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Strange Solutions for Smelly Feet

Q. My 17-year-old granddaughter has a problem with smelly feet. My son uses strong medicine from a podiatrist, which is probably inappropriate for her. Any home remedies?

A. Readers of this column love to share their remedies for smelly feet. One woman reported that her boyfriend had good success rubbing a cut lemon on his feet.

An 89-year-old woman shared a remedy her aunt taught her when she was young. She soaked her feet in warm water to which tannic acid had been added. The same effect can be accomplished with tea soaks, since tea is high in tannic acid.

Other readers swear by an old Army trick: Urinate on your feet. One mom shared, “My 17-year-old daughter has very smelly feet and I convinced her to try the urine trick. IT WORKED! Her foot odor is completely gone!”

We havwe collected many other suggestions in our Guide to Smelly Feet.

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About the Author
Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist who has dedicated his career to making drug information understandable to consumers. His best-selling book, The People’s Pharmacy, was published in 1976 and led to a syndicated newspaper column, syndicated public radio show and web site. In 2006, Long Island University awarded him an honorary doctorate as “one of the country's leading drug experts for the consumer.”.
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