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If you are one of the many people dealing with smelly feet and want to try your hand at homemade remedies, then this blog is for you. In this post, I’ll show you how to prepare six homemade products to tackle foot odour and keep your feet smelling fresh using simple, natural ingredients.
Table of Contents
- 5 Common Reasons Your Feet Smell
- Tea Tree Oil for Smelly Feet
- 6 DIY Tea Tree Oil Remedies For Smelly Feet
- 9 Tips to Prevent Smelly Feet
- Takeaway
- FAQs
- References
5 Common Reasons Your Feet Smell
There could be many reasons for feet to smell. In some cases, a wrong choice of socks and footwear or keeping your feet too warm could cause foot odour. In others, it could be induced by anxiety, infections, or hereditary condition. If your feet cause you discomfort and embarrassment, here are five common causes they might stink:
- Change of temperature: Change in weather can cause excessive sweating. It happens when the body works overtime to manage these changes.
- Wrong choice of footwear: Closed-toe shoes don’t always allow good airflow, trapping in the moisture.
- A wrong selection of socks: Socks play an essential role in managing foot odour, just like shoes. Synthetic materials like polyester and nylon don’t allow much ventilation, leading to overheating your feet. And the hotter your feet get, the more they sweat, creating the perfect environment for odour producing bacteria.
- Fungal infection: If your feet sweat a lot, you are more likely to develop a fungal infection, as funguses love moist places. Warm closed work shoes and damp socks are a perfect breeding ground for microorganisms, causing a foul odour.
- Hereditary conditions like Plantar Hyperhidrosis: For most of us, sweating is a natural process that helps cool our body when it gets too warm. Yet, if your feet sweat excessively, in that case, you could be suffering from Plantar Hyperhidrosis. A condition caused by hyperactive sweat glands in the feet that can cause irritation, a disagreeable smell, and anxiety.
In most cases, foot odour can be managed effectively through simple interventions like choosing the right type of socks, footwear and foot baths. However, these methods won’t necessarily stop the growth of bacteria and fungus, the primary causes of foot odour. So how does tea tree oil make the difference?
Tea Tree Oil for Smelly Feet
Sweat by itself has no smell. It is bacteria that live off the sweat that produces the odour. Hence, to stop your feet from smelling, it’s essential to manage bacteria, and this is where tea tree oil comes in.
Tea tree oil is an antimicrobial and antifungal agent helpful in treating various skin conditions, including athletes’ foot and fungus infections of the nails. And according to the research, it may also help with foot odour.
Tea tree oil is rich in various bioactive compounds, including terpinen-4-ol, the primary compound believed to be responsible for the oil’s antibacterial activity (1, 2, 3, 4). This compound has been shown to eradicate bacteria that cause foot odour, making it an excellent option to prevent and manage stinky feet.
Now that we covered what causes smelly feet and how tea tree oil can help address it, here are homemade remedies that will help you keep foot odour at bay.
6 DIY Tea Tree Oil Remedies For Smelly Feet
Getting rid of smelly feet doesn’t need to be expensive to be effective. When creating the formulae below, I have created simple recipes to help cleanse, moisturise, and protect feet while keeping the costs down by incorporating the same ingredients into recipes whenever possible.
1. DIY Tea Tree Foot Wash
Washing your feet is the first step in eliminating foot odour. It helps remove sweat, dirt and odour-causing bacteria from your feet. It can also help protect your feet against fungal infections such as athlete’s foot.
Ingredients
Phase A
- 40g tea tree floral water
- 42.05g distilled water
Phase B
Phase C
- 10g coco glucoside
- 0.30g tea tree essential oil
- 0.20g peppermint essential oil
- 0.30g rosemary essential oil
- 0.10g lemongrass essential oil
- 0.05g german chamomile essential oil
Phase D
Method
- Mix the glycerine and xanthan gum in a beaker until smooth and set aside.
- Weigh the tea tree floral water and distilled water in another glass beaker. Then, gradually add the gum-glycerine mixture into the tea tree-water mixture until the blend is smooth and begins to thicken. Set aside.
- Weigh coco glucoside in another beaker and slowly add essential oils, avoiding oversteering to prevent foaming. Add it to the water-gum mixture.
- Check the ph of the wash using ph strips to ensure it is within the compatible range of 4.5 to 5.5. If it’s over 5.5 or below 4.5, adjust before moving to step 5. If the pH of the foot wash is above 5.5, you can lower it using a drop or two of citric acid solution( 10% citric acid to 90% distilled water). Subsequently, suppose the pH of the foot wash is below 4.5. In that case, you can increase pH by adding a drop or two sodium bicarbonate solutions (10% sodium bicarbonate to 90% distilled water).
- Add the preservative and recheck the ph of the wash to ensure it’s within the 4.5-5.5 range.
- Finally, you can transfer the foot wash into a dispenser pump bottle—label and date for future reference.
To use: Wet feet in warm water and apply one to two teaspoons of foot wash into a sponge or washcloth. Using small circular motions, wash your feet, not forgetting the underside of your toes and between them. Rinse off thoroughly with lukewarm water and pat dry.
2. DIY Epsom Salt Tea Tree Foot Soak
Soaking your feet after a long day at work in a foot tub filled with soothing Epsom is another step to odour-free feet. It will help soften dry skin, relieve stress, ease foot ache, control bacteria, and eliminate foot odour. To make tea tree foot soak, you will need:
Ingredients
Phase A
- 10.00g avocado oil
- 0.30g tea tree essential oil
- 0.20g peppermint essential oil
- 0.30g rosemary essential oil
- 0.10g lemongrass essential oil
Phase B
- 89.10g Epsom salt
Method
- Weigh the avocado oil and essential oils in a glass beaker and stir until well combined.
- Weigh Epsom salt in a small mixing bowl and slowly add to the oil mixture, stirring until well combined.
- Transfer the foot soak into an airtight glass jar, date, label and store away from direct sunlight.
To use:
- Fill a basin with warm water.
- Dissolve three to four tablespoons of foot soak in the water and soak your feet for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Dry thoroughly and moisturise. You’ll find a nourishing DIY foot lotion recipe below.
3. DIY Avocado Tea Tree Foot Scrub
A simple and efficient DIY foot scrub will help exfoliate dead skin cells from your feet, remove dirt and bacterial buildup, and soften rough skin. To make DIY Avocado Tea Tree Foot Scrub, you will need:
Ingredients
Phase A
- 23.00g sunflower oil
- 16.00g avocado oil
- 1.00g vitamin E
- 0.30g tea tree essential oil
- 0.20g peppermint essential oil
- 0.30g rosemary essential oil
- 0.10g lemongrass essential oil
Phase B
- 38.00g pumice powder
- 21.10g Epsom salt
Method
- Weigh all wet ingredients in a glass beaker and stir until well combined.
- Gradually add pumice powder and Epsom salt into the oil mixture.
- Transfer the foot scrub into an airtight glass jar and store it in a dry, cool place away from direct sunlight.
To use:
Dispense a teaspoon of foot scrub onto the palm of your hand and rub gently onto the bottom of your feet in a circular motion to remove dead skin. Rinse off thoroughly with lukewarm water, pat dry and moisturise. Alternatively, check out the pumice scrub bar recipe.
4. DIY Avocado Tea Tree Foot Lotion
Avocado oil is a rich, moisturising emollient helpful in hydrating, moisturising and replenishing dry skin, making it an excellent base oil for foot lotions. It can also heal chapped skin, calm itchy skin, and soften it. Tea tree oil helps eliminate foot odour, making this foot lotion an excellent DIY remedy for smelly feet.
Ingredients
Phase A
- 11.50g avocado oil
- 7.00g emulsifier olivem1000
- 6.00g shea butter
- 3.00g cupuacu butter
- 2.50g beeswax
Phase B
- 30.00g tea tree floral water
- 31.80g distilled water
- 5.00g vegetable glycerin
- 0.30g xanthan gum
Phase C
- 1.00g vitamin E
- 0.30g tea tree essential oil
- 0.20g peppermint essential oil
- 0.30g rosemary essential oil
- 0.10g lemongrass essential oil
Phase D
- 1.00g preservative ECO
Method
Step 1: Bring 2-3 cm of water to a simmer over medium-low heat in a small saucepan.
Step 2: Weigh avocado oil, shea butter, cupuacu butter, beeswax and olivem 1000 in a heatproof glass beaker, and place it into the hot water bath.
Step 3: Weigh distilled water and tea tree floral water in the second glass beaker and also place it into the hot water bath.
Step 4: Mix xanthan gum and glycerine in a third beaker and set aside.
Step 5: Once the oil phase in the first beaker and the water phase in the second beaker reach 70°C, slowly pour the oil phase into the water phase, stirring continually. Add glycerin and xanthan gum mix.
Step 6: Keep stirring until emulsion cools down to under 40°C. Add vitamin E and essential oils.
Step 7: Check the pH of the lotion is between 4.5 to 5.5. If it’s over 5.5 or below 4.5, adjust before moving to step 8. You can check it by diluting 10% of the emulsion in distilled water (10% emulsion/90% distilled water). Suppose the pH of the emulsion is over 5.5. In that case, you can lower it using a drop or two of citric acid solution( 10% citric acid to 90% distilled water). Subsequently, you can increase pH by adding a drop or two sodium bicarbonate solutions (10% sodium bicarbonate to 90% distilled water).
Step 8: Add the Preservative Eco and recheck the ph. Adjust if needed, just like described in step 7.
Step 9: You can transfer lotion into a lotion dispenser and allow it set. It will thicken overnight.
To Use: Wash your feet, pat them dry with a towel, and apply moisturiser while your skin is still damp (it will help lock the moisture in). Spread the cream thinly on the top and bottom of your feet and massage it gently into the skin until well absorbed.
5. DIY Tea Tree Foot Balm
Balms, in general, are precious ointments packed with nourishing oils and butter that are easy to make and offer several skin benefits. They are great for relieving dry skin, repairing cracked heels, and keeping feet soft and moisturised. And in this case, it also helps manage foot odour.
Ingredients
Phase A
- 10.00g beeswax
- 35.00g shea butter
Phase B
- 30.00g avocado oil
- 23.10g sunflower oil
Phase C
- 0.30g tea tree essential oil
- 0.30g rosemary essential oil
- 0.20g peppermint essential oil
- 0.10g lemongrass essential oil
- 1.00g vitamin E
Method
- Bring 2-3 cm of water to a simmer over low heat in a small saucepan.
- Weigh all beeswax and shea butter in the glass beaker, place them into a water bath and allow ingredients to melt gently.
- Weigh avocado oil and sunflower oil in another beaker, stir until well combined and set aside.
- When wax and butter have melted, remove from the heat and add the oil mixture. Keep on stirring. It will prevent graininess in the balm.
- Once the mixture has cooled to under 40C, add vitamin E and essential oil. Keep string till thin trace.
- Pour the balm into aluminium jars, label and date. Allow the balm to cool down entirely before capping the jars to prevent condensation. Store in a dry, cool room away from sunlight.
To use:
- Wash your feet, dry them with a towel, apply lotion, and follow up with the balm once the moisturiser has fully absorbed.
- Spread the balm thinly on your heels and massage gently into the skin.
- Reapply as needed. The balm will create a protective layer on your feet and keep them moisturised for long periods.
6. DIY Tea Tree Foot Spray
Another way to keep your feet smelling fresh throughout the day is to spritz on some cooling tea tree foot spray. It will help to refresh the skin and keep foot odour under control.
Ingredients
Phase A
- 4.00g Solubiliser Symbiosolv Clear Plus
- 0.30g tea tree essential oil
- 0.30g rosemary essential oil
- 0.20g peppermint essential oil
- 0.10g lemongrass essential oil
- 0.05g german chamomile essential oil
Phase B
- 94.05g Distilled water
Phase C
- 1.00g Preservative Eco
Method
Step 1: Weight solubiliser and essential oils in a glass beaker and stir till well combined.
Step 2: Weigh distilled water in another beaker and add solubiliser-essential oil mix into the distilled water and mix well.
Step 3: Add preservative and check the ph of the product using ph strips; it should be between 4.5 -5.5. You can lower the ph by adding a few drops of citric acid solution and raise it by adding a few drops of sodium bicarbonate solution. (Check step 7 – DIY Tea Tree Foot Lotion Recipe above for more details).
Step 4: Bottle the foot spray and label with the name and date. Store in a fridge for an added cooling effect.
To use:
- Wash your feet and pat them dry with a towel.
- Spritz the tea tree foot spray onto the feet, allowing it dry.
- Use twice a day.
Tip: If you are looking for other essential oils that tackle foot odour, check out my blog post, “7 Scientifically Proven Essential Oils For Smelly Feet”.
9 Tips to Prevent Smelly Feet
Follow these nine tips to keep your feet smelling fresh and looking healthy.
1. Keep Your Feet Clean
Wash your feet regularly using antibacterial soap or foot wash to remove any dead skin cells, dirt and bacteria that could cause foot odour.
2. Exfoliate
Use a pumice stone on the heels and soles of your feet to remove dead skin cells. Exfoliating your feet will help prevent foot odour and reduce dry skin buildup. You can check out natural exfoliants for feet here.
3. Apply Antibacterial Spray
Antibacterial sprays are a great way to keep your feet smelling fresh and looking healthy; it has antibacterial properties that continuously manage bacteria on the feet.
4. Powder Your Feet Regularly
Powders like arrowroot powder absorb sweat and keep feet dry. Apply it onto your feet before slipping on socks and leaving them on.
5. Dab on Some Rubbing Alcohol
Rubbing alcohol is an excellent way for keeping your feet dry. Spray a little on a cotton ball and apply it to your feet to absorb overnight.
6. Wear Clean Socks
Wear clean socks every day. Change them if they get wet. Wet socks are a perfect breeding ground for bacteria, so keeping them clean will prevent foot and shoe odour.
7. Wear Breathable Shoes
Without ventilation and proper airflow, shoes tend to get smelly, especially if worn daily. Shoes made of natural materials like leather and cotton are easy to clean with a damp cloth.
8. Dry Your Shoes
Wet shoes are a perfect breeding ground for bacteria—dry them between wearing them every day. If possible, leave shoes air dry in a well-ventilated room. Alternatively, you can line them with dry paper to speed drying.
9. Clean Your Shoes
Hand wash shoes and insoles in cold water. You can add a disinfectant solution and air dry. Depending on how often you wear shoes, try to clean your shoes every couple of weak or whenever they are starting to look dirty. It will help to keep them smelling fresh and clean.
Takeaway
Keeping your feet dry and clean is essential to prevent smelly feet and foul shoe odour. But sometimes, it’s just not enough. In that case, adding tea tree essential oil into your foot care routine can help to keep your feet smelling fresh and healthy.
FAQs
Are foot powders effective?
Foot powders are essential in foot care, especially if your feet sweat a lot. Excessive sweating can leave your feet feeling sticky, smelly and unpleasant. Foot powders are formulated to absorb excess moisture from your feet, leaving them feeling conditioned and dry.
Which foot powders are the best for smelly feet?
Highly absorbent materials like arrowroot powder and clay are some of the favourite ingredients used in foot powders. They are highly absorbent and keep feet dry, thus controlling foot odour.
References
- Terpinen-4-ol as an Antibacterial and Antibiofilm Agent against Staphylococcus aureus
- A novel aromatic oil compound inhibits microbial overgrowth on feet: a case study.
- Antimicrobial action of tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) on five common bacteria
- The Potential Application of some Aromatic Plants Essential Oils as Natural Cosmetic Preservatives against some Bacteria in Egypt
