Why Your Feet are Sweaty and How to Keep Odor Under Control

Sweat plays an important role in our bodies. It helps regulate our temperature and release toxins. We have sweat glands all over our body - on our face, our underarms, and especially our feet. Did you know that the soles of our feet contain 125,000 sweat glands and hold more sweat glands per centimeter than any other body part? So it's no wonder that our feet are so sweaty.

And sweaty feet can be a problem. Why? Because sometimes sweaty feet turn into smelly feet. 

How? Sweat alone is odorless, but a lot of sweat causes issues. The sweat soaks through our socks and into our shoes creating a moist environment. This enables bacteria to flourish and with flourishing bacteria comes … yes, you guessed it - odor. And not just any odor, sweaty feet have a unique foul smell that stinks up your feet, your socks, your shoes, and anywhere shoes rest. That may be your room, your gym bag, or your locker. Gross.

So what can you do about sweaty feet, and how do you keep the odor under control? Find out how below.

Sweaty feet turn odorous for this main reason. Bacteria. The microbes you can't see but are everywhere, absolutely love moisture, and they, like other microorganisms, need it to grow. Not only does sweat provide the moisture bacteria need to multiply, but it also provides food. And it's their breaking down of sweat into acids that eventually causes the unpleasant odor. Basically, bacteria feed on sweat and then expel gas; in other words, they 'toot out' odor. So, two options exist for stopping smelly feet: minimize the moisture or the bacteria.   

Minimize the bacteria

The first step in keeping foot odor under control is to keep your feet as clean as possible and minimize bacteria. It's the bacteria that's already on skin that multiply rapidly in the presence of sweat that causes the unpleasant odor. So, keeping the skin as clean as possible with products like Prep U Plant-based 2-in-1 Hair & Body Wash will wash away the bacteria that's there and leave clean skin. Use the body wash on the tops and bottoms of your feet (and in between the toes!) to leave them fresh and clean. 

Keep your feet dry

As mentioned, bacteria feed and multiply in moisture, so keeping your feet and shoes as dry as possible will inhibit their growth. Feet can be kept dry by giving them access to plenty of air, like with open-toe shoes. But if you can't do that and your feet have to be in, let's say, sneakers, help keep them dry with socks like Bombas that are made from cotton, a natural fiber that allows feet to breathe.

Photo Credit: @Bombas

Finally, powders help keep feet dry and odor-free by absorbing moisture. That's where Prep U Active Dry Powder, a multi-use, talc-free powder, comes in handy. Put our Prep U Active Dry Powder on the soles of your feet and in your shoes to keep moisture, bacteria, and smells at bay!

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Information on this site is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Any information on this site is not intended to make claims to any unique individual and/or experience.