If you are constantly wondering why people are staying away from you or keeping their distance every time you take off your shoes, your smelly feet could be blamed for it. Smelly feet are a very real problem. Foot odour is caused due to stress, poor hygiene and acute build up of sweat and bacteria in the feet.
Luckily, the problem can be easily nipped in the bud with the help of simple and effective home remedies. Here are some home remedies to get rid of smelly feet.
Home Remedies for Treating Smelly Feet
Tea Bag Soak
Take 2-3 tea bags and dip them in a few mugs of water. Now soak your feet in this water for about half an hour. The tannic acid in the tea helps to reduce the sweat from the feet and thus stop the problem of smelly feet. Keep doing this treatment until you find the problem abating. If you find the smell returning, simply start all over again. You can reduce the foot soaks to once a week after some time.
Treat The Zinc Deficiency
A zinc deficiency manifests itself in foot odour. One way you can tackle the problem is by eating foods that are rich in zinc like oysters or by taking 50 mg of zinc supplement daily.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Take 1 part of apple cider vinegar in three parts of water. Now soak your feet in this water and vinegar solution. The vinegar is acidic in nature and helps to remove the overpowering odour from the feet. It also minimizes the build up of sweat and bacteria in the feet.
Lemon Water Soaks
Squeeze a few lemons in warm water and soak your feet in this water. Dry thoroughly and follow up with a foot powder. This should temporarily get rid of the smell.
Vodka Treatment
Many people have vouched for the efficacy of vodka in removing foot odour. Take a couple of shots of vodka and put it in a tub of water. Now soak your feet in this water for some time. Many people swear by this treatment.
Bleach
Common household bleach is said to be effective in removing foot odour. Pour 1/4th cup of household bleach in a footbath of warm water. Soak your feet for half an hour in this water. Wash your feet and pat dry with a towel.
Potassium Permanganate
Put a heaped tablespoon of potassium permanganate in a quarter bucket of warm water. Now soak your feet in this water for half an hour. The potassium permanganate works by not only killing the bacteria but also absorbing the sweat from the feet. This in turn will help to reduce or eliminate the foot odour.
Rubbing Alcohol
Dip the cotton in rubbing alcohol and dab this on your feet. Once the solution evaporates completely, wash it off with plain water. This does a good job of getting rid of foot odour.
Baking Soda And Soap
Put a few teaspoons of baking soda along with your favourite footbath soap or foam in a tub of hot water. Soak your feet in this water for about 15 minutes. You can thereafter gently exfoliate your feet with a scrub to remove dead skin cells, grime and dirt. This remedy should leave your feet smelling clean and fresh.
Change Socks
Make sure you wear super absorbent cotton socks that soak in the excess sweat and grime. Avoid wearing nylon and synthetic socks as they trap sweat and germs and can emit a foul foot odour.
Mouthwash
Mouthwash can not only be used for gums and teeth but also to ward off foot odour. Dip a piece of cotton in diluted mouthwash and rub the soles of your feet after a hot shower. The mouthwash will immediately kill all residual germs that may remain on your feet and that are responsible for the foot odour. The alcohol content of the mouthwash also helps to ward off fungal infections thus leaving your feet clean and healthy.
Exfoliate
Sometimes our foot hygiene is so poor that this often leads to a bad case of foot odour. Make it a point to clean and exfoliate your feet once a week. This can be done by purchasing a special foot scrub that helps to remove the dead skin cells and the dirt from the feet. Presence of old and thick skin makes it easier to trap germs, sweat and this leads to an overpowering foot odour.
Dust The Shoes
Your shoes too need an extensive cleaning to stay germ free and sweat free. Dust some Lysol, baby powder on your shoes after you wear them. Air them in the sun as this does a good job of killing all the bacteria and germs. You can also use newspaper to stuff your shoes as this helps to absorb the sweat. Get your shoes professionally cleaned once a month.
Use Foot Powder
Sometimes the problem of foot odour can be eliminated by gently dusting the feet with an anti-fungal foot powder. Use this liberally after you take a hot shower. This does a good job of keeping sweat, germs and smelly feet at bay.
Epsom Salts
Put some Epsom salts in water. Soak your feet in this water once every day. This too is a good home remedy for eliminating nasty foot odour.
Check Your Diet
At times, the diet you may be taking may be contributing to the problem of smelly feet. A diet that is high in spicy, hot and fatty food leads to the overproduction of sweat in the body and this in turn can aggravate the problem of smelly feet. Restrict the intake of these foods and consume them in strict moderation only. Switch to fibrous foods like fruits and vegetables, which flush out the harmful toxins and the bacteria from the body. Make sure that you also take in adequate amounts of water every day.
These simple home remedies are quite effective in removing smelly feet. If you see no improvement, see a doctor who will check your feet for a fungal infection.
Caution: Please use Home Remedies after Proper Research and Guidance. You accept that you are following any advice at your own risk and will properly research or consult healthcare professional.