You know what I love about summer? Sandals. It’s like airing out a whole winter worth of feet jammed into sneakers. After having kids in sports, I have to say, the smell of their shoes and feet really kind of started to get to me–like a nasal assault. Now that they are moving on, I guess this is a problem of the past for my house, at least. Physical activity/sweating isn’t the only thing that can cause foot odor, though. Stress, medicines, , excessive alcohol usage, etc. can actually all lead to stanky feet. Foot odor is just bacteria that builds up and has a nasty smell when you get right down to it.
Rather than obliterating the problem with chemicals, here are a few remedies to try:
- Black or green tea. Yep, brew yourself a stiff bowl of tea and let those tootsies soak. The tea has anti-bacterial properties that will help kill the odor causers.
- Vinegar. This is another warm water soak. Just add a splash of vinegar to a warm tub of water and soak away.
- Talcum powder. This is a perfect solution for all day moisture wicking if your feet are cramped in sweaty shoes. For the record, corn starch and baby powder also will work similarly.
- Wash your feet regularly. Okay, this probably goes without saying, but don’t just let the shower water hit those bad boys as it goes down the drain–make sure to soap up and rinse well. Dry your feet before you stick them into socks too.
- Baking soda soak. You can use baking soda in a similar fashion as you would soak in suggestions 1 & 2. Baking soda will help neutralize your pH. You can add a little lavender oil if you want to crank it up a notch.
- Epsom salt. Again, this is another soak, but Epsom salt is known for being detoxifying.
- Dry wet shoes completely before wearing them again. Sprinkle baking soda in them between wears to absorb moisture.
Have you tried any of these? Did one work better for you than the others?
~Mavis
Holly Gardner says
Ya, Mavis, I know what you mean about nasal assault.
I learned early, my TWO y.o. had the most horrid foot odor. We tried leather shoes, white cotton socks, washing every day… you name it, we tried it. The only thing that did work (and still is working and hes 25 now) ZINC! a simple mineral, but is very scarce in our diet generally. So…’If you stink, better take zinc!’
Jennifer says
I agree with all except one: cornstarch. Whereas it does work it keep body parts dry, moistened starch is a breeding ground for germs (it’s straight up starch after all). So it can promote bacterial growth. We used to use the beloved cornstarch in hospitals to keep patients’ parts nice and dry. But studies show it can promote yeast, bacteria, …
I do recommend switching shoes from one day to the next if possible, which follows #7 in your post. If ya wear sneakers daily and can afford a second pair, do it. This also helps in rainy weather when sneakers get wet and need extra drying time.
Sylvia says
Since I’ve done colon cleanses, eliminate preservatives, chemicals, food dyes etc. from my diet & eat healthy I have little or no body odor problems.