Do you really need to wash your feet?
We all know that the internet loves a good debate, but quite a surprising question divided the Twitter-verse recently when news anchor Katie Olmsted posed an unexpected question to her followers:
"Alright, this has already sparked a lot of talk here and brought up a follow up question: Do you wash your feet? I'll admit, I don't usually wash the bottoms of my feet because a) they're already in all the soapy water at the bottom & b) it makes it scary slippery! Your thoughts?"¹
The impassioned responses flooded in, ranging from “This is a joke, right?? Who doesn’t wash their feet??” to “I don't wash my feet unless they need to be washed.” The consensus amongst pro-foot-washers was that, like every other part of your body, feet need to be washed daily, especially since they can come into contact with the ground. The other side argued that, since feet get splashed with water and soap in the shower anyway, they don’t warrant any special attention.
While we wish this was a situation where we could remain neutral, as foot experts, we have to agree that one side is 100% correct: yes, you absolutely should be washing your feet! If you’re not convinced, let us break down the reasons for you below.
To remove bacteria and odor
At the bare minimum, you should be washing the tops, bottoms and sides of your feet with mild soap and water daily, remembering to pat feet dry to retain moisture (versus rubbing dry) and to dry between toes, which is essential for preventing the growth of bacteria and fungus.²
Our feet—like the rest of our bodies—are naturally covered in bacteria. And some of this bacteria is good! However, when the bacteria on feet start to feed on sweat and other things that uncleansed feet offer up, they cause the funky, cheesy odor that we’ve all experienced after a long hike (don’t lie). Washing your feet thoroughly helps to remove the dirt, sweat, grime and bacteria that build up quickly and can lead to foot odor.
If you experience foot odor frequently, washing your feet might not be enough. That’s why we created Twinkle Toes™, a handy spray that’s packed with 6 powerful anti-microbial agents that instantly wipe out the bacteria and fungus that cause funky odors. It’s so good that it’s clinically proven to eliminate 99.8% of odor-causing bacteria because it wipes out the root causes of odor and stops odors before they start, instead of just masking them. So if your feet are a little funky, it’s seriously the best investment you could make.
To avoid infections
A continuation of removing bacteria, you should also be washing your feet regularly to avoid common foot infections. If bacteria, fungus and other micro-baddies are allowed to chill on your skin for long enough, they can cause a full-blown infection like Athlete’s Foot, a staph infection, plantar warts and a million more unpleasant things with even more unpleasant symptoms.³
The risk is amplified if you often go barefoot in locker rooms, yoga studios, public pools or communal showers. Essentially, you can pick up whatever the last 100 people left behind. Not the best thought.
If you’re in a situation where you can’t give your feet a thorough wash, consider Clean Slate™, textured wipes designed with micro dot technology to naturally disinfect and deep clean into the microgrooves on the soles of your feet. Every wipe is infused with a triple-acting formula that quickly cleanses, purifies and moisturizes so your feet stay clean and healthy.
To exfoliate your skin
In fact, you should be taking your foot washing to the next level—and not just rinsing—by scrubbing and exfoliating. By making an effort to slough off those dead skin cells, you lessen your chances of experiencing dry, hard, cracked or flakey skin, or calluses, which are not only annoying but can be painful, too.
If you’re new to foot exfoliation, not to worry, we’ve got everything you need, from a professional micro-grated rasp to a siliglass pumice stone to make your foot scrubbing experience an enjoyable one. Just remember to dry your feet thoroughly afterwards and replenish moisture with High Dive™.
Long story short: if you’re not spending a few short minutes each day washing your feet, you could be setting yourself up for some nasty long-lasting problems, so lather up!