Tips for Battling Stinky Feet

There is a nursery rhyme that goes "Moses supposes his toeses are roses/but Moses supposes erroneously/for no one we knowses toeses are roses/as Moses supposes his toeses to be." The rhyme is cute and clever but is about a problem that has plagued mankind for nearly as long as the mosquito, if not longer. For those who have not guessed what the topic of this article will be it may not need to be spelled out. Controlling foot odor is a problem for many and I personally have had to throw out more than one pare of shoes after the aromas emanating from the footwear became a little too much to bear.

The problem of foot odor is caused by the same thing that allows the feet in particular to be a fertile breeding ground for the fungus that produces athlete's foot. Many other types of fungus thrive in this environment as well, which caused problems for the troops in the Pacific during World War II and the troops in Vietnam. The largest concentration of sweat glands that occurs in the human body is on the bottom of the feet. Stuff your feet into a dark, moist sneaker and you are creating a haven for unwanted fungal parasites.

All that information may be interesting depending on how fascinating you find the topic of feet, but it will not help the person control their foot odor. The key strategy will be keeping the feet dry and sweat off the feet. For most people, this will involve changing their socks daily, for some people however, this will not be enough. It just depend on how much sweat the a person's feet produce. If changing your socks and washing them daily still does not do enough, there are additional methods you can take to combat a stinky foot, or more appropriately, shoe odor.

Various products to combat the problem are available, such as Odors Eaters which come in several formats, including a shoe spray and foot insoles. Powders such as the type manufactured by Doctor Sholls will help absorb moisture and in some cases may have fragrances added. Getting your feet to smell a different way is not important to us however, it is how to keep your feet from stinking up your footwear.

One of the best ways to avoid the problem however is to always wear socks, or in the warmer months sandals or crocs that are well ventilated as long as it is appropriate. Once you get back home you can take the socks off and let your feet air out for a bit. This may also may be a good time to ensure you have clean and dry socks before going out for the next day.

Sources:

http://www.fitnessmanagement.com/FM/tmpl/genPage.asp?p=/information/articles/library/features/1201features1.htm