Footcare with vinegar tips

 

• Washing in warm water with vinegar added is an old-fashioned treatment for all sorts of foot complaints, from corns to smelly feet. Vinegar deters fungal and bacterial activity, which is why it can help to prevent odours and foot infections. On its own it's not necessarily enough to cure these type of problems, but it is a useful preventive lotion, for example to wipe out trainers and for cleansing feet immediately after using public swimming pools and showers.

• Walking barefoot in changing rooms is enough to pick up unwanted infection, so it isa good idea to wear flip-flops and wipe them over with a little vinegar when they are dry.

•  As well as using vinegar in a footwash, a persistent problem on foot odour can be treated by rubbing a little vinegar over the feet after washing and drying every morning and night.

• Socks, tights or stockings should ideally be cotton and they should be washed daily. Remove them at the end of the day, then wash and dry the feet before rubbing lightly with vinegar. Then leave the feet to air for the evening, if possible, rather than wearing socks or slippers.

• Keep footwear clean and allow it to air. Avoid plastics and materials that do not allow air to pass into the shoes and sweat to evaporate. Use suitable insoles that can be replaced or washed frequently. Sprays to prevent micro-organisms from infecting footwear can be expensive, especially for everyday use. Instead, wipe out shoes with a cotton pad dipped in vinegar and leave to air and dry every day.

• Try to avoid wearing the same pair of shoes too often. After sport, always remove training shoes from sports bags and allow them to air.