Foot odor is one of those very unglamorous little problems that no one wants to talk about, but let’s be honest — feet work hard. Shoes, socks, hot weather, long days, synthetic materials, teenagers, gardening shoes left by the back door… sometimes those poor feet need more than just a quick wash.
This DIY stinky feet foot soak is an old-fashioned herbal vinegar soak made with sage, rosemary, thyme, peppermint, lemon peel, and apple cider vinegar. It is designed as a simple deodorising foot soak for tired, sweaty feet, using ingredients that have long been loved in homemade bath and body recipes.
With viral beauty hacks doing the rounds again — including the slightly eyebrow-raising idea of soaking your feet in Coca-Cola — I thought this older recipe deserved a fresh little update. While the Coca-Cola foot soak trend is definitely getting attention, I still prefer a herbal vinegar foot soak for regular foot care. It feels more like something you would actually want near your feet on purpose, and less like something that should come with a straw.
This recipe is especially handy after a long day in closed-in shoes, after gardening, after sport, or anytime your feet need a bit of freshening up. The herbal vinegar is made first, then just a small amount is added to warm water for soaking.
As always with DIY bath and body recipes, use common sense. Do not use this foot soak on broken, irritated, cracked, infected, or very sensitive skin. If you have diabetes, poor circulation, neuropathy, ongoing foot odor, fungal issues, or any medical foot concerns, check with a healthcare professional before trying home foot soaks.
Now, onto the recipe.
A great foot soak to deodorise the stinkiest of feet.
YOU WILL NEED
* 2 tablespoon dried sage
* 2 tablespoon dried rosemary
* 2 tablespoon dried thymme
* 2 tablespoon dried peppermint leaves ( tea )
* 1 tablespoon lemon peel coarsely grated
* 1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
HOW TO
1. Make the foot soak by following the directions for making a herbal vinegar
2. Add 2 tablespoons of your herbal vinegar to a basin of warm water and soak your feet for 10 -15 minutes before towelling them dry.
NOW I am not 100% sure of this trick but I have heard of it before. You can alternatively soak your feet in a basin of Coca Cola and it will eradicate stinky feet too. I myself have never tried it as you wont get me anywhere near Coca Cola I have seen what happens to a raw piece of meat that has been sitting in Coke for a couple of days so it would not surprise me at all if it does in-fact work – if anybody reading this has tried it before I would LOVE to hear your feedback on this.
I’ve heard to soaking your feet in tea helps with foot odor. The tannic acid dries your feet and reduces sweating. So maybe that’s the same idea behind the cola theory.
I have really stinky feet, and I had a doctor tell me to soak my feet in strong tea once a week to use the tannic acid to dry my feet and reduce sweating (as mentioned above).
I haven’t tried coke, but I think I might this week some time and let you know if I see any difference.
Vinegar and water soaks are recommended to clear up athlete’s foot. Follow them with an application tea tree oil. I would not try the Cola soak, as the sugar might encourage any foot or nail fungus present.