Always wash and dry your feet before you apply any kind of treatment. Sometimes, a mild infection will just go away on its own if you focus on keeping your feet clean and dry at all times.

Disinfect your toenail clippers and file with rubbing alcohol after each use (just throw away an emery board). Don’t borrow a toenail clipper or file from anyone else or let anyone else use yours—you don’t want to spread the fungus.

There’s also some evidence that Vick’s VapoRub can treat nail fungus if you rub it over the affected nails and surrounding skin. Since it’s often cheaper than OTC antifungals, it’s certainly worth a try. [4] X Trustworthy Source Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School’s Educational Site for the Public Go to source Fungal infections can spread, so you should treat the skin around your nails and your feet as well. If your nail infection keeps coming back, try treatments for athlete’s foot. [5] X Trustworthy Source American Academy of Dermatology Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists Go to source

Baking soda: Mix baking soda and water to form a paste, then scrub that into your nails with a toothbrush for 5-10 minutes. You can also soak your feet in equal parts baking soda and water for 15-20 minutes. [7] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source Tea tree oil: Use a cotton ball to dab the oil on and around your toenails. Do this at least twice a day. [8] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source Olive leaf extract: Use a cotton ball to dab the extract on and around your toenails. Do this at least twice a day. [9] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source Coconut oil: Melt a small amount of coconut oil in the microwave. Check the temperature to make sure it’s not too hot, then dip a cotton ball in the liquid oil and massage it into your toes and toenails. [10] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source

Antifungal nail polish can take up to a year to treat the underlying infection, so it’s not exactly the quickest remedy. But it will cover up your yellow toenails in the meantime.

While oral medications tend to work better than topical ointments or creams, they still don’t have a super high success rate, so there are no guarantees this will work. Even after the infection is gone, it could still take up to a year for the yellow nails to completely disappear.

Acetone nail polish remover can make stained nails look even worse. It can also leave your nails with a pale yellow tint on its own.

Sometimes you’ll see people recommend acids, such as lemon juice, to remove yellow stains. You can try them, but they don’t tend to work as well.

Cuticle remover can damage your toenails, so only use it if your toenails are severely stained and you’re not getting great results from baking soda or toothpaste. Don’t use cuticle remover repeatedly—it will thin your toenails a little each time you use it.

Leave this as a last resort after you’ve tried other options. It won’t help you a lot to remove the stains if you end up damaging your nail in the process. If you do buff your nails, follow up with a clear strengthening nail polish to help repair the damage.

Try to give your toenails a break every 4-6 weeks and go without polish for a week or two. It’ll give your nails a chance to breathe and repair themselves so they’ll look their healthiest.

If possible, wash your feet with soap and warm water before you put on the fresh socks. At a minimum, make sure your feet are completely dry before you put on clean socks.

If you have an active fungal infection, don’t reuse washcloths or towels that you used to wash and dry your feet.

If possible, alternate shoes so they have 24 hours to dry out before you wear them again. [22] X Trustworthy Source American Academy of Dermatology Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists Go to source

Keep in mind that these sprays don’t actually treat fungal infections, so wait until your infection has cleared before you spray your shoes.

Disinfect your clippers and file with rubbing alcohol both before and after using them.