Stinky shoes?
Smelly feet?
Kids can have stinky feet…but then they become teenagers and it can be sooo much worse (trust me, when you think it can’t get worse, it can)
I remember one day driving home after baseball practice. The Arizona summer heat was starting to approach so it was quite warm at practice. Practice ran for 2 hours after a full day of school that included PE class. My son took off his shoes while I was driving. Suddenly my eyes started watering and stinging and I could immediately tell he had taken off his shoes and socks (we have a rule that he needs to wait until we get home or change into fresh socks in the locker room). It was so bad. Time to figure out how to deal with it.
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10 Tips for Dealing with Your Teen’s Stinky Feet
• Tip 1 – Practice good foot hygiene. Shower daily and make sure they’re washing their feet with soap. Dry feet thoroughly before putting on socks and shoes – warm moisture encourages bacterial growth. Keep toenails neatly trimmed.
If needed, use an antibacterial- or charcoal-based soap when washing the feet. PanOxyl Antimicrobial Wash is a great choice.
• Tip 2 – Rule out skin conditions on the feet. Skin conditions such as foot fungus or infections. If there is any evidence of bumps, rash, or itching, see a doctor to rule out a skin condition. Follow through with any doctor-recommended treatment plan.
• Tip 3 – Wear clean socks. Always wear socks with shoes. Get no-show socks if it’s a style thing. Make sure they’re wearing clean socks each day. Some teenagers can get lazy about laundry and just grab the first pair they see (which may be a pair left on the floor from yesterday). If their feet sweat a lot during sports practice, have them change their socks after practice.
• Tip 4 – Wash socks thoroughly. Wash socks in hot water with a good detergent.
Don’t use fabric softener because it just causes buildup on laundry and doesn’t it allow it to get as clean. Use a vinegar rinse in the laundry (add distilled white vinegar to the fabric softener cup of your washer). Use wool dryer balls instead and don’t over-dry to help deal with static.
You can also try adding baking soda to the laundry to absorb odors. Other options to try are Lysol Laundry Sanitizer or Oxi Clean with Odor Blasters. If the socks have a lot of buildup of dirt and odors, you can try laundry stipping.
laundry stripping:
1/4 cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (not baking soda)
1/4 cup Borax
1 cup powdered Tide laundry detergent
Soak overnight and then run through the laundry machine
Or replace the socks and start fresh.
• Tip 5 – Apply deodorant to feet. Lume natural deodorant can be used anywhere on your body including feet.
• Tip 6 – Wear natural fibers when possible. This applies to both shoes and socks. Cotton, bamboo, or merino wool socks are best for absorbing moisture from sweaty feet.
Shoes made with synthetic materials (faux leather) tend to hold odors more than natural materials. They don’t allow feet to breathe as much, causing feet to stink more and hold onto odors. I’ve noticed my son’s leather sneakers stink less than his pairs made of synthetic materials.
Allbirds sneakers (wool runners and wool loungers) are made with merino wool and my new favorite shoe. I can wear them sockless and my feet don’t ever feel sweaty or stink. I will be ordering a pair for my son next (I already own 3 pairs). Bonus – the shoes can be thrown in the laundry so super easy to keep clean.
SmartWool is a popular brand for merino wool socks.
• Tip 7 – Rotate shoes. Have multiple pairs of shoes so that you can rotate. Shoes need a chance to dry out. Warm moist environments promote bacterial growth. Alternatively, you can use boot dryers which is the fast and best way to ensure shoes are dry – boot dryers are also fabulous if you live in a wet snowy climate.
• Tip 8 – Use Bamboo Charcoal Bags in their shoes. Use routinely to absorb moisture and odors before the shoes get worse. We have a few sets and keep one set in my son’s gym back for his cleats. The charcoal packs should be placed in the sun monthly to regenerate. Replace after a certain amount of time.
You can use newspaper and crumble it up and place it inside the shoes. Use a new piece each time.
Sneaker Balls are another shoe insert option.
• Tip 9 – Funk Away Use an odor-eliminating spray such as Funk Away on their shoes to kill bacteria which can cause odors
• Tip 10 – Clean or replace shoes that really stink. Everything above is about how to prevent odors. But if the shoes really stink, then you have to deal with that. If the shoes are washable, run them through a laundry load following the same above suggestions as for socks. If these feet are clean but you keep wearing smelly socks or shoes, the problem won’t go away.
If they’re not washable you can try a few things to remove the odor.
- Use FunkAway
- Put alcohol in a spray bottle and spray the insides of the shoes and let it evaporate.
- Put baking soda and let them sit overnight
- open the shoes as much as possible and let them sit in the sunlight
Good luck. The teen years are tough with their hormones causing emotional challenges AND smells.
If you discover new tricks for dealing with the teen stink challenges, send us an email and leave it in the comments. We parents need to stick together to survive the teen years.
