So my feet start to sweat and i tried all kinds of remidies and by the way im 17 years old. When i go to school my feet start sweating and it smell so bad even with my shoes on. Plus i wash my feet everyday with anti-bacterial soap.Its embarrassing that no one want to sit close to me. I just bought new shoes too n the smell still the same. Can anyone help me. please and thank you
Need help and opinion about why my feet stink with shoes on?
Question posted by Alfon on 20 April 2012
Last updated on 15 April 2024 by tanuq
The information on this page reflects personal experiences shared by our community members. It is not reviewed for medical accuracy and should not replace professional medical advice.
37 Answers
tanuq
15 April 2024
Vinegar. Soak your shoes/insoles in 4% acidity vinegar for 15-20 min. Rinse and dry. Do the same for your feet for 1-2 min before wearing shoes. No need to warm up the vinegar, room temperature is fine. Also, make sure to remove the dead skin from your feet with pumice stone and always wear clean socks.
RomanEmperor
13 May 2023
Hi there! I used to be the #1 skunk in the universe with my feet stench WITH THE SHOES ON so intense that on a windy day even people ACROSS THE STREET started looking down hesitantly and sniffing around their feet, I swear I’m not exaggerating. After years of extreme embarrassment, ruined social life, (repeatedly!) derailed career, and a zillion of mostly unrewarding trial-and-error experiments, I have finally came up with the routine that works like a charm while requiring 0 magic materials and $0 extra investments.
1. Skin care. THIS is the exact detail the devil is lurking in. Simply washing/rinsing your feet IS NOT ENOUGH!!! Regularly scrub away the dead skin from your foot soles using a foot file. Do it carefully not to hurt the healthy skin, but THOROUGHLY until all the dead flakes are peeled off and washed away. IMPORTANT!!! Don't get misled by the seemingly clean look of the rough skin, keep rubbing it until the whole callus is turned into a mushy mud and your healthy pinkish baby skin-like sole underneath is fully uncovered. The dead skin is exactly what cause the foot odor, so never touch your shoes or socks with unpeeled feet.
2. Shoes. Regularly WASH your shoes and insoles, preferably using washing machine (simply soaking them did not work well for me). Make sure to DRY shoes completely, never wear wet shoes. Swap the pairs if can't dry them up. Avoid using low-quality sneakers that quickly become and then forever remain smelly even despite intense washing. Washable leather footwear (including business shoes) would be a better option.
3. Socks. The dead skin flakes cannot be removed completely by washing and over time gradually pile up inside the socks. Timely RENEW your entire socks collection before it becomes biological weapon.
Following this routine has completely driven the odor away. Sometimes after a busy day a slight whiff of rot may reappear AFTER putting the shoes off, but this rather neglectable discomfort is incomparable with the nationwide emergency alert-worthy toxicity disaster it used to be. Hope this will help, good luck!
Ernestoo
6 Oct 2022
Hi. I have a big problem with the smell of my shoes. I'll start from the beginning. 3 years ago I suddenly felt the stench of shoes. I thought it was athlete's foot, so I used clotrimazolum and terbinafine. It helped for a while. Later I had recurrences of this smell, but my new shoes lasted for several months. In the meantime, I used a lot of foot preparations such as powders, chlorhexidine, antibacterial soaps, deodorants and antiperspirants, and formalin. After all these treatments, my shoes inside have a nice smell, my feet do not smell either. Only when I put my shoes on it starts to emit a strange smell. Reminiscent of neglected, musty socks. This is very strange because after taking off the shoes the smell disappears. I emphasize that the stench spreads throughout the room. It disturbs my life a lot, office associates also complain about this smell. New shoes start to smell 3 hours after putting them on. I know it's very strange.
I have seen many doctors but they don't know the cause of my problem. Of course, I regularly change and disinfect my shoes, but it helps for a maximum of an hour. It is very strange that the smell is emitted from the shoes to the outside. The inside of the shoes smells better than the room in which I am sitting. The smell appears regardless of the type of footwear, I usually wear good leather shoes. I think I caught some fungus or bacteria that is resistant to everything. Only I don't have any marks on my feet or boots. My feet are sweating on average. I have no hyperhidrosis. Of course, all blood and hormone tests are ok. Please help me because I don't know how to live with it.
Do you find anwser for this problem?
Regards
Do you find anwser for this problem?
Regards
Footodorissue
9 Dec 2019
Hello @Dazed_Confused I have a similar condition, but I wanted to see if we have the exact same thing so Had a few questions:
1. Does your condition primarily occurs at work? Or do you experience what you experience outside of work as well i.e to the mall, coffee shops or anywhere else.
2. What do you mean when you say you can gas out a 10,00 ft square building? Are you saying people at the other end of the build can smell your shoes?
Dazed_Confused
8 Dec 2019
About olfactory references syndrome, if that were the case, why would we only smell when shoes are on? Or why would I smell the odor when returning to a room I just left, but not in the room I was just in? Or why dont I smell it when at home with no shoes on? But when I put my shoes on, I smell it within minutes? Wouldn't olfactory references syndrome happen all the time? Makes no sense at all.
Footodorissue
9 Dec 2019
Hello Dazed_Confused I have a similar condition, but I wanted to see if we have the exact same thing so Had a few questions:
1. Does your condition primarily occurs at work? Or do you experience what you experience outside of work as well i.e to the mall, coffee shops or anywhere else.
2. What do you mean when you say you can gas out a 10,00 ft square building? Are you saying people at the other end of the build can smell your shoes?
Dman77
13 Oct 2019
I'm 40 years old and I'm suffering badly in these last three years. I have sweaty hands and feet since my childhood and its hereditary, my children are sweaty too and this doesn't bother me until three years ago when a strong stinky smell noticed in my shoes usually changing socks works for me but now new shoe ,new socks it only takes five minutes to smell that stinky smell . Simply I tried everything prescribed deodorant, cream, intocure machine but no luck. It embarrassing especially in the office. Until I find these forum I feel that I'm the only one but I have friends, be strong don't lose your hope especially young people.
In my case I ruled out most possible solutions except the olfactory references syndrome, I read a someone's comment with exact feelings or signs and I was really surprised, I didn't ask any one about the smell except my family so my assumptions was when I'm close to them they touched their nose, sneez ,clear their throat or they move away . My question is how come ,except my family, show me either of those signs when I am close to them. If any one of you share my idea let's do something like I'm planning to ask some colleagues or friends, I wish I could try stranger at the shopping center because they will be honest in my opinion and I'm not feeling ashamed if it's true so let's do something about it. If this doesn't work I'm doing research on formaldehyde. Its risky but any one who is a chemist can help us, many years a go a friend of mine has the same problem at that time I didn't give attention to his problem and he didn't say much about it, one day I saw him on bare foot and his foot was hard like a wood I was surprised and ask him why and his response was shocking to me my feet is sweaty and smelly so his pharmacist friend gave him a formaldehyde solution and with in weeks no smelly feet, no sweaty feet and it been two years gone for good. So I'm not officially support the idea due to side effects let's dig something about this solution. Honestly I'm feeling light by sharing with you, let's hope to the best. Thanks
Footodorissue
30 Sep 2019
Its heart breaking to hear so many similar stories but at the same time, it also helps knowing that a lot of other people share this very rare phenomenon of foot odor ONLY WITH SHOES ON. Since responses are picking up, I was hoping to investigate further into this problem, perhaps we all can get to the bottom of this together. I had some questions to all of you to get to the root of the issue, so if you have a few moments please reply back:
1. Do you have foot odor ONLY WITH SHOES ON, but with shoes off you have NO ODOR?
2. Do you have hyperhidrosis in the feet?
3. Has anyone ever DIRECTLY commented about your shoes/feet smelling? (Not overheard conversations)
4. Does the issue ONLY occur at workplaces and doesnt occur anywhere else?
5. Do you have OCD/ or other forms of paranoia?
6. Did you always have this problem, or was there a specific time when you developed it?
Dazed_Confused
29 Sep 2019
Two products that seem to help some people are Gran's Remedy powder and Foot Fresh cream. Gran's ships from New Zealand or you can find on Amazon I think and Foot Fresh ships from Canada. I have spent hundreds, maybe thousands and these are the only ones that help. I had to change careers so I am not working inside because just like others, I can gas out a 10,000 sq foot building in half a day. And my feet dont really smell like skinky feet, but some odd strange mix of leather, rubber, and petroleum. It seems to just hang in the air. I even worked in a shop where they welded and my feet would overpower the weld smell. Co workers have made comments but not directly to me, more like, "what's that smell?". And those little nat/flies used to hang around me too, even at work. I tried a Iontocure Iontophoresis machine but the level and time it takes to decrease my sweating to the point of no odor made my feet very painful and I couldnt tolerate it.
Plus I had to spend at least an hour once or even twice a day to get where there was no odor from my sweat. As soon as I reduced power level, length of treatment or frequency, the smell returned quick, But maybe others would have better luck with that treatment than I did.
One last thing. I have Ulcerative Colitis and just wondering if others have any digestive issues? Another forum post I was following seem to have many with GI problems and just wondering if there is possibly something in common here. Tnx
One last thing. I have Ulcerative Colitis and just wondering if others have any digestive issues? Another forum post I was following seem to have many with GI problems and just wondering if there is possibly something in common here. Tnx
rj78550
27 Sep 2019
We all need a work together and see what we could do. Because I am 21 and I've been going thru this since November of 2016 it's been 3 years. So let me tell y'all my stench. So my feet smell 24/7 and also when you work indoors the smell could fill up to whole building in a matter of hours. Also when I'm outside flies fly around me but around me feet area. So I know it's not in my head. I just want this gone. So through my experiences. I've tried chlorhexidine soap, glindcel gel and got prescribed hyperhidrosis (drys feet up). But no progress and need help so. Of any good information y'all could share please and thank you.
Footodorissue
6 Oct 2019
Hi RJ. I may have a similar problem and its been almost 4 years for me, but my problem is only limited to my personal space. I wanted to ask what do you mean when you say "the smell can fill up a whole building". Are you saying someone can smell your feet at the other end of the building?
Also has someone ever directly mentioned about your foot smell to you? For example a co worker made a comment to you directly, or has anyone else verified the problem.
monkfish22
26 Sep 2019
Can you all do something? Go and have a shower somewhere different in the morning (like a gym etc). Basically switch up your routine, so you thoroughly clean your feet, dry them properly, then IMMEDIATELY PUT ON YOUR SOCKS AND SHOES, ideally all whilst sitting down so your feet don't touch anything that could contaminate them after the shower. Do not walk round barefoot for ANY period of time after. (Ok, you don't have to go somewhere different, but just minimise how much your feet touch your own bathroom floor). Please report back with results.
Footodorissue
6 Oct 2019
I am surprised this worked for you monkfish. I will definitely try this too, thank you very much for posting your results.
I had completely dismissed there being anything wrong with my feet interms of skin condition etc etc. This is because outside of wearing shoes, my feet have ZERO smell. And when wearing shoes, its usually not a FEET smell that I give off, its the shoe material smell.
I was beginning to think that there maybe a psychological component that triggers this condition in social settings. Because i feel even when I am noy sweating my feet are giving off this vapor /heat which causes this shoe material smell to come off. Than i realized wheb I changed shoes, socks and dried myself midday that the smell didnt go away so it had to be non-sweat related.
Is this something still working for you and did you have a similar condition to me. I am definitely going to start working on the advice you gave.
Suedan
21 Sep 2019
Hi Everyone, just an update. I haven't got a cure yet which is disappointing but have found drinking Earl Grey tea helpful and also whilst trying to find answers was advised that dairy could be the culprit. Also from past experience do not use powders as they make the smell much worse, I don't know why but it took me ages to tone down the even worse smell the powder produced. I tried On Your Toes and that had zero effect on the smell. I feel that because our problem is the opposite of most people who's feet smell when they remove their shoes we need a different course of action and it maybe diet. I know my feet get much worse after drinking coffee (even caffeine free) but not sure if it is the coffee or the milk. I have found that doctors, podiatrists and dermatologists are no help at all, they have all examined my feet and say there is nothing wrong with them, also seen a psychologist who said it was all in my head but I know it's not. Funny though that the worst of is at work and social situations. I hope this is of some help as this is a living hell. Good luck to everyone.
Footodorissue
6 Oct 2019
Hi Suedan, I have been suffering from this for the last four years as well. Closed spaces, specifically at work are pretty bad.
Can you tell me more about your condition? Do you have foot odor with no shoes on? Do you work in an office area, and has anyone ever directly commented about the smell to you? Also do have ocd or any other condition outside of this issue?
Suedan
6 Oct 2019
Hi Footodorissue, at first my feet only had a problem at work but then progressed to include social situations as well and yes I have always worked in an office. Unfortunately I have been told that my feet smell on several occasions. I have minor ocd but nothing to worry about.
Footodorissue
6 Oct 2019
Mine for now primarily occurs at work. I dont have any such problem with my barefeet smelling. Infact my barefeet barely smell at all. Its just when my feet go into a shoe it creates a hot mess and I start smelling it instantly. The smell is a mixture of sock and shoe and it progressively gets worse during the day. I am positive everyone around my radius would be able to smell it.
The thing that bothers me is that, I had hyperhidrosis before, but in school and social situations, it was never a problem anytime before the last 4 years.
It was only when I moved from school to work that the problem started occurring, and that too not entirely immediately. It started with a particular shoe and than it ingrained in my mind. I feel there maybe a psychological component to it, but I maybe be wrong. As in if I become self conscious of it, the smell actually gets worse. Its a weird theory.
The only reason I clinged to this theory is that sometimes at work, after 3 hrs into the day when this starts getting really bad, I can put on a new pair of shoes with new socks after having dried my feet, yet the problem remains and infact still peaks 3-4 hours into the day. And this absolutely blows my mind, because I have wiped clean everything, have relatively dried feet, have new shoes and socks, so whats going on?
Other times, when I am alone outside the workplace, and my feet are heavily sweating, I have experimented by going to a library/or any other office type environment and I smell absolutely nothing. How would thay be possible unless there is a social/psychological component to the problem?
Btw i am glad I found a place where i can share these problems freely
monkfish22
21 Sep 2019
Hi - ok, I relate to nearly all the answers posted so far. I've had a very similar problem for years... Odour when wearing shoes, that gets progressively worse over the morning. Seems to be worse at work (stress related?). No hugely visible symptoms etc. Now, I now everyone will be different, but I have managed to get it under control with this careful daily management.
1. Twice daily washing of feet using decent soap (I use tea tree liquid soap in evenings and an odour control soap in morning)
2. For morning wash I use a rough cloth (flannel) that helps clean and exfoliate, especially between toes. Much better than just fingers and hands.
3. After drying with towel, I use a hairdryer to quickly make sure toes are properly dry before putting socks on
4. I do suffer with slight Athletes Foot, and I find a spray (not cream) helps with this. It will take at least 4-5 days of regular use if I get a flair up (and it adds to the smell). Spray tops, sides and bottom of toes and work into skin well.
5. Use an odour control shoe insert (change every couple of months), and the best pair of leather shoes you can afford. (Ideally on rotation so you never wear same pair twice in a row).
6. The most important - removal ALL rough skin from soles of feet... I have a pedicure rasp file and some rough chiropody sponges (use these with a bar of soap) that I use regularly. Don't go mad and leave your feet sore, but you'll be surprised how much dead skin can accumulate around the ball of your foot and heel. I also get some rough skin on the ends of a couple of toes where they rub against shoes. (You will be able to see and feel where you are affected). I think the sweat feeds on this dead skin and creates most of the unpleasant smell. Keep nails trimmed, and get a little tool that helps clear the gunk from the sides of the nail (esp the big toe). Please no-one go mad and damage their feet in desperation - I am suggesting a sensible approach here.
5. Use an odour control shoe insert (change every couple of months), and the best pair of leather shoes you can afford. (Ideally on rotation so you never wear same pair twice in a row).
6. The most important - removal ALL rough skin from soles of feet... I have a pedicure rasp file and some rough chiropody sponges (use these with a bar of soap) that I use regularly. Don't go mad and leave your feet sore, but you'll be surprised how much dead skin can accumulate around the ball of your foot and heel. I also get some rough skin on the ends of a couple of toes where they rub against shoes. (You will be able to see and feel where you are affected). I think the sweat feeds on this dead skin and creates most of the unpleasant smell. Keep nails trimmed, and get a little tool that helps clear the gunk from the sides of the nail (esp the big toe). Please no-one go mad and damage their feet in desperation - I am suggesting a sensible approach here.
If I stay on top of all these things the smell generally disappears (like, 90-98% gone)
Smellyshoes21
21 Sep 2019
Thank you for your answer! I have realized also that wearing socks while sleeping worked for me. I usually add deodorant and wear socks. My feet (mostly the right foot) absorb easily any smell. Let’s say if I take a shower for 20 minutes they’d smell like water for three days. I noticed that my feet would smell like their surroundings too. My room is humid and I’d wake up to my feet smelling like water so with the socks technique I found that the problem was reduced.
Have you seen any doctors or did any tests to help find a cure to the problem? If so, can you please share
monkfish22
21 Sep 2019
No. Been to see a doctor or chiropodist a couple of times over the years, but generally they look at me like I'm mad, and tell me there's no smell... even though people at work have made comments and I can smell it too! This might sound daft, but also check your belly button. That thing can get seriously stinky if you forget to delve inside for a good clean every now and then!
Footodorissue
6 Oct 2019
I am surprised this worked for you monkfish. I will definitely try this too, thank you very much for posting your results.
I had completely dismissed there being anything wrong with my feet interms of skin condition etc etc. This is because outside of wearing shoes, my feet have ZERO smell. And when wearing shoes, its usually not a FEET smell that I give off, its the shoe material smell.
I was beginning to think that there maybe a psychological component that triggers this condition in social settings. Because i feel even when I am noy sweating my feet are giving off this vapor /heat which causes this shoe material smell to come off. Than i realized wheb I changed shoes, socks and dried myself midday that the smell didnt go away so it had to be non-sweat related.
Is this something still working for you and did you have a similar condition to me. I am definitely going to start working on the advice you gave.
Smellyshoes21
20 Sep 2019
Hello guys I’m back again. I have first suggested that Drysol would work but unfortunately it worked only for a little period of time. I have seen so many doctors during the last two years and I have been cutting down possibilities. This is what I have arrived to
- no athlete foot or any other infectious creatures in my feet ( it was verified by both skin and nail culture)
- no sweat problems (I have been transferred by my podiatrist to a dermatologist to treat my excessive feet sweating (which I do have) but I was like screw that and bought derma dry which is an instrument that reduces sweat by sending electric waves to the skin)
My new approaches to the problem are to start treating it internally or more like look for answers to the cause internally. My doubt is that it could be fish syndrome. Though my feet don’t smell like fish, my breath, and other areas don’t smell; it’s good to put it as a possibility. However, I’ve heard that testing Trimethylaminuria (TMA)level is a bit expensive. I’m a student and can’t afford it right now especially after getting DermaDry but would look forward into getting this blood test. If that’s the case I’ll have to live with it and be vegan because it’s cureless. I am at a point where I would accept a cureless reality rather than an unfounded hope. I think too much about this that I may write poetry about it. All in all don’t worry guys wipe your tears and don’t believe anyone who says you lack hygiene, you are this, or you are that. Just know that there are people out there who feel you just like I found people who felt me and understood me. I have friends, a partner, and social circle. I perform as a dancer and I give dancing classes to people.
Let’s keep this conversation going. (Also take someone with you to the doctor who can confirm that you smell cause some mfs give that “oh it’s in your head” attitude) :D
Love you all smelly fam
Let’s keep this conversation going. (Also take someone with you to the doctor who can confirm that you smell cause some mfs give that “oh it’s in your head” attitude) :D
Love you all smelly fam
Footodorissue
6 Oct 2019
Hey man. I have the same issue for the last 4 years and I also want to just get to the bottom of it.
You mentioned Drysol worked and than stopped working. Is that still the case? Are you still using it by the overnight sock method. And are you sure it worked before and the problem may not have been psychological in the sense you assume it worked? I ask this because a lot of people report temporary improvement when trying drysol/fusidic acid/other antibacterial and anti fungal creams - but than in a matter of weeks they say it comes back. I struggling to understand if it actually did go away in the first place or the treatment had a placebo type effect initially that wore off.
For me I have tried to pin it down in various ways. It peaks in the work day - 3hrs in. So I went to change shoes, socks and put antibacterial cleansers 3hrs into the workday. Came back to desk and NO CHANGE. I realized its not an odor but either water vapor or just HEAT given off by feet.
Does the problem only occur for you in a work place office environment? Outside of work, i would even know if this problem existed. I could be sweating sitting in a library and I wouldnt smell anything. This makes me wonder if there is a psychological social component that triggers this.
Please reply back, you have been one of the mpst consistent posters here and I am sure I can get to the bottom of this with some shared feedback.
Inactive
5 Sep 2019
Ommmg i have the same problem sometimes i dont know if its just in my head. i work at a pharmacy and im the person who fills so im running from aisle to aisle to grab medicine, and in a small place with other colleagues it gets hot and im so embarrassed i feel like as soon as i walk in there i smell, or i go to lunch and when i come back i feel like it stinks and sometimes i can smell the whole store idk if its just in my head or it really is me but i hate cause i can feel the wetness in my shoes and my feet slide inside the shoes. Sometimes i get so behind in filling the medicines cause i dont want to move and cause my feet to sweat more. Ive bought literally like 10 pairs of adidas shoes this year cause they smell. And dont get me started with powders in the shoes it just make it worse and the powder gets like wet and gross. Ugh and i take care of my higiene so i hate it that i smell good my hair smells good and then i get the air of my feet
Footodorissue
9 Sep 2019
Hi, I am going through the exact same situation and I realize most of my foot odor problems occur at work, specifically within closed spaces. Outside of work I wouldn't even know thay I have this problem. In any case it's making the work day very stress full. I feel like even when I am not sweating, somehow my feet are emiting this hot air stuffy odor. Around 4 hours into the workday it can get pretty bad. Even with myself, without shoes on wearing only socks, the issue goes away or is not as bad. Has anything you tried worked for you?
Thistooshallpass1
13 Feb 2019
Hello Everyone,
Glad to have found a community for this horrible problem. I’m a 28 year old female with normal weight and diet. I just recently began experiencing hyperhidrosis, and have been suffering for about two months. My hyperhidrosis occurs mainly on my hands and feet. To add to my anxiety of this problem, my feet smell foul only when I have shoes on (my feet won’t smell if I don’t have shoes on and only wear socks). The smell is so intense it penetrates through the shoe and can occupy a large room. I know for a fact the smell is not in my head since people at work apologize and walk away because of the smell (from my feet) is so intense. It’s extremely embarrassing and I have tried everything and so far my problem continues. I believe my hyperhidrosis is a cause/ symptom of a change in my birth control pills (to treat ovarian cysts). The onset of my hyperhidrosis coincides with the change in my birth control.
I just switched back today to my original brand of birth control, so I will update everyone soon to report any change. I visited my primary doctor about a week ago and she diagnosed me with hyperhidrosis and prescribed me 20%Drysol. I’ve been using it for a week and have no significant change in sweat on my hands or feet. I wake up drenched in sweat on my feet because of the saran wrap I use at night to keep the drysol medication on my feet, I still continue to do it though. I asked my doctor to prescribe me glycopyrrolate and I’ve been taking the 2mg pill once a day for 4 days now. I’ve experienced significantly less sweat but I still sweat and my feet continue to smell awful. I plan on increasing my intake and taking two glycopyrrolate 2mg pills daily to see if it stops my sweat altogether. I’m also planning on taking zinc tablets too to see if this helps with my odor. Im trying all within my power to change this nightmare of a situation. I have a referral to see a dermatologist so I’m waiting on that appointment. However, after reading previous comments of dermatologists dismissing the smell issue, I’m growing more worried. This hyperhidrosis may kick us down (most of the time) but we are resilient and will defeat these sweat monsters inside of us. I appreciate you all for giving me a platform to feel comfortable enough to share my experience.
Footodorissue
9 Sep 2019
Hi, I am going through the exact same situation and I realize most of my foot odor problems occur at work, specifically within closed spaces. Outside of work I wouldn't even know thay I have this problem. In any case it's making the work day very stress full. I feel like even when I am not sweating, somehow my feet are emiting this hot air stuffy odor. Around 4 hours into the workday it can get pretty bad. Even with myself, without shoes on wearing only socks, the issue goes away or is not as bad. Has anything you tried worked for you?
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