What Really Happens When You Don’t Wash Your Feet – Health Digest

Our body is covered in bacteria, and our feet are no exception. Thanks to the insulation of our socks and shoes, our feet serve as an optimal environment for bacteria to thrive in — and unfortunately, going sock-free in your shoes doesn’t make things any better. “Bacteria [like] to feed on waste products that come out of your sweat glands, and they produce odor as they build up,” Dr. Robert K. Lee of UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, told SELF. While your armpits might be the first area that comes to mind when you think of sweating, our feet give our underarms a run for their money. On the average day, our feet give off about ½ pint of sweat, thanks to their combined 250,000 sweat glands (via Patient). All that sweat is essentially an all-you-can-eat buffet for bacteria, increasing our risk for smelly feet.

Even if you’re sticking your feet under the shower stream for a moment or two, water isn’t enough to protect our feet from calluses. If you’re not regularly washing and exfoliating your feet to help scrub away the buildup of dead skin, you may be more susceptible to calluses.