The 8 Best Antifungal Soaps
Updated by · How we research
Eight antifungal soaps, dandruff shampoos and tea tree cleansers, ranked from the active ingredient up. The Defense Antifungal Bar with 1% tolnaftate leads. When users buy our independently chosen editorial recommendations, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
Antifungal soap is a medicated or tea tree cleanser for people fighting athlete's foot, jock itch, ringworm or tinea versicolor, or trying to keep it from coming back. The big difference is the label: some bars carry a real drug such as tolnaftate or clotrimazole, while tea tree washes are cosmetics that clean but don't treat.
Editor's Notes
October 18, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Admin:
The old version of this list was almost all tea tree body washes, and that was a problem. A tea tree wash is a cosmetic. It can help keep skin clean, but it carries no drug claim, and the research on tea tree oil against fungus is thin. This time we started from the active ingredient.
The Defense Antifungal Bar now leads, with 1% tolnaftate and a full Drug Facts panel. Clotrimazole bars from RoyceDerm and terrasil join it, along with the terrasil Cream + Soap Kit for anyone who already has a rash. Two dandruff shampoos, Nizoral A-D and Selsun Blue Medicated, made the cut because dermatologists suggest them as body washes for tinea versicolor. They aren't soaps, strictly, but for that infection they're the right tool. Purely Northwest Tea Tree and Truremedy Tea Tree & Peppermint stay on as daily washes. Defense Daily Clean Bars gave way to the same maker's medicated bar. We dropped Viking Revolution Extra-Strength, now sold as a pricier two-pack of a similar wash, and Candida Freedom, FungiCure, Oleavine, The Yellow Bird, Art Naturals and Majestic Pure, which didn't turn up in current searches.
One honest caveat. We found no independent test of any antifungal soap, and soap only sits on the skin for a minute or two. If you have a rash, use a cream too, and see a doctor if it isn't clearing up in a few weeks.
July 18, 2020:
While we made sure to take effectiveness into account when putting together this list, since the main point of buying an antifungal soap is to get rid of whatever fungus is causing your problem, we also considered fragrance, the ingredients and any additional benefits they offer, and individual bathing habits. Before using any of these products, no matter how gentle they may seem, it is a smart idea to check with your doctor to make sure they are suitable for your needs. We also recommend using a shower sponge with most of these to get maximum effectiveness.
For those who prefer not to use a wash, we have included Defense Daily Clean Bars and The Yellow Bird Peppermint & Tea Tree Bar. The former comes in three scents, all of which should be effective at fighting both bacteria and fungi, while the latter is an artisan-made product comprised almost entirely of organic ingredients. Both are free of sulfates and alcohol, so are very gentle on the skin.
When it comes to the washes, FungiCure Medicated immediately stands out for its inclusion of sepia 12x, which has been used in homeopathic medicine for generations. While there is little literature to support its fungicidal properties, there is probably something to it if people have continued to use it for so long. Plus, it also contains tea tree oil, which you'll see is in every product on this list and is generally regarded as one of the best natural antifungals. Purely Northwest Foot and Body Wash is another one that stands out for its potential for preventing lice. Unfortunately, it does contain sodium laureth sulfate.
While many of the soaps on this list require you to leave them on the skin for anywhere from 30 seconds to a minute or longer to be effective, the makers of Viking Revolution Extra-Strength boasts that it only requires five seconds of exposure to combat fungal infections, making it a great choice for those with limited patience.
July 02, 2019:
Our skin naturally hosts fungi, but when they get imbalanced or start to spread wildly, that's when we get itchy blotches and rashes called tinea, or more commonly, jock itch, ringworm, or athlete's foot. Sometimes these conditions are serious enough to warrant prescription treatment, but they can often be cleared up by over-the-counter remedies, including the anti-fungal soaps ranked in our selections.
In this update, we looked for products that, above all else, are effective on these kinds of fungus infections. We also considered value for the price and cosmetic characteristics such as smell and lather. We removed one item due to concerns about its availability and added the relatively new Viking Revolution Body Wash in one of our top slots because it works really well for a lot of users.
Special Honors
AAD Find a Dermatologist The American Academy of Dermatology runs a free directory of board-certified dermatologists, searchable by ZIP code. It's the right next step when a rash hasn't cleared after the label's 2 to 4 weeks, keeps returning, or reaches the scalp or nails, where these soaps don't work. A dermatologist can confirm it's fungal and prescribe stronger treatment. find-a-derm.aad.org
Drug Or Cosmetic: Read The Label First
A drug soap names an active ingredient in a Drug Facts box, with uses, warnings and directions.
Two very different products share the antifungal soap shelf. A drug soap names an active ingredient in a Drug Facts box, with uses, warnings and directions. Federal rules for over-the-counter antifungals list a short set of approved actives for athlete's foot, jock itch and ringworm, including tolnaftate 1%, clotrimazole 1% and miconazole 2% (21 CFR 333.210, Cornell LII). Look for one of those names.
A tea tree wash is usually a cosmetic. The FDA draws the line by intended use: a cleanser sold to treat or prevent disease is a drug and must carry Drug Facts labeling, while one sold only to clean or deodorize is a cosmetic (FDA: Is It a Cosmetic, a Drug, or Both? (Or Is It Soap?)). So a body wash that says "tea tree" in big letters but has no Drug Facts box isn't promising to treat anything.
Also check the directions. The best labels tell you how long to leave the lather on (1 to 2 minutes is common), how often to use it, and when to stop and call a doctor. Most say the soap won't work on the scalp or nails.
Soap Helps, Cream Treats
A soap is on your skin for a minute or two, then it goes down the drain. We found no independent trial of any antifungal soap, so the claims on these boxes are the makers'. The standard over-the-counter treatment for jock itch is a cream, powder or spray with miconazole, clotrimazole, terbinafine or tolnaftate, and you should see a provider if it isn't better in about 2 weeks (MedlinePlus: Jock itch). Athlete's foot creams usually run 2 to 4 weeks, and infections often come back from shoes or untreated toenails (DermNet: Tinea pedis).
The sensible plan is both: wash with a medicated soap, dry the skin completely, then apply a cream. Keep going for the full course even after the itch stops. Don't put a steroid cream on a rash that might be ringworm, because it can make the infection worse. See a doctor for a scalp or nail infection, a rash that keeps spreading, or one that keeps coming back (CDC: About Ringworm).
These products are for external use only. The drug labels here say not to use them on children under 2 without a doctor's advice, and none is meant for vaginal yeast infections.
Tinea Versicolor, Tea Tree Oil And Prevention
If your spots are pale, pink or tan patches on the chest, back or upper arms that come back each summer, it may be tinea versicolor, a yeast rather than ringworm. The American Academy of Dermatology lists over-the-counter selenium sulfide, ketoconazole and zinc pyrithione shampoos and soaps as treatments, and suggests a medicated wash once or twice a month in warm weather to keep it away. Skin color can stay uneven for weeks or months after the yeast is gone (AAD: Tinea versicolor treatment).
Tea tree oil is the star of most cosmetic washes. A small amount of research suggests it may help athlete's foot, but it may not work as well as standard treatments, and there isn't enough evidence for nail fungus. It can irritate skin, and it must never be swallowed (NCCIH: Tea Tree Oil).
Prevention matters as much as the soap. Dry well between your toes, wear shower sandals in locker rooms, change socks and underwear every day, and don't share towels. Fungus spreads by skin contact and on damp floors and mats, so athletes in contact sports should shower soon after practice (CDC: About Ringworm).
How we researched this
We compared 20 current antifungal soaps, medicated shampoos and tea tree washes, and screened eight in depth. We read the Drug Facts panels shown on the packaging, the makers' product descriptions, federal rules on antifungal drugs and cosmetics, and guidance from the American Academy of Dermatology, CDC, MedlinePlus, DermNet and the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. We used sales and availability data only to screen, and we checked every brand for recalls with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. We found no independent tests of antifungal soaps.
Sources (15)
- Cornell LII: 21 CFR 333.210, antifungal active ingredients
- FDA: Is It a Cosmetic, a Drug, or Both? (Or Is It Soap?)
- MedlinePlus: Jock itch
- DermNet: Tinea pedis
- CDC: About Ringworm
- American Academy of Dermatology: Tinea versicolor treatment
- NCCIH: Tea Tree Oil
- Defense Soap
- RoyceDerm
- terrasil (Aidance Scientific)
- Nizoral
- Selsun Blue
- Purely Northwest
- Truremedy Naturals
- CPSC Recalls
Frequently asked questions
What is the best antifungal soap?
For athlete's foot, jock itch and ringworm, pick a bar with a real drug on its Drug Facts panel, such as the Defense Antifungal Bar (tolnaftate 1%) or a clotrimazole 1% bar. For tinea versicolor, dermatologists suggest ketoconazole or selenium sulfide washes.
Does antifungal soap actually cure a fungal infection?
Not on its own, as far as the evidence goes. Soap touches the skin for a minute or two, and we found no independent trial of these soaps. A leave-on cream, powder or spray for 2 to 4 weeks is the standard treatment. Soap is a helpful extra step.
What is the strongest antifungal soap?
Among over-the-counter options, ketoconazole 1% is the strongest-sounding active, but it comes as a dandruff shampoo, and body use is off label. Of the bars, tolnaftate 1% and clotrimazole 1% are both approved antifungal drugs. Strength matters less than using a cream long enough.
Is tea tree soap antifungal?
Weakly, at best. A small amount of research suggests tea tree oil may help athlete's foot, but it may not work as well as standard treatments. Tea tree washes are cosmetics, so they make no treatment claim.
Can I use antifungal soap on my face or scalp?
Some bars are sold for face and body, but keep the lather out of your eyes. The drug bars here say they don't work on the scalp or nails. Ask a doctor about a scalp or nail infection.
When should I see a doctor?
If jock itch isn't better in about 2 weeks or athlete's foot or ringworm in about 4, if the rash spreads, or if it's on the scalp or nails. Ask before using these products on a child under 2.
