Wondering how to prevent sweaty feet in sandals? It can be uncomfortable, and you may find that your sandals become stained or quickly worn out.
The good news is that you can try many home remedies to prevent this. Chances are high that you already have some of these ingredients at home, so you can use them today to fix your sweaty feet.
Why Do My Feet Sweat in Sandals But Not When I’m Barefoot?
Your feet contain the highest number of sweat glands in the body! Your feet still sweat when you’re barefoot, but they have easy access to air, which quickly helps any sweat to evaporate.
However, sweat accumulates on the bottom of your foot when you’re in a sandal—especially if it’s made from leather, plastic, or vinyl. When it gets stuck in the small space between the skin and the material of the shoe, there’s no space for it to evaporate. This leads to it feeling like much more sweat than usual.
This also happens in other shoes, but it’s less noticeable when wearing socks. Socks absorb sweat to a certain degree, so you don’t feel as much sweat under your feet!
Factors That Contribute to Excessive Sweating
In some cases, there may be underlying reasons for excessive sweating. While your feet will feel more sweaty in sandals, there may be a reason other than normal sweat and shoe materials.
Here are some of the most common factors that contribute to sweaty feet:
Biological Factors
Certain biological conditions can cause excess sweating. Most of them are fixable with some lifestyle changes and possibly medication.
- Genetics: Excess sweating may be a genetic condition passed down from parents to children.
- Body temperature: Some people have a higher-than-average body temperature, which could cause more sweat production, especially in the feet.
- Hormones: Hormonal imbalances may increase sweat rate, which can show up most noticeably in the feet.
- Overactive sweat glands: Some people may have a condition in which the sweat glands produce more sweat than usual.
- Plantar Hyperhidrosis: A medical condition that causes excessive foot sweating
- Other medical conditions: Some medical conditions present with excessive sweating as one of the symptoms.
- Medications: Some medications may also cause more sweating than usual.
Environmental Factors
Sometimes, the factors contributing to your feet sweating are environmental in nature. These are things you may be able to change, depending on what the cause is.
- Warm Weather and Humidity: The hotter the weather, the more you’re likely to sweat. In humid weather, the sweat doesn’t evaporate easily and sits on the skin. It may sound counterintuitive, but you might want to wear shoes with socks in this weather.
- Non-Breathable Materials: If your shoes—or socks—are made of non-breathable materials, the heat won’t escape easily. Cotton, plastic, and vinyl are not breathable materials.
- Poorly-Fitting Sandals: If your shoes fit too tightly, sweat may become trapped between your skin and the shoe, causing it to accumulate as it can’t evaporate.
How to Stop Your Feet From Sweating in Sandals
Here’s how to prevent sweaty feet in sandals. Some of these methods may work for you while others might not, so you might need to experiment with a few things to find the one that helps you.
Keep Your Feet Clean
It might sound like a no-brainer… But keeping your feet clean can go a long way towards reducing or even preventing excess sweating in sandals. You may need to wash your feet more often in hot weather.
You don’t need to run off to the bathroom multiple times daily to wash your feet with antibacterial soap. You can use rubbing alcohol wet wipes to keep your feet clean and sweat-free. Wherever you are, simply slip your shoes off and give them a quick wipe every now and then.
Choose the Right Fit
Choosing the right fit is essential for comfort, health, and sweat! If your shoes are too tight, there’s no space for the sweat to escape between the skin and the material of the shoe. The solution? Make sure you’re getting the right fit.
Your shoe should be comfortable but shouldn’t rub or chafe anywhere. It shouldn’t be so big that your foot slides around in or on it… This can also cause sweat as your foot slides back and forth.
Made From Breathable Materials
Most sandals are made from non-breathable materials, like plastic or vinyl. These materials don’t allow air to come through and help dissipate heat or for sweat to get through the material so it can evaporate.
Sandals can be deceiving! You might assume they’re very breathable as they’re mostly open around the top of the foot. But the problem comes in underneath the foot—this is where you sweat the most!
Try to find sandals with a breathable footbed, made of materials like polyester or mesh. These will help allow heat to escape and may make a difference to the amount of sweat that accumulates on and under the feet.
Moisture-Wicking Liners
If you already have sandals made of non-breathable materials and don’t want to go and buy new ones, you can add a moisture-wicking liner like this one to your sandal’s footbed.
Liners or insoles serve a dual purpose, providing a bit of extra cushion but also effectively wicking away moisture as your feet sweat. Make sure you get one that’s truly moisture-wicking. Cotton absorbs sweat, but it can feel like you’re walking on a wet carpet on hot days!
Use a Foot Powder
Foot powders like the Gold Bond Medicated Talc-Free Foot Powder can effectively absorb moisture as your feet sweat. They also usually have a pleasant scent, so they’ll help stop odors and even itching.
Come powders also incorporate compounds like menthol, which can have a cooling effect. These ones are excellent for reducing excess sweating in warm weather.
Antiperspirant Foot Lotion or Roll-On
Antiperspirant lotion or roll-ons can also help, if you aren’t a fan of powder. If you want to keep your feet soft, you may want to try something like the Carpe Antiperspirant Foot Lotion.
For those who would prefer a roll-on, you can easily find them online or at your nearest store, like the Neat Feat 3B Foot Saver Roll-On Antiperspirant for Feet. Those who don’t like the feeling of putting cream on their feet may prefer this.
Soak Your Feet in White Vinegar
Vinegar is an astringent, which tightens the skin and closes the pores. This can effectively reduce sweating, and most of us have vinegar at home! It’s also antibacterial and can help prevent bacteria.
You can make a soak by mixing 1 part vinegar, 1 part water, and ½ a part of baking soda. Allow your feet to soak for 15 to 20 minutes. Do this once a day and your feet should sweat less!
If a specific part of your foot sweats more than others, you can also apply vinegar to that part with a cotton ball.
Apply Rubbing Alcohol to the Bottom of Your Feet
Like vinegar, rubbing alcohol is an astringent that dries out the skin. This can be an effective remedy for sweaty feet, but don’t overdo it or you’ll find dry skin on your feet.
The best way to use it is to apply it to particularly sweaty parts of your feet. You can dab it on using a cotton ball, which should help dry up any excess sweat and keep your feet dry for longer.
Avoid Certain Foods That Increase Sweat Production
Did you know that some foods increase sweat production? And because the feet have the most sweat glands, they tend to get sweaty when you eat or drink too much of these things.
Spicy foods naturally cause your temperature to rise, which increases sweat production. Processed, fatty foods can also increase sweat, and so can caffeine. Avoid these things, and you might just notice that your sweaty feet improve!
Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. These foods are naturally higher in water, which keeps you hydrated and ensures that your body temperature stays fairly consistent. Also, drinking water instead of coffee can make a huge difference!
