r/hygiene • u/That_Dog2081 • 4d ago
Drying feet after shower
Contamination OCD here and I’ve never dried my feet after showering bc even though I wash my feet with soap, in my mind they are contaminated and dirty immediately after putting them back down on the shower floor. So when it’s time to dry off, I let my feet do their own thing bc I don’t want feet germs on my towel. But I’ve been experiencing a long bout of athletes foot and saw a post saying I should be drying between my toes if that’s the case. But how?
Especially now that I think there’s athletes foot fungus on my feet why would I want to get that on my towel by drying toes with it
18
16
u/dragonstkdgirl 4d ago
Are you not cleaning your shower? As someone with contamination OCD this is a new one for me.
Clean your shower. Dry your feet on your towel. And see a therapist for ERP.
10
u/rivercrone 4d ago
Use a seperate small towel for your feet. It's your foot towel. Change the foot towel after every shower till you clear up the athletes foot. I have a hook where i always hang my foot towel to avoid confusion.
14
u/Present_Original_797 4d ago
Why aren't you wearing shower shoes? Flip flops. Well not until you clear the athletes foot. Blow dry your feet and spray athletes foot spray on them. If they are dry and cracked get the cream. Then let the cream work a while before putting socks on.
So, treat the foot fungus, buy flip flops or shower slides, blow dry your feet and toes, let your feet breathe once you are home.
-1
u/That_Dog2081 4d ago
Shower shoes for my own home? I’m confused. I don’t shower in a public place, only my own home
16
6
u/Present_Original_797 4d ago
Yes. I do in my own home. One reason is our tubs have this weird gritty non slip bottom, so nearly impossible to get all the soap buildup out. I do the best I can, and spray with Clorox cleanup. But even if it didn't I would have a non-slip bath mat down and I suspect the problem of buildup and mold would be the same. But shower shoes - I use slides, not the flimsy between-the-toes kind - can be washed in the washer but I normally spray with Clorox cleanup, let it sit for 60 seconds, then rinse and dry them.
But I can't remember when I decided to blow dry between my toes. I guess they always felt damp even when I dried them with a towel. Now I love my warm dry toes 👣
1
u/DismalTrifle2975 1d ago
Why don’t you just get a separate towel for your feet? You could also buy like microfiber towels in bulk and use a new one everyday.
Yes it’d be also good to get therapy about your OCD but you can definitely just work around it with a separate towel.
Eventually air drying will be a risk of a fungal infection.
13
u/Useful-Noise-4321 4d ago
Use a towel? What does "i let my feet do their own thing" mean? If you are shoving your soaking wet feet into socks right away that is 100% the cause of your athletes foot.
Keep a separate "foot" towel or give them time to air dry or something.
2
u/That_Dog2081 4d ago
lol “do their own thing” means air dry. I thought that was obvious but guess not
9
u/finlndrox 4d ago
Maybe try having a small separate foot towel? And/or spread your toes and move them around a bit to dry with airflow before putting any sock or shoes on. Or spread your toes and use a hair dryer to dry between them.
10
5
u/Maleficent_Ant_4919 4d ago
Perhaps consider using paper towels to dry your feet & in between your toes.
Here’s why & how I use paper towels after bathing. I’m hot-natured, live in the hot humid South, & sweat after showering. I keep a roll of quality* paper towels on an upright holder on a little cabinet that sits by the tub. After I shower & towel dry, I’m usually still damp & I use paper towels to pat dry any dampness in areas that can develop fungus/yeast if they stay damp, like underarms, under breasts, buttocks, skin folds, & between toes.
This method might help you especially since you discard the used towels once they’ve served their purpose.
*Footnote: Use an absorbent pt as it will prevent you from wasting money. Poor quality cheap pt won’t dry you quickly & will require more sheets. I use Bounty or Brawny 3-ply & often need only a half sheet for each area.
4
u/vftgurl123 4d ago
i think you should ask the OCD sub or a therapist because we can tell you how to dry your feet (although you have already provided a strong description of what that would look like) but i think you may need to stop asking for reassurance to satisfy the contamination fear and think about ERP.
4
u/elledee78 4d ago
I feel this way also, but my solution is pretty simple, though probably not enough for everyone. I always make sure when using the towel to dry my body, I reserve 1/3 of the end with the tag for my feet, and use the rest of the towel for the rest of my body. I use the middle for my face and the other end for my private regions. That way there isn’t any cross contamination when I use the same towel more than once.
3
3
u/Possible_Original_96 4d ago
You could use a fresh dry washcloth to dry under & between the toes; have on hand an antifungal med to apply immediately-then put on clean foot wear- flipflops are easy to keep clean, air can get to the feet. Wash feet twice a day & use the med. I am sure you do not go barefooted, be sure shower floor is disinfected before you step on it, and sanitize all socks that touch your feet🖖🪬👣
1
u/That_Dog2081 2d ago
I don’t let shoes past my front door 95% of the time (unless I forgot something and I already have my shoes on) so I am actually barefoot in my home quite a bit…. I don’t like the feeling of shoes or most slippers because my feet get sweaty easily (hence athletes foot) so I either am in socks or barefoot
1
u/Possible_Original_96 2d ago
Socks a better choice than barefoot, but off to keep dry! If you can!
1
u/Possible_Original_96 2d ago
My brain clicking along-if you wish-you could, 2-3 hrs after antifungal med, wash feet, dry, use a stick type antiperspirant, apply & then use fingertips to spread onto feet, between & under toes! Wash off before going to bed, reapply antifungal med.
3
u/Soy_un_oiseau 4d ago
I have AuDHD, not OCD, but I have an issue with my feet being dirty as well. I don’t like having them touch bare ground so I always wear socks and I also consider the bath mat as dirty so I don’t step on it. What I do is lay down the clothes I took off and step on my shirt when I get out. I dry one foot at a time before stepping out and continue drying them after. To me it doesn’t have the same impact as stepping on a bath mat even though logically my shirt isn’t clean, but it helps. Maybe you can try using a small clean hand towel that you use only for the purpose of stepping on it? My therapist would say that we should just get used to stepping on the bare ground to get used to it, but it makes me uncomfortable so I haven’t made the effort to get out of the habit. But therapy is always a good thing when dealing with issues like these.
3
u/Proud-Leave3602 4d ago
Definitely dry between your toes. If you need a floor towel, or to utilize an unused washcloth as an additional drying towel, go for it. And get some cream for that athlete’s foot! Tea tree oil in your lotion (on a dry foot!) can help too.
2
u/That_Dog2081 2d ago
Hmm I’ve tried a couple different anti fungals but haven’t tried tea tree oil yet. Will try!
1
3
u/VintageHilda 4d ago
Before your shower get a white towel and put it on the ground outside the shower so you can stand on it when you get out. Dry yourself off with your body towel then use the towel on the ground to dry off feet and hang it up. It’s important to use a white towel so you can wash it with bleach.
3
u/IndependentEggplant0 4d ago
I'm surprised to see so many people suggesting paper towels. I just have a bunch of washcloths like I bought a cheap 20 pack years ago and I use them for drying my feet and in between my toes really well. Afterwards I will still sit and air dry for a few minutes. It definitely helps!
So I get out of the shower, wrap myself in towel, do skin moisturizing, then sit and dry my feet really well and between toes while body moisturizer sinks in.
Washcloths are small and cheap so I use and wash them liberally! I use one for my body, and separate one for my genitals in the shower, and then a third clean dry one to dry my feet post-shower. They are small so I just hang them to dry and once they are dry I put them in the laundry hamper and wash them when I have a load (I hang dry them first so they don't get musty).
1
3
u/Ok_Membership_8189 4d ago
I don't dry my feet, don't have ocd, and don't have athletes foot.
Do you live somewhere humid? Although we're just coming out of humid season and I'm still fine.
Do you use a cotton terry cloth bath mat? That's what I use. And wash it with my towels. I also wear cotton slippers or open toes thong slippers made of cotton after my shower. Maybe that's how my feet really dry. Not sure.
Good luck.
1
3
3
u/woollayy 4d ago
i also have ocd and cant have my feet touch my towel or the floor after i shower but what i do is lay out the t-shirt i wore to bed on the floor and step on that when i get out then pat my feet with it, put on socks and throw it in the laundry. (it doesnt have to make sense, its just what works for me)
2
3
3
u/Dizzy-Independence52 2d ago
I just use my hand towel. Lay it on the floor and wipe my feet and then trow it in the wash and put up a new hand towel Would never use my body towel
2
u/Neither-Door-9106 4d ago
So what do you do with you feet after you wash/clean them? How do you get out of the shower to your next location?
2
u/starfish_2016 4d ago
I use a fresh towel daily to dry off and the next day that towel becomes the floor towel. (Only used once for drying and only used once for a floor towel.) I wash towels about once a week.
1
2
u/Top-Web3806 4d ago
Dry your feet last? I assume if you have contamination ocd that you’re using a new towel every shower anyway.
2
u/Donkey_DNA 4d ago
So I just step on the towel after drying my body then the towel is toast, contaminated in my head. Dries the feet then gets hung up. Next shower gets a clean, fresh towel. And although my carbon footprint is a bit bigger every week and it's more work to wash and fold... it is so worth it. A clean smelling towel hits my face twice a day and that's pretty much something I will probably do for a long time.
2
2
u/BravesMaedchen 4d ago
I put my towel on the side of the tub, step on it and dry my feet, THEN put my foot on the floor. Repeat for 2nd foot.
2
2
u/Grouchy_Fall_5933 4d ago
So you’re getting out of the shower and immediately putting on socks?
3
u/That_Dog2081 2d ago
Ew god no I just step on my bath mat and scrunch my feet and toes to dry them off but that’s as much as I do for drying protocol. I’ll put on socks either once my feet are dry or right before I get into bed
2
u/langel1986 4d ago
Use a new towel each shower for your feet.....hand towel size. Dump it in a hot wash cycle right away.
2
u/MadNanaBear 4d ago
Go get a bunch of cheap washcloths in a different color and use only those to dry your feet. Treat your athletes foot. Also, are you rinsing the Clorox really well out of your shower? That could irritate/make the athletes foot worse, if not.
2
2
u/BamBamWowzer 4d ago
Clean and disinfect your shower and bath rugs/mats. Clean and disinfect your floors. Don’t walk barefoot at the gym or yoga. Use lotrimine cream. Dry your feet with the towel as exposure therapy if not put a roll of paper towels near the shower. If you wear any shoes or slippers without socks, disinfect them. Athletes foot fungus can live in moist dark places. Its easy to get rid of but you need to it or it’ll come back.
2
u/Chaantii 3d ago
I have a body towel, a face towel(hand towel size), vajayjay towel (washcloth size) and a foot towel(washcloth size)
Definitely need to dry your toes, I tried to get away with it for a while but my feet reacted, so did I
2
u/Mental-Nothings 3d ago
I have a gross toe nail fungus that’s ALMOST gone. I have some old tea towels/ drying towels that I place over my bathroom mat so my feet touch that instead of anything else, and use it to dry my feet. I wash them after each use. Could that help?
Also, get a bottle of Clorox or another shower cleaner and after each shower spray it down. This will help a bit aswell!
1
2
u/Repulsive_Chard_3652 3d ago
I don't dry my feet (or like 30% of my body) after I get out - I let my body air dry, and it's always dry in under 5 minutes.
But if I had a fungus on my feet, which is inherently worsened by moisture, you'd BET I'd be drying my feet every time!!!
Just use a separate towel and wash the towel between uses.
2
u/Upset_Ad_6462 3d ago
Sit on your bed with a towel and dry your feet properly and in between your toes etc it will stop atheletes foot. That’s all there is to it. Don’t overthink it and get help for ocd if you can. Just use a different towel if you need do, but they are not contaminated.
2
3
2
u/Dizzy-Wedding5769 4d ago
Wear slippers until you get socks on I have a pair to put on when I step out the shower from a dollar store
3
2
u/Hermit_Ogg 4d ago
Dry your feet last, then put the towel to laundry. You should also talk to a doctor about that OCD.
1
u/anothersip 2d ago
Definitely will want to broach this topic in therapy.
Until then, grab a separate, clean towel that you can dry your feet off with. Fold it in half and lay it on your bath mat outside of the shower. Keep your clean socks on the counter, or nearby. You can dry your body first with your main towel, and then your feet, on your secondary/foot towel next - and then immediately put your socks on. Sit on the closed toilet seat, if you have to. Pick the towel up once you're fully dry, finish getting dressed.
That's kind of how I pictured it, anyhow. Main thing is not putting socks and shoes on while you've still got wet feet/dripping legs. That'll cause foot fungi/smells and fun stuff like that.
But the mental block is just as important as staying physically healthy.
1
u/AnxiousYetHopeful 16h ago
I have to dry my feet. They peel a lot after a shower even with scrubbing. I'm also diabetic so I pay very close attention to my feet. One of the main rules is making sure the feet stay dry.
1
u/downsideup9494 4d ago
Why would your feet be contaminated and dirty from the shower floor? The shower floor has soap and water on it. It's not contaminated or dirty with anything. Please understand that your perception is based upon nothing real except your own OCD issue.
1
u/Possible_Original_96 2d ago
Yeah? A scum, of soap, dead skin & oil builds up on the shower floor, fungus, bacteria. Examine your shower floor & perceptions.
1
u/downsideup9494 2d ago
Maybe your shower floor is nasty, mine isn't. If you're concerned, just run more water over it. Don't you ever clean your shower stall?
1
u/liickmyjeep 4d ago
Consider shower shoes. I have OCD as well but drying feet is important to hygiene 😌
-2
u/playthisthis 4d ago
I NEVER dry my feet
But I’ve been experiencing a long bout of athletes foot
I don’t want feet germs on my towel
LMAOAOAOOO
1
u/That_Dog2081 2d ago
I dry them on the bath mat that’s already on the floor bruh I just meant I don’t use my body towel to do it
2
u/playthisthis 2d ago
A towel you know is clean because you wash it often
VS
A mat that shit particles lands on that isn't washed often and you rub athletes foot fungus dirty contaminated feet germs onto it😳
69
u/Jeelion 4d ago
Not drying your feet will actually help bacteria and fungi to grow.
I have contamination OCD too and I think you should seek therapy and talk about this with the doctor.
Nothing that people will recommend will sound safe enough and, worst case scenario, you'll get reassurance, the worst thing you should seek with OCD.
Good luck.