One of the most annoying things is your smelly feet once you remove your shoes. Sometimes it’s because of the sweating of feet on the shoes, so it is recommended to wear shoes that allow the feet to breathe. There are several other factors that can cause foot odor, but along with it we are also going to discuss ways to get rid of the annoying smell of your feet.
Causes of Foot Odor
Well most of the time it’s not your feet, but what you’re wearing on it that is the main reason for smelly feet. One of the main reasons for smelly feet is lack of ventilation for your feet which can be caused by wearing tight shoes or wearing the wrong socks. You must note that each foot has more than 250,000 sweat glands. So, if the sweat produced in your feet has no way to escape, the bacteria present on your skin start to feed on the sweat present on your feet. This produces isovaleric acid which is the main reason for smelly feet.
Certain diseases, medicines, unhygienic conditions, bad environmental factors, or wearing shoes for longer durations can also cause foot odor.
Read More:Home Remedies To Treat Athlete’s Foot In Kids
11 Natural Home Remedies to Get Rid of Foot Odor
Soak in Salty Water
Salt has the ability to eliminate the wetness in your skin, which makes it impossible for bacterial growth. You can simply make a salt bath by dissolving salt in warm water or add some vinegar into it for better results. Soak your feet into the salt bath for 15 minutes each night for two weeks. Make sure to clean all the dirk stuck in your nails for better results.
Tea
Studies have shown that tea has acids that helps in closing the pores of the skin. It also contains organic antibiotics that can kill the germs and bacteria present in your feet. This can give you instant results. So wash your feet with warm tea to get rid of foot odor.
Baking Soda
The sodium carbonate present in Baking soda naturally controls the growth of bacteria. So just mix baking soda and lime in warm water and soak your feet in it to get rid of your stinky feet.
Lavender Oil
Lavender oil indeed has a soothing fragrance, it also kills bacteria present on the skin. So mix some lavender oil into water and wash your feet with it. After soaking your foot into it for sometime, all you are left with are your feet that smell really good and the bad smell is no more there to bother you.
Vinegar
Vinegar shows extremely impressive results in case of foot odor. It creates very harsh conditions for the microbes on your skin, thus killing them instantly. It also removes wetness from the feet and reduces the occurrence of bacteria that cause foot rot. All you need to do is mix vinegar in warm water and soak your feet in it for half an hour daily for a week.
Change Your Socks
Some fabrics can make your feet smell as they are not able to soak in all the sweat produced by your feet. Cotton socks are the best as they let your feet breathe which reduces the smell and sweat. But in case you decide to not wear socks, than I must warn you against it as socks absorb the moisture from your feet.
Powder in Your Shoes
In case your foot smell is caused because of your smelly shoes, using a little powder in your shoes can be helpful. Get yourself a lysol disinfectant spray or shoe powder. You can also powder the insides of your shoes with cornstarch. The powder absorbs all the moisture from the shoes. Baby powder and talcum powder can also be helpful. You can also fill in newspaper inside your shoes and leave it for some time to get rid of the moisture.
Sugar Scrub
A sugar scrub is one of the effective ways to get rid of foot odor. It is commonly used for lips or skin but it also works well for feet. Make a thick paste of isopropyl alcohol, ¾ of sugar and ¼ of water and scrub your foot with it. Scrubbing three times a week helps in exfoliating the layers of dead skin and calluses.
Onions in Socks
Shocking? Well, yes putting a couple of onion prices in your socks overnight can kill infectious germs and strengthen your immune system. It is also helpful due to the acupressure points present in the feet.
Changes in Your Diet
Any kind of odor in your body can be affected by your diet. Common foot items that can lead to foot odor are coffee, red meat, garlic, onions, cauliflower, strong smelling spices and alcohol. So in order to get rid of foot odor, you may have to make certain changes in your diet.
Soaps
Washing your feet every day with sweet smelling soaps can be helpful as the shower gel that you use on the rest of the body may not be appropriate for your feet. You can also try antifungal and antibacterial soaps to wash your feet. This will help you to keep your feet healthy and avoid any bad smell.
Tips To Get Rid of Foot Odor
- Wash your feet everyday
- Avoid wearing socks in wet feet.
- Wear socks that can absorb the sweat.
- Do not wear too tight shoes
- Wash your shoes regularly
- Store your shoes in cool and dry place.
Conclusion
So these were the few ways in which you can get rid of stinky foot as they can be really annoying. In case any of these remedies don’t work effectively, you must make sure to check with the doctor. It is possible that your foot can start stinky due to certain conditions in the body. Athlete’s foot is a fungal skin infection which can cause foot odor. Stay Alert! Stay safe!
Resources
https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/ureport/article/2001251772/7-best-home-remedies-for-smelly-feet
https://brightside.me/inspiration-health/9-simple-remedies-to-cure-smelly-feet-in-no-time-with-9-simple-remedies-447160/
