Foot Odor
Written on Mar 26, 2026
Perspiration causes the most common foot odor. Most people can take off a pair of shoes, and a faint odor will exist for a short period of time. People don't fare well when bacteria or fungi on their feet causes the foot odor. It's usually concentrated between the toes.
I write from experience because my feet used to smell terrible.
Preventing Foot Odor
Preventing foot odor is far easier than eliminating it. It's frequently caused by wearing shoes that don't breathe for far too long of a time. The best way to treat your feet in this situation is to wash your feet and change your socks at least once a day. More than once is better, but most people don't have the time to do it more than once.
Shoes made with vinyl or patent leather (both are plastic) are almost waterproof, which means they're also almost air-proof. The perspiration stays trapped inside your shoes, keeping your feet and everything else inside your shoes moist. If you can avoid wearing these types of shoes, your feet will thank you.
When I was in the military, I hated wearing dress uniforms because I hated the types of shoes I had to wear with them. Those dress shoes caused both me and my wife, Josie, to treat my feet with extreme care.
Foot powder will help cut the odor and absorb some moisture, but not all of it. It works better in shoes that breathe than other types of shoes. I used it when I wore athletic shoes most of the time. I would put it on my feet before I put on my socks, and then sprinkle a liberal amount inside my shoes.
Eliminating Food Odor
One technique I've read about helps to reduce foot odor by causing your feet to perspire less. Stinky feet usually start as sweaty feet (where bacteria thrive), even while wearing flip-flops. I've never tried the black tea remedy, but you can search for it if you feel like trying it out.
If you have a minor odor problem, charcoal inserts may be sufficient to take care of it. Thousands of foot care products are sold over the counter, and most of them--except the inserts--aren't worth using.
These days, I scrub my feet every time I'm in the shower. I use pumice, scrubbing sponges, and specialized skin files on the bottoms of my feet and the tops of my toes. I also dig out all the crud under my toenails when I cut them. I'll stick to my routines, so no one has to worry about any odor coming from me.
Image by Elisabeth Guggenberger from Pixabay