Photo credit: Microsoft Office Images
After you’ve been on your feet all day, when you kick off your shoes, does everyone clear the room? Unfortunately, stinky feet can have that affect.
However, bacteria are to blame for your feet’s odor. Bacteria love to live on your moist, warm feet and hide in the dark, damp insides of your shoes. They feed on dead skin cells and oils from your skin. It’s actually bacteria’s waste products that cause the bad smell.
For 10% to 15% of people, this smell can be really bad since they harbor bacteria that also produce volatile sulfur compounds. These compounds can smell like a rotten egg.
However, there are some things you can do to overcome this embarrassing situation.
- Wash your feet daily with antibacterial soap. Make sure you dry them thoroughly, too.
- Use antibacterial foot powder or antiperspirant spray on your feet. Or, you can try sprinkling cornstarch inside your shoes to help absorb moisture.
- Wear sweat-absorbing socks. Thorlo makes some great moisture-wicking socks that you can try. These socks wick away the moisture and allow your feet to breathe. Also make sure you change your socks if you get them wet.
- Wear properly fitted shoes. If your shoes are too tight, your feet may sweat excessively. Refer to our Shoe Fitting Guide for more information on how to properly fit your shoes.
- Wear shoes made from breathable materials, such as leather or mesh uppers. Avoid plastic shoes that don’t allow your feet to breathe.
- Switch up your shoes. Don’t wear the same pair every day. Your shoes need about 24 hours for the moisture to dry out. Or, you can place them in the sun to help kill the bacteria.
- Wash your athletic shoes to get rid of odors. But make sure they’re completely dry before you wear them again.
- Soak your feet in tepid iced tea. According to Dr. Oz, not only will the tea tan your feet a little, but it’ll help dry them out.
If these remedies don’t help, you should see your doctor. He/she may prescribe an aluminum chloride hexahydrate solution that you’ll apply to your feet nightly. This solution will help control your sweating.
For Added Comfort, Wear ezWalker® Custom Performance Orthotics
If you suffer from foot conditions or pain, consider slipping a pair of ezWalker® Performance Custom Orthotics into your shoes. While these insoles won’t necessarily curb odor, they can help reduce or eliminate any foot pain you may have. These custom-made, biomechanically correct orthotics provide your feet’s arches with the support they need while properly realigning each step you take. Not only will experience less pain, you’ll also have better balance and stability.
These arch supports are ultra thin and ¾ length, so you can easily transfer them from your everyday shoes to your work shoes to your dressier shoes – saving you money. Order your ezWalker® Performance Custom Orthotics today.
Because … when your feet feel good, you feel good.®
