• Mix baking soda with warm water
• Soak your feet in that solution for 15-20 minutes
• Remove from water and wipe off the excess moisture with a towel
• Use a foot file to buff away the dead cells
• Rinse thoroughly with water

Precaution: If you have sensitive skin or pre-existing allergies/cuts/bruises, baking soda foot soak might irritate it further.

Also Read: Home Remedies For Gas And Farting

3. Glycerine, Salt and Lemon Water Foot Soak:

This foot soak can be an excellent natural remedy for dry and cracked heels. It contains the goodness of three ingredients which offer different benefits for your feet. Lemon water can dissolve the dirt and impurities from your skin, while salt can work like a natural exfoliant. On the other hand, Glycerine can soften the skin with its moisturizing properties.

Ingredients:

• Salt Crystals – 2-3 tbsp
• Lemon Juice – 10-15 drops
• Glycerine – 1 tbsp
• Warm Water – 3-4 Mugs

How to Do?

• In a tub, add all the ingredients and mix well
• Dip your feet in the solution and let it remain for 15-20 minutes
• Once done, take them out and soak the excess water with a towel
• Use a pumice stone or a foot file to remove the dry skin
• Rinse with water and apply a moisturizer

Precaution: Lemon may irritate sensitive skin.

4. Paraffin Wax and Coconut Oil:

Another best remedy for rough heels is a mixture of paraffin wax and coconut oil. The emollient properties of both these ingredients act as a natural barrier to the skin and prevent moisture loss. They act as wonderful moisturizers that hydrate and condition your skin. You can regularly use this mixture for topical application to experience visibly smoother and softer feet.

Ingredients:

• Paraffin Wax – 1 tbsp
• Coconut Oil – 1 tbsp

How to Do?

• Mix the oil with paraffin wax
• Make sure they blend well
• Apply the mixture on your feet
• Leave it on overnight
• Cover with soaks for better protection

5. Honey Foot Soak:

Honey is a natural humectant that can hydrate and nourish the outer layers of your skin. It also contains mild antiseptic properties that can inhibit bacterial growth and keep your feet healthy. So, it is evident that honey is not only good for internal detox but can also work like an effective home remedy for dry feet skin.

Ingredients:

• Honey - 2 tbsp
• Warm Water – 2 bowls

How to Do?

• Mix honey in warm water
• Soak your feet in that water for 20 minutes
• Remove them and wipe off the excess moisture with a towel
• Use a foot file to buff away the dead skin
• Rinse thoroughly with water

Also Read: Best Way To Get Rid Of Toe Fungus

6. Vicks Vaporub:

It might sound strange! But Vicks is a popularly used remedy for dry feet and cracked heels. The base ingredient is Vaseline or petroleum jelly with heavy emollient. So, this helps in trapping the moisture in the skin to prevent dryness and cracks. The other ingredients like menthol, camphor, eucalyptus can soothe your tired, aching feet and offer a much-needed solace during bedtime.

Ingredients:

• Vicks Vaporub – Enough to cover the heels of your feet
• Socks

How to Do?

• Wash and dry your feet thoroughly
• Apply Vicks all around the feet and on the heels
• Wear socks and cover your feet well
• Leave it on overnight
• Use it regularly to notice good results

NOTE: Vicks can irritate a sensitive skin or one with rashes/open wounds/cuts etc.

7. Aloe vera Gel:

Aloe vera is another effective natural remedy for rough and cracked heels. Aloe gel contains about 99% of water content with which it can hydrate your skin. Also, the other nutrients like vitamins, minerals and active enzymes promote faster-wound healing. The anti-oxidant properties of this ingredient can fight cell-damaging free radicals, while the anti-inflammatory properties can bring down the inflammation and damage on the skin.

Ingredients:

• Aloe vera Gel – Freshly Prepared ½ Cup
• Socks

How to Do?

• Wash and dry your feet thoroughly
• Apply Aloe vera gel and massage for 2-3 minutes
• Cover up your feet with socks
• Leave them on overnight

8. Banana and Honey Foot Mask:

The next step to exfoliation is deep conditioning! Once you are done removing the dead cells, use this super nourishing banana and honey foot mask to deal with dry and rough heels. The intense moisturizing properties of Banana pulp can hydrate your skin and soften it. The humectant properties of honey can improve the texture of the outer layers of your feet.

Ingredients:

• Banana Pulp – 2 tbsp
• Honey – 1 tbsp

How to Do?

• Mix banana pulp and honey together
• Apply it all over clean and dry feet
• Leave it on for 20 minutes
• Rinse thoroughly with water
• Apply a foot cream

Also Read: Home Remedies For Toothache Relief

9. Honey and Rice Flour Foot Scrub:

If you love using natural scrubs, this homemade foot scrub is a must-try! The coarse texture of rice flour acts as a natural exfoliant to remove the dead cells and impurities from the outer layers of your skin. Adding a dollop of honey can improve the lubrication and, at the same time, preventing the skin from drying out.

Ingredients:

• Rice flour – 2 tbsp
• Honey – 2 tbsp

How to Do?

• Make a thick paste out of rice flour and honey
• Wash your feet thoroughly
• While your feet are still wet, apply this mixture
• Massage your heels, soles etc. thoroughly for 2-3 minutes
• Rinse well with water
• Apply a foot cream

10. Shea Butter:

Shea butter has high concentration of fatty acids which makes it an ideal remedy for dry and rough feet. It gets quickly absorbed by the skin and nourishes from deep within. The anti-inflammatory properties of this ingredient can reduce the open cracks or wounds on your heels. You can also add some essential oils for added benefits.

Ingredients:

• Shea Butter – 2 tbsp
• Essential Oils - few drops (optional)

How to Do?

• Blend essential oils with shea butter
• Apply it all over the feet
• Leave it on overnight

Those are some of the proven home remedies for dry and cracked heels. They are all-natural and have minimal side effects (mentioned in this article). However, we recommend doing a patch test before applying it to a larger area. If you have any more such methods that you think our readers should know about, do let us know!