The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Pennies in Your Shoe
Posted by Kent (Portland) on 01/10/2023
★★★★★
Pennies. Me and a friend I went to high school with were having one of those dumb conversations that you have once you have a couple of beers under your belt about how pennies cost more than their value and he said just about the most interesting thing. Pennies are made of both copper and zinc (which are naturally antibiotic) and if you put them in your shoes between wearing them they will kill off stink producing bacteria. He majored in chemistry so I thought I'd at least give it a try. I only had about six pennies but I threw three in each of my work boots and wouldn't you know it, it worked.
Hibiclens
Posted by Deborah (NC) on 05/15/2022
★★★★★
For smelly feet use Hibiclens. It works. Get a plastic dish pan large enough for both feet to fit it. Squeeze some over your feet & rub one foot over the other so that they both contain it on them. Keep on for 5-10 minutes rubbing your feet over one another & then rinse & dry off. We buy the 4 ounce blue bottle.
Borax
Posted by Aviva (Israel) on 03/27/2022
★★★★★
I find Borax very effective in eliminating bad smells from the feet. We put a tablespoon of borax in warm water and soak the feet for 10 minutes. I then soak the socks and also put some borax in the shoes. A miracle!
Zinc
Posted by Del (Kentucky) on 06/20/2019 2 posts
★★★★★
For smelly feet, all you need are Zinc tablets. Try them for 30 days & you will be amazed.
Clay
Posted by Mama To Many (Tn) on 02/14/2018
Dear Sim,
It certainly could. It may take regular use over several weeks.
Activated charcoal would have a similar action.
Deirdre has a youtube video about using charcoal for this purpose on the Earth Clinic channel.
~Mama to Many!
Clay
Posted by Marnie (Madera, Ca) on 02/12/2018
You're great, Mama!
This very thing just happened yesterday with my 4-year old, and a few days ago with my 9-year old! Not the first time either :) With 4 little boys in my house, this is going to save me a lot of foot washing and wasted shoes.
White, Cotton Socks
Posted by KT (Usa) on 02/12/2018
★★★★★
When my hubs and I don't wear white, 100% cotton socks we have smelly feet.
KT
Clay
Posted by Sim (Culver City ) on 02/11/2018
Could this work for underarms smell?
Clay
Posted by Mmsg (Somewhere, Europe) on 02/10/2018
Brilliant MtM!!
I wonder if clay footpaths would have done the same.
Clay
Posted by Mama To Many (Tn) on 02/10/2018
★★★★★
My 9 year old had very smelly feet all of a sudden. He would take off his shoes I could smell his feet across the room. I was making him go wash his feet every time he removed his shoes. (I do have an overly sensitive nose, but others noticed it too.)
I started to give him one home made capsule of calcium bentonite clay with a glass of water each day. Some days I used 1 capsules of charcoal. And I gave him alfalfa tablets once in a while too. Each are useful for internal deodorizing.
Within 10 days or so I realized that he can take off his shoes without clearing a room. :) I don't even notice an odor anymore.
I did the same a number of years ago for another one of my children who, at the age of 10 smelled like onions all the time, even if he hadn't eaten any. I just used the clay then.
~Mama to Many~
Cedar Soles
Posted by Jane (Paris) on 03/17/2017
★★★★★
I can just recommend to try using cedar insoles in the shoes you most sweat in. I think they are a natural product, but for me they work better than anything else I had tried, and I did a lot of weird stuff to my feet just in order to make them stop sweating that much! So I can just say, those saved my life :) Hope I could help somebody here!
Zinc
Posted by Del (Vine Grove, Ky.) on 11/14/2015 2 posts
★★★★★
Stinky Feet - I can't believe no one knows about zinc! For less than $5.00 a month, take 1 or 2 tablets ( depending on your weight ) a day. In 30 days, you will have no body odor, under arms or feet.
Milk of Magnesia
Posted by Glaudine (South Africa) on 05/25/2015
★★★★★
Stinky Feet: The best remedy, after many years and trying almost everything, is "Milk of Magnesia", rub it on the soles of the feet every morning before putting on shoes. Only a small amount is needed.
Pitted Keratolysis
Posted by 111laker111 (Ontario, CA) on 07/14/2014
Hello: I was wondering if anyone knew of a possible cure for pitted keratolysis.
http://dermnetnz.org/bacterial/pitted-keratolysis.html I have tried everything I can think of and not much even touches it. I think it is what is preventing a 20 year case of fasciitis from healing.
Boric Acid
Posted by Anna (Ca, Us) on 04/29/2014
Boric acid is very toxic, please be careful!
Vinegar Soak
Posted by Tom (Fort Worth, Texas) on 10/04/2013
Hello Boolie
You ask if Vinegar (ACV) with a little baking soda is a combo that throw ph off in a bad way. Well, there happens to be a LOT of discussion about the benefits and ph enhancement with the use of that very cominnation.
I use it four or five time weekly. esp at night before bed to make sure there is no reflux if I've eaten some sinful foods... ice cream an hour earlier; hot dog for lunch etc.
Ted from Bangkok has lots of posts on EC that discuss this. Look under the EC index; Apple Cider Vinegar under Remedies or Acid Reflux under Ailments.
Vinegar Soak
Posted by Boolie (Hanson, Ma) on 10/03/2013
Are any of these foot cleaning remedies bad for you? I heard it was bad to use baking soda and viniger. It throws off Your ph. Is that true?
Urine
Posted by Palemauve (Beijing, China) on 12/28/2012
★★★★★
Hi! I'm surprised to find that the best remedy for stinky feet is not available on earth clinic!
Since childhood, I've been plagued by very stinky feet, and its been a subject of humiliation many times over. Although I didn't have the opportunity to try all the various solutions that people have recommended, I found one that just solved my problem without having to buy or prepare anything. I came across some sites that recommended urinating on your feet, as the bacteria in your urine counters with the bacteria on your feet (something like that, ) removing the smell pretty much permanantly!
I just simply peed on my feet while in the shower and let it sit for about a minute, while rubbing my feet against each other. No joke, after my shower, the smell was gone! Not just for a few hours, but for years! (PS: pee on them before you have your shower and before you run the water.)
There's no risk, no mess, and you don't have to buy anything. I just can't understand the people who get grossed out by this. Its natural remedy at its finest. If you'd never been plagued by stinky feet, I guess you wouldn't understand right? Good luck to all you guys who have this problem, and I hope it works for you!
Bleach
Posted by Lily (Ny) on 06/15/2012
I tried bleach and it didn't work for me. What does work for me is triple antibiotic cream bought at the drug store and benzoyl peroxide on top of that. I do it 2x a day.
Freeze Shoes, Socks
Posted by Harmonious1 (Alamogordo, Nm) on 09/16/2011
If your feet stink, simply place your shoes in a plastic bag and put them in the freezer overnight. Do this with all your shoes, socks too, if necessary. This worked for all in my family.
Alum
Posted by Robert Henry (Ten Mile, Tn Usa) on 02/22/2011
Errica, you are right on because Alum is Aluminum Sulfate. Aluminum is a heavy metal and ends up in your brain. For years I used Alum to make pickles crisp but no more. We have also thrown out all our Aluminum cookware. Ball has out a product now called Pickle Crisp which is Calcium Chloride. This is what the commercial folks have used for years to make their pickled veggies crisp. It is now available to all.
=======ROBERT HENRY======
Alum
Posted by Errica (Ft. Myers, Fl) on 02/21/2011
★☆☆☆☆WARNING!
I just read about ALUM and it is bad for you. It said that it is toxic to humans. "Alum is approved by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration as a food additive, but in large quantities well, an ounce or more it is toxic to humans. As a result, efforts have been made and are being made to wean us of our alum dependency"
Bleach
Posted by Suzanne (Abbotsford, Bc Canada) on 11/05/2010
PLEASE don't soak any body parts in bleach! Use diluted hydrogen peroxide, if you must. However, 25 mg. of zinc per day (1/2 a tab here) helped my family with excessive smell (not just feet), and it may do the same for you.
Baking Soda
Posted by Susan (San Francisco, Ca) on 09/04/2010
The Baking Soda was a great trick for me, but only if I was wearing shoes and socks. My problem was that my feet were NEVER dry so I couldn't get rid of or reduce the bacteria. Even after I washed and dried them they were still damp. My feet dried out (and stopped smelling) the day after I quit smoking. I've been cigarette free (and smelly feet free) for 8 years.
Boric Acid
Posted by Gale (Monterey, Tn.) on 08/14/2010
★★★★★
When my children got bad feet odor and their feet would stink either from their shoes or sweating, we would sprinkle a little boric acid in their shoes an in their socks for a couple days and their feet would be fine, no more stinking. Gale
Baking Soda
Posted by Regulator555 (Grand Rapids, Mi, Usa) on 06/02/2010
★★★★★
For my husband's smelly feet: 1) Use a stainless steel callus shaver to shave off the dead skin (a pumice stone may work if the skin isn't too thick) on clean, dry feet 2) Soak your feet for at least 20 minutes in a pan of warm water to which you have added a 1/2 cup of baking soda. My husband was plagued for years with smelly feet. After shaving off the dead skin (he had tons) and soaking them in BS, it cured the stench. I think the calluses store up the funk. :-)
Baking Soda
Posted by Not My Real Name (Kansas City Area, Mo) on 08/09/2009
★★★★★
I was plagued with stinky feet since childhood. I sprinkled baking soda GENEROUSLY into my shoes and wore them. My feet felt wet the whole time but there was no odor from my feet or shoes after one day. I kept doing this for months and have had no problems from stinky feet now for years. This is hard on the shoe so make sure that you are wearing shoes that are not expensive. Ironing your socks may also help. When I bathe I wash my feet with dial or safeguard deodorant soap. I have not used baking soda in my shoes now for years, I only wash them during my bath.
