Feet: we all have them. But for most of us, the thought of revealing them in public or having them touched us is a pure nightmare, especially in the summer when they're completely soaked in sweat from being trapped in shoes all day as the heat beams on them. Cue the smell.
Smelly feet are something we loathe during the summer months. The smell of course is due to bacteria kicking around in your shoes or sandals. Bacteria then produces an acid byproduct, which causes that atrocious reek.
So what do you need to do? Create a drier situation for your feet that will eliminate all the bacteria lingering around before a fungal infection could happen (which is a totally different story).
And how do you do that? With these five simple tips:
As you make your daily cup of tea, grab a few extra bags for your feet. According to Podiatrist Rondrick Williamson, DPM, in an interview with Men's Health, tea bags are a natural antibiotic and have the ability to reduce pores, which in turn, will make your feet sweat less. Place two black tea bags in one pint of boiling water. Once boiled, add in two quarts of cold water and place your feet in the bowl for 30 minutes.
While we wish we could soak our feet in the ocean all day long, not all of us have that luxury. Luckily, in this situation, all you need is kosher salt and warm water. Salt is a powerful mineral that pulls moisture from the skin and reduces the amount of bacteria on the feet. Soak your feet for 20 minutes in your salty mixture everyday for two weeks and say "see ya later" to the smelly odour.
Your feet will thank you after soaking them in a mixture of one part apple cider vinegar and two parts water for 15 minutes twice a day. Vinegar aims to reduce bacteria and has a drying effect to bash all those stinky smells.
Whether it be baby powder or baking soda, powders are a simple and non-expensive way to absorb wetness. For maximum freshness, either sprinkle the powder in your shoe or rub on your feet.
If you're thinking you might need some new socks after reading this, make sure they're cotton. Cotton socks will allow the foot to breathe. Stay away from nylon as moisture can get trapped and no one wants that. And in an interview with The Huffington Post, Dr. Mark A. Kosinski, DPM, FIDSA, says NEVER go sock-less.
"Wearing shoes without socks can lead to sweat accumulation, enabling bacteria to grow over time," Dr. Schwartz said. "There can also be dead skin cells, dirt, oils, mould and fungus thriving there."
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