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.
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~
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.
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.
Pennies in Your Shoe
Posted by mmsg (somewhere, europe) on 01/12/2023
Hmmmmm Kent, I wonder if that was a reason for those "penny loafer" shoes of our youth??!!
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!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Angie (Los Angeles, CA) on 07/17/2009
★★★★★
ACV FOR FEET ODOR
I used the acv for my daughter. Her feet smelled really bad since her feet are very sweaty. I soaked her feet for about 5 min in water and poured some ACV and the following day when she took her shoes off her feet were still sweaty but they did not smell at all. So relieved that this works for her because she has always been self conscious about the bad odor.
Bleach
Posted by Donna (Janesville, WI) on 07/01/2008
★★★★★
Not sure if bleach is considered to be natural, but it was a miracle for my husband's stinky feet! It was so bad that he could clear a room if he took his shoes off. All you do is take 1 gallon of warm water and add 1/2 a cup of bleach to it. Soak your feet for 5 or 10 min. and your feet will smell fresh as can be! It will last for months on end! Thank you Earth Clinic~you are truly a God Send. Many blessings~donna
EC: Thanks, Donna. New remedy page now created for stinky feet!
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.
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!
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 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.
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======
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 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.
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.
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 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.
Alum
Posted by Monica (Salt lake City, Utah) on 02/09/2009
★★★★★
Alum cured my stinky feet/stinky shoes. You can find Alum in the Spice/Herb section of any grocery store, and is very affordable. You don't need much just put it in your shoes before you wear them. I put enough in to coat the entire sole of the shoe, and I lightly very lightly shake out the excess. You will want to put in every time you wear them for a week or so or equivalent if you do not wear them everyday. Not only will the smell be gone and completely neutralized, it has a cleaning effect to the sole of the shoe as well. It completely took out the dark area of the shoe where you would normally see your foot print. Now I do not have to leave my shoes outside, nor do I have to come in and soak or wash them. Not to mention No more embarrassment. Only down side (but very worth it to me) it has a texture of very fine grit sand. If you can handle feeling like there is a little bit of sand in your shoe (for a week) then this is very much your cure!! Not sure if the smell comes back, all my shoes I have only went through the week process once and not had to since. Its been approx. 3 months and still no foot or shoe odor.
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"
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.
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.
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 Mmsg (Somewhere, Europe) on 02/10/2018
Brilliant MtM!!
I wonder if clay footpaths would have done the same.
Clay
Posted by Sim (Culver City ) on 02/11/2018
Could this work for underarms smell?
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!
