ITV doctor Amir Khan has said “lots of people” are guilty of not properly showering as he spoke to stand-in-host Ranvir Singh on Lorraine on Friday. The author, GP and regular TV guest was asked by Ranvir what people can do if they have smelly feet.
The doctor explained: “The sweat and the bacteria cause smelly feet. Lots of people don’t wash their feet in the shower, they just think the run-off of the water will clean their feet. Give your feet a good scrub!” Alternatively, people can soak their feet to keep bacteria at bay, he said.
Dr Khan continued: “If you just get some warm water and add a capful of vinegar to a foot soak, the vinegar makes an environment that’s inhospitable to bacteria”.
People can also stop their shoes from smelling by “disinfecting” them, Dr Khan continued. He recommends using a spray bottle of water with a teaspoon of vinegar and a few drops of essential oils to spray shoes before bed to have “fresh feet for the day”.
NHS guidance on smelly feet, or bromodosis to give it its medical name, is similar to that given by Dr Khan. People are advised to wash their feet at least once a day, remove hard skin with a foot file and keep toenails short and clean, use foot powder or a foot antiperspirant, wear shoes made of breathable fabrics, and to let shoes dry out before wearing them again.
Lorraine airs weekdays at 9am on ITV and ITVX