How to get rid of foot odour?

foot odour, smelly feet

Foot odour is really annoying and socially embarrassing, so you really want to do something about it to get rid of it.

The actual smell or odour is due to bacteria that break down the sweat. The logic would suggest that the best way to get rid of the foot odour would be to use strategies that get rid of the bacteria and strategies that get rid of the sweat. There is no magic bullet or pill that can do that. There are a number of things that you need to work on aimed at both, that need to be kept up for a period of time and then maintenance strategies after that.

Strategies to get rid of foot odour:

What you are going to have to do if you really want to get rid of a foot odour is do a lot of things. Do it all, everyday for at least a few weeks. After that initial few weeks, then you will probably only need to do some of it to keep it under control.

Footwear:
Footwear plays a big role in facilitating the development of perspiration. The shoes should be of natural leather as that absorbs the moisture and wicks it away from the foot. The shoes need to allow the feet to breath. Preferably, go barefoot if you can as that way the sweat can evaporate. If you wear one pair of shoes one day, wear a different pair the next day. This is so that sweat that the footwear has absorbed can have a day to dry out before you use them again.

Socks:
You need socks that can absorb the moisture. You may even need to change them several times during the day to keep absorbing the perspiration.

Charcoal Insoles:
These charcoal insoles go in the shoes and absorb moisture and prevent the build up of sweat. You will need 2 pair so that each one has 24 hours to dry out after it has been worn.

Absorbing powder:
You sprinkle this powder into the socks before using them. The powder does two things; it absorbs more moisture and works directly on the foot to reduce the amount of sweat.

Antiperspirants:
These antiperspirants work directly on the skin to reduce the amount of sweating the foot does.

Deodorants:
If the shoes have an odour and you want to get rid of that, then there is the 2 Toms Stink Free Shoe & Gear Spray.

Good Foot Hygiene:
The feet need to be washed everyday with warm water and soap. They then need to be dried thoroughly. If you can, remain barefoot to further allow the skin to evaporate dry. You can rub or spray the feet with isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) – as that will also help dry out the skin, especially between the toes.

To get rid of foot odour, you need to keep doing the above

Keep at it. Do all of the above every day for two weeks. After those first few weeks, you can back off a bit and just do some of it. Do enough of it to maintain things under control. This may need a bit of experimentation to get the balance right.