How To Prevent & Get Rid Of Smelly Feet
Most people accept the way nature works, but body odors are usually annoying even if there is a scientific cause. The following guide will help you prevent the smelly feet phenomenon and also deal with it if you need to.
Prevent Foul Foot Odors
The first thing you should know about preventing odors is what causes it. Your podiatrist, like those at Family Foot Center Podiatry Group Inc, might have told you that odors are usually caused by bacteria. Bacteria need an environment that has moisture, is dark and has acidic compounds. Your shoes, with the help of the sweat from your feet, make the perfect environment for bacteria overgrowth.
You can make your feet unfriendly to odor causing bacteria with the following tips:
- Make sure you keep your feet dry. You can carry a towel to dry your feet off periodically.
- Wear socks, as they help absorb some of your sweat.
- Grab a cloth, and add a few drops of alcohol or vodka. Wipe your feet with this cloth. This works because alcohol is antiseptic and drying.
- Dab a little deodorant on your feet, the same kind you use under your arms, for obvious reasons.
- Try to use supportive sandals or open shoes whenever possible.
- Consider purchasing hemp, canvas, leather or other naturally-made shoes, as they allow your feet to breath and stay fresh.
But what can you do to get rid of stinky feet if you have the problem?
Get Rid Of Foul Foot Odors Naturally
The first thing you can do is sprinkle baking soda on your feet. Baking soda is inexpensive and also has a positive pH balance. This is important because it will create an alkaline environment for your feet. Bacteria will flourish in an acidic environment but will die in an alkaline environment.
You should also know that most foul odors that radiate from your feet comes from the sulfur waste that bacteria leaves behind. A high pH balance will neutralize the foul sulfur.
You should also know that baking soda is slightly abrasive. That means you will gently exfoliate your feet as you rub the baking soda onto your feet. So you will have fresh smelling feet, and they will be softer, too.
The second option you have is to spray raw and unfiltered apple cider vinegar on your feet. Apple cider contains several antibacterial compounds like pectin. These antibacterial properties should help kill all those odor-causing bacteria. To make your spray, add 1 teaspoon of apple cider into a small spray bottle and top it off with water.
As you can see, preventing and getting rid of foot odors is not too hard. Remember these tips should help if you have a mild foot odor issue. You may need to talk to your podiatrist should the problem continue, as the issue may be due to an infection or full blown fungal infestation.
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