You don’t have to tell us the answer but be honest with yourself… When you shower or bathe, how often do you wash your feet? Not just let water drip down onto them but actually scrub them the way that you do the rest of your body?
If you don’t thoroughly scrub your feet (and then thoroughly dry them), you could be putting your feet at risk of developing some pretty nasty problems. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, your feet hygiene efforts shouldn’t stop there. You should still be washing your feet and drying them every single day, clipping your toenails, changing your socks and wearing protective footwear.
The Risks Of Unclean Feet
Smelly Feet
This one maybe goes without saying but feet that haven’t been cleaned and dried thoroughly are at a high risk of being smelly. Some of us are more prone to sweaty feet than others but often, smelly feet can be a sign of feet not being washed properly.
According to the Cleaveland Clinic, the bacteria that lives on your skin and in your shoes eats your sweat (ew), causing your feet to give off a nasty smell. You can keep these bacteria in check by regularly thoroughly washing and drying your feet (and in between your toes!).
Fungal and Bacterial Infections
So, bacteria thrives in moist, dark places like your shoes and socks and this means that infections can be developed as a result of that. One example is athlete’s foot which is an infection on the skin of your feet but even not cutting your nails properly or regularly can lead to fungal nail infections which cause nails to weaken and discolour.
For people with weakened immune systems or underlying health conditions, untreated foot infections can lead to amputation.
So, change your socks regularly and give your shoes time to dry out after wearing them to keep the scents at bay.
Dry, Cracked Skin On Your Feet
Dry, cracked skin around your feet and heels isn’t quite a sign of not washing your feet but it is an indicator that they’re not being dried and moisturised effectively, resulting in a buildup of dead skin.
The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that you moisturise your feet after a bath or shower and that the lotion you use has “10% to 25% urea, alpha hydroxy acid or salicylic acid”. Do this directly after drying your feet and you’ll have soft tootsies year-round!