SOAK THE SMELL OFF YOUR SMELLY FEET

5 Soaks to Remove Foot Odor

There are two major things that you need to deal with when it comes to foot odor, and that is bacteria and sweat. It is not actually the sweat that makes your feet smell, but the bacteria that thrives in the moist environment it creates. There are proteins and amino acids in sweat from those glands (called the apocrine glands) that feed bacteria, giving it a particular unappealing smell. The bacteria on your feet give off a kind of gas as they eat, which is the source of your problems, these five foot soaks can make it simple for you to kick the odor-causing culprits:

 1.) Simple Epsom Salt Foot Soak

  Epsom  salt neutralizes odor, and as a bonus, it also happens to be very soothing on aching feet.

Directions

Dissolve ½ cup of Epsom salt in 8 cups of warm water and soak your feet for 30 minutes 1-2 times daily. Dry thoroughly afterwards.

2.) Sage and Rosemary Soak

Sage has antibacterial, antiviral, and anti fungal properties, and is also an astringent. Rosemary is antibacterial/anti fungal, and is an astringent as well-which means that both help minimize the production of sweat from the sweat glands. Less sweat means a less ideal environment for bacteria to harbor in. 

 Directions

Fill a foot basin with boiling water and add the dried rosemary and sage herbs to it. Let it steep until the water is cool enough to put your feet in, but still warm. Soak your feet in the water for thirty minutes, once or twice daily. Dry your feet thoroughly.

3.) Baking Soda and Citrus Soak

Baking soda has many uses and controlling foot odor is one of them. It naturally helps to control odor, kill bacteria/fungus and softens your feet. Lemon is an astringent which will help with excessive sweating that results in foot odor and it has a wonderful fresh scent.

 

Directions

Place 1/4 cup of baking soda in your foot basin, and then cover with about eight cups of warm water. Squeeze in the juice of one lemon, sink in your feet into the mixture and give it a little swish. Soak for thirty minutes and then dry your feet completely.

 

4.) Vinegar Soak

Apple cider vinegar works to get rid of foot odor by creating an acidic environment that bacteria cannot thrive in, thus reducing their activity and subsequently the smell.

 

Directions 

Fill a foot basin with 5-8 cups of very warm water and add 1/2 cup of white distilled or apple cider vinegar to it. Submerge your feet, swish the mixture around and soak your feet for 30 minutes twice a day. Dry your feet thoroughly when done.

 

5.) Black Tea foot soak

Foot odor is effectively combated with black tea foot soak, due to the high level of tannins and tannic acid in the tea. The acid creates an unfriendly environment for bacteria and also acts as an astringent which contracts body tissues therefore sweat glands.

Directions

Pour 4 cups of very hot or boiling water into your foot basin, add 5 bags of black tea. Allow them to steep for 10 minutes and then soak your feet for thirty minutes. Do this once a day and dry your feet thoroughly afterwards.

 

TIPS FOR AN ODOR-FREE FEET

• Wear a fresh, neat socks everyday;
• Live balls of camphor inside shoes when not wearing them; or sprinkle your shoes with baking soda, it absorbs the odor, kills bacteria and keep feet dry;
• Wear open-toed shoes when possible;
• Avoid synthetic material in socks which make it harder for the feet to breathe.