Oh summer, those lazy hazy days! We think so fondly of our days in the heat and sun. Getting outside, participating in sports, and laughing by the pool. This is all so great unless you have the same little secret that I have.
Yes, I have smelly feet. It is embarrassing. And I should do more about it. What should I be doing? If you have the same problem that I have, here are some tips for you. After my last embarrassing incident (no, I’m not telling you…) I am going to get better about following these tips.
5 things you can do to help keep your feet from being smelly
1. Wear socks. This is probably my issue. I do not wear socks. I do own some socks but I hardly ever wear them. If you wear wicking socks, that can help get the sweat away from your feet and help with the smell factor. Please note, I am NOT talking about cotton socks. As much as we all love natural fibers, with socks a bit of wicking goes a long way and cotton socks do not wick moisture away from your feet.
2. Do not wear the same shoes two days in a row. This is not just a tip for those of us who have smelly feet. This is for everyone. Your feet have over 250,000 sweat glands. Normal feet will perspire as much as a cup of sweat a day. At least part of that (to most) gets absorbed into your shoes. Your shoes need at least 24 hours to dry out.
3. Wash your feet in the morning and evening with warm soapy water. Use and anti-bacterial soap. Dry your feet thoroughly and apply moisturizer if your skin is dry. (Let is soak in before you put on your socks and shoes.)
4. Wear shoes that are made to let your feet breath. Leather, canvas, or mesh shoes will allow some of the perspiration to evaporate while you are wearing them. Wearing plastic (shudder) shoes will just contain the sweat by your feet.
5. Sprinkle your feet and shoes with talcum powder or one of the commercially available foot powders. If your athletic shoes are like mine, they can clear a room. Yep, those shoes are toxic. Using a powder can help you avoid that embarrassment.
Seriously, sweaty feet (hands and armpits) can be a major problem for some people. There is a condition called hyperhydrosis where one can have just uncontrollable sweating. As you can guess, this condition is embarrassing for the person suffering with it. If you think that your feet sweat more and cause you more of a problem than the above tips can help, then I urge you to go see your friendly local podiatrist. There are various medical treatments that may help you.
Have a great weekend!