With Reflexologist Nuria Weaver
Home Remedies for Foot Odor
Many people face the problem of foot odor especially men! Although this is not a serious problem but at times it can be really embarrassing. This is in medical term called Bromhidrosis. The perfect place the bacteria can breed is in moist and warm feet such as your socks and shoes. Nevertheless, you can try some very effective home remedies for foot odor which will help you prevent such awful smell.
A fact about foot odor is that the feet have an average about 250,000 sweat glands that is known to excrete about half pint of sweat in a day. These sweat if trapped in a pair of socks and shoes, allows a breeding ground for bacteria and fungus. This then is responsible for the foot odor.
Causes for Foot Odor:
Usually foot is caused by excess sweating of feet and some fungus and bacteria which grows rapidly. The excretion of these bacteria causes the foot to smell. This can be worst when you wear socks and shoes which do not allow the smell to escape. The odor may vary among different people as some of them sweat more than others.
Well you need not worry or go to the doctor to treat this until you feel these remedies do not work for you!
- First and the foremost wash your feet regularly with a solution of water which contains sodium carbonate, minerals, fats and various acids that will help you reduce the foot odor. Using a deodorant soap can also work well to wash away the bacteria and fungus.
- For those extra sweaty feet, you can try adding a half cup of kosher salt to some water which is enough to soak your feet. Soak your feet about 15 minutes and then dry this thoroughly. Moisturize your feet with some moisturizing cream or baby oil. This will not only get rid of the foot odor but also make them soft.
- You can also use some baking soda which is a very popular among all the home remedies for those smelly feet. You simply have to sprinkle a teaspoon of the soda in your shoes. This will absorb the odor and is very simple to use. At night, wash your feet with baking soda and soap and gently scrub your feet. This is quite effective and simple too.
- Another remedy you can try out at home is cornstarch and can be used in the same manner as baking soda. You can regularly sprinkle some of the cornstarch in your shoes as this will absorb the foul odor of the feet.
- A simple and popular method is to soak your feet in a tea bath. For this you simply have to use about five teabags and soak them in warm water. Soak the feet for at least half an hour. This will make you feel relaxed and remove the odor as well.
- Alum too works well to remove the odor from the feet. All you need to do is mix a teaspoon of alum in a gallon of water and soak your feet for about 20 -30 minutes. After this rinse the feet with clear water to remove the odor. Continue this for a month to get rid of the awful odor.
- Apple cider vinegar helps you get rid of the odor of the feet. First pour one third of the vinegar and add some water which is enough to soak your feet. Soak your feet for about fifteen minutes or more to reduce the odor.
- You can make a foot deodorant at home using some juice of radish and about 1/4 teaspoon of glycerin. Put this solution in a spray bottle and use it whenever you get smelly feet. You can also try using a usual underarm deodorant for the feet to lessen the stinky smell.
- Another remedy that will eliminate the foot odor is taking some zinc supplements. This will resist the skin to be more resistant to the bacteria which is responsible for the odor. However, this supplement should not be more than 15 mg. and should be continued for a week. An alternate to this method is to have 15 mg. of the multi-vitamin. This will reduce and get rid of the odor within a week's time.
- Another treatment which will help you reduce the problem of foot odor at home is by some essential oils like lavender and tea tree oils. You just have to mix a teaspoon of tea tree oil with about 3 teaspoons of lavender oil and gently massage this mixture on the feet after you washed them.
Tips to Prevent Foot Odor:
- Wash your feet regularly with some very good antibacterial soap.
- Dry the feet immediate after you wash them.
- Change the socks frequently as this is another cause for the foot odor.
- Do not wear the same shoes for continuous two days in a single row. Allow the shoes to dry out for at least 1 or 2 days.
- Another remedy is to sprinkle some good quantity of talcum powder in your toes of the socks. This will discourage the growth of foot odor causing bacteria.
- The final method to get rid of foot odor when no other method works is to apply a small quantity of benzoyl peroxide gel to reduce the bacteria growth.
Try any one of the above mentioned home remedies for foot odor which are very simple and effective. These remedies help to keep the feet sweat free and prevent the odor.
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