Smelly feet in summer sandals

[Myfeetsmell]

There is no messing about here my feet smell. They always have and probably always will. They get well washed and looked after, wear decent leather shoes, change them regularly and allowing them to dry out, cleaning both shoe and foot and wear cotton socks. I don't have athletes foot or anything like that and have tried all the strong overnight deodorants you can buy. I just have massively sweaty feet (and hands) and they literally kick up a stink.

Now that's the back story over with. I want sandles I have never been brave enough to wear them but I'm so hot at the moment I just want something cool. WIBU to wear some sandles? I work in an office without air con and everyone else looks so nice and cool with their feet out and I have mine cooking in little hidden socks with ether ballet pumps or brogues on.

How do people stop their feet from smelling? Sometimes I have to change shoes and socks and have a mid day wash because I can smell them even with my shoes on

Name change because it was appropriate

I have cut out a lot of the sugar and bread from my diet and one of benefits is my feet no longer smell. Best antifungal antibac treatment I have found! Could diet be a factor?

@Misty999

Loving this thread I also think I have this although my feet don't smell just absolutely drip, as OP said flip flops slide off it's impossible to walk up a hill feet slide out 😂 Iv found that over time shoes do begin to smell. Iv just bought Birkenstock's with the crossover toes very comfy so will see how long they last before they start to stink. I also have the widest feet that swell x

Oh mine are big and swell too I wonder if that's related?

@jellybeanteaparty

I have cut out a lot of the sugar and bread from my diet and one of benefits is my feet no longer smell. Best antifungal antibac treatment I have found! Could diet be a factor?

We cut bread out in the first lockdown and have really cut down on refined sugar. It hasn't made a difference to my sweat but my piles have totally shrunk down and my poo game is strong these days. It's also given me a far more defined waist even if I haven't lost any weight. Carbs are the devil I now need to convince myself that pasta should go too but that hurts.

I forgot to report back on yesterday's foot smell. Unfortunately they still did smell even after using deodorant, special socks, changing them and the shoes, bicarb and the anti bac soap bar. BUT I'm going to do this for a week and see if there is a difference of info it longer and the foot spray will arrive on Wednesday. I'm also going to make an attempt at machine steaming one of my pairs of hotter shoes. If they break they break but they smell and are not far off falling appart inside anyway so nothing to loose. I did notice there was a sludge in my shoes after wearing them I think the bicarb made a sweat and bicarb paste in the shoe which is very unpleasant perhaps I need to work at getting more of it out of the shoe before wearing it.

I have bought myself a pair of leather sandals let's see what happens! I will keep you all posted but please spare a thought for those around me during this test run

Hi OP

Definitely go and see a podiatrist, they have seen and smelled everything to do with feet so you shouldn't feel embarrassed to talk to them.

On socks- what are yours made of? Even if they are moisture wicking, they will smell more if they are made of man-made fibres like polyester and nylon. Cotton isn't man made but it also isn't moisture wicking so usually stinks pretty fast too. IMO the best options are bamboo or merino wool (or a combo). Wool is most expensive but dries fastest and feels much drier to wear. Bamboo is cheaper, super soft and great for not smelling, but stays fairly wet once it gets sweaty so might need changing more often.

For shoes have you tried Allbirds or any other wool shoes? They breathe properly so you don't get clammy like with leather shoes. You can pop the whole shoe in the wash, and get extra pairs of wool inner soles so you can change them over more frequently.

Sorry to come back but I have been using the magical foot spray from Amazon, anti back soap washing 2+ times a day and have bought some hotter sandles that are all leather and they have actually started to crumble and they now smell. I don't think there is any hope.i also bought some M&S all leather sandals and they are not too good ether. I think I need to put my feet back in my shoes and deal with the heat

I don’t know if it would be your style at all, but Birkenstock do a sort of rubber sandal which still looks quite nice. I have some and love them as they look smarter than crocs but just like crocs they can be wiped clean with anti bad wipes/baby wipes.

Not a long term solution of course though, I would definitely be back at the doc about this, it’s outside the realm of normal as it’s affecting your life so much.

Very old fashioned, but soaking feet in a solution of potassium permanganate worked for an uncle of mine years ago. His feet were so bad that you could smell them through his leather shoes. Might stain the skin a bit though. Mind you, if you're that desperate.......

hyperhidrosisuk.org/treatment-options/

Saw an episode of Embarrassing Bodies where a lady had a huge problem like this. Her shoes and feet were rotting all the time. Treatment included using an electrical ionizing machine .

You can buy peppermint footspray to use at work. I give mine a spray once or twice during the day.