Recommendations for smelly feet

[Crombie]

Smelly Feet

My husband had the ugliest, most calloused, stinky feet until one month ago. He had a complete rupture of his quadriceps and is walker dependent and cannot bed his knee until doctor say so. I have had to clean those nasty feet! I started using 50% salt bars exclusively on them, followed by my homemade lavender moisturizing cream, followed by clean socks. All of the callouses are gone, and they have no odor and they are baby soft! His toenails are still ugly, but otherwise, his feet are like new.

 

[new soaper]

I just read a really good clip on all the great things clay can do and this is exactly one of the issues they mentioned.

 

[new12soap]

Here is what I recommed, some of which has already been offered:

Get 2 pairs and wear each one every other day. A podiatrist told my father-in-law to do that, overnight is not enough time to completely dry out, never wear any pair of shoes 2 days in a row.

Use odor-eating inserts, preferably ones with activated charcoal in them, and/or at night spray them out with some alcohol. I use 91% rubbing alcohol in a cheap little spray bottle for almost everything.

Salt bars make excellent foot soaps.

And here is what I have found most helpful for sweaty stinky feet... Antiperspirant/deodorant. Inexpensive spray kind, on the bottoms of the feet, keep them nice and cool and dry and comfy all day long. I suppose you could use a roll on, or a solid, or even a homemade one, but it works. Put it on in the morning, right before you pull your socks on. Try it, you and DH will be amazed.

 

[MzMolly65]

I have had to clean those nasty feet!

Oh you poor person .. ick! I'd definitely do it if I had to but I'm greatful I don't have to.

I think I'm lucky my DH has quite nice feet because he's a very meticulous groomer. Hence his request for a soap.

What's your favorite salt bar recipe?

 

[NurseEmily]

It's the bacteria that eat the sweat that cause the smell.

Yes. My first thought was "bacteria" too. I'd like to suggest 5-10 min Epson salt soaks in warm water (what I had to do for diabetic patients with non-healing foot ulcers when I worked in long term care) along with all the other suggestions mentioned in this thread.

 

[mbaldwin]

I know you said he can't stand wool socks, but has he tried Merino wool socks? I was against wool until I finally tried a pair. you can't even tell they are wool. I can wear the same pair for running 3 times a week at 60 minutes each and there is no noticeable odor. There is a company in Vermont that makes them with a life time guarantee. if the bamboo does not work out, they might be worth a shot. I would not even tell him they are wool until after the fact. I am even considering getting a few merino wool diaper covers for our new one, and I would not even consider with the previous kids.

Michael

 

[MzMolly65]

I know you said he can't stand wool socks, but has he tried Merino wool socks?

We are talking about the man who finds the edges of the bed sheets "sharp". :roll: There will be NO wool.

Ok .. thanks everyone I appreciate the ideas. I have worn work boots my whole adult life and I have walked thousands of miles in them. I know feet, I know boots, I know socks. I really appreciate everyone trying to help but please, please, please can we stick to just soap ideas here?

Technically I think I have it down to tea tree oil and lavender for bacteria/fungus, unless someone has other suggestions. I was thinking activated charcoal for odour absorption but after reading the thread on the mess that makes of the shower I'm scratching that idea. The last thing I need is ANOTHER black ring around the tub.

I want to use Essential Depot's recipe for Bonnie's Triple Butter soap to help moisturize the feet and since their recipe already has tea tree oil in it I would only need to swap out their lemon grass oil for my lavender.

Can I swap that out oz for oz or does lavender need a different amount based on the weight of oils?

ETA: someone also mentioned a 50/50 salt bar. Can anyone explain what that means and can I use it with the Triple Butter recipe or is it a specific recipe all on it's own?

 

[girlishcharm2004]

You wouldn't be able to put salt in Bonnie's Triple Butter soap because of the amount of coconut needed for a salt bar. However, I'm not sure what the 50/50 part means so my comment may not apply.

You're going to hate me for bringing up socks again, but when my husband and I go hiking we use a sock liner under wool socks. I only bring this up because I haven't heard anyone mention it, yet, and I don't know if that would be a possibility to mask the wool feeling. http://www.rei.com/product/242098/wigwam-gobi-liners

Also, I used to have stinky feet as a kid when wearing non-breathable shoes. My feet stank to the point that I began washing my feet before I put my shoes and (clean) socks on. My feet definitely sweat; I'm a runner and a hiker, but it's not the sweat that makes them stink, it's the bacteria. My shoes and feet never stink now that I began washing my feet as habit of getting dressed. If you can't get the smell out of the shoes, then he may need to get new shoes for his new feet washing routine to work. I must say, it's a lot easier to wash feet every time before putting (clean) socks and shoes on, it's not so easy to get rid of a nasty smell that has permeated the entire shoe and therefore re-introduces bacteria to his feet with each wear. However, if his feet don't really smell, but he thinks they do, then he might already have good foot hygiene and is just paranoid about it.

I do believe a tea tree and lavender would be great for the bacteria issue, or find another scent that compliments the tea tree essential oil.

 

[mbaldwin]

I want to use Essential Depot's recipe for Bonnie's Triple Butter soap to help moisturize the feet and since their recipe already has tea tree oil in it I would only need to swap out their lemon grass oil for my lavender.

Can I swap that out oz for oz or does lavender need a different amount based on the weight of oils?

I would check with your supplier of lavender to see what their recommended usage rate is. Or start out with a total of .5% of EO in the soap. Because you are using two EOs, tea tree and lavender, I would start out with .25% of each for a total of .5% in the cp.

The soap would still be usable with too little EO, but to much EO might make it not useable.

You could also look at some carrier oils that are thought to have anti-bacterial properties. I think Avocado Oil, neem oil, Passion Fruit Oil, Pomegranate Seed Oil are ones that fit that bill, but you will want to do further research on them.

Michael

 

[Crombie]

A peppermint salt bar has solved this problem for my husband. His feel smell and feel like baby's feet now. This is after years of suffering from Athelete's foot fungus and callouses. One month of the salt bar, followed by a good foot cream and socks every night has worked wonders.

 

[soap_rat]

I love lavender, but if I were trying for antibacterial I'd go for bigger guns like oregano or thyme. Also, maybe put the oils--or Listerine!--in a spray bottle so he can hit his feet before and after work.

(andIknowyousaidtostoptalkingaboutsocksbutonvacationIworemypillowsoftmerinowoolso-cksfortendaysinarowbeforetheysmelledbad)

 

[Obsidian]

ETA: someone also mentioned a 50/50 salt bar. Can anyone explain what that means and can I use it with the Triple Butter recipe or is it a specific recipe all on it's own?

A salt bar needs to be 80% - 100% coconut oil or else the soap won't lather. I generally do 80% CO and the other 20% OO. You also need to superfat at 20% to conteract the drying effect of the coconut oil and use full water.

50% salt mean you use 50% total oil weight of salt, meaning if you use 16 oz of oils, you use 8 oz of salt. I usually use 75%-100% of salt, any fine grained salt will work but try to find some with no additives. Canning and pickling salt is a good choice and its cheap.

Add the salt at thin to medium trace and mix in by hand. Be ready to move kinda fast as the salt will make the batter thick quickly. If you are using scent or color, add it before the salt.

If you use a log or slab mold, you will need to cut your bars as soon as its hard enough to work with, usually with in a couple hours. The more salt you use, the faster it sets up. If you wait too long, it will crumble when you cut it.
Single cavity molds are great for salt bars, that way you don't have to sit around babysitting your soap waiting to cut it or making a mistake and having it crumble on you.

 

[songwind]

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

My wife knits with bamboo yarn. It's very soft and slick, but can be a problem w/ all the panda attacks.

 

[Susie]

This is not a soap answer. But it is an answer from someone who had that very problem.

My solution(after spending lots of $ for doctors and medicines) was to not wear the same pair of shoes 2 days running. Just buy an extra pair, and make sure to open the tops of the boots to dry for a FULL 24+ hours. Then, when he gets home from work, be sure those boots come off and feet are washed with fresh socks put on. Wear as little in the way of slippers/shoes as possible when at home.

If the above is not an option, then there is Domeboro tablets that dissolve in water to soak feet in.

Either way, boots off and feet washed with fresh socks immediately after work.

 

[MzMolly65]

I made the batch .. it's not near as yellow as the pictures. In real life it's more of a lardy, petroleum jelly colour .. but I like it and it smells nice. ETA: we used the scrap end for a tester and it leaves the skin super soft!! Hubby says his feet like it too!

 

[cmzaha]

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.

I make a deodorant with tea tree, neem, lavender & lemongrass. Works great on feet too

 

[Soaplily]

I made a deodorant cream with rose geranium and lime. It smelled divine and really worked on the stink. Unfortunately, it turned my pits brown which happens to some people. :-(

 

[cmzaha]

Oh you poor person .. ick! I'd definitely do it if I had to but I'm greatful I don't have to.

I think I'm lucky my DH has quite nice feet because he's a very meticulous groomer. Hence his request for a soap.

What's your favorite salt bar recipe?

75% coconut oil
25% soft oils and butters 20% superfat 80-100% fine salt 2 tsp sugar ppo
Will lather nicely eo mix of grapefruit, lemongrass, lavender and tea tree

 

[engblom]

Baking soda is very efficent in keeping smell away! A little bit of salt added will help additionally. I have used a mix of baking soda and salt as a deodorant powder. I could imagine a solution made out of those two and soaking the feet (or spraying them) would really help.

 

[tinytreats]

When that happens to me, I put a handful of baking soda in a basin of hot water. I soak my feet in the water until it gets lukewarm. Works like a charm everything!