Foot Odour Home Remedies: Get rid of embarrassing foot odour with these simple home ingredients (2024)

FAQs

Foot Odour Home Remedies: Get rid of embarrassing foot odour with these simple home ingredients? ›

If soap and water just aren't enough, try soaking your feet once a week for up to 20 minutes. Experts recommend a solution of warm water and either vinegar or Epsom salt. Stay dry. The bacteria that make their home on your feet and in your shoes thrive in moist places.

If soap and water just aren't enough, try soaking your feet once a week for up to 20 minutes. Experts recommend a solution of warm water and either vinegar or Epsom salt. Stay dry. The bacteria that make their home on your feet and in your shoes thrive in moist places.

Keep your feet dry.

Bacteria live in moist areas, so keeping your feet dry will help to cut back on foot odor. You can apply talcum powder to your feet to soak up any wetness or sweat. If your feet are very sweaty, you can even try using antiperspirant on the bottom of your feet.

Apply an antifungal foot spray or medicated foot powder on your feet once daily. Insert medicated deodorant insoles into your shoes. If you need to quickly cut down on your foot odor, it's safe to apply antiperspirant or deodorant spray to your feet.

But vinegar disinfects your feet safely, gently, and naturally, killing off bacteria and making your skin less hospitable to new colonies of bacteria in the future. Use a ratio of one part vinegar to two parts warm water, and soak your feet in the mixture for about 20 minutes.

Use a surgical-grade antibacterial soap found at your pharmacy. We recommend Betadine Skin Cleanser, pHisoderm® or Hibiclens. Dry your feet thoroughly, especially between your toes.

You can also use baking soda to get rid of the smell. Take 1 cup of baking soda and an equal amount of vinegar, and mix it well. Now fill each shoe with this and leave the solution on for 15 minutes. Rinse and wash, and your shoes will be absolutely stench-free.

Because vinegar is antimicrobial, soaking the feet in a vinegar bath for 10 to 20 minutes may help to kill the bacteria or fungi contributing towards foot odor. Clean the feet with a regular, soft soap before and after soaking.

Foot deodorant sprays or powders, such as Dr. Scholl's Odor-X® Ultra Odor-Fighting Foot Spray or Dr. Scholl's Odor-X® Ultra Odor-Fighting Foot Powder. Sweat-absorbing products like powders and insoles that reduce sweat and treat the source of odor, such as Dr.

“There are sweat glands in most parts of the body, with the most actually found on the feet, so you could use a deodorant or antiperspirant anywhere you're bothered by excess sweating,” she shares. Dr. Garlapti says it doesn't hurt to apply deodorant in areas where there is skin-to-skin contact.

What does soaking your feet in vinegar do? ›

Benefits of soaking your feet in vinegar. Vinegar can protect against bacteria, fungi, and other harmful microbes. Soaking the feet in a 1-part vinegar, 2-part water solution may help manage odor and infections. Vinegar can have a variety of uses, such as in cooking, cleaning, or alternative medicine.

Epsom salt soak: Epsom salt is effective at exfoliating the dead skin of your feet and is also a great remedy for smelly feet because it pulls moisture out of your skin, thus preventing the growth of bacteria. Dissolve ½ cup of Epsom salt in a small tub of warm water. Soak your feet in the solution for 10 minutes.

“The primary cause is from a lack of ventilation for your feet. There are thousands of sweat glands in feet, which produce quite a bit of sweat each day. The unpleasant smell comes when the perspiration isn't allowed to evaporate.”