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Zinc Banishes Foot Odor

Q. My 17-year-old granddaughter has a problem with smelly feet. My son had the same problem at that age. Do you have any home remedies to recommend?

A. Readers have shared lots of home remedies for foot odor. Here is one:

“Years ago my stepson, age 15, had such stinky feet even he couldn’t stand them. His aunt came to visit and when the boy came home, his mom said, ‘Don’t take those shoes off in here!’ The aunt asked why and his mom explained we couldn’t stand the odor. The aunt reminded her of the old rhyme–zinc for stink.

“We bought a bottle of zinc pills. A whole tablet made him sick to his stomach so we cut them in half. After a month, his feet no longer smelled and he didn’t need zinc any more.”

Other people have found that soaking feet in a baking soda, dilute vinegar, Epsom salts or strong tea solution can be helpful. You can find more details in our free Guide to Smelly Feet.

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About the Author
Terry Graedon, PhD, is a medical anthropologist and co-host of The People’s Pharmacy radio show, co-author of The People’s Pharmacy syndicated newspaper columns and numerous books, and co-founder of The People’s Pharmacy website. Terry taught in the Duke University School of Nursing and was an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology. She is a Fellow of the Society of Applied Anthropology. Terry is one of the country's leading authorities on the science behind folk remedies..
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