Foot In Shower

March 14, 2007 9:38 AM

I have a mild case of athletes foot. I have read a fair bit about making it go away, and so far that treatment is working pretty well. But what should I do to my shower to make sure I don't get it again, and that no one else in my house gets it?
posted by LoopyG to Health & Fitness (10 answers total)

Avoid walking around with wet feet, especially before you get in the shower and wash them. I have a towel-like bathmat that I put down over the regular bathmat, and hang up to dry when I'm done.
posted by hydrophonic at 9:49 AM on March 14, 2007

Best answer: Sure, spray a little vinegar or bleach in the bottom of the shower stall. You could soak your feet in a vinegar solution too. It's only a fungus. Do what you would normally do to eliminate fungi, eating excluded.
posted by kc0dxh at 10:21 AM on March 14, 2007

I wore socks in the shower (and everywhere else) until it was completely gone.
posted by Hermes32 at 10:36 AM on March 14, 2007

Best answer: Something to watch out for - I got athlete's foot, and soon after, jockitch. Use separate towels on those bits until it's completely cleared up.
posted by notsnot at 11:06 AM on March 14, 2007

Response by poster: Notsnot. That's probably a good idea! And kc0dxh, thanks for the advice on vinegar/bleach spraying, I'll be sure to do that.
posted by LoopyG at 11:12 AM on March 14, 2007

It's been years since I've had any significant athlete's foot but it's not fun.

I almost never wear shoes at home. Not specifically for athlete's foot but for comfort, but I think being stuck in a damp warm shoe all the time isn't helpful. So try just wearing socks around at home, if you normally wear shoes. I keep a pair of sandals handy if I need to step outside for something. Also, all my shoes are either all leather or have very breathable fabric.
posted by 6550 at 11:51 AM on March 14, 2007

The nicest thing to do for your feet is to dry out the spaces between your toes before you put socks on. The dark, warm, damp atmosphere is like a petri dish for the athlete's foot, so I sorta 'floss' between my toes with a sock before putting them on and it works like magic.
posted by mullingitover at 11:51 AM on March 14, 2007

Toe socks might help. A coworker brought me a pair from Korea, and they are surprisingly comfortable, and seem to keep my toes drier. Looks like you can get a lot different styles here, including plain black.
posted by hydrophonic at 12:49 PM on March 14, 2007

The main solution to keeping athlete's foot at bay has been stated here for sure: keep your feet dry.

Kind of hard to keep the shower dry, though. :) I would just mix up an adequate bleach solution in a cheap spray bottle. Shower, dry yourself off, and then spray the shower floor. (I'd dry off first to avoid bleaching up my towels with the bleach I'd get from spraying.)

(Unasked for advice: shoes that breathe, white socks [sorry fashionistas, it's true] and a little foot powder will result in an athlete's foot free life.)
posted by smallerdemon at 1:37 PM on March 14, 2007

Lordie, don't wear socks in the shower. How uncomfortable. Wearing flip flops in the shower and around the house for a while will work though. And bleach the shower floor like crazy.

To help keep your toesies dry, you can buy foot-powder-spray at the drug store in the foot care section. Easy to use and feels very nice.
posted by radioamy at 1:53 PM on March 14, 2007