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Hygiene and Sanitation · Formula · Book recipe 9.3

Foot powder for moisture and friction (baking soda, cornstarch)

Used to reduce foot moisture, friction, and odor in situations where hygiene is limited and foot care is essential, such as during long hikes, shelter stays, or off-grid living.

Member articleHandle with careWorks without power

How it works

Blend powder
Dust feet & boots
Cuts moisture
Dry, fresh feet

Inside this article

What you'll need
Steps
Warnings
Storage and shelf life

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What is in this article

  • The method at a glance: blend powder, then dust feet & boots, then cuts moisture, then dry, fresh feet
  • The exact numbers: blend, apply, footwear, reapply, storage
  • The full materials list (4 items, with grades and substitutes)
  • The 5-step method, with every measurement in the step
  • The hazard box and the caution notes: what never to mix it with and when to stop
  • Storage and shelf life for the raw compound and the finished mix
  • A printable one-page PDF of this article

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Prefer paper? This is Recipe 9.3, page 43, in Prepper's Chemical Survival Guide.

Questions this answers

Tap a question for the short answer.

What's the recipe for homemade foot powder?

It is a blend of baking soda and cornstarch shaken together, with clay or diatomaceous earth as an optional drying boost. The soda neutralizes odor and sweat acidity while the starch absorbs moisture and cuts friction.

Members get the exact amounts and every step.

How do I keep my feet dry on a long hike?

A moisture-absorbing powder on dry feet and inside the boots, refreshed at regular stops through the day, keeps sweat from building up. Drying between the toes first matters most, since trapped moisture there causes most foot problems.

Members get the exact amounts and every step.

How do I prevent blisters without commercial foot powder?

Blisters come from moisture and friction, and a pantry blend of baking soda and cornstarch tackles both. Keeping feet dry and paying extra attention to the usual hot spots does the rest.

Members get the exact amounts and every step.

Can I use cornstarch as foot powder?

Yes. Cornstarch absorbs moisture, which reduces friction and helps prevent blisters, and pairing it with baking soda adds odor control. It is for keeping healthy feet dry, not for curing an active fungal infection.

Members get the exact amounts and every step.

How do I stop foot odor when I can't wash?

Baking soda neutralizes odor and the acidity of sweat, and cornstarch absorbs the moisture that feeds the smell. Dusting both the feet and the footwear keeps odor from carrying over into the next day.

Members get the exact amounts and every step.

Keep going

Read nextHygiene and Sanitation When the Water Is OffWhat to do when the water goes off: bucket toilet, hand washing, waste, body, teeth, laundry, dishes, disinfecting, and pests, with the shelf item and recipe page for every job.Hygiene and Sanitation · Guide

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Hygiene and Sanitation · FormulaSource: Prepper's Chemical Survival Guide, Recipe 9.3, p. 43 · Last reviewed 2026-09-18

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