by Marijoyce Porcelli

Created on: June 16, 2009   Last Updated: June 18, 2009

A lot of people suffer a common and usually embarrassing problem, stinky feet. There are a lot of suggested solutions for this predicament. Here are a few treatments that others have found work well to eliminate the odor of stinky feet. Foot odor is caused by bacteria and these little critters easily multiply in sweaty damp places, like socks and shoes.

These bacteria are also social, in that they like to band together and eat dead skin cells and body oils. And then these rude little critters get rid of their waste via producing organic acids, and those organic acids are what stinks.

That's why it's important to keep your socks and shoes clean. Plus, if you have very bad foot odor, you may want to try rotating shoes regularly and avoid wearing the same pair the very next day.

The most common and it seems most effective solution for most people with stinky feet is to use plain old tea. Steep or brew tea, using about 5 to 6 bags, let the tea cool and then soak your stinky feet nightly at first in the tea.

The tannic acid in the tea helps to kill the bacteria that is causing stinky feet.

Do this soak once a day for at least a week or more, then bi-weekly, then weekly, then periodically.

Some people claim that a soak in vinegar and water regularly can help some foot odor. One person told me she soaks in vinegar, water and a little bit of dish washing liquid. She does that for about 15 minutes, then tosses that solution out, pats her feet dry (sometimes she uses a hair dryer to make sure she gets all the moisture off her feet). Then she soaks her feet in another ten minutes in another mixture of warm water and oatmeal.

She does this once a week and claims successful results.
Regardless of what you try, remember this one warning. Never ever soak your feet regularly in anything you couldn't ingest safely. Just as feet release toxins from your body, you can add toxins to your body via soaking your feet in ingredients that could introduce poison into your system.

The rule of thumb here is, then, if it's not something you could safely eat or drink don't soak your feet in it.

There is one rather odd exception to that rule. It's an "old wives tale" cure for stinky feet, but a lot of people swear it works. However, it's a little easier for men than women just due to the man's physique.

A lot of people have claimed that peeing on feet can relieve the odor of stinky feet. Although if you do that, it goes without saying that feet should be thoroughly cleaned and dried immediately afterward.

The thing is, there might possibly be something to this old wives tale. Only because human urine actually contains Urea, which is actually an anti-fungal compound.

Some doctors think stinky feet might be an allergic reaction to certain types of food, usually diary. Keep a record and check to see if your feet stink more when you eat certain foods. If so, try to eliminate such foods from your diet.

Since toxins from your body can be released from the bottom of your feet, others believe that stinky feet can be an indication of bowel problems and that a colon cleansing by a professional can help with this type of odor.

There are also a lot of commercial products on the market that claim to successfully fight foot odor. The bottom line is foot odor can be a real problem for a lot of people. Just remember, whatever you try, if you can't eat or drink it safely then don't soak your feet in it.

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