# Do you EVER wash your feet? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 16, 2001, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-wash-your-feet/87832 "2001-10-16T22:15:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![nineiron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e56c9b/32.png) [@nineiron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nineiron)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2001, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-wash-your-feet/87832/21 "2001-10-17T23:50:15Z")
Yes, I always do and always have. My wife found this odd when this somehow came up. Her thinking was the same as the OP–the soapy water will get the feet on the way down. Since I sort of implied that she’s gross for not washing her feet, I think she does now. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![charmaine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19adc/32.png) [@charmaine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/charmaine)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2001, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-wash-your-feet/87832/22 "2001-10-18T01:03:01Z")
Thanks stolichnaya who makes shoes with rubber chunks that flake off? WHO does that? flaking off, charmaine ---
**Author:** ![tapioca\_tundra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a88e57/32.png) [@tapioca\_tundra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tapioca_tundra)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2001, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-wash-your-feet/87832/23 "2001-10-18T01:22:46Z")
```auto ``` ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2001, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-wash-your-feet/87832/24 "2001-10-18T02:36:11Z")
I can’t believe you asked this–you must be a mindreader. I’ve been of the “They’re soaking in soapy water and that’s enough” mindset for some time now. But they’re getting so ratty looking, I think I need to actually scrub them to help get the dead skin off. ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2001, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-wash-your-feet/87832/25 "2001-10-18T10:27:03Z")
I wash my feet. Otherwise all the lint from my socks stays in between my toes. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2001, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-wash-your-feet/87832/26 "2001-10-18T10:31:25Z")
I carefully wash my feet whenever I have enough time. Since I’ve recently taken up the habit of oversleeping, I rarely have enough time. ---
**Author:** ![Ariadne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/71c47a/32.png) [@Ariadne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ariadne)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2001, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-wash-your-feet/87832/27 "2001-10-18T11:51:29Z")
I’ve never even thought of washing my feet. I mean, the idea has never occurred to me. I’m usually focused on my hair, so anything else is whatever fits in between applying the conditioner/hot oil and rinsing out the conditioner/hot oil a few minutes later. Hmm, my feet always come out clean and smelling like apple shampoo, so I guess it all works out anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2001, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-wash-your-feet/87832/28 "2001-10-25T07:45:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ShibbOleth \* > **This seems to mostly be dividing on gender lines, I am guessing. I never knew a guy that owned a pumice stone, or at least one that would admit to it.** Mr. Rilch does. Well, he has to. He works on his feet for days of 12 to 18 hours in length, so if he didn’t pumice, he would get blisters bigger than his toes. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2001, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-wash-your-feet/87832/29 "2001-10-25T08:07:59Z")
I think it is [important](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_398.html) to wash your feet. > [@](#): > > The slime is then removed by mechanical action–“scrubbing,” to put it in layman’s terms. I think the principal is the same for skin. Without scrubbing, most of the gunk stays on there. ---
**Author:** ![Redboss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8baadc/32.png) [@Redboss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Redboss)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2001, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-wash-your-feet/87832/30 "2001-10-25T08:11:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by charmaine \* > why DO flip flops make your feet black? My guess is your feet perspire just as when you’re wearing shoes, but with no socks or stockings as protection/absorption. And because they’re so low down, they are in contact with a lot more dust and dirt than the rest of you. The dust sticks to the perspiration, the damp coating of dust evokes more perspiration and so on. So the black is dirt. Good honest dirt. Please wash the feet. They look after you so well, and you know you tend to neglect them. A little soaping in the shower, and massage the soles briefly. This way, in case foot reflexology one day turns out to be true, you’ll have been doing it to yourself for years. I actually gave mine a little sorbolene rub this morning, just before slipping the socks on. All slippery. They like that. Redboss ---
**Author:** ![c\_goat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@c\_goat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/c_goat)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2001, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-wash-your-feet/87832/31 "2001-10-25T18:19:33Z")
I usually don’t wash my feet or the lower half of my legs even. Don’t know why, probably too lazy to bend over incase I lose my balance and fall. I figure the soapy water runs down them and that’s good enough. Every once in a while I feel guilty and give them a good washing though. ---
**Author:** ![Koffing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@Koffing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koffing)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2001, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-wash-your-feet/87832/32 "2001-10-28T17:41:57Z")
Heck yeah, I wash my feet, and I use lotion on them when I’m done. I take my shoes off whenever I get the chance, and I don’t want people to be offended by ugly, smelly feet. I wish more of my friends felt the same ☹ ---
**Author:** ![J248974](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cc9497/32.png) [@J248974](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J248974)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2001, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-wash-your-feet/87832/33 "2001-10-28T18:23:47Z")
Well, wow! I’m impressed at how many people don’t actually wash their grubby feet!! No wonder so many public elevators smell like feet! I wash mine, thoroughly, every time I take a shower and being very opposed to foot odor, which I find repulsive, I sprinkle deodorant powder into my shoes and sneakers. I change my socks daily – unlike some friends of mine. (Yuck!) Rinsing feet in bath water doesn’t remove the grunge under the toenails and trapped within the creases under the toes nor does it get all of the stink bacteria off of the feet. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2001, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-wash-your-feet/87832/34 "2001-10-28T18:53:59Z")
My feet are rarely visibly dirty. When they are I pay special attention to them and wash them with soap and a washcloth. But usually I just let them get rinsed by the soapy water. I don’t have any problem with foot or shoe odor, so I believe they are getting clean enough. Besides, I try to avoid touching my feet, especially with a wash cloth, because it tickles unbearably! ---
**Author:** ![Rue\_DeDay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/41988e/32.png) [@Rue\_DeDay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rue_DeDay)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2001, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-wash-your-feet/87832/35 "2001-10-28T19:18:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ShibbOleth \* > **I never knew a guy that owned a pumice stone, or at least one that would admit to it.** As does Mr. Rilch, so do I. And I don’t need my wife to rat me out. _I have a pumice stone._ Sometimes I remember to use it. Usually when the callous on my heels gets real thick, but we won’t get into that. It gets gross. As to the OP: Yeah, sometimes. Once a week they get a good scrubbing. The rest of the time I just swish 'em around in the backed up shower water. -Rue. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2001, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-wash-your-feet/87832/36 "2001-10-28T19:20:43Z")
I usually try and at least go over them once with the soap, and then rinse, but it kind of depends on how much of a hurry I’m in. Lately, however, I have a really sore right leg that I can’t put all my weight on, so my right foot gets scrubbed and the left one has to make do with the soapy water! I just can’t get to my foot without falling over! I hope my leg heals soon! hehe ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2001, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-wash-your-feet/87832/37 "2001-10-28T21:43:53Z")
Yep, I always scrub them well and give 'em a swipe with the pumice stone. I hadn’t thought about it until others mentioned it but yeah, it’s a leftover habit from wearing summer sandals. But if you want _really_ weird I also: 1. Give my toes a blast of warm air from the hairdyer while I’m drying my hair; just hoick up one foot at a time and toast the tootsies. Feels wonderful. Gets them nice, warm and dry before sliding 'em into socks, hose, etc. 2. I also spritz the insides of my shoes with unscented Lysol aersol after I take them off. I just figure most shoes don’t “breathe” much and my feet have been incubating god knows what in there all day. WHO’S neurotic? Why are you looking at me like that…? Veb ---
**Author:** ![Nacho4Sara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Nacho4Sara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nacho4Sara)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2001, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-wash-your-feet/87832/38 "2001-10-28T22:11:33Z")
I’m kind of surprised so many people don’t wash their feet. I scrub mine with a washcloth when I go over my entire body. I just kind of hook one foot over the opposite knee and bend down a little, with one hand on the shower bar. I make sure I get in between my towsies, too. Then I give 'em a rubdown with a pumice stone and make sure I moisturize them after the shower. When it starts to get humid (and my feet sweat a bit more), I use this St. Ives foot stuff - it’s pepperment lotion that keeps your feet dry and cool and smells delicious. ---
**Author:** ![Joyfulgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f04885/32.png) [@Joyfulgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joyfulgirl)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2001, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-wash-your-feet/87832/39 "2001-10-28T22:32:08Z")
**Nacho4Sara** , that lotion is the BEST. It makes your feet feel wonderfully soft. I wash daily, but only pumice when I have time left over from my hair routine. Hair takes priority. ---
**Author:** ![DaToad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@DaToad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaToad)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2001, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-wash-your-feet/87832/40 "2001-10-29T04:26:29Z")
Everyday, with the brush. Between the toes, top and bottom. If you don’t scrub 'em, unless your SO is into limburger, or gorganzola souffles, those little piggies are probably not going to get nibbled on. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-wash-your-feet/87832.md?page=1)