Everyone has faced a situation when someone has taken off the shoe and the room fills with bad odour. It is an embarrassing and awkward situation for the person whose feet are the source of the odour. Smelly feet are caused when bacterial growth in the shoe or foot mixes with sweat. The condition is aggravated by certain factors like wearing the same shoes every day, wearing inappropriate socks or not cleaning one’s feet properly.
There are some simple home remedies that can save you from this embarrassing problem:
1 . Baking Soda
Dust your shoes, feet and socks with baking soda before wearing them. Baking soda will absorb the sweat of your feet and help to maintain the pH balance. You can also try soaking your feet in warm water with baking soda added to it.
2 . Epsom Salt
Epsom salt fights the bacterial growth in the feet and helps keep odour away. Soak your feet in half a bucket of water to which two teaspoons of Epsom salt has been added. You can also use Epsom salt as a bath salt for your whole body.
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3 . Black Tea
Black tea or green tea kill bacteria of your feet and thus keeps foot odour away. Soak two tea bags of either black or green tea in boiling water and mix with half a bucket of tap water. Keep your feet soaked in this mixture for at least twenty minutes.
4 . Vinegar
Due to its acidic nature, vinegar makes it difficult for bacteria to grow. Apple cider vinegar is the best option to use for this purpose although you can use normal vinegar also. You should mix vinegar and warm water in the ratio of 1:8 and soak your feet in it for 10-15 minutes. Rinse off your feet with soap and water later.
5 . Lavender Oil
Soaking your feet in warm water to which a few drops of lavender oil have been added will keep your feet smelling fresh and also prevent odour since lavender has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties.
Try not to wear the same shoes every day. Closed shoes increase foot odour. Try and wear open shoes and sandals that allow air circulation and prevent sweat accumulation. You can also keep your shoes in the sun from time to time which will kill the bacteria present in the shoes.
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