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How to Get Rid of Foot Odor

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Are you suffering from a raging case of stinky feet? Do people wince when you walk by? Do your dogs avoid playing with your shoes? Here are some suggestions that may help tame that fearsome foot odor.

Steps

1. Wash your feet. Sure, it sounds obvious, but it's easy to think just going into the shower is enough. The objective here is to get rid of any bacteria, and any dead skin cells that bacteria like to feed on. So when you wash your feet, don't assume that a quick rub with soapy water is enough; exfoliate the entire surface of your foot with a washcloth, brush, or any other abrasive mechanism and use anti-bacterial soap. Don't forget to scrub between your toes, either. When you dry your feet, dry them completely. Moisture--whether it's water or sweat--is what creates a fertile breeding ground for bacteria, so take the time to dry your feet thoroughly (again, don't neglect the space between your toes).
   
2. Change your socks daily with laundered ones. Colored socks seem to be more prone to bacteria, and the resulting smell, than white socks.
   
   • When you wash your socks, turn them inside out in the washer so the dead flakes of skin have a better chance of being washed away.
     
   • When you do need to wear socks, go for absorbent ones made of cotton or wool. Non-absorbent socks (like nylon) trap moisture around your foot, making a cozy little nook for bacteria. If possible, change your socks more than once a day, and never, ever wear a pair of socks more than once without washing them. Unless using open shoes you should always wear socks, try two pair of socks to help with the wicking of moisture away from the foot.
     
   • Lightly Powder shoes and socks daily with baking soda, dust out yesterdays baking soda before adding it fresh
     
   • Wash your feet at least once a day.
     
   • If you're in a pinch, you can scrub your feet with an anti-bacterial wipe or a paper towel soaked in rubbing alcohol.
     
   • Clipping and brushing your toe nails will probably help, too.
     
   
   
3. Soak your feet. Believe it or not, your foot can produce a whopping half liter (over 2 cups!) of sweat in one day.[1] So how will soaking help? Some solutions will actually dry out your feet, and others will make the surface of your feet inhospitable to bacteria. Here are some concoctions:
   
   • Bleach-5 to 10 minutes a day for a week. Add a few tablespoons of bleach to a gallon of warm water. You will notice that the odor is diminished or gone in one day. Bleach kills bacteria. Bleach your white socks too in the laundry. If your shoes can withstand it, add the same solution to the insides of your shoes, soak them down. Wait 1/2 hour and then just rinse them out in the sink. Dry them thoroughly before wearing them again.
     
   • Tea - 30 minutes a day for a week. The tannic acid in the tea will dry out your skin.[2]
     
   • Salt water - Half a cup of kosher salt for every quart of water. After soaking, don't rinse, just dry thoroughly.[3] [4]
     
   • Aluminum acetate - Dries out your feet. Mix 1 packet Domeboro powder or 2 tablespoons Burow's Solution (both available over-the-counter) in 1 pint of water. Soak for 10 to 20 minutes at a time.[4]
     
   • Sodium bicarbonate - Makes skin more alkaline, which inhibits bacterial growth. 1 tablespoon baking soda for every quart of water.[4]
     
   • Vinegar - Makes skin more acidic. 1/2 cup vinegar for every 1 quart of water.[4] Keep in mind that some people's foot odor can be described as "vinegary" so if this is you, this soak might make things worse.
     
     • The quick (no soaking) method with no extra water: keep a mixture of 1/2 regular vinegar (already 95% water) and 1/2 isopropyl alcohol ("rubbing-alcohol") and dribble this daily (use a medicine dropper) over and between your toes and irritated skin on the feet and spread it. Both products are harmless to your skin, but the vinegar kills fungus and the alcohol inhibits or kills bacteria (also helps get rid of toe fungus on contact.).
       
     
     
   
   
4. Rotate your shoes. Let your shoes dry out completely so that bacteria don't set up camp in there. It takes at least 24 hours for a shoe to dry out completely[4] (that may seem like a long time, but remember that you can put down four cups of sweat in one day, and that isn't going to evaporate quickly). Take out the insoles to help the drying process along. Otherwise, wearing the same pair day after day is a recipe for stinkfoot.
   
   • Wear sandals or open-toe shoes so your feet stay cool and you don't produce as much sweat; and when you do, it evaporates due to air circulation. if you can't wear sandals, go for leather or canvas shoes, which allow your feet to "breathe" (and steer clear of rubber and plastic shoes).
     
   • Wash your shoes regularly. Many shoes can be thrown in the washing machine. Just make sure they dry thoroughly before you put them on.
     
   
   
5. Put antiperspirant on your feet. Yup, that's right, take that stick of antiperspirant and rub it on your feet. (Sprays will work as well.) Make sure it's antiperspirant, though, not deodorant--deodorant just covers up smells. Antiperspirant actually reacts with the electrolytes in sweat to form "gel plugs" that block off your sweat ducts. Since each one of your feet has over 250,000 sweat glands[5] (more sweat glands per inch than any other part of your body[6]) a little antiperspirant can go a long way.
   
6. Rub your feet (between the toes too!) with one or more of the following powders (but not too much, or it might form into annoying clumps). This is what most foot powders and sprays contain to combat foot odor:
   
   • talcum powder - it's an astringent, so it'll dry out your feet
     
   • baking soda - creates an alkaline environment that's not bacteria-friendly
     
   • corn starch - absorbs sweat
     
   
   
7. Remove your shoes Whenever you are able to take a break, remove your shoes. This helps the shoes and your feet stay drier.
   
8. Use a shoe dryer There are several great, low-wattage shoe and boot dryers that use convection air currents to slowly and completely dry wet, sweaty shoes. Place your footwear on them at the end of the day or workout and put on dry, warm and comfortable shoes about eight hours later. Dryers eliminate the moisture that odor-causing bacteria need to grow and help your shoes to last longer.
   

Tips

• Make sure you are getting the USDA recommended daily allowance (RDA) of zinc. Yup, that's right, a zinc deficiency can lead to foot odor, as well as general body odor AND bad breath! So, make sure zinc is included in your multi vitamin, or get a separate zinc supplement.
  
• Stress can stimulate sweating. That's why you might notice that your life and your feet stink at the same time.
  
• Lightly Powder shoes and socks with fresh baking soda daily - guaranteed to eliminate the stinkiest foot and shoe odor, and is a simple and economical solution.
  
• Try a natural deodorant that is crystal based. These sprays work by making the skin inhospitable for bacteria (web search for crystal foot deodorant).
  
• Do not walk with only your socks on. They pick up lots of bacteria this way. Then, when you put your shoes back on, the bacteria population explodes in the moist, warm environment.
  

Warnings

• Foot odor is just that...foot odor. If there are any other symptoms, it could be athlete's foot or ringworm or an infection. Get it checked out by a doctor. Look out for:
  
  • pus
    
  • recurring blisters
    
  • persistent dry, flaky skin
    
  • itchiness
    
  • skin cancer
    
  
  
• Talc, a common additive in foot powders, can cause lung damage if inhaled often.
  
  • Use foot powders that are mostly made of cornstarch or other non-talc ingredients.
    
  • Powder your shoes outside, where there is good ventilation, e.g., on the porch
    
  • Shake the foot powder container directly into your shoes, and gently, to avoid producing a cloud of foot powder.
    
  • Avoid shaking up foot powder in your bedroom or car, to reduce chances of inhalation.
    
  • Note that there have been recent headlines on the use of talc to treat cancers of the lung lining, but this is a very specific medical treatment placing talcum powder through a hole in the chest wall. INHALING TALC remains unhealthy.
    
  
  
• Never dry your shoes with a hair dryer, in an oven, or in the rear window of a hot vehicle. Excessive heat ruins leather, loosens glue, and melts plastic. Shoes should be dried slowly and gently to retain shape, suppleness, and strength.
  
• If you wash your feet while in the shower be careful because your feet will be more slippery with soap on them.
  
• Bleach is bad for you. Bleach manufacturers DO NOT recomend using it as described above.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Keep Feet Clean
  
• How to Care for Your Feet and Toe Nails Successfully
  
• How to Take Care of Your Feet
  
• How to Make Your Feet Beautiful
  
• How to Have Flawless Feet
  

Sources and Citations

1. ↑ http://www.oprah.com/slideshow/oprahshow/slideshow1_ss_oz_20070426/10


2. ↑ http://www.oprah.com/slideshow/oprahshow/slideshow1_ss_oz_20070426/10


3. ↑ http://health.howstuffworks.com/home-remedies-for-foot-odor.htm


4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 http://www.mothernature.com/library/bookshelf/books/47/64.cfm


5. ↑ http://health.howstuffworks.com/question514.htm


6. ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/ask_the_doctor/sweatyfeet.shtml

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Get Rid of Foot Odor. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

More Help For You

How to Eat Cheese

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Cheese, besides being arguably the most popular word to use when one is searching for a random word, is a delicious food and can be enjoyed plain, with bread, etc...be creative!

Steps

1. Buy some cheese at the store. Pick something you know and love, something new, something your friends have recommended, anything! Lots of cheeses are good. You just need to experiment.
   
2. Open the package of cheese on a cutting board, and cut a few slices (unless it is a "spreadable" cheese).
   
3. Put the slices on a plate, along with (optional) some bread, sliced meat, or anything you think the cheese would be good with.
   
4. Eat the cheese plain, with a fork or your hands, or make a sandwich. Enjoy!
   

Tips

• Experiment with different types of cheese and things to eat it with.
  
• Spices taste good with cheese!
  
• Have some friends over to eat the cheese with - everything's more fun with company!
  
• Eat lots of cheese, because everyone likes cheese!
  
• Cheese from Wisconsin is the best kind
  

Warnings

• Do not eat cheeses if you are lactose intolerant!
  
• Always check the ingredients if you have allergies.
  
• Sharp knives can be quite dangerous. Be careful.
  

Things You'll Need

• Cutting board
  
• Plate
  
• Knife
  
• Cheese
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Cook with Cheese
  
• How to Cook Cheese on Toast
  
• How to Make a Delicious Cheese Sauce
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Eat Cheese. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Hankasaur

No Need to Thank Me

How to Give a Cat Medicine

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

There is really no easy way to administer medicines to your cat. Cats are quick, and can easily slip away from you, and hide. Try various methods, depending on the size of your cat, until you find one that works for you.

Steps

1. Prepare the medicine you have to administer and place on top of a paper towel, on a nearby surface, so that you can grab it quickly as soon as the cat's mouth opens.
   
   • A pill pusher is a bit like a syringe for pills. The rubber tip holds the pill and a plunger pushes it out when the time comes.
     
   • A syringe full of water can help to ensure that your cat actually swallows the medication.
     
   
   
2. Lift the cat and hold it with one arm around it, while using your hand to open their mouth. Placing the cat on a towel or blanket on an elevated surface (such as a dresser or countertop) might help.
   
3. Open the cat's mouth. Use your thumb and middle finger, and press into the corner of its mouth. They instantly open their mouth, enabling you to give the cat the medication.
   
4. Put the medication in the cat's mouth, and follow up with a bit of water if it seems to help with swallowing.If giving the cat a pill, put it in their mouth quickly.DO NOT squirt liquid medication into the cat's throat or tongue. Liquids are likely to go down a cat's windpipe, making the cat choke. For liquid medications, insert the dropper between the cat's cheek and teeth.
   
5. Stroke the cat's throat or blow sharply on its nose to encourage the cat to swallow.
   
6. Follow up with a kitty treat. This will help to encourage swallowing and make the whole process at least a little less arduous.
   

Alternative Methods

1. Administer thick gel like medications from a tube (as for hairball prevention) with either of these methods or a combination:
   
   • Place the required dose onto your finger, and insert your finger into their mouth. They lick it off easily.
     
   • If they resist, or leave some on your finger, just wipe your finger with the gel onto their paws or outside their mouth. They will wash their paws and mouth, and digest the gel.
     
   
   
2. To give your cat a pill, crush the pill and mix it with with cream cheese. Wipe the mixture onto the cat's front leg. He will instantly lick it and therefore consume his medication.
   
3. Pill Pockets are great for getting cats to swallow pills without realizing it.
   

Video

A video showing one method to give a cat a pill. Other methods described in the article on how to give a cat a pill.

Tips

• Speed and sure aim help get the pill or dropper into the mouth before there's time for stress or a fight. This is why it is best to prepare the medications before you even pick up the cat.
  
• When giving a cat a tablet, it might be easier to first dip the tablet in margarine. This practice will keep the pill from becoming lodged in the throat. It will also encourage the cat to swallow the tablet and can help cover up any unpleasant taste.
  
• When cats panic, they tend to back up. Use this to your advantage by kneeling on the floor with the cat between your knees, facing away from you. Doing this will make it easier to open the mouths of some cats or get drops into their eyes and ears.
  
• To immobilize a cat while giving medication: Spread out a towel, put the cat in the middle of a towel and wrap the cat up like a burrito; leaving its head sticking out.
  
• If giving liquid medication, to keep it from getting all over the cat's fur make a hole in one corner of a paper towel and put the cat's head through the hole, using the paper towel as a bib.
  
• Cats have a gap at the back of their teeth. With dropper medicine, you can point the tip of the dropper into this gap to instantly open its mouth to quickly administer medicine.
  
• IF your cat can have cottage cheese, crush the pill/any med. add to cottage cheese, all done. Works really great for dogs! Some meds can not be crushed, crushing makes them not work well, so ask the Vet. before you do it. The pets do not smell the meds in cottage cheese OR they just like it so much they do not care if it has meds in it. Just use enough to mix the meds. in it.
  
• If you need to insert medication through any other openings, it helps to make the cat stay still until you're sure it won't drip out
  
• If the cat repeatedly gets away from you before you can dose it (or immobilize it with the towel method above), tempt or trick it into a much smaller room without any hiding places, like a walk in closet or bathroom, and shut the door. The medicine process will go much faster if you don't have to search the house tracking the cat down every time it manages to get away from you.
  

Warnings

• Be extra careful when putting eye-drops into the cats eyes. They squirm and are fast, and the tip of the eyedropper can easily extend into the eye, causing damage and pain. It is best to have a second person with you, when applying eye drops, or bring the cat to the vet and ask for their help.
  
• DO NOT give your cat human medicine. It can be harmful or fatal!
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Give a Cat a Pill
  
• How to Clean Your Cat When He Can't Do It Himself
  
• How to Give Your Cat Eye Drops
  
• How to Give Subcutaneous Fluids to a Cat
  
• How to Communicate With Your Cat
  
• How to Tame a Feral Cat
  
• How to Give a Mouse or Other Small Rodent Oral Medication
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Give a Cat Medicine. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Sad/Odd

I found this by accident.