Are you looking for a homemade foot soak that soothes tired feet, eliminates foot odor, and gets rid of dead skin and cracked heels? Our DIY Foot Soak recipe uses Epsom salt, pink Himalayan Sea salt, Dead Sea salt, a blend of essential oils, and bath tea leaves to eliminate odor and soothe feet.
When I worked in retail pharmacy, I had a foot soak tub that I used daily. I loved that thing!
It was so nice to come home, finally sit down, relax, and soak my tired feet after a grueling 12-hour shift. Believe me, no pair of shoes—not sneakers or even clogs—is comfortable when you’re on your feet for 12 hours.
Lately, I have started soaking my feet again and my tween daughter’s feet. She’s at that stage where body odor is rearing its ugly head. And gym day is the worst day! Sometimes the stink from her shoes and feet is unbearable!
So she soaks too. And she also says it feels really soothing, especially when I add a few extra ingredients.
In addition to the Epsom salt which is soothing, I add pink Himalayan Sea salt, Dead Sea salt, a blend of odor-eliminating essential oils, and a bath tea blend containing African wild cucumber, which also eliminates foul odors. This combination exfoliates feet and gets rid of dead skin and cracked heels we tend to get during the cold winter months. It also gets rid of that reeking foot odor.
And not only is this DIY foot Soak great for your feet, you can also use it as a bath soak to give your whole body the same benefits of the Epsom salt, Himalayan and Dead Sea salts, and the bath tea blend.
What Causes Foot Odor?
There are several causes of foot odor. One of the main cause is excessive sweating. Bacteria and fungi on the skin thrive in moist environments. They multiply and increase in number and release a strong, bad odor while feeding on the oils found on our skin. Yuck!
Another cause of foot odor is bad hygiene. Wearing socks made from man-made materials such as polyester or wearing dirty socks can also result in an increase in bacteria on your feet, leading to foot odor.
Wearing shoes for extended periods of time can also cause foot odor. Your feet don’t get to breathe which encourages bacterial growth. This is a problem when you have a 12-hour shift, like me. Your feet are stuck in tight-fitting shoes for a long time and this can lead to odor.
How To Prevent Foot Odor
Having proper hygiene is the easiest way to maintain healthy, fresh-smelling feet. This can be achieved by:
- Washing your feet every day, preferably with antibacterial soap, and drying them thoroughly.
- Exfoliating your feet to get rid of dead skin which encourages bacterial growth.
- Wearing socks made from breathable materials such as cotton or wool.
- Wearing clean socks daily.
- Wearing open-toed shoes, if possible, or shoes made from breathable materials such as leather.
- Keeping your shoes dry and airing them out in the sun to kill odor-causing bacteria. Alternatively, spraying your shoes with an antibacterial spray then letting them dry completely also gets rid of odor-causing bacteria.
- Rotating your shoes daily.
Ingredients To Soothe Tired Feet and Eliminate Foot Odor
Essential Oils
Eucalyptus, lavender, and tea tree essential oils have many beneficial properties. They have antiseptic, antifungal, and antimicrobial properties that kill the odor-causing bacteria and fungi on your feet. Their fragrant smell will also linger on your feet, masking the odor until the bad smell is completely eliminated. These essential oils also have a soothing effect on the skin, mind, and body.
Dead Sea Salt & Pink Himalayan Salt
These salts contain magnesium and dozens of other minerals that work together to absorb the excess moisture in your feet, thus reducing the number of bacteria on your feet that are causing them to stink. They also act as astringents, hydrate skin, and improve skin quality. Additionally, baths with Dead Sea salt and Himalayan salt can help minimize scars and other blemishes.
Epsom Salt
Once again the magnesium content in Epsom salt absorbs excess moisture from your skin, effectively killing the odor-causing bacteria. It also acts as an anti-inflammatory, reducing any inflammation that might be present while softening the skin and soothing aching feet.
Baking Soda
Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a mild exfoliant that helps remove dead skin. It does this while helping dry out your feet and making them less ideal environment for the bacteria responsible for causing foot odor. It neutralizes the foul odor and softens your feet at the same time. Baking soda also has antibacterial properties.
Bath Tea Blend
This bath tea blend has great benefits for the skin too. Mint has strong antibacterial properties to effectively get rid of foot odor and eliminate acne while cleaning and shrinking your pores. The myrcene in rosemary not only lends it its pleasant fragrance but also removes bad odors. Sage has antioxidant properties that combat free radicals, it tightens wrinkles and fine lines, and eases other signs of ageing. It also reduces the appearance of cellulite. African wild cucumber is antibacterial and antifungal, so it can reduce foot sweat and stink. It’s really effective against stinky feet. It also has antioxidant properties.
Antibacterial Body Spray With African Wild Cucumber
Our antibacterial body sprays contain African wild cucumber. As mentioned above, AWC effectively kills the odor-causing bacteria present on your feet. It also possesses antifungal properties, making it a potent and effective natural remedy for foot odor.
Now that you know how to soothe your achy, tired feet and get rid of foot odor, what are you waiting for? Try this effective and foolproof eucalyptus-mint bubbly foot soak recipe below to eliminate foot odor for good while treating yourself to a much-deserved foot soak.
Eucalyptus-Mint Bubbly Foot Soak Recipe
This recipe has African wild cucumber in the bath tea blend. AWC has antibacterial properties and is great at eliminating odors. This is optional. Alternatively, you can use one of our antibacterial body sprays that also contain AWC.
Watch this short video, then make your own soothing DIY foot soak!
Supplies and Ingredients:
- 1.5 ounces Epsom salt
- 1 ounce pink Himalayan salt (small)
- 0.5 ounces Dead Sea salt
- 0.3 ounces baking soda
- 0.3 ounces citric acid
- 0.15 ounces bath tea blend (rosemary, peppermint, spearmint, sage, and African wild cucumber [optional])
- 1.5 mL Born To Move fragrance oil (mixture of eucalyptus, orange, rosemary and peppermint oils) [optional]
- 4 mini scoops of Emerald Green mica powder
- 2 mini scoops of Sparkling Gold mica powder
Directions:
1. To a mixing bowl, add Epsom salt, Dead Sea and pink Himalayan salts.
2. Add baking soda and citric acid. Blend entire mixture with a wire whisk to completely incorporate all the ingredients.
3. Sprinkle fragrance oil around the foot soak mixture. Do not add fragrance into just one spot. Mix well with wire whisk until it is all blended in.
4. Add bath tea…
…and blend thoroughly.
5. Separate the mixture into 2 glass bowls, with one bowl having approximately 1/4 of the mixture and the second bowl having the rest.
6. To the first bowl, add 2 mini scoops of sparkling gold mica powder. Mix well to incorporate color.
7. To the second bowl, add 4 mini scoops of emerald green mica powder. Once again, mix well to incorporate color.
8. Fill the bottom of the jar with the green color. Press the layer of salts. Then top with the gold color.
9. Cover with a tight-fitting lid.
This recipe makes one 4-oz jar of foot soak.
How To Use
Sprinkle 1-2 scoops into foot bath or foot massager with warm water. Soak your feet and enjoy!
If you want to use it as a bath soak, add 1/4 cup to warm running water and soak as desired.
How often do you treat yourself to a DIY foot soak? Did we miss any of your tested remedies for eliminating foot odor?
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