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Baking soda, tea tree and green tea can be allies to end foot odor in sneakers and shoes

Knowing how to stop foot odor can change a person's life. If you suffer from foot odor, don't feel embarrassed, anyone is susceptible to it. Foot odor is the popular name associated with foot odor (podobromidosis) and knowing how to get rid of it is not very easy. In the popular mentality, foot odor is associated with poor hygiene. In fact, the lack of cleaning care can cause foot odor, but it also tends to be caused by other reasons. Excessive sweating on the soles of the feet can be related to diseases such as hyperthyroidism, diabetes and obesity.

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The bad odor can be accompanied by problems such as ringworm, allergies and eczema, so it is essential to take proper care - if you deem it necessary, seek medical attention. Foot odor is caused by the action of bacteria that feed on sweat and any material found on the skin. Moisture makes them proliferate faster. When the material decomposes, a fermentation process takes place that releases the known odor.

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Closed shoes or shoes made of rubber and plastic, such as sneakers, do not allow ventilation, facilitating the production of sweat. Socks can also be responsible for foot odor when made of synthetic material such as nylon. The best material to prevent foot odor is cotton, which allows your feet to breathe. Some shoes retain sweat more intensely, generating an odor that is difficult to soften - which explains the difficulty in taking foot odor out of sneakers.

Washing your feet with soap and exfoliating them once a week (to remove the dead cells that bacteria feed on) are tasks that help with the mission to stop foot odor - but use natural products to combat the bad smell of shoes. and prevent damage to the environment. Drying your feet very well (especially between your toes) before putting on your shoe also helps.

How to end foot odor

If you've already followed all of the above tips and the problem remains, here are some natural ways to get rid of sneaker foot odors or other types of shoes:

1. Talc

The use of talc to finish off foot odor is perhaps one of the most traditional - probably your grandparents used talc for this purpose. Talc works by absorbing moisture and thus minimizing bad odours. You can either use it directly on your feet before putting on your socks, or apply it to your shoe at night and remove the excess in the morning. The measure may be old, but it is very effective.

2. Sodium bicarbonate

Baking soda has a thousand and one uses in house cleaning, such as absorbing stains, odors and moisture. For this reason, it is very useful for taking the foot odor out of your shoes. You can make sachets with the substance and put it in your shoes after taking them off at the end of the day. It is important to remember that you should not use the substance in the same way as talc, as baking soda has a basic pH, enough to cause irritation to your feet. Therefore, check that your shoes do not have any traces of baking soda before using them. Check out other uses for baking soda.

3. Orange, lemon or tangerine peels

Never throw fruit peels away, they have a thousand and one uses in your home, such as removing pollutants from the water, scaring away mosquitoes and flavoring the environment, in addition to being used in delicious sweets, among other functions. The peels of citrus fruits like lemon and orange can also be used in your fight to end foot odor. Just put the skins (very dry) inside your shoes at night and remove in the morning. With this safe trick you can reuse those shells that would have no function.

4. Sage and lavender

These aromatic plants are very effective in eliminating odors. The tip is to put sachets with sage leaves and a few sprigs of lavender overnight in your shoes (you can also add them to the sachet of baking soda, taught above).

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5. Use odor-controlled insoles

There are insoles with technology specifically developed to correct this problem, such as insoles with silver salts. You can cut them out to the shape of the original sole; they work well on all types of shoes, just secure them with double-sided adhesive tape strips if the shoes are opened.

6. Remove bad odor by freezing the shoe

Freezer cold will eliminate the fungus and bacteria that cause your shoes to smell bad. To do this, put your shoes in sealed plastic bags in the freezer. Leave them there overnight. Remember that it is necessary to pay attention to the material of the shoe, as it can be damaged by this process, especially if it is synthetic.

7. Wash your shoes often

Whether washing by hand or in the washing machine (not all shoes can be washed this way), this measure will help to remove the odor from the shoes. If the shoe does not allow this type of cleaning, wash the insole in the machine and, with a cloth with disinfectant (preferably ecological), clean the inside of the shoe. Allow all parts to dry very well in an airy place (and preferably in the sun) before using again. Wearing wet shoes can cause an even worse odor.

8. Switch shoes

When you wear the shoes for days at a time, it doesn't allow them to air properly and so they are more likely to have odor. When removing your shoes, place them in a well-ventilated place and preferably with incidence of sunlight, so they get rid of the moisture and bacteria that cause the dreaded foot odor. If that's not possible, at least switch the insole and dry the inside of your shoe with a blow dryer.

9. Wear socks whenever possible

Wearing shoes without socks or with synthetic socks may be the reason for your foot odor. So wear cotton socks, they help to absorb moisture from your feet. If possible, wear running socks, they have a specific moisture-absorbing technology that helps keep your feet dry. If you're afraid they'll show up, just look for the right model for your shoe. To avoid the odor, the most important thing is that they cover the soles of the feet and the front of the toes, so a half shoe is already effective.

10. Foot bath

At night, prepare a bowl of warm water and two tablespoons of vinegar (or two tablespoons of salt). Leave your feet in this solution for ten minutes and let them dry naturally. You should not use this method before putting on your shoes, just before bed.

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Footbath can also be made with a variety of other substances, such as green tea and black tea (15 minutes daily soak). Another method is to use eight drops of cypress essential oil and eight eight drops of tea tree (malaleuca) three times a week (learn more about tea tree essential oil).

Whichever method you choose, it's important to be aware of why you have a bad smell. If you suffer from this condition, always look for shoes and socks made of more airy materials. Foot odor can be a symptom of some change in your health, such as zinc deficiency, so don't be ashamed and talk to your doctor about it.