feet stink with dress socks/shoes?

[TheDroog]

I suspect the OP is wearing cheap socks. Certain dress socks with poor quality polyester and rayon often smell bad after wearing. For example, rental tuxedos come with cheap socks that stink terribly after a single night's use.

The answer is wool or wool blend socks. They breath better than cotton so there's less perspiration, and from experience the fibers don't get as stinky as cotton after a full day's wear.

 

[DWFII]

Especially import shoes often are lined with leathers that are tanned with chemicals that react to perspiration. I've seen this a lot. I don't have the problem but poorly tanned leathers sometime make the shoe smell worse than just about any other odor I've ever had the displeasure to encounter.

As mentioned, better quality shoes can really make a difference.

 

[maxgohan]

Originally Posted by TheDroog

I suspect the OP is wearing cheap socks. Certain dress socks with poor quality polyester and rayon often smell bad after wearing. For example, rental tuxedos come with cheap socks that stink terribly after a single night's use.

The answer is wool or wool blend socks. They breath better than cotton so there's less perspiration, and from experience the fibers don't get as stinky as cotton after a full day's wear.

probably it, i'll try to get some wool socks tonight and see what happens
the current pairs i got 4 pairs for $10 lol

 

[DWFII]

Originally Posted by maxgohan

probably it, i'll try to get some wool socks tonight and see what happens the current pairs i got 4 pairs for $10 lol
I'm almost embarrassed to admit it since I live, breather and make high quality shoes...but I buy cheap socks myself. I get them at the local Walmart or where-ever. I've never had any problem with odor because of socks. In fact, I suspect that synthetic fibers are less likely to retain or encourage odour causing bacteria than natural fibers, although they may cause greater quantities of perspiration. I still suspect the leather in the linings--leather is preserved animal skins. If it is not tanned correctly it it is far more likely...just by virtue of the kind of sustrate that it is...to encourage bacteria growth. BTW, the last pair of sock I bought were three pairs for $10.00 or something like that and were bamboo fiber.

 

[maxgohan]

im sure it has to do with my socks because i dont have any problems with more breathable materials such as my sports socks....

maybe the fibers of my socks are restricting air flow to my feet and creating odor?

 

[maxgohan]

Originally Posted by maxgohan

im sure it has to do with my socks because i dont have any problems with more breathable materials such as my sports socks....

maybe the fibers of my socks are restricting air flow to my feet and creating odor?
or maybe i'll just start cutting holes in my socks.....air holes!

 

[maxgohan]

actually, another thing i'll try is wearing my dress socks with my kicks to see if they still stink...

if they do then by the process of elimination, it's the socks!

i'm a genius

 

[Harrydog]

Wear wool dress socks. They breath very well and retain their loft and comfort all day. Pantherella OTC or Nagrani OTC wool socks are my favorites.

Use cedar shoes trees. Have a good rotation with your shoes.

I have no problem with smelly shoes or socks...they just smell like wood and leather.

As for synthetic fibers being better, I disagree. I have a hell of a time keeping my bike clothes from being smelly...even after washing.

 

[Dewey]

Problem is you need more than one pair of black leather shoes from Aldo or whatever. The stink is in the shoes. The socks have nothing to do with it. You wear the shoes too many consecutive days and the funk breeds in there. Then you lay off them, re-insert your sweaty feet, and all that moisture re-activates the funk.

Throw out the funky shoes, they will stink forever now that you have funked them up. Get new ones. Give them at least one day off between wearings so they can dry out. One sweaty day will not be enough to make new shoes smell awful unless you exude some kind of inhumanly foul foot sweat.

This is a good example of how the guy with one pair of shoes spends more money on shoes than the guy with three pairs of shoes. You can destroy shoes quickly if you wear them too often. Rest them enough and they last many times longer.

 

[Kookz]

Originally Posted by TheDroog

I suspect the OP is wearing cheap socks. Certain dress socks with poor quality polyester and rayon often smell bad after wearing. For example, rental tuxedos come with cheap socks that stink terribly after a single night's use.

The answer is wool or wool blend socks. They breath better than cotton so there's less perspiration, and from experience the fibers don't get as stinky as cotton after a full day's wear.

Thank you!

It still amazes me that 99% of socks are cotton when there is probably not a worse fiber to make a sock from. There's a reason cloth diapers and towels are made from cotton, its one exceptional quality is to absorb and hold moisture.

Definitely get some wool socks. I've worn nothing but Smartwool for the last 8 years at least, but if those don't hold up to your sartorial standards, try this:

http://www.styleforum.net/showthread.php?t=112698

I can't recommend Smartwool highly enough though. I work on oil rigs and I'm in my steel toed boots 14+ hours a day. I bring only 2 pairs of socks to the rig, both Smartwool "Diamond Jim" argyle 'dress' socks. Very tough, very versatile.

 

[Kookz]

Originally Posted by Dewey

Problem is you need more than one pair of black leather shoes from Aldo or whatever. The stink is in the shoes. The socks have nothing to do with it. You wear the shoes too many consecutive days and the funk breeds in there. Then you lay off them, re-insert your sweaty feet, and all that moisture re-activates the funk.

Throw out the funky shoes, they will stink forever now that you have funked them up. Get new ones. Give them at least one day off between wearings so they can dry out. One sweaty day will not be enough to make new shoes smell awful unless you exude some kind of inhumanly foul foot sweat.

This is a good example of how the guy with one pair of shoes spends more money on shoes than the guy with three pairs of shoes. You can destroy shoes quickly if you wear them too often. Rest them enough and they last many times longer.

It has plenty to do with the socks. You're probably right about the shoes already being beyond salvage though.

 

[LawrenceMD]

+1 on wool socks. please do buy higher quality (meaning higher >60% wool fibers) socks. even for my daily runs i use wool sport socks (darn tough brand). you can find that brand has dress socks (plain thinner versions) also.

they may be more expensive but do carry a no questions asked lifetime warranty. after running (25miles per week) for a year in a 4 pair rotation i had going. I had a blister develop on my toe and emailed the company about wear and causing blisters over a year....

the company called back and asked how many socks i owned from them, verified my purchases and then sent me 4 new pairs.

the best part is that even when wet your feet will be cool in hot weather or warm in cold weather, minimal/no chaffing, and stink free.

and after a year with my old 4 pairs... no difference in quality of the socks. it turns out the blister was caused by my switching up my running shoe model.

 

[mensimageconsultant]

Originally Posted by sonlegoman

Are you a doctor? Sweat mixes with skin cells and ferments in the presence of bacteria regardless of diet. The key is to kill the bacteria or slow its fermentation process or dry the sweat so that the sweat can't mix with the skin cells.

You've got three choices and three approaches.

Wear an "antiperspirant" that contains heavy metals that will plug your skin cells so as to produce less sweat.

Wear better shoes/socks that have better circulation that dries your feet before the fermentation process can occur.

Wear high quality leathers that have a natural antibacterial action due to the acids/tannins in the leather so that even with all the sweat and skin cells, there's no bacteria to ferment the sweat and skin cells.

And wash your feet. You'd be surprised at how much dead skin cells cover your feet. It's the place that is covered all day with cloth that is in direct contact. Just like your ball sack, your feet can get pretty grody.

Diet can contribute to odor.

Other options include foot powder (basically antiperspirant, as described above, though perhaps safer) and socks with antibacterial properties. It's a good idea to remove socks and shoes when you don't need them for walking or warmth.

 

[orthofrancis]

I remember as a teen, and young adult, often wearing the same shoes daily -and my feet smelled. As I bought more dress shoes, and didn't wear the same shoes two days in a row, the smell stopped.

I really don't think it has much to do with the socks.

And, yes, Botox is often used by women to stop sweating. It is injected into their armpits. Another use is to inject it into your feet, to stop foot sweat.

It will be cheaper to buy more shoes, than to receive Botox injections.

 

[Mr. Moo]

My feet never smell, ever. I don't know why, but it is what it is and they're pretty perfect.