Scientifically speaking, foot odor is termed as bromhidrosis which occurs due to bacteria found in warm, moist socks and feet. How they grow is simply by multiplying. Shoes are the perfect hide and grow place for them. Sweat formed in the feet is a combination of sodium chloride, acids, fats and water.
All these components are produced by the metabolism of a human’s body. Knowing the fact that foot odor is characteristically known for the growth of bacteria which spreads or grows in millions.
In this article you will find out home remedies to deal with foot odor. Among many way outs, we have decided to give you the easiest solutions through home remedies. Those solutions or remedies include different types of soaks for feet, pedicure and bubble bath for feet.
Here are the top 10 home remedies for foot odor.
1. Black tea foot soak:
Tea safeguards foot odor because of the tannic acid and abundancy of tannins. These acids makes room for the bacteria to stop multiplying. Black tea doesn’t have much of scientific proves but yes, it is tested and experimented by many people. They happen to give positive reviews and have shared how to make the tea foot soak. All you need is to have following ingredients.
- Good bearable hot water, around 4 to 5 cups.
- Tub or bucket to soak your feet in.
- 6 teabags (black tea).
What you need to do is not at all complicated but very easy. Follow the directions given below:
- Bring water to the heating point which you can manage to soak your feet in.
- Put that water in the tub or bucket.
- Add all 6 teabags in that bucket or tub filled with bearable hot water.
- Let the teabag steep in.
- Soak your feet for half an hour there.
- Pat dry and rinsing it is not needed.
- Repeat it once after putting off your shoes and socks.
2. Apple cider vinegar and salt soak:
Apple cider vinegar comes with a good package of reducing the birth of bacteria in feet, socks and shoes. It also serves as the best agent to make an acidic ambiance for bacteria to live. In short, apple cider vinegar soak helps in performing three main functions: reduces multiplying factor of bacteria, gives acidic atmosphere and reduces smell.
To avail the needful you will need:
- Almost 10 cups of bearably hot water.
- Tub, bucket or any other thing to soak yours feet.
- A cup of apple cider vinegar.
- 3 tablespoons of salt
Follow the steps mentioned below to come out of the embarrassing situation with feet odor:
- Bring water to the point where you can bear the hotness. Place it in a bucket or anything in which you would be soaking your feet.
- Add salt and vinegar in the water. Allow it to dilute.
- Soak your feet in for 10 minutes.
- Rinse it with water and pat dry.
- Repeat the procedure twice in a day; one morning before wearing socks and shoes and then after putting them off (usually in the evening).
3. Baking soda soak:
Baking soda offers solutions to many health conditions. It gives the feel of better, soft and smooth skin along with the properties of eliminating odor. Baking soda works miraculously and leaves you with optimum level of satisfaction. The easiest and most convenient way of getting zero percent of odor in feet needs you to follow the steps below:
- Take about half a cup of baking soda and add cold water in half filled bucket.
- Squeeze half lemon to avoid lumps.
- Soak your feet for half an hour.
- Repeat it twice in a day or as needed.
4. Ginger and foot odor:
Ginger comes with detoxifying qualities which encourages sweating which is good for health. It also offers combat agents which work against infections. To get rid of foot odor you should follow the tips below:
- Take a clean cloth and place the ginger paste in it.
- Tie it up with a rubber band.
- Put it in a bucket of hot (which you can easily bear).
- Let the ginger pocket cloth rest in water.
- Dip your feet in it for at least 10 to 15 minutes.
- Rinse your feet with clean tap water.
- Pat dry and apply Vaseline to make it long lasting.
- Repeat it whenever needed.
5. Zinc and elimination of bromhidrosis.
Deficiency of zinc in the body can cause smelly, crack, scaly and dry feet. To eliminate the odor you should start taking zinc supplement or give proper importance to food items which have zinc in great quantity. Following food items contain zinc:
- Cocoa powder.
- Chocolates.
- Cashew nuts.
- Milk, yogurt, eggs and other dairy products.
- Mushrooms.
- Beans.
- Spinach.
- Lobster, crabs and prawns.
- Red meat.
You should consume crabs and lobster once in a week and red meat twice in a week.
6. Lavender essential oil:
Lavender is an anti-bacterial oil which doesn’t give aroma as such. It kills the odor and bacteria found in the feet. It also fixes and heals cracked, blistered skin. Making a good foot bath will help in curtailing foot odor.
- Take a container or place water (bearably hot) in the object in which you will soak your feet.
- With the help if dropper add 6 drops of lavender essential oil in the water.
- Rest your feet in the water for half an hour.
- Pat dry and rinse it with clean water according to your wish.
- Repeat it daily for best results.
7. Boric acid and foot odor:
Boric powder is a combination of oxygen and sodium salts. It is found in food as well. It is slightly acidic and toxic which helps in termination of bacteria. Things which you need to try this home remedy are:
- Water.
- Vinegar.
- Borax or boric powder.
Follow the procedure mentioned below to make dip your feet in order to fix foot odor:
- Bring 2 cups of water to a certain temperature (hotness) which you can bear easily.
- Take a container and add 3 table spoons of boric powder, 3 table spoons of apple cider or any synthetic vinegar and one teaspoon of salt in it.
- Add hot water in the mixture of boric powder, salt and vinegar.
- Soak your feet in it for 5 minutes.
- Rinse it off with clean water.
- You can also spray it on your feet instead of dipping or soaking it in the water.
Please note one thing with this particular home remedy. Never dip or spray this solution on the sensitive skin.
8. Scrub your feet:
Scrubs help in reducing feet odor and encourages softness with no dead skin. To make the scrub you will need:
- Take one cup of sugar and few leaves of mint. Soak them in a jar for 24 hours with quarter cup of water.
- Add lime peels in it.
- Scrub your feet with this mixture.
- Wash it with clean water.
- Apply lotion in the end.
- You can also use anti-perspiration spray after applying lotion.
- Do it once in a week to reduce foot odor.
9. Pick right pair of socks:
Shoes and socks are at times not cleaned properly and becomes the source of bad smell. Make sure that you are using good detergent and rinsing it thoroughly. When we don’t rinse the socks thoroughly it has small quantity of detergent left in them. They should be dried properly and shouldn’t be worn when they are even moist.
10. Sage leaves:
Sage has many properties among which reduction in the sweating process is considered the best. It contains tannic acids which helps in bonding the blood vessels and allows to produce less sweat. You should use this herbal leafs for removing foot odor in the following way:
- Take warm water and fill your bucket, tub or anything in which you will soak your feet.
- Throw dried sage leafs in this water.
- Let it work in there for 15 minutes.
- Soak your feet in hot water for half an hour (water’s temperature should be bearable and not boiling).
- Repeat once in a day or according to the level of smell it causes.
Feet will never release bad smell if you allow your feet to soak in one of the above mentioned home remedies. Try it out and be more tension free and more production with no embarrassment attached.
