Can Soaking Your Feet In Black Tea Really Prevent Sweating? Here's What We Know

Home remedies are always worth a try. Through trial and error, we have figured out if chlorophyll water is a helpful hangover cure or ways to combat an oily scalp. However for those of us who want to take a walk in the hot sun, we have another issue to deal with — foot odor. This can often be embarrassing and feel like it's coming out of nowhere, especially when taking off your shoes. "Foot smell happens a lot because when your foot sweats, like inside a sneaker, it'll absorb the sweat and then bacteria start to feed on the sweat," explained podiatrist, Dr. Jacqueline Sutera to Well + Good. "[Odor] is actually a byproduct from the bacteria."

One way to fix the issue is with black tea. According to Sutera, the tannic acid in black tea helps your feet sweat less. "What the tannins do is temporarily shrink the sweat ducts so you're not producing and releasing as much, and that also helps with the odor." With a few easy steps, it's very easy to incorporate into your routine.

How you create your black tea soak makes a world of a difference when it comes to improving your foot sweat. Dr. Sutera told Livestrong that the first step is to take two plain black tea bags and brew them in a quart of water. From there, once the water is at a comfortable temperature, pour the tea into a container that's big enough to put your feet in. From there, let your feet soak in the tea for about 10 minutes. It's imperative to repeat these steps every night for a week. Afterward, you can do the black tea soak once a week for maintenance. "If symptoms return, repeat the tea soak for your feet again for another few days," said Dr. Sutera. To create a more relaxing experience, Alyssa and Carla recommend adding Epsom salts to the soak to help relax the muscles.

Outside of soaking your feet in black tea, there are other ways to help reduce foot odor. One way to do so is to keep your feet free from dirt and bacteria. This means thoroughly washing and brushing your feet once a day. According to Harvard, this removes bacteria from the skin, thus keeping the odor away. Once your feet are clean, make sure to completely dry them before carrying on with your day.

Your shoes are also very important when it comes to keeping your feet smelling fresh. Try not to wear the same footwear every day, and instead alternate on a day-to-day basis. While we all have a favorite pair of sneakers, giving your shoes a day to fully dry from sweat helps your feet free from being exposed to bacteria. Also, consider adding sandals to your closet in order to allow your feet to stay cool.