We all have stinky feet sometimes but prefer it when we kick off our shoes and don’t scare our lover away. Being a dancer, sometimes my feet are awful. I’ve tired body spray, deodorant, baking soda, smelly body lotion, charcoal packs and more. So what works, what doesn’t and what are some of the best natural ways to cut down on the stench?

Change Up Your Diet

Some people find that when they consume protein in high amounts their scent can change. Others find that diets too high in grain or sugars make them stink. Almost everyone agrees that increasing your daily greens and moderating sugar makes them smell less. Packing your diet full of leafy greens increases your chlorophyll intake. Chlorophyll will actively neutralize odor causing compounds in your body while alkalizing the body. That means less BO and feet that you can convince someone to massage. Sometimes I cheat the system and invest in a bottle of chlorophyll from a health food store. Obviously, if your eat your greens, you’ll pull in additional vitamins and minerals so I always recommend real food before supplementation or in conjunction with supplementation.

Treat You Feet To Natural Fibers

Wool has amazing antibacterial and antimicrobial properties and so does bamboo! Finding socks that are made with over 80% wool or bamboo will keep your feet smelling fresh all day. I can sometimes get away with wearing wool socks for an entire week before they start to smell a touch off and they never stink the way synthetic socks do. My favorite pair to wear to markets is a medium weight bamboo compression sock. They are as thin as nylon socks and help keep blood from pooling in my legs allowing me to go all day without experiencing tiered feet. Choosing shoes made of real leather, cotton or hemp can also make the world of a difference in how much odor your feet release after your kicks come off.

Try A DIY Essential Oil Spray

Once your shoes and feet smell, it’s hard to reverse it. None of the body sprays I tried in my younger years did anything to rid the smell of stinky shoes and stinky feet. I would douse my dance slippers in spray and let them dry out only to be disappointed that now they smelled of rotten fake grapefruit. Essential oils work much better as some are super powerful anti-microbial and anti-fungals. One of the strongest is cinnamon. Other good choices are cajeput, tea tree and lavender. You can make your own spray in a bottle and add a little vinegar to help create even more bacteria fighting potential. If you’re going to spray your shoes, I’d recommend the cinnamon, however, if you’re trying to make your own foot spray, cinnamon can be irritating to the skin. For a foot spray, you’re better off combining tea tree and lavender. Both are also great for treating toenail fungus and athlete’s foot! Use about a 5 % dilution of essential oils with about 1/4 vinegar, 1/8 alcohol and 1/2 water in your spray bottle.

If It Works Under your Arms, It Should Work Under Your Socks

Natural deodorants can work well on the feet. Look for one that comes in a jar like ours. In this form, it’s much easier to apply on your feet and generally has more active ingredients than in a stick (as you need to use more stabilizers like beeswax in stick form). The deodorants will generally help to keep your feet dry and will also help to neutralize odors. Ones with a baking soda base will likely work the best although ones with natural clays, like bentonite, can work well too. You can also try sprinkling a bit of baking soda or bentonite clay into your shoes before you put them on for a long work day and sprinkling a bit more when you leave them at your door. Just don’t sprinkle too much or else you will end up with some weird pastiness and white marks on your feet and in your fancy boots.

Now that you know my secrets, you’ll be able to kick your feet up anywhere and around anyone without worry and hopefully you’ll score a couple extra foot rubs too!

Jay