# My feet stink: advice? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 27, 2010, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-feet-stink-advice/555244 "2010-09-27T16:48:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-feet-stink-advice/555244/1 "2010-09-27T16:48:45Z")
OK. We went to a model home on the weekend and we were asked to take off our shoes and then cart them around with us in plastic bag. When I removed said shoes from the plastic bag my daughter just about barfed. And to be honest, it was bad. Do any of the Dr. Scholl’s products work? Does anyone have a solution? ---
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-feet-stink-advice/555244/2 "2010-09-27T16:52:08Z")
Have you talked to a doctor about it? That isn’t normal. ---
**Author:** ![Surly\_Chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Surly\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surly_Chick)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-feet-stink-advice/555244/3 "2010-09-27T16:56:44Z")
I have a couple pairs of shoes that make my feet smell unpleasant (stink is too strong of a word!). I’ve used Dr. Scholl’s foot spray and it takes care of it. YMMV depending on the stink level… ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-feet-stink-advice/555244/4 "2010-09-27T17:25:56Z")
I’d start with the basics: Wash and dry your feet every day. Use a little foot powder in your socks (Gold Bond or whatever). Air out your shoes at the end of each day (you can pull the insoles out as well, they’ll dry faster that way) and use a little odor-eater spray in them. Wear clean, dry socks every day. Check your feet for any kind of fungus, wound or anything that just doesn’t look like normal. If you have athlete’s foot get some cream at the drug store. If you’ve got anything painful or just plain weird, talk to your doctor. Keep your nails trimmed neatly and make sure you don’t have gunk building up under them. ---
**Author:** ![tiltawhirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e99b99/32.png) [@tiltawhirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiltawhirl)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-feet-stink-advice/555244/5 "2010-09-27T17:36:27Z")
I had a similar problem from wearing the same pair of shoes too often - ideally one should give them at least a day between wearings to let them dry out. First I tried Dr. Scholl’s spray, which was incredibly smelly in itself and didn’t do very much about the odor. In the end I found that using a mineral salt deodorant stone on my feet every morning did the trick; now my shoes have a mild, clean ocean smell to them. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![InterestedObserver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@InterestedObserver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InterestedObserver)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-feet-stink-advice/555244/6 "2010-09-27T17:41:16Z")
I’ve only had this problem once, and it was when I was in Jr High and had this old pair of tennis shoes I wore a lot and to gym class. I was really mortified about it anytime I had to remove them around others (gym…with friends after school). Once I realized that it was the SHOES, not my feet, problem solved. I had tried odor eaters and sprays and washing them but once the funk gets past a certain point, nothing to do but toss 'em. My daughter (11) had a pair of leather, closed shoes she used to wear sans socks a lot and they STUNK to high heaven when she took them off, as did her socks and feet. Once I tossed the damn things (she loved them so I had to insist, i.e toss them on the sly) no more funky feet. If this is something that happens with ALL your shoes and regardless of sock wearing history with said shoes, yes, get it looked into and/or take some of the tips given (which are good advice regardless). Another tip I have heard is to get one of those deodorant crystal stones and use it on your feet as you would under the arms (wet it, rub it on, let it dry…it is also sold in a roll on and spray, but much less concentrated and economical than the solid). I have used this under the arms for years and it works very well for me…no residue, just inhibits bacterial growth and so prevents odor. I really wouldn’t agree with the “wow, something MUST be wrong, see a Dr., that’s not normal” view…there is a reason stinky feet are a stereotype; it is a fairly common problem. But I have never known or heard of anyone having stinky feet just going around barefoot all day…it invariably has to do with feet sweating and being closed up inside socks and/or shoes (which make an ideal breeding ground for the bacteria that cause such odors). ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-feet-stink-advice/555244/7 "2010-09-27T17:41:31Z")
alternate shoes from day to day if you can might help some. i recall a medical call-in radio show mention a topical prescription antiperspirant for feet. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-feet-stink-advice/555244/8 "2010-09-27T17:45:27Z")
> [@Valgard](#): > > I’d start with the basics: > > Wash and dry your feet every day. Check. I shower every day. (Vast majority anyway.) > [@](#): > > Use a little foot powder in your socks (Gold Bond or whatever). Air out your shoes at the end of each day (you can pull the insoles out as well, they’ll dry faster that way) and use a little odor-eater spray in them. Hmmm.. Foot powder, eh? I can try that. > [@](#): > > Wear clean, dry socks every day. Check. > [@](#): > > Check your feet for any kind of fungus, wound or anything that just doesn’t look like normal. If you have athlete’s foot get some cream at the drug store. If you’ve got anything painful or just plain weird, talk to your doctor. Check. No issues here. > [@](#): > > Keep your nails trimmed neatly and make sure you don’t have gunk building up under them. Check again. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-feet-stink-advice/555244/9 "2010-09-27T17:59:44Z")
Wear only natural-fiber socks. Cotton, good. Wool, good. Orlon, bad bad bad. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-feet-stink-advice/555244/10 "2010-09-27T18:01:48Z")
You can have a foot fungus with nothing visible to the eye. Use an antifungal cream for a couple of weeks and see if it works. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-feet-stink-advice/555244/11 "2010-09-27T18:05:10Z")
My rock climbing shoes are supposed to be worn sockless. They are also supposed to be worn very tight. They are also leather and rubber. I sweat lots while climbing in the hot sun. To they have killer funk?.. Nope. My trick is to open them up as wide as they can to dry out, _and_ I mist them with rubbing alcohol. I bought one of those little wee misty pump spray bottles in the travel section of the drug store. It’s supposed to be for women’s hairspray. It holds about 1 or 2 ounces of liquid. As soon as the shoes come off my feet and I’m done climbing for the day, they get a good misting with alcohol. This helps dry them out faster and kill of any stink-making bacteria nasties. I all my other hiking boots and stuff, I just replace the insoles on a quasi regular basis. ETA: I mist the _inside_ with rubbing alcohol (if that wasn’t clear). ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-feet-stink-advice/555244/12 "2010-09-27T18:12:09Z")
How long has it been since you washed those shoes? If they’re cloth shoes, you can do them in the washing machine. I find the dryer doesn’t do much to dry them, but they dry in a couple of days. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-feet-stink-advice/555244/13 "2010-09-27T18:17:39Z")
Soak your feet in a tub of tea, once a day. Seriously. Just plain generic black tea. It might work the first time, or it might take a couple of weeks, but it will work. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-feet-stink-advice/555244/14 "2010-09-27T18:25:53Z")
> [@Anne\_Neville](#): > > How long has it been since you washed those shoes? If they’re cloth shoes, you can do them in the washing machine. I find the dryer doesn’t do much to dry them, but they dry in a couple of days. My shoes are made of leather. (Channelling Pete Townshend!) I’m guessing they don’t breathe much. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-feet-stink-advice/555244/15 "2010-09-27T18:28:45Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > My shoes are made of leather. (Channelling Pete Townshend!) > > I’m guessing they don’t breathe much. Then I’d wipe the insides with rubbing alcohol. My leather climbing shoes I can spritz without worry, because I doesn’t matter if they look weird, but I don’t know if it would hurt _nice_ leather. If you can replace the factory insoles that might help too. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-feet-stink-advice/555244/16 "2010-09-27T18:29:22Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Soak your feet in a tub of tea, once a day. Seriously. Just plain generic black tea. It might work the first time, or it might take a couple of weeks, but it will work. I don’t know if I have the time (or compulsion) to soak my feet in tea every day! I was hoping someone would come along and say “Hey try xxxx product. It really works!” And then ten more people would agree and my problem would be solved. Good responses so far though. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-feet-stink-advice/555244/17 "2010-09-27T18:31:53Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > > [@panache45](#): > > > > Soak your feet in a tub of tea, once a day. Seriously. Just plain generic black tea. It might work the first time, or it might take a couple of weeks, but it will work. > > I don’t know if I have the time (or compulsion) to soak my feet in tea every day! And wouldn’t it stain your feet so it looked like you had permanent socks? ---
**Author:** ![Zulema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/db5fbb/32.png) [@Zulema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zulema)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-feet-stink-advice/555244/18 "2010-09-27T18:32:57Z")
Cool Max socks and chlorophyll tablets. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-feet-stink-advice/555244/19 "2010-09-27T18:35:53Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > Wear only natural-fiber socks. Cotton, good. Wool, good. Orlon, bad bad bad. Check here too. Most days my socks are plain white cotton gym type socks. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-feet-stink-advice/555244/20 "2010-09-27T18:36:55Z")
> [@SP2263](#): > > Cool Max socks and chlorophyll tablets. Do I ingest the chlorophyll? Do I need to sun my feet afterwards? 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-feet-stink-advice/555244.md?page=2)