Easy home hacks to get rid of foot odor
If you’ve read my other blogs about foot care you’ll know that I used to have a problem with foot odor. I say “used to” because, over the last few years, I’ve searched high and low for the best foot odor remedies to tame my stinky feet and get them under control. It wasn’t easy, let me tell you.
I sweat a bit more than most people and I wear either shoes or sneakers for hours every day. That means my feet sweat and, unfortunately, sweaty feet are the cause of most foot odor problems. Well, that and the fungi and bacteria that love hot, sweaty feet.
Luckily, I did encounter a nice assortment of home remedies that helped me and they’ll help you too if you’ve got a foot odor problem. So sit back, take off your shoes and socks, and let your tootsies hang out while you read about The 7 Best Home Remedies for Smelly Feet. Enjoy.
1- Rub Your Feet With Lavender Oil
Lavender essential oil not only smells amazing but also has antibacterial properties so it kills the bacteria that cause foot odor. (When bacteria reacts with sweat it forms a type of acid that creates that foul smell.)
The best way to do it is to put 4 or 5 drops of lavender oil on your hands and rub your feet thoroughly. Then put on a pair of lightweight, moisture-wicking socks. Your feet will smell wonderful and, when you sweat, they won’t get stinky!
2- Soak Your Feet in Apple Cider Vinegar & Warm Water
A product that’s easy to find in your local grocery store, apple cider vinegar, like lavender oil, has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. The way to use it is to mix a cup of apple cider vinegar in a basin with either warm or cool water (your choice).
The simply stick your feet in and let them soak for 20 to 30 minutes while you read a book, watch TV or thumb through social media on your cell phone. It feels great, leaves your feet bacteria and microbe-free, and will reduce your foot odor significantly.
3- Soak Your Feet in Epsom Salts
If soaking your feet in apple cider vinegar doesn’t seem to work, then I suggest using Epsom salts instead. (Some remedies will work better than others depending on your body chemistry. I suggest trying them all to find out what works best for you.)
Studies show that Epsom salts control bacteria and can help reduce the foot odor they cause. As with apple cider vinegar, fill a tub or bucket with warm water (about 2 gallons) and add 2 cups of Epson salts. Then simply soak your stinky dogs for about 20 minutes.
4- Use Underarm Deodorant or Antiperspirant
Yes, I agree that this sounds totally weird but here’s the thing; your feet sweat very much the same as your underarms. Using a deodorant will thus keep your feet smelling nice too.
You can also use an antiperspirant but, personally, I don’t like antiperspirants because they clog your pores and also contain a lot of harsh chemicals. If your foot odor problem is severe, however, you might want to give antiperspirant a try.
5- Scrub Your Feet With Sugar and Peppermint Oil
More weirdness but, in my experience, this works like a charm. Peppermint has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties plus it smells amazingly fresh and clean. Granulated sugar is great for scrubbing away dead skin cells. In combination, they work quite well. What do you need to do is combine;
- ! tablespoon of sugar (regular white table sugar will do)
- 1 tablespoon of cornmeal,
- 1 tablespoon of oatmeal and
- 2 teaspoons of dried peppermint
- 1 tablespoon of yogurt
- The juice from 1 large lemon
- About 5 drops of peppermint oil
Mix all of the ingredients and put them in a glass jar with a tight-sealing lid. You can use this scrub right away or keep it stored in the fridge for up to two weeks. I suggest rubbing a small amount onto your feet every day to scrub away dead skin, cool your feet, and deodorize them at the same time. It’s a bit messy so I would recommend scrubbing your footsies in the bathroom.
6- Sprinkle on Some Cornstarch
At this point, you’re probably thinking “Geez, I want to keep my feet from smelling, not eat them!” The fact is, though, home remedies use a lot of ingredients from nature that also happen to be used in cooking.
This one happens to be cornstarch, which is great at absorbing sweat and keeping your feet dry. Not only will cornstarch make your feet feel great but it also keeps bacteria from creating that stinky acid they’re known to make.
All you need to do is put a small amount on your hand and rub it on your feet or simply sprinkle it on. You can also put some cornstarch right into your shoes and sneakers and then shake them around to spread it out. (About 1/2 a teaspoon will do.)
7- Spray on Some Sage
Many of the ingredients used in these home remedies have antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, and Sage does as well. Like the rest, it will keep bacteria and fungus from growing and causing your tootsies to smell like week-old trash.
What you do is boil a cup of water with 2 tablespoons of dried sage and let it sit for 15 minutes. Once it’s cool, strain it and put the resulting liquid into a spray bottle. When you’re ready to use it, simply shake and spray for feet that smell great all day!
Best Of Luck With these Home Remedies for Foot Odor!
Like I said at the beginning of this article, I used to suffer from feet that really, truly stank. I’ve used all of these home remedies and I can tell you that they all work quite well and will reduce your foot odor significantly.
What I suggest is that you try them all and, afterward, use the one that works best. You can also use all of them on a rotating basis if you like. Best of luck with them! Here’s to your feet smelling fresh and sweet!
