Do you have smelly walking shoes and sandals? The foot and shoe odour comes from bacteria and fungi that grow happily where it is warm and damp. Your sweaty shoes are just the place they love. Here are a few tactics for keeping your foot wear odour-free.

• Wash Your Shoes and Insoles

Washing and drying your shoes and insoles can keep them fresh. However, detergent and heat can degrade the materials in them. Glue and adhesives may give way, resulting in you having  to replace your shoes sooner. Handwashing with cool water is best for shoes, and you may add a little disinfectant to the washing solution. It’s best to air dry them, as any heat in the clothes dryer will be bad for them.

• Wear Sweat-Wicking Socks to Keep Feet and Shoes Drier

Wearing socks made of a technical sweat-wicking material such as Cool-Max, instead of cotton, can keep your feet and shoes drier. These fibres move sweat away from the foot so it can evaporate. Cotton retains more of the sweat, setting up a swampy incubator in your shoes for bacteria.

• Dry Your Shoes Between Wearings

Don’t keep your shoes in your gym bag where they will stay damp longer, while providing a happy home for the smelly microbes. Give them lots of air between wearings. Remove the insoles if possible, and stuff the shoes with dry paper towels to help speed drying.

• Copper Sole Socks Inhibit Smelly Microbes

Simply wicking away sweat may not be enough, especially if you wear less-breathable shoes. You can inhibit bacteria and fungi from growing, by using socks woven with metal fibres, such as silver or copper. They are available from different athletic sock companies.

• Medicated Foot Powder

Foot powders have talc to absorb moisture, and often have scent and deodorant properties to mask the smell. A sprinkle of medicated foot powder in the shoes before and after wearing, can help keep the them dry, and inhibit the bacterial growth.

• Shoe and Sandal Disinfectant

It’s a real problem when you have foot odour problems with sandals. You won’t be wearing socks, and a medicated powder would be visible. Therefore, a disinfectant isn’t visible once sprayed, so it’s a perfect option.

• Sole Socks or Washable Insoles

If you find you get foot odour when wearing shoes without socks, you can try washable insoles. These have a cotton terry cloth top, and a latex rubber sole. Replace your shoe’s insole or place them over it. They grip well enough to stay in place, and provide moisture-absorption and cushioning. Wash them every three to six uses to keep fresh.

• Antiperspirant on Your Feet

This is a tactic used by marathon walkers to help prevent blisters. Most of the moisture in your shoes is from the sweat from your feet. If you prevent foot sweat, you keep your shoes dry,  and a damp place isn’t provided for the bacteria and fungus to grow. But this should be done with caution, to ensure you don’t have a bad reaction to the spray. Test it on one toe, or small patch on one foot, to see if there is any redness or rash after a day.

• Deodorant on Your Feet

Using deodorant on your feet won’t keep them dry, but it will inhibit odour-producing bacteria and fungi. As with antiperspirant, do this with caution to see whether there’s any bad reaction.

• Store Shoes in a Cool, Dry Place

The cold will also inhibit the growth of bacteria and fungi. If you store your shoes in a cool, dry room that has lots of airflow, that will help keep growth at bay.

These tips can help reduce your foot odour. The key is making sure you follow them regularly and carefully.

Maintenance…Keep your feet clean

• Use a mild soap to wash your feet at least once a day. The best time to do this is during your morning or evening shower. It’s important to dry your feet completely after washing. Pay special attention between your toes, where any wetness can easily cause bacteria to grow.

• Remove the hard, dead skin from your feet with a foot file. Hard skin gets soggy and soft when it’s wet, creating a place where bacteria like to live.
• Change your socks at least once a day.
• Have two pairs of shoes that you alternate wearing every other day. This allows each pair to thoroughly dry out from sweat or moisture for a full day, before being worn again. You can remove the insoles in your shoes to help them dry again. Wet shoes allow bacteria to grow on your feet more quickly.
• Remember to apply your antifungal foot spray or medicated foot powder once daily, if you use such.

 

Your feet mirror your general health . . . cherish them!