The summer heat can bring along with it a personal hygiene issue that can be at best embarrassing and at worst distressing to the sufferer.  Standing up all day in closed shoes can cause your feet to sweat more than usual and cause a strong odour when the shoes are removed.

The odour isn’t due to dirty feet or due to the sweat directly.  It’s the bacteria that feeds on the sweat and dead skin that cause a gas to be emitted.  Dark, moist environments are ideal homes for this type of bacteria and they can quickly multiply.

If you can limit the amount of bacteria you can reduce the smell.  Keep your feet washed daily using an anti-bacterial soap or bathing in a foot bath that has a few drops of Tea Tree oil in it.

When you notice a pong wash your shoes in soapy water and dry thoroughly in the sun if possible.  Don’t wear damp shoes as this will only encourage the bacteria to set in again.

Don’t wear the same pair of shoes two days in a row.  You need to let your shoes air and they just won’t be dry enough if you leave them overnight.  If you do sport invest in two pairs of trainers so you can swap trainers between workouts.

Choose fabrics that are made from natural fabrics.  You can some socks that have anti-bacterial coating. Avoid shoes that are made from man made substances such as plastic, rubber or vinyl.
A good home remedy is to sprinkle baking soda in your shoes and this can