Foot odour remedies?

[Vegan-Rock]

Hey

Any advice out there for a vegan with evil feet? I've tried various methods but nothing seems to work, and once my shoes are 'infected', regardless of how long I don't wear them, they are never the same again! I know that feet are designed to sweat more than other parts of the body and that suffocating them with shoes causes the problem but I'd appreciate any natural, vegan suggestions.

Ta :)

[Marrers]

What about the solid deoderants at Lush? The ones they cut off a big block, like soap. I've used them on my feet before.

Aromaco - http://www.lush.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=47_54&products_id=76

Aromarant - http://www.lush.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=47_54&products_id=77

[Pob]

I used to suffer with really smelly feet, and I found the following cured it:

Wear cotton socks (or mostly cotton).
Wear shoes made of breathable materials.
Avoid shoes that have packed paper in them under the insole.

I've not had any problems for many years :)

I do remember that once shoes became smelly they always would be. It has to do with how well the smell producing bacteria can thrive in the shoes, which will mostly be down to how much moisture they trap.

[Vegan-Rock]

Thanks guys. I do wear pure cotton socks (synthetic ones are like fingernails on a blackboard for me, not sure why). Maybe I should look into bacteria-eradicating essential oils, I really don't want to throw away otherwise perfectly good shoes. I'll definitely try one of the Lush deodorants. Cheers :)

[harpy]

Vegan shoes are often washable although it's better not to leave them in the water for too long in case the glue dissolves. I have also read that putting shoes in a freezer for a few days gets rid of the bacteria but I don't know how well it works.

[Tigerlily]

My dad works on his feet all day in a hot restaurant kitchen. I puts baking soda on his feet before putting on his shoes and it seems to work. He also changes his shoes and socks throughout the day.

[emmapresley]

slart some tea tree oil into the bottom of your shoes maybe?

[Ginger]

How about a nice dusting of Lush Karma dusting powder on your tootsies? I don't think it's particularly girly smelling. Also, try to alternate your footwear to give them a bit of an airing between use :)

[rxkitten]

Vegan shoes are often washable although it's better not to leave them in the water for too long in case the glue dissolves. I have also read that putting shoes in a freezer for a few days gets rid of the bacteria but I don't know how well it works.


I also have smelly feet, but I don't think my freezer would forgive me for trying this!!

[harpy]

:D No it doesn't sound very appetising but I assume you could wrap the shoes in a plastic bag - they would still get cold!

[Vegan-Rock]

Wow, if I take all this advice my feet smell fresher than a rose garden on a winter's morn! I'm curious about the freezer idea actually. I thought that heat kills bacteria but freezing just puts it to sleep, hence the advice not to refreeze food once it has defrosted. Anyone know? :)

[harpy]

Wow, if I take all this advice my feet smell fresher than a rose garden on a winter's morn! I'm curious about the freezer idea actually. I thought that heat kills bacteria but freezing just puts it to sleep, hence the advice not to refreeze food once it has defrosted. Anyone know? :)


Good point - freezing is meant to stop bacteria from breeding isn't it? Maybe you need to keep your shoes in the freezer every night ;)

[Vegan-Rock]

Good point - freezing is meant to stop bacteria from breeding isn't it? Maybe you need to keep your shoes in the freezer every night ;)

Ha ha! Great, I'll spend the rest my life approaching every situation with cold feet :rolleyes: Perhaps I should microwave them...

[harpy]

:eek: Sounds a bit drastic. Oh, you mean microwave your shoes.

[JustMe]

Wash your feet several times a day using anti-bacterial soap. Dry them well and apply some powder between the toes. Jason Body Powder (http://www.eco-a-go-go.co.uk/acatalog/Jason_Aloe_Vera_Body_Powder.html#a68) is nice and absorbent (try the Aloe Vera one). Anti-bacterial wipes are useful when you're out and about. Give your feet a nice soak at the end of each day. Keep toe nails well-trimmed and deal with any hard skin. Wear cotton socks. Let your feet breathe by going barefoot in the house (wear socks when it's cold). When you're out and about, change your socks and shoes several times during the day. Washable (removable) insoles will help keep shoes fresh. Sandals? There are some specialist foot sprays. I found this one (http://www.airandwater.co.uk/product_details.asp?pid=7743) via Google but don't know if it's vegan-friendly. Also, check for and treat any fungal infections such as athletes foot. An old remedy... soak your feet in warm water with a spoonful of formaldehyde added. Repeat daily until there is an improvement then repeat, say, once a week. (Long time ago I was a hospital pharmacy technician and one of the pharmacists used this for her fiance's feet.) Good luck and hope you have happy feet before too long.

[snivelingchild]

Soak your feet in Pau D'arco tea, with applications of tea tree oil when dry, as mentioned before. The Pau D'arco with rid any fungals on and below the skin.

[Tigerlily]

Lately I've been suffering from smelly feet too. Giving my feet a good scrubbing with a loofah sponge and lots of soap seems to do the trick. I also put some natural deodorant on the soles of my feet. :o

[Hemlock]

I have to wear trainers for work winter and summer and I just shove them in the washing machine when they need it which they often do as mine are used for gym sessions throughout the week and running about visiting patients all over the countryside.
I also buy insoles from the chemist to put in to protect the shoes - anything with charcoal in absorbs smells - charcoal is used for heavily excuding wounds, ulcers and gangrene to absorb the smell.
Odour-eaters have charcoal in, you'll have to check if they are vegan though although charcoal itself is ok.

[bugaboo]

I heard deodorant stones work well for feet. You can buy them online and some stores. It works great for my underarms so I'm sure it'd do wonders for other areas as well.

[Heartsease]

Oh..yup..I agree with this. The mineral salts are 'incompatible' with bacteria.
Pitrok is really good. You can use it on any sweaty area and you will still sweat freely (which is healthy!) but bacteria will not multiply resulting in unpleasant odours.

However, if the smell is due to fungi the best solution would seem to me to be making sure the feet remain cool and dry. Fungi just love warm moist places....