smelly feet

meownsmile, BSN, RN · Jul 31, 2006

I think this is where having a couple pair of socks and shoes come into play. Change them during the day and continue to use foot powder and i think you (oh i mean the other nurse) will see a big difference.

mommy2boys · Jul 31, 2006

You can tell your "friend" that she isn't the only person that has a problem with stinky feet. When I was a waitress I had a "friend" that could wake the dead with her stinky feet. "She" found that buying a really good deordorizing insole (it think it was dr. schols) and powdering my feet helped a lot. I also had 2 pairs of shoes that I would rotate day to day. That way they would air out. You can also buy the spray (like in the bowling alley) to put in the shoes if your shoes stay stinky.

Just let "your friend" know that she isn't the only person that goes through this. My friend would get home from work and jump in the shower because she felt dirty after work and that would get rid of the foot funk.

HTH

Erin (who really had the stinky feet problem)

Taurus_, LPN, RN · Jul 31, 2006

I am living with someone who has problems with foot odor. Well he doesn't have problems with his feet anymore. After he gets out the shower he sprays his feet with the foot spray, then puts the foot powder in his shoes. He hasn't had any odor problems since.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jul 31, 2006

Smelly feet runs in my family. But it definately is worse after a 12 hour shift. I use foot powder and wear clogs and that seems to help. Otherwise I always remove my shoes in private and spray my shoes with Lysol at the end of the day.

hehehe

You're "friend" is not alone. I did have a friend who had no oder whatsoever, none period. His shoes always smelled new. That was weird.

banditrn · Jul 31, 2006

I've never had much of a problem, but one of our son's was so bad that we used to swear that his shoes ATE the odor-eaters! :rolleyes:

suebird3 · Jul 31, 2006

Epsom salt soaks help, also. I get some nice Foot Soak from an Herbal Company in MO; I swear by it! Kind of a treat, too, after a lousy day at work.

Suebird

Gompers, BSN, RN · Jul 31, 2006

Anyone that runs around all day, every day, in the same shoes is going to have stinky feet. No one is alone! What some people do is change socks during the day, have more than one pair of shoes so they can give each pair a rest for at least a day between wearings so they can dry/air out, or use foot powder. I didn't like the Dr.Scholl's stuff - I used baby powder that was made with cornstarch - smelled much fresher! I'd put some inside my shoes when I put them on and then again when I took them off for the day.

The thing that helped more than anything? CROCS shoes. They are rubber, yes, but even the ones with just the holes on the sides (the Professional and Relief styles) vent the feet enough to keep them fresh. I'm sure the ones with the holes on the top are great, too, but I don't like those in hospitals personally. Anyways, I'd go with the actual CROCS brand, and not the knock-offs sold at Wal-Mart, etc. Reason being that the actual CROCS are antimicrobial, so they resist odor-causing bacterial. Plus, since there's no leather or fabric sole, there is nothing to absorb foot sweat. My locker and feet smell so much better these days.

OH YEAH! No matter what shoes you choose, COTTON socks are the way to go. While nylon hose do help the legs feel better, they sure make the feet stink. If hose are necessary, wear cotton socks over the hose to absorb any sweat or odor and keep your shoes dry.

all4schwa · Jul 31, 2006

i've also heard that you can freeze them overnight to kill bacteria and reduce smell

Little Panda RN, ASN, RN · Aug 1, 2006

banditrn said:
I've never had much of a problem, but one of our son's was so bad that we used to swear that his shoes ATE the odor-eaters!

??

weetziebat · Aug 1, 2006

My ex-husband had the STINKIEST feet ever! No matter what he did - he'd take a shower, scrub his feet, get into bed and the smell would make me nauseated. Spray, powder, insoles, sandals - nothing helped. Once, not believing he actually washed his feet well, I took a brush and scrubbed his feet till they almost bled, with no difference.

So...........I don't have any advice for your friend, but maybe she'll feel better reading about my stinky ex.

momdebo, BSN, RN · Aug 1, 2006

my sister uses aerosol deodorant, she sprays it directly on her feet then on go the cotton socks. I personally haven't tried it, I like to use shower to shower, great absorber and smells good.