Got Smelly Shoes? Essential Oils Can Help

Suffering from smelly feet is really very embarrassing. You can conceal your bald spots with a wig, hide your pimple with a concealer, but there is absolutely no way to mask the horrifying odour of smelly feet. When you have smelly feet, it is logical that your shoes are also smelly. The shoes are already jam-packed with bacteria that makes the odour worsen. If you want to get rid of the smell from your feet, you might want to consider using the best essential oils to combat smelly shoes.

Before talking about how to cure smelly feet, it would be better if we discussed first some common reasons why people develop smelled feet:

• Hyperhidrosis: Also known as plantar hyperhidrosis; this is a condition wherein the feet sweat excessively. This condition can also affect the hands; however, the only difference is that the sweat on the hands can easily evaporate while the sweat on the feet can’t. Wearing tight shoes and socks will only make matters worse. Having moist feet and enduring them for the whole day can make it a breeding ground for isovaleric acid-producing bacteria. The isovaleric acid is the one responsible for making the feet smell “cheesy”.
• Medications, Underlying conditions or Hormones: You can ask your doctor if you are already suspecting that there is an underlying condition as to why you are sweating excessively. There may be hormonal changes in your body that can induce sweating like pregnancy, menopause, or hormone replacement. Being overweight can also be a factor.
• Bromhidrosis: Also known as teen feet, this condition usually strikes those who have just reached puberty. This is a condition that makes the odor of the feet emanate even from other parts of the body. The smell brought about by this condition can be so awful that it can ruin one’s social life.
• Metabolic Issues: Your diet can also affect the way your feet smell. Eating foods that contain too much spices like onion, garlic, etc can contribute to smelly feet because it will taint the sweat with “spicy” smells.

Having smelly feet means that you own lots of smelly shoes. Owning smelly shoes will not help you in your quest to rid yourself of smelly feet. You should clean your shoes to get rid of the bacteria that causes your feet to smell bad. Here are some simple steps to help you clean your shoes and get rid of the bacteria.

Start by Keeping Your Feet Clean
Washing your feet regularly will help you maintain clean feet. You can use an antibacterial soap infused with essential oils in cleaning your feet. These antibacterial oils infused with essential oils will not only help you in getting the stench out of your feet; it will also prevent bacteria from coming back.

Soak Your Feet in Green Tea
You might have knowngreen tea as a great refreshing beverage, but did you know that green tea can also help you with your smelly feet? Soak your feet in green tea for at least 15-20 minutes everyday and you will gradually notice that the stench is gradually disappearing.

Black tea can also combat the stench of your smelly shoes and feet.  Simply soak your feet for 30 minutes in  mixture of eucalyptus, water and black tea.  The eucalyptus will emit a fresh, crisp scent that will penetrate into the skin of your feet, getting rid of the stench on the process. 

The tannic acids in black tea will also help in opening the pore while killing the bacteria that make the feet smelly and prone to bacteria.  You can soak your feet in black tea mixture for 10 days and expect your feet to be odor-free.

Keep Your Feet Dry
We all know that bacteria thrives in moist areas that is why you should never put your socks on when your feet are still wet.  Always make it a habit to dry your feet with a towel or any piece of cloth before wearing socks or shoes.  Do not forget to also wipe the places in between your toes because it is also prone to bacteria that cause smelly feet.

Other Natural Remedies
You can also sprinkle baking soda as an alternative foot powder.  There are also available foot powders out there that contain essential oils as its main ingredients.  Wearing cotton socks will also help in absorbing the moisture from your feet.

You just can’t throw your shoes away just because they are smelly.  You should find a way to clean your shoes and rid them of the odor and bacteria so that you can use them without worrying about the odor that it will emit.  Start off by cleaning your shoes inside-out.  You can first brush the accumulated dirt and mud on the external part of your shoes.  You can use a soft bristled brush to clean the outer part of your shoes.  If you are going to clean your sneakers, you have to separate the lace from the shoe so that cleaning will be easier.

Wash your shoes with baking soda and water.  Brush the insides of the shoes thoroughly, making sure that you are reaching every nook and cranny.  After washing, place newspapers inside your shoes so that they will not be deformed.  The newspapers are also great moisture-absorbers.
Let your shoes dry inside your house or if you want, you can let them dry under the heat of the sun.  Sunlight is known to have natural anti-bacterial properties so it will do your shoes some good if you let it dry under the sun.  However, keep in mind that not all shoes can be placed under the heat of the sun.  Faux leather may crack easily and some might change their color or fade.

There are really many ways to combat smelly feet, whether naturally or artificially.  Choosing to cure your smelly feet the natural way will surely make you save more money.  It’s also fun mixing your very own organic mixtures and foot soaks because you can choose what essential oils you want to use.  Using the best essential oils to combat smelly shoes will surely make you and your feet happy.