How to get rid of smelly feet?

Best of luck dealing with your brother's feet. I have a brother facing the exact same struggle; he swaps his socks multiple times a day, scrubs his feet daily, and even uses deodorizer in his sneakers, yet nothing seems to touch the problem. Honestly, it feels like he isn't even bothered by it himself. After years of living with the scent, I’ve become somewhat desensitized to it.
Anyway, good luck.

So, I picked up these cute little ballet flats, but every time I wear them, my feet smell so bad it’s driving me crazy. Usually, I don't have this issue, but these shoes are a disaster. Is there some kind of spray I can use on the shoes themselves to stop the odor, or something similar? Because I seriously need 👎
thanks in advance for the help

I’m familiar with the Dr. Scholl's line—they have both foot sprays and shoe sprays. You can just spritz them on, and even if you aren't sure if they actually "cure" anything, they definitely do a decent job of masking those unpleasant odors.

I once had this one specific pair of shoes that was a total nightmare—just one single pair, mind you. Every single time I pulled them on, it was the exact same disaster. Usually, I don't deal with this at all, but those shoes were just beyond help. Honestly, there wasn't any other way out besides just giving up and stopping wearing them altogether.😢 😬

Lisa Sanchez64 said:So, I picked up these adorable little ballet flats, but honestly, every single time I wear them, my feet smell absolutely unbearable. Usually, I don't have this issue at all, but these shoes are just a nightmare. Is there perhaps some kind of spray you can use on the footwear itself to help minimize the odor? Because I could really use some 👎
thanks in advance for any advice

I own a pair of those flats myself...

lol, you really wearing flats in this heat?
Ditch the spray and grab some fancy sandals instead. Let your feet actually breathe for once. 😬

I possess a pair of similar ballet flats myself, though I have certainly owned boots in the past as well. Truth be told, almost nothing seems to offer any real relief; however, I found that applying Lush foot powder—which I was quite fond of—was somewhat effective, even when I applied a generous amount directly into my shoes rather than just onto my feet. In any case, I find the Lush formula far superior to anything from Dr. Scholl's. While it isn't exactly cheap, the sheer volume provided in that little container is impressive, especially considering I have been using the same jar for two years now.
Ultimately, while it doesn't solve the issue entirely, things are slightly more manageable.

Clean them out thoroughly with some rubbing alcohol, apply foot powder, and add a few drops of lavender oil. In the morning, wash your feet and use a moisturizer, but again, make sure you drop a little lavender oil into your palm first.
Lavender acts as a natural antiseptic. The reason those ballet flats stink is because they're made of synthetic materials that don't let your feet breathe at all. Try to wear them less often, and moving forward, prioritize high-quality footwear over just how good they look.

Lisa Sanchez64 said:So, I picked up these adorable little flats, but every time I wear them, my feet smell unbearable. My feet don't usually have this issue, but these shoes are a disaster. Is there a spray I could use on the shoes themselves to minimize the odor? I really need a solution. 👎
thanks in advance for any help

🤣 🤣 watch your language!!! calling smelly flats just shoes??? you should probably call them stinky-toes or odor-ballets 😕

There are plenty of sprays out there—ranging from Armani, Calvin Klein, Hugo Boss, and Brut to Old Space, not to mention mosquito repellent or air fresheners... but honestly, you'd probably be better off washing your feet more often and wearing those thin liner socks. 🙂

Dennis Miller, I don't know why you're attacking her; if you actually bothered to read closely, you'd realize we aren't dealing with poor hygiene here, but rather a different issue entirely that several of us are experiencing.
As for the quality and that supposed plastic feel, I paid a premium for both my boots and my shoes, and let me be clear: they are genuine leather, not some cheap synthetic, so they shouldn't be reacting this way under any circumstances, yet somehow, it happens.
But Angela Wright, that is actually solid advice—if I ever find myself purchasing a pair like these again. 😉

Here—returning this advice. 🙂
I read this on a forum ages ago.

Take a piece of cotton (don't skimp!) and soak it in rubbing alcohol (again, don't skimp!). Stuff them into your stinky shoes.
Let the alcohol evaporate.
Repeat as needed.

I'm not sure if this works for ballet flats, but it works wonders on sneakers and other bulky footwear.
It would also be wise to treat your feet at the same time (using something like Lotrimin).

I've run into a bit of a dilemma...
I wash my legs regularly—just like the rest of my body—at least once a day. It’s just standard hygiene, nothing unusual, and I don't have any skin conditions or anything like that.

The issue is, my feet seem to have an odor all on their own.
Interestingly enough, they don't smell when they're sweaty.
My shoes don't really smell by themselves either, but the moment I slip into some open leather sandals without socks, and my feet start to sweat, the shoes take on this intense stench 😢—it's almost like the sweat triggers some kind of chemical reaction with the leather, if that makes sense.
What could be causing this?
With summer right around the corner and sandal season approaching, I'm wondering how to get ahead of this problem.

mistyjackal8 said:I've got a bit of an issue here..
I wash my legs regularly—just like the rest of my body—at least once a day. My hygiene is totally on point, and I don't have any skin conditions or anything like that.

The problem is my feet just smell on their own.
It’s not even when they get sweaty.
My shoes don't really smell by themselves, but whenever I put on open leather sandals without socks, and then my feet start to sweat, the shoes take on this intense odor😢 almost like the sweat is triggering some kind of chemical reaction with the leather. I don't know how else to describe it.
What's going on?
Summer is right around the corner, which means sandal season, so I'm wondering how to fix this?

I honestly don't know how to help you other than suggesting—maybe skip the leather sandals.👍

Summer is coming soon? Hmmm... not really feeling it over here yet.😕 😕

I just can't bring myself to wear closed-toe shoes and socks all summer—it's way too hot for that. 😢
Anyone else feeling the same?

So, you end up producing about 500 ml of sweat, and once the bacteria get involved, things start smelling pretty unpleasant. Between the microbes and everything else, how do you actually deal with that? Any specific products or treatments you'd recommend?

Are you trying to say it stinks? 😬

Maybe try using some Pedesal spray—you can pick it up at a CVS or Walgreens—just be careful not to overdo it, otherwise it’ll end up drying out the skin on your feet way too much.

Stink... smell... whatever you want to call it, it's still an issue.

Is there anything else we can use besides spray?

Start wearing high-quality footwear 😕 and that’s likely the only thing that will actually help you—it's probably where the issue lies. 😕

Maybe try picking up some zinc oxide ointment—I grabbed some at a local CVS, and since they make it themselves, it's pretty solid. It’s white and has a really thick consistency, which makes it perfect for applying right before bed, especially if you're dealing with those pale, dry feet.

After about a week, the odor is completely gone.😍

Steven Bailey70 said:Stink... odor... it's all the same mess.

Is there anything out there besides just spraying stuff on it?

Look, every single morning after you hop out of the shower and wash up, just grab a few drops of lavender oil, rub it between your palms, and massage it into your feet—soles, toes, everywhere. Lavender acts as a natural antiseptic that’ll take care of any fungus and kill off that stench at the source.

If we’re talking about "fungus"—which is usually the real culprit behind that nasty foot odor—then you actually have to go out and treat the infection, because let’s be honest, no amount of sprays or deodorants is going to fix the root issue. They might mask the stench for a minute, but the problem stays right where it is. If you've got a fungal thing going on, picking up some Dow Chemical cream at the drugstore is probably your best bet; it should run you maybe $3 or $4. You really need to make sure you're applying it thoroughly between your toes, since that's exactly where this stuff loves to hang out. One more thing that's super important: after you get out of the shower, you have to dry your feet REALLY WELL, making an extra effort to get those spaces between your toes completely bone-dry. If it turns out it isn't fungus, then you're stuck looking at various sprays or deodorants, and you'd better be careful about what kind of socks and shoes you pick so your feet can actually breathe.