Athlete’s foot is a fungal infection that affects the skin between the toes. The same kind of fungi (dermatophytes) that cause jock itch and ringworm can cause athlete’s foot. The organisms develop best in warm, humid environments with wet socks and shoes. It’s fairly common to get athletes’ foot. It has been discovered that 3 to 15% of the population is affected. It is more prevalent in men and older adults. At some point in their lives, many people will develop an athlete’s foot. The skin between your toes, the bottoms, the tops, the edges, and the heels of your feet become inflamed (red, purple, grey, or white), scaly, or flaky due to this infection. This could be irritating and painful. Luckily, there are ways to treat and prevent such occurrences in one’s body, primarily by properly disinfecting your shoes against it. Read on to learn how to disinfect your shoes from the bacteria that causes athlete’s foot.
What are the causes of the athlete’s foot?
Trichophyton, the fungus that causes athlete’s foot, is a dermatophyte, which is linked to other fungi that may infect human skin, hair, and nails.
These fungi are innocuously present on human skin. Their ability to reproduce is restricted as long as the skin is dry and unblemished. However, they quickly proliferate in warm, humid environments.
What are the symptoms of athlete’s foot?
One or both feet may be impacted by athlete’s foot. Common indications and symptoms include:
- Skin that is flaky, peeling, or cracked between the toes
- Itching, especially immediately after removing shoes and socks
- Depending on your skin tone, inflamed skin may seem reddish, purple, or greyish.
- Stinging or burning
- Blisters
- On the bottom of the foot, dry, scaly skin climbs the side.
How to Disinfect Shoes From Athlete’s Foot
Shoes can be disinfected by several methods, such as:
- Electronically generated hypochlorous acid
It works well to prevent the growth and eradication of athletes’ foot fungus from shoes. This acid is created by applying electricity to a solution of table salt and water. It is a mild acid that works efficiently on fungus and germs from any surface. It is safe and destroys bacteria and fungi while being gentle on infants, the skin, and the material of the shoes. To clean, get rid of, and stop the growth of bacterial or fungal infections, apply hypochlorous acid to the shoe. It has no adverse effects on your footwear, such as fading the color or material. Get yours here.
2. UV shoe cleaning
An ultraviolet shoe sanitizer uses UV rays to kill up to 99.9% of bacteria on the surface of your shoes. It can eliminate the bacteria that can lead to warts and athlete’s foot.
3. Alcohol Rub
Although leather is strong, it is also fragile and needs extra care. Rubbing alcohol, which is more delicate than other disinfectants but still efficient at eradicating a range of bacteria, should be used on sneakers with leather bodies.
4. Bleach
Although bleach is a potent disinfectant, it will damage your brightly colored footwear. However, it will restore your white canvas sneakers to their original, bright white appearance.
5. Vinegar and Baking Soda
Not all viruses are destroyed by vinegar, although it does prevent the growth of fungi. Additionally, baking soda can aid in odour eradication and decrease the activity of fungus spores.
Why is Hypochlorous Acid The Best For Disinfecting Your Shoes From Athletes’ foot?
It is safe and non-irritating to use hypochlorous acid. It is an effective disinfectant for preventing and eradicating infections like Trichophyton, a foot fungus. It wouldn’t result in skin burns, rashes, or other ill effects if applied to your shoes. It functions well on a variety of skin types. It is a potent disinfectant that is effective against bacteria but mild on the skin when applied to the shoe.
How to make hypochlorous acid?
Hypochlorous acid (HOCL) is produced by combining table salt and water and passing electricity through it. A range of home electrolysis systems can produce stable hypochlorous acid. Distilled vinegar is used to lower the pH and produce a free chlorine solution dominated by the hypochlorous acid molecule. The quality of the electrolysis cell must be carefully considered when selecting a home system. Higher-quality systems will last far longer while being more expensive since the metals used to make the cells are so robust.
Where to get a hypochlorous acid-making kit
There are various kits for hypochlorite anion(CLO-), but few for hypochlorous acid. The manufacturers of these hypochlorite kits might try to convince you otherwise that hypochlorite and hypochlorous acid are not equivalent substances. A hypochlorous acid kit for the home can be ordered online. These products are also known as home electrolysis kits. You can buy the hypochlorous acid kit here.
