Girls and women, do your feet ever smell?

Question

Tiffany_Taylor_Made · Accepted Answer

I don't understand why you never heard of women having foot odor. Foot odor is mainly caused by bacteria on the feet consuming and breaking down sweat. Because women's feet sweat no differently than men's feet and can still attract bacteria that feeds on sweat, women can develop foot odor as well. Women are often stereotyped to be cleaner and more hygienic than men, which can potentially lead to some people believing that women's feet don't stink. However, as with all stereotypes, not all women are clean and hygienic, which makes some women more likely to suffer from foot odor.

Additionally, foot odor can still occur despite women's cleanliness or hygiene levels. Foot odor can be caused by other factors such as engaging in activities that result in excessive foot sweating, wearing certain footwear, fungal infections such as athlete's foot, non-sweat related moisture on the feet, and so on. For instance, even if a woman bathed daily and scrubbed her feet with soap and warm water, she could still engage in an activity that causes her feet to sweat more profusely than normal, such as a game of outdoor tennis on a hot summer day.

Certain footwear can also cause foot odor despite a woman's cleanliness, such as wearing shoes that enclose her feet without socks, which effectively traps sweat within the shoes, potentially resulting in odor. Clean and hygienic women can also wear socks made of materials that poorly absorb sweat, such as polyester or nylon, which can also potentially cause foot odor. Some women can also suffer from athlete's foot, which is caused by fungi. A rather clean woman who is dedicated to showering could foolishly shower in a public setting without shower shoes, resulting in her contracting athlete's foot. The presence of the fungus on the feet not only can cause itching and redness, but also foot odor.

Lastly, non-sweat related moisture, such as rain entering the shoes or simply not drying off the feet thoroughly after bathing, can cause foot odor. Therefore, women can definitely develop foot odor, whether they are hygienic or not. A potential lack of exposure to women's feet could also contribute to the belief that women's feet don't stink. When in public, because people generally avoid putting themselves in situations where others can negatively judge them, many women attempt to make a good first impression by being clean around others. As a result, when you are, say, around women in public places such as the mall, most women are more likely to smell good to avoid negative judgments and to attract men or whatever they're into.

However, in a more private setting, where you are very unlikely to be mind you, some women might be more lax about maintaining their personal hygiene. For instance, when I was in college, I had a roommate with significantly noticeable vaginal, foot, and armpit odor. However, whenever we went out and/or whenever she expected a guy to visit her, she was the cleanest girl in the world. No one that didn't live with her would have ever known that she had strong body odor because she always put extra effort into smelling good around others. Therefore, personal experiences, or a lack thereof, can also influence your perception of women's foot odor.

To answer your question personally, my feet don't smell on a day-to-day basis. Because my feet are cute and I love when men apply extra attention to my feet, I put plenty of effort into ensuring that my feet smell fresh. I shower daily and scrub my feet with my washcloth using soap and warm water that leans more toward hot. When I exit the shower, I dry my feet thoroughly, especially between my toes, which is a great area for bacteria to nest and feed if not dried properly. I also ensure that my socks are always clean and always try to avoid putting on the same pair of socks after removing them, even during the same day. As a result, I can carry out my entire day without my feet having an odor.

However, if I did say that my feet never work up an odor, I would be lying. The only time my feet truly work up an odor is when I finish my outdoor fitness runs during the summer. Because I enjoy running outdoors at my local park to stay in shape no matter the weather, if the weather is hot, namely above 90 degrees Fahrenheit, which is common in my location during the summer, my feet sweat much more than normal. Oftentimes, whenever I remove my running shoes afterward, my feet tend to emit this smell similar to vinegar for lack of a better comparison. Regardless of what you compare it to, in my opinion, it is quite gross.

Because of this, instantly after I return home from my summer runs, I always remove my socks, place them in the dirty clothes bin, and shower to wash away the smell. The fact that I prefer to run in polyester socks for more athletic support and less heat absorption compared to cotton socks doesn't help either, as polyester seems to wick sweat rather than absorb it. Despite my feet sweating excessively after running in the summer, if it does cause an odor, it is very often not too strong. I just happened to notice the smell because I developed a habit of always sniffing my socks after removing them.

However, I do recall one instance of my feet smelling bad enough to engulf a significant portion of my bedroom, which was really unusual for me. I ran around the track at my local park as usual when it suddenly started to rain. Never one to quit running because of weather, I continued my run. However, because my running shoes were mesh material, much of the rain entered my shoes, soaking my feet. When I finished my run, returned home, and removed my shoes, my feet emitted a strong cheesy odor that seeped throughout much of my bedroom. I apparently didn't even need to sniff my socks to notice the odor that time. Anyone within my vicinity would have noticed the smell without fail. It was the first and only time that ever happened, and I was shocked. I, of course, instantly showered and washed my shoes and socks. Other than that, my feet are typically odorless.

Abbycado · Accepted Answer

I'm sure they do after I work out. I shower after though.

Apple1996 · Answer

Not really but i hate wearing real shoes

Anonymous · Answer

Everyone's do at some point

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