Recommendations for smelly feet

[MzMolly65]

My DH is struggling with a foot odour caused by long days in sweaty work boots.

Any suggestions? I'm thinking tea tree oil would be an obvious choice but what else and best soap recipe to use?

 

[Lin]

How about a foot powder too?

 

[Obsidian]

I use a really scrubby coffee soap on my feet and love it. A soft bristle veggie brush is also fantastic for feet/hands.

 

[Ruthie]

For my needs (I have allergies to fragrances) I must use a "natural" deoderant, and it has tea tree oil in it, so that would be my recommendation. You might also research the essential oils that have antibacterial properties. I know cinnamon, sage, and rosemary are candidates, and that there is a whole list. He could also try a vinegar rinse on his feet after showering.

 

[seven]

Something minty like peppermint perhaps? Combined with tea tree, they make a nice scent. I remember a long time ago the body shop had a foot powder that smells minty.

 

[judymoody]

Lemongrass and/or mint.

 

[MzMolly65]

Thanks for the ideas. Last night in the middle of sleep I remembered that I watched a Dr. Oz show once that talked about soaking the feet in tea to stop sweaty, smelly feet. The tannins in the tea do the trick, so I mentioned it to him this morning. For some reason hubby doesn't want to sit with his feet in a soak, it's either too girly, he's too obstinate or he wants a quicker fix .. I'm not sure why he won't do it. He just wants a soap he can use in the shower. Could I use tea as my water for making a soap?

Lin: He already uses foot powder or foot spray, it helps but it's not completely successful.

ETA: I'm a beginner so I was thinking of using Soaping101's Bastile soap recipe and just adding tea tree oil, eucalyptus (both which I already have on hand) and using black tea as my water. Might not look pretty but as long as it works.

My other question .. I haven't bought molds yet but have a really nice, 1 quart, heavy plastic bottle that is tall and squarish in diameter but with rounded corners. I think it would be alright for a first mold. Can I pour straight into that (if I cut the top off) and then just cut the bottle off the soap after? I read the calculations for how much oil to use for container size so I can adjust the Bastile recipe to fit my container.

 

[seven]

Yes... And maybe as i've never used a plastic bottle for cp soap mold. You said heavy plastic, so i think it can withstand the heat from the soap. I'm leaning towards yes, but perhaps wait for more experienced soapers to chime in.

 

[judymoody]

You might also want to try a salve made from beeswax and oils. The beeswax will form a protective barrier that might help his feet stay fresher longer.

Also, does he dry his boots out at night? My daughter is a ballerina and she and her fellow dancers have some mighty stinky feet, slippers, and pointe shoes. Airing and drying out makes a bit difference. If he has washable insoles, throwing them in the wash once a week can also help.

 

[MzMolly65]

Also, does he dry his boots out at night?

Yes and same with washing insoles and other stuff. I'm an old, boot wearing forestry person so I know all the tricks to keeping feet healthy and I never suffered with stinky feet. I think it's in part because I wore wool socks and he can't stand them so he's in cotton.

 

[judymoody]

Yes and same with washing insoles and other stuff. I'm an old, boot wearing forestry person so I know all the tricks to keeping feet healthy and I never suffered with stinky feet. I think it's in part because I wore wool socks and he can't stand them so he's in cotton.

Ah, that explains it. Can he do microfiber or bamboo? They wick better than cotton.

 

[MzMolly65]

Can he do microfiber or bamboo?

Bamboo socks have been ordered.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

You're going to a lot of trouble - those have got to be rather smelly feet indeed!

 

[MzMolly65]

You're going to a lot of trouble - those have got to be rather smelly feet indeed!

To be honest, not really. Just an obsessive hubby who *thinks* they are very smelly and can't let it go. He's got a dog's nose I tell you.

 

[dixiedragon]

Judy - they make bamboo socks?! What are they like? Are they nice?

OP - I made my dad a coffee tea tree soap for his feet and it worked pretty well. I don't brew coffee - I just throw a bunch of grounds in the lye water. I think having the grounds in the soap actually makes the coffee scent come through fairly well (for being naturally scented and not an FO.)

 

[boyago]

To be honest, not really. Just an obsessive hubby who *thinks* they are very smelly and can't let it go. He's got a dog's nose I tell you.

It's the bacteria that eat the sweat that cause the smell. Maybe a neem oil with rosemary would help. I had supper horrible feet for a long time. My dermatologist told me "your feet sweat too much" and sent my packing with a big bottle of topical antibiotics and a solution of aluminum oxide (I think).

 

[honeysuds]

You could try adding some clays to your soap recipe, green zeolite is supposed to be good for odor absorption according to the brambleberry site. You could also try activated charcoal or French green clay, both have different properties so maybe read up on them and figure out which would work best.

 

[DeeAnna]

A quick "lick and a promise" with soap and a washcloth are unlikely to solve a sweaty, stinky foot problem, which is why a foot bath has a better chance of helping (but I know all about manly men who don't do foot baths!)

When I want a soap like pine tar to have the best chance to help with a skin problem, I work up a good lather and leave the lather on the skin for at least 30 seconds, preferably more.

I agree with the advice about a wicking type of sock (I'm wearing heavy wool sox right now) and regular washing of insoles. Keep boots dry inside -- if possible, alternate wearing boots every other day, so each pair gets a couple of days to dry out.

 

[MzMolly65]

You could also try activated charcoal

Thanks for this idea. I have some AC and think a black bar or a bar with black swirls will encourage the "man" to use it more often.

Starting to formulate a plan from all the good advice! Thank you every one.

 

[AKjulz]

My daughter just watched the movie Holes today and it sounds like he needs a can of "Sploosh" to solve his problem. Haha. Cute family movie if you've never seen it, they solve extreme foot odor with a secret combination of peaches and onions. Too bad it's not that easy in real life.