Home Remedies for Foot Odor

Home Remedies for Foot Odor

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What is Foot Odor?

Also called smelly feet, it is known in medical term as Bromhidrosis and it is a rather embarrassing issue for whoever suffers from it [1].

What causes Foot Odor?

This condition will happen because the sweating of your feet cannot evaporate due to the socks and shoes that you are wearing. The sweat will provide perfect environment for the bacteria on skin to feed and grow. Together with the dead cells, the foul smell will start to appear.

There are many tips which can help you cure this embarrassing foot odor, but you will need to follow completely with lots of time and effort in order to achieve the desirable results. If everything goes well, you might be able to obtain the positive changes in just a week.

Here are the top 15 most effective home remedies for foot odor which are easy and simple for you to apply at home at home in order to get rid of the smelly feet as well as improve your confidence.

1. Baking Soda

Also known as sodium bicarbonate is the most recommended tip in the list of home remedies for foot odor as it is excellent at neutralizing the pH from sweat as well as eliminating bacteria [2].

Baking Soda - Home Remedies for Foot Odor

How to use:

  • Take some baking soda into some warm water (about a tablespoon for ¼ portion of water) and have your feet soaked for at least 15 minutes each night of a week.
  • Also you might have your socks and shoes sprinkled with some baking soda before putting on.

2. Lavender Oil

The powerful antifungal property as well as good smell is what makes lavender oil a valuable choice in the list of home remedies for foot odor [3].

Lavender Oil - Home Remedies for Foot Odor

How to use:

  • Take some lavender oil into some warm water.
  • Have your feet soaked for at least 15 minutes.
  • Perform twice every day for couples of day.

3. Alum

The antiseptic and astringent properties from alum powder are what needed to make the list of home remedies for foot odor because it is essential for inhibiting the bacterial growth [4].

Alum - Home Remedies for Foot Odor

How to use:

  • Take a teaspoon of alum powder into some warm water.
  • Use this solution to cleanse your feet.
  • After about 15 minutes, dry out your feet and have them sprinkled with some alum powder.
  • Perform once every day.

4. Epsom Salt

It is incredibly efficient at reducing the smell of your feet due to the ability in fighting against microbial infection as well as neutralizing foot odor. Therefore, this ingredient is well recommended as one of the top option in the list of home remedies for foot odor.

Epsom Salt - Home Remedies for Foot Odor

How to use:

  • Take 2 teaspoons of Epsom salt into some warm water.
  • Have your feet soaked in this solution for at least 15 minutes. For best effect, perform before bedtime in order to not have to put on shoes or socks for couples of hour.

5. Black Tea

The tannic acid is black tea is the key component which turns black tea into an ace in the list of home remedies for foot odor. It can effectively destroy those bacteria which trigger foot odor as well as close pores on feet, thus decrease the sweat amount that bacteria might feed on [5][6].

Black Tea - Home Remedies for Foot Odor

How to use:

  • Take 2 tea bags into some boiling water. Then put in some more normal water to cool down the temperature.
  • Have your feet soaked in that solution for at least 15 minutes.
  • Perform every day for 1 week.

6. Vinegar

This ingredient is considered the perfect solution from the list of home remedies for foot odor as it is able to form the acidic environment that can inhibit the survival of bacteria. Any type of vinegar is good to go, especially apple cider vinegar [7].

How to use:

  • Take ½ cup of vinegar with 6-8 cups of hot water to mix together.
  • Have your feet soaked in the solution for at least 15 minutes.
  • Finish by cleansing your feet using soap to eliminate the vinegar smell.

7. Borax

This ingredient is a powerful disinfectant which you should not overlook in the list of home remedies for foot odor as it can eliminate those odor-causing bacteria which will get rid of foot odor completely.

How to use:

  • Take ½ each of vinegar and borax into some water. Use this liquid to spray the inside of shoes.
  • Another way is having the inside of shoes dusted with borax before wearing.

8. Sugar Scrub

One remarkable advice from the list of home remedies for foot odor is having the calluses and dead cells removed because they are the significant contributors for foot odor. Use scrubber to cleanse the feet regularly will help you avoid the calluses formation. Also you might be able to make your own homemade scrub easily.

Sugar - Home Remedies for Foot Odor

How to do:

  • Take some clean water with sugar and isopropyl alcohol (91% or more). Put more sugar than water in order to make the mixture thicker. For isopropyl alcohol, you can take 5 portions of water with 1 portion of alcohol.
  • Use the mixture to scrub for about 10 minutes in order to have bacteria and dead cells removed. Then have your feet cleansed.
  • Perform 3 times per week.

Note: For better effect, have your feet soaked in warm water before applying this method.

9. Sage

Similar to black tea, it also contains tannic acid which can significantly decrease the sweat that can trigger foot odor. Furthermore, with the antifungal and antibacterial properties, it is not hard to see why sage is presented in the list of home remedies for foot odor [8][9].

Sage - Home Remedies for Foot Odor

How to use:

  • Take some dried grounded sage and put into socks and shoes in order to clear odor and bring out nice scent.
  • Another ways is using sage tea to soak the feet for about 15 minutes as well as consuming sage tea before bedtime.

10. Ginger

This popular kitchen ingredient is in fact a profound tip in the list of home remedies for foot odor because it can prevent the growth of bacteria while detoxifying the toxins [10][11].

How to use:

  • Take a medium-size ginger to puree and have the puree steeped in some hot water for about 15 minutes.
  • Take the coffee filter for straining that solution. Then take the liquid to massage gently the feet each and every night before bedtime.
  • Perform every day in 2 week.

11. Radish

Containing vitamin B and C as well as zinc and phosphorus, with disinfectant property, it is one of the key ingredients from the list of home remedies for foot odor. Furthermore, radish can also take care of many skin disorders from bacteria as it can efficiently prevent those micro-organisms [12].

White Radish - Home Remedies for Foot Odor

How to use:

  • Take 6 radishes to extract their juice. Take the juice into some warm water and have your feet soaked for about 20 minutes. Then have your feet dried out. Perform regularly.
  • Another way is taking some lemon juice with ginger paste and radish paste into a bowl. Use the mixture to apply on feet and have them massaged for about 5 minutes. Keep it on for 10 more minutes and then cleanse off using water. Perform 2-3 times per week.
  • Also similar the first method, you can take 12 radishes to extract their juice. Put in ¼ teaspoon of glycerin and mix well. Use the spray to apply on the feet whenever odor appears.

12. Boric Acid

This ingredient is generated from sodium salts, boron mineral and oxygen which appear mostly in pesticides, wood preservatives, antiseptics, soaps… Due to its mildly toxic and acidic effect that is excellent in eliminating molds and bacteria, it is able to make the list of home remedies for foot odor [13].

How to use:

  • Take ½ cup each of vinegar and borax into some water.
  • Dissolve and have your shoes cleanse using this solution.
  • In case your shoes are non-washable, then use the spray to apply the solution onto shoes.
  • However, it is not recommended for people who have sensitive skin. Then you have your shoes sprinkled with some of its powder.
  • Perform twice per week.

13. Talcum Powder

Talcum Powder - Home Remedies for Foot Odor

This is probably the simplest tip in the list of home remedies for foot odor as you just need to apply this powder onto the feet in order to prevent sweat as well as foul smell.

14. Cornstarch

Similar to talcum powder, you just need to directly apply on feet. It will help you eliminate excessive sweating, thus reduce significantly the odor of foot.

15. Bleach

The last tip in the list of home remedies for foot odor is using bleach. You can take some drops of bleach into the warm bath and have your feet soaked in that solution of bleach water. Perform once per week. In case you feel the dryness at your feet, you might apply some baby oil.

*Disclaim: The effectiveness from applying these natural tips will be depended on the body condition of the applicant.

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4 Comments

  1. I used to have lots of troubles with the unpleasant smell feet. Medical treatments were not even effective with my case. This article sheds light for my, due to many wonderful foot odor remedies. Now I don’t have to wonder how to stop foot odor or why do my feet smell so bad anymore. I become much more confident.
    Thanks a lot!!! 😡

  2. Oh is it true that ginger and radish are foot odor cure? I have been always having troubles with foot odor, I will definitely try some of these remedies. Thanks!

  3. I do not often wear socks and shoes that’s why I do not know what causes foot odor in my case. Hm, but i will try one of those above home remedies. Thank you Authority Remedies.

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