Are you suffering from foot odor? Do find yourself in embarrassing situations due to stinky feet? Do people whim their noses when you walk by?
Its time get rid of stinky feet and stop the embarrassment. By following the below mentioned natural home remedies, you can get rid of stinking feet.
Foot odor or stinky feet, bromhidrosis is what the scientists call it, can be embarrassing. Simply using foot deodorant cannot help you get rid of it. It is important to know the causes of foot odor then only you can figure out the cures stop it permanently.
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Home Remedies To Get Rid Foot Odour
If you can keep your feet clean, dry and bacteria free, there won’t be any problem in letting them out to respirate in a room with other people around. That is not that easy, though.
There are ample natural cures which you can try to get rid of vexatious foot odor but you have to follow them on a regular basis for a certain period to get good results. You can expect the results within a week or so in most of the remedies.
Below is a list of potent home remedies that can help you eliminate foot odor without any side effects.
1. Simple Epsom Salt Foot Soak
Epsom salt is a well-known remedy used in foot soaks to procure smooth and soft skin. Many beauty salons and spas also use this remedy to treat foot odor. Another upside of this home remedy is that it fights microbial infections and also helps in neutralizing foot odor.
Salt has astringent and detoxifying properties; former tends to reduce sweat in the feet and later helps in relieving aching feet by forcing out the toxins like fungus, dead skin cells and bacteria from the body.
Procedure
- Take half a bucket of warm water and add 2 to 3 teaspoon full of Epsom salt in it.
- Submerge your feet in the soak for 20 minutes every night before going to sleep.
- Make this a routine and follow this on a regular basis to get rid of stinky feet.
2. Sage And Rosemary Soak
Sage is a plant that has antifungal, antiviral, antibacterial as well as astringent properties. On the other hand, rosemary has antifungal and antibacterial as well as astringent properties.
Therefore, both help in minimizing the generation of sweat from the sweat glands. It is implied that less the sweat, less is the ideal environment for bacteria to hold on. Sage also helps in fighting hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating.
Procedure
- Take a bucket and fill it to the half with boiling water.
- Add one tablespoon each of rosemary and dried sage to it.
- Keep it still and let it cool down until you can put your feet in comfortably, but still warm.
- Immerse your feet in this soak 30 minutes and follow this procedure on a daily basis for one week.
Sage Leaves
Sage leaves contain a compound called tannic acid that helps in reducing the secretion of sweat from sweat glands. In an upside, the herb also has antifungal and antibacterial properties.
- You can put dried sage leaves inside your socks and shoes.
- They will absorb the odor and leave behind a nice green scent.
- Sage tea soak and a cup of sage tea before going to bed are also very effective remedies.
3. Bubbly Baking Soda and Citrus Soak
We can make a long list of uses of baking soda, and in a context of foot odor, it can be a miracle worker. It naturally helps destroy bacteria and fungus, control odor and softens your feet. Lemon is an astringent, which helps in diminishing sweat and it also has a pleasant scent.
Procedure
- Take a bucket and fill it with 10 cups of lukewarm water, and then add one-fourth cup of baking soda.
- Squeeze in one lemon in the basin and stir it well.
- Sink your feet in, and give it a little movement.
- Soak for near about 20 minutes and then dry completely. Follow this remedy every night for one week.
4. Apple Cider Vinegar Soak
Apple cider vinegar is a very effective remedy for eliminating foot odor and it shows immediate results. Apple cider vinegar is proven effective for both skin and hair uses, and it is also an effective weight loss home remedy. You might not want to immerse your feet in vinegar at first, but it is a very powerful cure for foot odor.
Vinegar creates an acidic environment which makes it difficult for bacteria to thrive in, thus diminishing the count and as a subsequence, the smell. It also helps in maintaining the pH level of the skin and permanently eliminating odor-causing bacteria.
Procedure
- Take a foot basin and pour 7 cups of lukewarm water in it. Then add
- Then add the half cup of apple cider or white distilled vinegar to it. Immerse your feet in it and swish the mixture around.
- Soak for around 20 minutes 2 times a day. When finished, rinse your feet with cold water, then dry completely.
5. Black Tea Foot Soak
Black tea is believed to be one of the most effective home remedies for hair fall, and it also provides your body with useful antioxidants.
Moreover, it is also a potent remedy for eliminating foot odor. Black tea contains tannic acid which kills the odor-causing bacteria. Also, its astringent properties contract the pores, thus reducing the mouth of sweat, which usually functions as the flourishing ground for bacteria.
Also, its astringent properties contract the pores, thus reducing the mouth of sweat, which usually functions as the flourishing ground for bacteria.
Procedure
- Pour 5 cups of boiling water in a foot basin and add five bags of black tea in it.
- Allow the bags to steep for about 10 minutes, and then soak your feet in it for 20 minutes.
- Dry thoroughly afterward. Follow this remedy every night for one week
6. Lavender Oil
Lavender essential oil is believed to be a very potent cure for foot odor. It not only keeps your feet fragrant for a long time. Its powerful antifungal and antibacterial properties help kill the fungus and bacteria which are the cause of foot odor.
You can apply lavender oil even if you have broken skin, irritated or sensitive skin, cracked heels or blebs because of its gentle and relieving nature.
Procedure
- Fill a bucket up to half with warm water and pour a few drops of lavender oil in it to prepare a clement foot soak.
- Let it steep for a while and then soak your feet in the bucket for around 20 minutes.
- Do this remedy twice a day for a week to abrogate foot odor permanently.
7. Alum Powder
Alum is believed to be a very useful home remedy for smelly feet, and it has potent astringent and antiseptic properties.
It keeps the bacteria from breeding in the feet that are the cause of foot odor. The Alum is proven to have astringent properties that tend to contract the pores on the feet, and as a result, less perspiration.
Also, alum has antiperspirant properties which are the reason it is used in many deodorants. Alum is available in both powdered and crystal form, and you can buy either the powder or the crystal.
Procedure
- Prepare a mixture by taking 1 cup of warm water and adding one teaspoon of alum powder in it.
- Wash your feet with this mixture and let it be for about 20 minutes.
- Follow this remedy for a few days to get positive results.
8. Boric Acid
Boric acid is yet another helpful home remedy to fight foot odor. Boric acid is formed due to the combination of sodium salts, boron and oxygen, and is present in many foods, antiseptics, talcum powders, pesticides, soaps and more.
Boric acid has potent antiseptic properties that help in demolishing the molds and bacteria that are responsible for foot odor. It is also believed to cure foot diseases like athlete’s foot.
9. Borax
Borax can be used as an alternative to boric acid to eliminate foot odor problems. Borax is a disinfectant that eliminates bacteria that is the main cause of odor, thereby abrogating foot odor.
Procedure
- Mix the half cup each of vinegar and borax in two cups of water.
- Sprinkle the solution in the inside of your shoes.
- Alternatively, you can directly sprinkle borax powder in your shoes before putting them on.
10. Sugar Scrub
It is necessary to remove the deposits of calluses and dead skin cells from the feet to eliminate foot odor.A natural scrub will not only clean your feet, but it will also prevent the formation of calluses and corns, some of the main causes of foot odor.
A mixture of water, isopropyl alcohol, and sugar is a potent home remedy for glowing skin. The sugar scrub removes the dead skin cells whereas the alcohol eliminates the bacteria.
Procedure
- Take a bucket and pour 5 cups of water in it.
- Add 1 cup of isopropyl alcohol 8 cups of sugar in water.
- Scrub your feet with this grainy mixture for 10-15 minutes, then rinse off your feet with clean water.
- Follow this remedy three times a week to get best results.
- Before using the sugar scrub, soak your feet in lukewarm water for 10 minutes.
11. Salt And Water Soak
Excessive sweating is one of the main causes of foot odor. Salt and water soak can help in controlling excessive sweating by forcing moisture out of the skin, thereby diminishing the bacteria feeding on your foot.It also helps in removing the dead skin cells layer on which the bacteria feed.
Procedure
- Fill a tub with lukewarm water and add a cup of kosher salt in it.
- Soak your feet in the tub for around 20 minutes.
- Follow this remedy daily for 2 weeks to eliminate foot odor.
12. Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree essential oil is proven to be very effective in treating a vast range of skin diseases and is a wonderful natural remedy for acne and pimples.
It helps in the natural healing of fungal infections like athlete’s foot, and it also helps in neutralizing foot odor. This powerful essential oil can be used by combining with water or some other carrier oil.
Procedure
- Prepare a solution by adding eight drops of tea tree oil in 1 cup of water.
- Apply this solution to your feet and keep it until it dries out.
- Repeat this remedy every night for a few days.
- You can also form a solution by mixing lavender oil and tea tree oil and apply this mixture directly to your feet.
13. Oatmeal Scrub
Oatmeal is a very famous and accepted remedy for weight loss as it is a rich source of fiber and complex carbs.Oatmeal also has its uses in skin remedies, and it works as a potent exfoliating agent.
You might be familiar now with the fact that scrubbing is an easy and efficient way to eliminate foot odor as it exfoliates the deposits of dead skin cells from your feet on which the bacteria feed.
Procedure:
- Take lukewarm water in a cup and add 2 teaspoons of oatmeal in it.
- Apply this scrub on your feet and massage gently for 10 minutes.
- Wash your feet with warm water dry them out. Repeat this remedy 4-5 times a week.
14. Ginger Root
Ginger is also a working remedy for stinky feet as it restrains bacterial growth and also removes toxins from the skin.
Procedure
- Take a medium-sized ginger root and make a puree out of it.
- Steep this puree in a cup of warm water for about 15 minutes.
- Strain this solution using a strainer.
- Apply this liquid to your feet with a mild massage every night before going to bed.
- Follow this remedy on a daily basis for 2 weeks.
Why Do Feet Stink?
- Why Do Feet Stink
There are two things that are main contributors when it comes to stinky feet, and that is sweat and bacteria.In fact, the reason for smelly feet is not the sweat; it is the bacteria that flourish in the damp environment and feeds on the dead skin cells of the feet which cause the foul smell.
Our feet have a lot of sweat glands, called eccrine glands, concentrated in areas that secrete thin and watery sweat. Since it is thin and watery, it evaporates rapidly and therefore doesn’t produce odor.
In general, sweat is odorless except for that coming from the glands located in the armpit and genital area.
The cause of odor from these areas is that these glands secrete sweat containing amino acids and proteins that feed bacteria, giving it a particularly unpleasant smell.
The bacteria growing on your feet give off a particular gas as they eat, which is the reason for your problems.
Following May Be The Causes Which Can Lead You To Embarrassing Situations Due To Your Feet
- If you are wearing the same shoes every day, you are not allowing the sweat to dry out completely.
- You have poor personal hygiene.
- In teenagers and pregnant women, it is due to hormonal changes.
- You are under too much stress and tension.
- In certain cases, it can be due to Hyperhidrosis which is a condition in which a person sweats more than normal.
Tips To Keep Your Footwear Fresh
Keeping your footwear clean and fresh is very important and should be bought into practice immediately if you are not doing so.
Following are some ways to keep your footwear healthy and your feet stink-free:
1. Wear Fresh Socks Every Day
Always try to wear fresh and clean socks. Socks absorb the sweat from your feet, hence it is important to take them off and dry out. If you wore the same socks the other day, the sweat will reheat and generate bad smell.
2. Open-Toes Sandals And Shoes
Open-toes help in circulation of air around your feet and let your feet breathe. Thus, your feet remain cool and perspire less. Even if your feet perspire, air circulation will help in evaporating the sweat much faster. Try to wear canvas or leather shoes, as they let your feet breathe.
3. Rotate Your Shoes
Try not to wear the same shoes for more than two days. Rotating your shoes helps them dry out fully.24 hours are needed to dry them out fully. This will ensure that the bacteria don’t flourish in the moisture. Take out the insoles to dry out your shoes completely. Use crumpled newspaper to let your shoes dry out quickly overnight.
4. Keep Your Shoes Dry And Clean
After removing your shoes, keep them in the open to dry out completely. Try not to keep them in a closet. Wash your shoes occasionally, but before wearing them, ensure that they are completely dried out. Whenever it is possible, remove your shoes during the daytime. This will help in keeping your shoes and feet dry.
Bottom Line
The above home remedies are very effective in eliminating foot odor. Keep trying different remedies until you find one that works for you.
If you are not getting positive results even after trying above remedies for weeks, it can be due to some medical problem. Consult your doctor or a podiatrist.