You’re at the front door of a friend’s house, waiting to get in and party. Oops, it’s one of those households that prefer you take your shoes off. You got dapper socks on, but something else is wracking your nerves – your smelly feet. As you rub your toes together to check for moisture, they begin to perspire…

That’s where we come into the picture. No guy should clear a room when they go barefoot – or precipitate a gag reflex at the wrong time on date night. In this second installment to our Defunk the Gunk series, we’ll guide you through a stink-proof strategy for your feet.

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Moisture is a man’s greatest enemy. Yes, what causes our armpits to smell bad is similarly responsible for our feet. You should know this by now. Even if you’re dry, socks, shoes and fungi may be making them stink. Here are a few tips to save your feet from drawing unwanted scrutiny:

1. Know where the moisture’s coming from.

  • Regular perspiration. Your body regulates its temperature by sweating, partly through the 250,000 sweat glands on your feet. That’s more than 225ml of sweat a day!
  • Nervous perspiration. “Cold sweat” isn’t just figurative – most people sweat more under stress.
  • Clinical hyperhidrosis. The more severe cousin of the above, hyperhidrosis is a medical condition that describes excessive sweating unrelated to temperature regulation. The primary cause still eludes scientists today, but for otherwise healthy individuals, triggers include heightened emotions, nicotine, and caffeine.

2. Target the moisture at its source. 

  • Keep your feet dry! Research has shown that antiperspirant sprays work better on feet. Spray a fragrance-free one generously over your feet – get in between the toes – and let them dry before putting your socks on. Aerosol Unscented Antiperspirant, Sure, USD7.15.

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  • Stay cool – body and mind. When the nerves strike, take deep breaths and count slowly to ten. To avoid situations of panic, make sure you have ample time to get from place to place. Most of the tension we feel in this modern world can be avoided by planning ahead. Not everything needs to be done now – keep calm and priorities. Eisenhower App, USD2.99.
  • If you think you suffer from a clinical condition, seek your doctor for advice. Discuss the available strategies – Botox, oral medications and surgeries such as endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy may help.

3. Clean socks and shoes = nice-smelling feet. 

  • Clean your shoes proactively. Don’t wait till they stink, or till the next thunderstorm – it’ll be too late. Depending on how often you wear them, clean your shoes at least every year.
  • What if they already stink? Well, begin by washing them. If the odor persists, use a deodorizing shoe spray. Pick one that won’t hurt your shoes, especially for your leather ones. As always when it comes to deodorizing, the less scented it is, the better. Rocket Pure Peppermint Foot & Shoe Deodorizer, USD17.

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  • Keep your shoes dry. Before and after putting them on, apply some of the powder for your armpits in your shoes, as long as it’s unscented. Instead of stuffing them in a dark drawer, leave your shoes out to air overnight after a day of wearing. For extra deodorizing benefits, leave satchels of baking soda in your shoes overnight. They’ll absorb moisture and odor – just avoid direct contact with leather.

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  • Don’t forget your socks. Avoid laundering them with softener, which reduces your socks’ ability to absorb moisture. If they stink, wash them in the hottest water setting on your machine, once with half a cup of baking soda, and again with half a cup of white vinegar. If you paid attention in science class, you’ll know not to take a short cut and combine the two. Only store and wear dry socks. Oh and, wearing (clean) socks are almost always better than not, especially if you get sweaty. When in doubt, wear socks.

4. Clean your feet thoroughly, and freshen when you can. 

  • If you know you need to take your shoes off later, or are on a long flight, freshen up your feet with antiseptic wipes and bring a pair of fresh socks to change into. Nothing like a well-prepared man!

5. Maybe it’s more than your average bacteria. 

  • Are your toenails a dull grey or yellow, or thicker than usual? Is the surrounding skin flaky and peeling? If so, you probably have a fungal infection. Apart from being smelly, they can be itchy or painful. Make an appointment with your doctor. In the meantime, trim the nails short, clean under and around the nail with hydrogen peroxide, and finish with an anti-fungal cream. Anti-fungal Lotion, Candazole, USD7.
  • To keep your feet from infection, trim your nails short – but just till they are flush with the front of your toes. Clipping them too short can cause ingrown toenails and expose broken skin to nasty germs. Going for a pedicure  every now and then can help too.

Even if they’re the furthest away from your head, your feet work the hardest getting you from place to place. Now that you know how to keep them fresh and proud, you may want to check out what they look best in, here. Meanwhile, defunk your gunk, big guy. We’re counting on you.