Home → Blog → Resources → 15 Ways to Prevent Sweaty Feet – Keep Your Feet Fresh On the Go
Sweaty feet and the unpleasant odors associated with them affect a remarkable number of people. And it’s not just a hot-weather issue either. Many people struggle with sweaty feet in the middle of winter. All it takes is a little physical exertion, an uncomfortable commute, or a bit of stress, and our bodies’ natural physiological response kicks in. Unfortunately, this can happen at the most inopportune moments, affecting your self-confidence and making you feel uncomfortable and awkward.
The good news is that there are plenty of ways to tackle sweaty feet and prevent bad smells from accumulating. Here, we detail how to prevent sweaty feet with 15 top tips that are sure to have a positive impact on your perspiration. By adopting a few new habits, you can make smelly feet a thing of the past.
Before we look at how to prevent sweaty feet, we’ll look at the causes. Proportionally, your feet contain more sweat glands than almost any other part of the body. Between both feet, there are approximately 250,000 sweat glands (RCP). That translates to a huge capacity for moisture production. While foot glands fulfil the same function as sweat glands elsewhere on the body (they regulate temperature and maintain skin moisture), they differ in several key ways. For instance, they stay active throughout the day and don’t necessarily require a trigger, such as an increase in temperature, to start producing sweat. As such, they can quickly get damp and clammy, even in cooler conditions.
It also doesn’t help that feet spend much of the time wrapped up in socks and shoes – two things that are very good at trapping heat and moisture. This results in a warm, damp environment, creating the perfect breeding ground for bacteria and fungi. And, when it comes to unpleasant foot odors, bacteria and fungi are the real culprits.
Typically, sweat doesn’t smell all that much. It’s actually the bacteria and microbes that thrive in sweaty conditions that cause the odors. They release bad smells as part of their metabolic processes, and these odors get stronger and smellier the more bacteria there are. As bacteria break down the amino and fatty acids in sweat, they produce volatile sulfur compounds and organic acids. These are the substances responsible for that pungent odor we associate with stinky feet.
That’s why the best place to start with preventing smelly feet is depriving the bacteria of the conditions they need to proliferate.
Below are 15 practical, evidence-informed ways on how to prevent sweaty feet, keeping drier and fresher. Try mixing and matching several tips to refine a routine that fits your lifestyle and achieves the best results for you.
Your choice of footwear has an enormous impact on how much your feet sweat and smell. If you struggle with sweaty feet, make sure you pick styles that incorporate mesh panels, perforations, or other features that improve airflow and breathability. The more breathable the shoe, the quicker and easier moisture can evaporate off. Performance footwear is specifically designed for breathability and moisture management, and typically outperforms traditional footwear with sealed synthetic uppers.
Rotating your shoes so you don’t wear the same pair multiple days in a row enables them to dry and air out, preventing damp and bacterial growth. You can even remove the insoles to improve drying speed and ensure all moisture is evaporating. Best practice is to leave shoes for 24 hours before wearing them again. It’s one of the most effective ways on how to prevent sweaty feet.
Cotton tends to perform poorly when it comes to moisture-wicking capabilities. Instead, it soaks up sweat and stays damp and heavy for much longer than many other fibers. With this in mind, try to stay away from 100% cotton socks and opt for technical fibers designed to wick moisture away from the skin. These textiles help prevent sweaty feet and will help you stay dry and comfortable for longer.
Merino wool is an excellent moisture-wicking fiber. But it also benefits from natural antibacterial properties. Consequently, it’s much better at keeping unpleasant odors at bay than other fabrics, particularly cotton and untreated synthetics. Merino wool is usually more expensive than these more traditional fabrics, but it will last longer and is certainly worth the investment if you want to stop your feet from sweating.
While natural fibres with antibacterial properties are an excellent choice, they are not the only option. Polygiene Freshness technologies – notably Polygiene StayFresh™ and Polygiene OdorCrunch™ – can be integrated into almost any textile to provide enhanced odor control. While the former is a powerful antibacterial solution, the latter tackles environmental odors. Both are used in socks, insoles, and shoes to keep them fresher for longer and prevent unpleasant odors.
Ensuring you wash your feet well every day with an appropriate antibacterial soap goes a long way to keeping bad smells at bay. A thorough clean reduces surface bacteria and associated metabolic products, preventing odors. Just make sure to dry your feet properly afterwards, especially if you are putting on socks and shoes straight away.
If you’re looking for ideas on how to prevent sweaty feet and want to take things a step further, try using one of the many foot powder solutions on the market. Designed to absorb moisture and keep your feet dry, they can be a very effective way of preventing sweat-related smells. Some even contain mild antibacterials.
Insoles are the part of any shoe that’s most likely to soak up sweat. As the vast majority of your feet’s sweat glands are located on the sole, it’s where you get the most moisture and have the most direct contact. In many cases, the factory insoles are not designed to help with sweat or moisture management. However, you can purchase specialist Polygiene-treated insoles that incorporate anti-odor technologies and help tackle one of the most significant sources of unpleasant smells. We recommend checking out Dr Scholl’s insoles if you’re interested in trying them out.
Whenever you get a private moment, try airing out your feet and allowing them to breathe a little. That can mean removing all socks and shoes and just kicking back with your feet up, or it could mean switching to sandals while you’re walking around. Both options should help your feet dry out and freshen them up.
Many people mistakenly believe that staying well hydrated increases sweating by providing the body with extra moisture. In fact, the opposite is true. Staying hydrated helps your body regulate its temperature more effectively, reducing the amount your sweat glands have to work, and helping avoid sweaty feet.
Though the glands on the feet don’t necessarily require a trigger to produce moisture, sweating can be exacerbated by certain factors. Stress will often prompt a response from the sympathetic nervous system, increasing sweat. Using stress management techniques to keep stress in check can also help when you’re trying to find out how to prevent sweaty feet.
It’s not just your shoes that need to be breathable. Your feet will benefit from good air flow from the tips of your toes right up to the top of your ankles. Tight trouser cuffs and non-breathable fabrics often trap heat around the collar of the shoe, leading to a significant increase in foot temperature and more sweating. Choose loose and roomy cuts and breathable trouser fabrics to facilitate improved heat dispersal.
If you’re sweating a lot and are worried about foot odor, you must ensure your shoes dry after each wear. This means getting as much air into the shoe as possible and exposing every part of the shoe. Loosen the laces, open up the tongue and uppers, and remove your insoles. Having done so, you will ideally let them dry naturally in a sunny spot. If the weather’s not on your side, stuffing the shoe with newspaper can help. You can also place them near a gentle heat source. However, be careful with fires, radiators, and other heaters – they can dry out and damage shoe materials.
If you’re on the go and want to keep your feet fresh and stop excessive sweating, you need a travel pack. Put together a small pack containing antibacterial wipes, a small foot powder, and an extra pair of socks. The ability to run to the bathroom and quickly refresh if you’re feeling uncomfortable or self-conscious can make all the difference.
If sweat soaks through socks or shoes daily despite trying the steps detailed above, we recommend talking to a clinician about prescription antiperspirants, iontophoresis, or other foot odor therapies and solutions.
As they’re enclosed, your shoes tend to create their own (very micro) microclimate. The materials, design, and fit will determine the conditions in that microclimate and, by extension, how much you perspire and whether sweat evaporates or lingers. When buying a new pair of shoes, take the following factors into account:
Increasingly, manufacturers are turning to advanced textile technologies to help consumers manage perspiration and associated odors. This is also true of footwear-related products, including shoes and socks. By treating the textiles used in these products with highly effective odor control solutions, manufacturers add significant value to their products and help distinguish them from the competition. In turn, consumers benefit from superior performance and a product that needs washing less frequently, improving its longevity and environmental footprint.
When it comes to odor control, Polygiene’s industry-leading solutions are the gold standard.
Polygiene StayFresh is an antibacterial textile treatment that’s applied to textiles during manufacturing to protect fabrics by ensuring they resist the growth of odor-causing bacteria. By preventing bacterial growth, the solution reduces odor and enables consumers to wash their textiles less frequently – a win for the individual and the environment. You’ll find Polygiene StayFresh in apparel, socks, insoles, and other areas where textiles benefit from long-lasting, 24/7 antibacterial protection and odor control.
Whereas Polygiene StayFresh is an antibacterial solution, Polygiene OdorCrunch works in a slightly different way. A silica-based technology, it captures and “crunches” odorous molecules, breaking them down and releasing their constituent parts in a smell-free way. It’s fantastic at eliminating environmental odors, such as cooking smells, smoke, or general mustiness. As it works at the molecular level to trap and break down odors, it complements antibacterial finishes by tackling those smells that aren’t the result of bacterial growth.
It’s also possible to combine Polygiene StayFresh and Polygiene OdorCrunch technologies in a single product, ensuring that all odors are taken care of, regardless of their origin or cause. This dual-action approach is ideal for footwear, socks, and activewear that are affected by both sweat-related and environmental odors.
Currently, you can find Polygiene solutions in the following footwear products:
Whether you’re a shoe manufacturer looking for innovative ways to enhance user comfort or an activewear brand designing high-performance trail running socks, Polygiene is here to help.
Learn more about Polygiene StayFresh and Polygiene OdorCrunch, or contact the Polygiene team to discuss how our textile technologies can benefit your brand.
