Having smelly feet is unpleasant and embarrassing even though this is not considered a serious condition like diabetes or cancer. While there are many ways to fight foot odor, it is great to know that you can also find a cure for smelly feet at home.
What Causes Smelly Feet?
Before discussing a cure for smelly feet, it is prudent to understand first what causes smelly feet.
While it remains unknown why some people suffer from this embarrassing condition while others do not, foot odor which is scientifically known as bromhidrosis, is believed to be caused by sweaty feet as well as bacteria.
Most of us experience sweaty feet on a daily basis especially after vigorous activity. This sweating usually quickly evaporates. For those with stinky feet, it is believed that they sweat more than average and this excessive sweat does not evaporate as quickly and easily.
This excessive sweat combined with the bacteria on the bottom of the feet as well as some fungus and dead skin cells is believed to contribute to stinky feet.
Cure for Stinky Feet at Home
The first step to being able to find an effective cure for foot odor at home that will work for you is by looking at the shoes and socks that you wear and purchase, as this may make the problem of foot odor worse if you do not choose wisely.
Wear or purchase shoes and socks that are made with breathable materials so that moisture does not collect in the shoes, interact with bacteria and cause stinky feet.
Consider going barefoot or wearing sandals during the summer months to prevent foot odor. If you do wear closed toed shoes, make sure that you air them out frequently for at least a day or two to fully get rid of any moisture or odor. Wash sneakers or canvas shoes frequently and let them air dry.
There are also many home remedies for smelly feet that you can implement at home. Soaking you feet in water combined with Epsom salts, kosher salt, baking soda, black tea, etc, are popular cures for stinky feet at home. They help to control excessive sweating on the bottom of the feet when applied daily for at least a month.
You can also use foot powders that contain moisture absorbing and bacteria killing aluminum chloride hexahydrate. You can also use antiperspirant on the bottom of the feet to prevent excessive sweating and to kill bacteria.
Foot OdorFinding an effective cure for smelly feet at home is all about trial and error and being willing to try various foot odor killing suggestions. For more home remedies for smelly feet, visit http://www.squidoo.com/home-remedies-for-stinky-feet.