It is summer and it is hot and your feet have been sweating in those shoes or sneakers all day! Big time P.U.!!!
The culprit -- Bacteria is to blame. The tiny bacteria critters normally inhabit your feet and love dark, damp places like the insides of sweaty shoes. The more you sweat, the more these bacteria multiply. Are you going without socks? That really gets the bacteria critters going. In the right conditions, bacteria will feast on your feet. These bacteria eat dead skin cells and oils from your skin. Their colonies will grow and start getting rid of waste in the formm of organic acids. It is those organic acids that smell bad.
Some good news -- it is only 10% to 15% of people that the smell is really bad. Why is that? Because their feet are extra sweaty and become home to bacteria call Micrococcus sedentarius. These bacteria produce more than just stinky organic acids -- they also produce stuff called volatile sulfur compounds. Sulfur compounds usually are powerful and awful smelling -- like a rotten egg!
Some things you can do to help cut down on those sweaty feet:
Be clean. Bathe your feet every day. Dipping your feet into a tub of water may be better than just letting the shower water splash on them. Be sure to dry your feet when you're done.
Wear the right socks. Cotton, some wools, and special knits made for athletes will absorb sweat and allow your feet to breathe. Put on a fresh pair if they get damp.
Make sure your shoes aren't too tight. If they are, your feet might sweat more than normal.
Switch shoes. Wearing the same shoes every day can make them smellier. Let them dry out for a couple of days before wearing them again.
Kill those germs. Ask your mom or dad about using a disinfectant spray to kill bacteria in your shoes. You might also wash your feet with antibacterial soap. Setting shoes out in the sun also may help.
Wash shoes or insoles. Some insoles or shoes, especially sneakers, may be washable — a great way to kill odors and get clean-smelling shoes again. Be sure to dry them completely before wearing them.
Avoid shoes made of plastic. Plastic and some human-made materials don't let your feet breathe.
Go barefoot. Let your feet air out by letting them spend some time in the open air, especially at night.
Here's to no more stinky feet!
