Thread: Making an antibacterial foot spray?

I'm trying to come up with my own antibacterial foot spray recipe. Tea tree oil + water would probably work, and I thought about throwing in some apple cider vinegar. Would I need to add some Germaban or other antibacterial agent, or would the tea tree oil and ACV keep the product from going crazy with bacteria? This is for my own use; I don't have any kind of business selling to customers. So I don't care if it's not fancy, or if it is a little stinky (which tea tree smells good and CLEAN to me so I don't mind it). I just want it to work and not go rotten. I'm putting it in an empty 4 oz spray bottle, and I'm also concerned about germs growing inside the spray nozzle and straw.

Any suggestions? Would what I proposed work and stay clean? I know some of you are DIYers like I am when it comes to beauty and health stuff, so what do you think?

Apple Cider Vinegar might eat away at your skin.

I would definately try cold press virgin coconut oil.

Thanks for your input, HubicRuzz.

I had another thought: isopropyl alcohol + tea tree? At least no nasties would grow in it! I wonder if I dilute it 50/50 with water would there be enough alcohol to prevent bacteria from growing?

Originally Posted by Darbla

Thanks for your input, HubicRuzz.

I had another thought: isopropyl alcohol + tea tree? At least no nasties would grow in it! I wonder if I dilute it 50/50 with water would there be enough alcohol to prevent bacteria from growing?

Not sure what that would do.

What kind of problems have you been having to want you to make an antibacterial foot spray?

First, killing bacteria with alcohol: A 60-70% alcohol solution is actually the best for killing bacteria, better than straight alcohol. So your idea of diluting with water is good. A lot of hand sanitizers like Purell are really just a 60% alcohol solution with fragrances (actually good, because alcohol kills cells indiscriminately, whereas antibiotics kill some cells but some are resistant, and of course those resistant ones now have more 'room' to breed -- you've probably heard news stories of drug-resistant strains becoming a real problem).

BUT alcohol is drying for the skin, not sure if you'd always want to spray it on your feet.

It really depends on how long you are planning to keep the solution around. It would be best to make in small batches. Almost anything can become contaminated if left around too long (particularly if unused; e.g. the spray nozzle may dry out and become a home to something because your antibacterial agent isn't in there to protect it). I'd recommend starting with really clean equipment (like rinsing your bottle/nozzle with 60% alcohol to start with, then filling with a small amount of your solution so that you can use it up in a decent amount of time). A few drops of tea tree oil in water is pretty easy to mix up.

If the problem is that your shoes are smelling, try wiping the insides with a cotton ball drenched in vinegar. The vinegar smell will dissipate quickly. For shoes as well as other dance stuff, make sure you put things away dry and in something that can breathe (mesh shoe bags, or if in a plastic box drill some air holes), perhaps with a cedar sachet.
And wearing socks, even little nylon footies, can really help prevent shoe stank... I hate socks, but I hate stinky shoes more.

Have you seen these?

CAMP2SEE.COM: Natural Antibacterial and Antiseptic Spray

And this one uses witch hazel instead of distilled alcohol: How to Make Peppermint Rosemary Foot Spray | eHow.com

I was going to suggest witch hazel but someone beat me too it. And I would also likely add lavender to the tea tree. If your heels are very dry you could also add the tea tree (and whatever other oils you choose to use) to a simple lotion or cream.

Originally Posted by HubicRuzz

What kind of problems have you been having to want you to make an antibacterial foot spray?

None to speak of, but what got my little brain to whirring on this was a horrifically nasty floor at a dance studio where I subbed for another teacher for one of her classes. And then I remembered you can buy foot sprays so it's a pretty common concept, but figured I could probably make my own.

Thanks for the ideas!

You could use vodka instead of isopropyl alcohol. It's purer (you could even find organic) and has no odor, and might be less drying (don't quote me on that though). I've seen it used in recipes for natural aftershave. An infusion of rosemary in the vodka would add a nice smell and extra antibacterial properties, and would complement the TTO.

If you are trying to control foot odor, a spray with lots of ethyl or isopropyl alcohol will work against that goal, because it will dry your skin out over time, and feet with calloused,dry cracked skin will harbor more odor-causing germs.

If you are worried about picking up something contagious at the dance studio, an alcohol spray won't protect you against one of the most likely infections to pick up -- a fungus (athlete's foot, etc.)

I would say keep your feet moisturized with olive or coconut oil, to which you could add a few drops of the tea tree oil. And wear dance slippers . :-)

If you just want a foot spray to make your feet feel good, I would suggest putting just a weeks worth or so in your small spray bottle, and keep the rest of the batch in the refrigerator (or even freezer). Then you wouldn't have to worry about bacterial growth.

Tea tree oil is both antibacterial and antifungal, so I don't think you really would need anything else. You're more likely to have issues with picking up fungi rather than bacteria, and tea tree oil is great for clearing up athlete's foot.

Some of my dancers in my troupe like to use baby wipes after dancing/practicing, and I know they make anitbacterial hand wipes which seem like it would work as well. If someone made a version of those that also had tea tree oil or some other antifungal agent I would totally buy them.