26 Home Remedies for Yeast Infections

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Stay dry. Yeast organisms like warm, moist conditions, with little or no oxygen. In order to deny them the perfect growing medium, dry your vaginal area thoroughly after bathing or showering.

Stay loose. Avoid wearing panties, pants, or hose that fit tightly in the vaginal area. Opt for "breathable" cotton underwear and loose pants, and, if you must wear nylons, choose those that have a built-in cotton-lined panty. Also, avoid lounging around in a wet swimsuit; change into dry clothing as soon as you're done swimming for a time.

Avoid harsh soaps, "feminine hygiene" sprays, and perfumed products. Not only can the alcohol and other chemicals in these products cause irritation, but they could alter the pH balance of the vagina, allowing yeast to flourish.
Rethink your contraception. Women who take birth control pills appear to be at increased risk for developing yeast infections. While researchers haven't established a cause-and-effect relationship between the Pill and yeast, some studies have shown that oral contraceptives increase the glycogen (the body's storage form of sugar) in the vagina (which provides more food for yeast reproduction).

Have both partners treated. Sexual partners can play "hot potato" with yeast infections, passing them back and forth, even if one of them has gotten treatment. Often, men harbor yeast organisms, especially in the foreskin of an uncircumcised penis, but show no symptoms. So when one partner is treated for a yeast infection, the other should be treated at the same time to avoid reinfection.

Wash up. If you have a yeast infection, you should wash up extra carefully before lovemaking and should ask your sexual partner to do the same.

Use condoms. Couples who make love before a yeast infection has been completely cured should also use condoms during intercourse (even if another form of contraception, such as the Pill or an IUD, is being used) to act as a barrier and prevent passing the infection.

Avoid routine douching. Women who douche frequently in the belief that it's a healthy practice may actually increase their risk for yeast infections by altering the vagina's pH balance. Routine douching is simply not necessary, since the vagina is able to clean itself.

Practice good hygiene. While yeast is usually passed between sexual partners, it can also be passed to others, including children, through activities such as shared baths. To ensure you're not passing yeast, avoid bathing or sharing towels or bathwater with your children; wash your hands frequently -- and always after using the bathroom -- with soap and water; and wash your clothing in hot water. The high water temperature in your washing machine should destroy any yeast organisms on your clothes. But if you want to be sure they're all gone, add a cup of white vinegar during the rinse cycle.

Consider if sponges are for you. Contraceptive sponges seem to be a yeast culprit, too, although no one is sure why. If recurrent yeast infections are a problem for you, consider an alternative birth control method such as condoms, a diaphragm, a cervical cap, or an intrauterine device (IUD); discuss it with your doctor.

Stay calm. Avoid stressful situations. They can bring on infection.


Home Remedies from the Kitchen

Brush with baking soda. For thrush, brush your teeth after every meal with a mild toothpaste of baking soda and water. Commercial toothpaste may be too harsh if sores develop. Pour a little baking soda in your hand and add just enough water to make a paste. Then, rinse with 1/2 cup warm water and 1 tablespoon of three percent hydrogen peroxide. Replace your toothbrush when the infection is cured.

Get garlic. Eating 2 fresh garlic cloves a day, either plain or minced and tossed in a salad or sauce, may prevent yeast infections or help clear up a case of thrush. Garlic has antifungal properties.

Mix up licorice powder. Boil 1 pint water and add 1 teaspoon licorice powder. Steep it, strain, but don't drink. Use the liquid as a vaginal douche.

Douche with vinegar. At the first sign of infection, try douching with a mild vinegar or yogurt douche. Make a mild vinegar douche and use at the first sign of problems. Mix 1 to 3 tablespoons white vinegar with 1 quart of water.

Home Remedies from the Refrigerator

Pour some cranberry juice. Drink this one. Unsweetened, it may acidify vaginal secretions and equip them to fight off the yeast.

You need yogurt. The live culture in plain yogurt is a great remedy for a yeast infection, helping to restore the acid-bacteria balance in more ways than one. Of course, you can eat yogurt. But you can also insert 1 to 2 tablespoons into your vagina, apply it externally to the affected area (anal or vaginal), or use it as a douche by diluting it with warm water.

Home Remedies from the Sink

Rinse with water. For a baby with thrush, give 1/2 ounce boiled, cooled water after a feeding to wash away milk remnants that contain milk sugars, which yeast love to feed on.

Wash out the secretions. The organisms that cause yeast infection produce secretions that are irritating to the genital tissues. The nerve endings that sense the presence of the yeast are located at the vaginal opening. Although you may have an infection inside the vagina, you can often get symptomatic relief simply by frequently washing away the secretions with water until your chosen treatment knocks out the infection.

Home Remedies from the Spice Rack

Boil some basil. For thrush, make a basil tea and use it as a gargle. Boil 3 1/2 cups water, remove from heat, and add 1 1/4 teaspoons ground basil. Cover and steep for 30 minutes. Cool and gargle. Or sweeten to taste with maple syrup and drink 1 cup twice a day.

Rub on rosemary. To relieve itching and burning, make a tea of rosemary, and use it as a douche or dab it onto the external area.

Gurgle salt. If mouth sores develop with thrush, gargle with a mixture of 1/2 cup lukewarm water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to promote healing.

Heat thyme tea. Make a thyme tea using 1 teaspoon dried thyme per 1 cup boiling water. Steep and drink 1 to 4 cups per day if you have a yeast infection.
Home Remedies from the Medicine Cabinet

Bring on the boric. Several studies have shown boric acid to be a safe, inexpensive, and effective yeast remedy. If your doctor approves of the idea, try using boric-acid capsules as a suppository the next time you have a flare-up. To make your own suppositories, fill size "O" gelatin capsules with boric acid. Insert one capsule vaginally once a day for a week. (Check with your pharmacist for the gelatin capsules and boric acid.)

Skip this remedy if you are or may be pregnant, however, since boric acid hasn't been studied among pregnant women. Instead, talk with your physician about other treatment options.

Use an over-the-counter fungal cream. Both miconazole (Monistat) and clotrimazole (Gyne-Lotrimin) are effective in treating yeast infections. These products, which used to be available only by prescription, are available over the counter in pharmacies and many variety stores.


Apply the medication as directed in the package insert. Complete the full course of treatment, as specified in the insert; do not stop using the medication early, even if your symptoms subside. If you find that you frequently get a yeast infection around the time of your menstrual period, try using one of these antifungal creams a few days before and/or after your menstrual period as a preventative.

Try yogurt tabs. Another alternative is to use lactobacillus tablets vaginally once or twice a day and douching with vinegar twice a day for two days. Check the natural-supplement aisle of your local pharmacy or a health-food store for the lactobacillus tablets.

As you can see, the home remedies suggested to beat yeast infections are quite easy to do. Just be sure to consult your doctor before trying any at home, especially if you have recurrent infections