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Are you looking for the best deodorizing foot and shoe powder? I found myself Googling foot powder a few months ago. My daughter was in Boston dealing with lots of snow, heavy layers of clothing, and several pair of boots, that were great in the cold, but too hot sitting for hours in a lecture hall. I told her to make sure to put some foot powder in her boots so they would stay fresh smelling. (I grew up in the north. I know what can happen to boots over a season.) She asked me what she should buy. Hmmmm -it’s been so long since I bought it, I’m not really sure. The nerd in me decided to do a little research online and see what she should pick up. That’s when I stumbled across Rocket Pure.

foot powder - managedbymom.com — My Daughter’s Winter LL Bean Boots

What caught my attention and made me visit their website was the fact that they use natural ingredients in their deodorizing foot and shoe powder. I consider myself “natural-ish”. I try to use natural ingredients whenever possible, but I buy what works the best. To this point I had always bought foot powder for shoes like Dr. Scholl’s, but I was intrigued. I read the product information. Here is what their website says about the foot powder:

Natural Lemon Deodorizing Foot Powder – Rocket Pure

“Fights foot and shoe odor, freshens feet, sports shoes, and sneakers. Deodorant powder can go directly on feet, or in shoes and socks. Made in the U.S.A. of natural ingredients, no harsh or toxic chemicals, paraben free. Made of cornstarch, bamboo stem powder and essential oils of cedarwood, clary sage and rosemary. Rocket Pure Guarantee: 100% Satisfaction for the Lifetime of the Product, or 100% Refund or Replacement.”

Image from Rocket Pure Website — Photo: Rocket Pure Website

After reading the reviews it seemed lots of people liked the “lemon” scented powder. Lemon scented deodorizing foot and shoe powder? I don’t know. Doesn’t that seems like a strange scent? I decided to send an email to the company asking about the scents they had available and if they had samples. I had a response within hours from the founder of Rocket Pure – Alex. Talk about great customer service!

I explained I wanted to find some foot powder for winter boots, and although their lemon scent had great reviews, I couldn’t imagine it. He said he would be happy to send my daughter a sample of a couple of the scents at school and she could see what she liked. She had the samples within just a few days. He even followed up with me via email that week and asked for my feedback on the product – positive or negative. Okay, I thought, I’m already loving this company. I hope the product is good because I wanted to buy it just because his customer service was so great.

My daughter tried the lemon and cedar scents, one a deodorizing foot and shoe powder and one a spray, for a week. She really liked the lemon scent and said she thought the powder worked better than the spray for her winter boots. I was really grateful that he had sent the samples because it saved me money, and the hassle of returning or exchanging a product she may not have liked.

We purchased the Lemon Foot and Shoe Deoderizing Powder for her in Boston and I decided to try the Eucalyptus Foot and Shoe Deodorizing Powder for my husband’s running shoes here in Atlanta. Both have worked great! I am super happy with their foot powder! The bonus for us is that, since the ingredients are natural, I’m sure we’ll also be using it all summer inside our flats (here is an article you may be interested in if you wear flats) and sandals because it can go directly on our feet, not just get sprinkled into our shoes.

I also bought the Tea Tree and Lemon Grass Natural Hand and Food Balm. I like the clean scent of tea tree oil and the website mentioned it was great on dry heels (which truth be told we all get a bit of in the winter, right?) I honestly haven’t used it on my feet yet, but promise I will try it soon. What I have used it on is my hands, specifically dry areas on the back of my hands, and around my cuticles to keep my nails looking nice. It comes in a convenient little tin, and when you open it you just have to swipe a little of it because it smells so nice and looks so smooth. Its convenient and super moisturizing.

Anyone who reads this blog should know that I only share information here that I’ve personally tested. I do not receive compensation for any of my opinions, and I’m very picky;) Rocket Pure is really a great product. The foot powder works great for northern winter boots, stinky running shoes, and it feels nice on bare feet.

If you haven’t tried Rocket Pure Deodorizing Foot and shoe Powder yet, and you’re a runner, have kids (or a spouse ) who are athletes, or have kids with sweaty little feet (LOL) consider giving it a try. I love that it smells fresh and clean without heavy perfumes and that we are using natural ingredients and not a bunch of chemicals on our skin. I also love that my laundry room, where everybody keeps their smelly shoes, doesn’t smell like a high school locker room anymore – bonus!

Here’s a link to Rocket Pure. If you’re looking for some foot powder give them a try – and let me know what you think!

-Kate

So you want to know the BEST way to get rid of ants and you want proof? Well you’ve come to the right blog my friends!

I currently live in the south, where there are more bugs than you can shake a stick at. Unlike New England, where we freeze the crap out of bugs to make sure and kill a few million every winter, the south stays balmy enough to keep them all alive. Lovely.

Can you see the little critters crawling up the side of the window moulding below? (This was last week when the spring rain started driving them indoors.) So, I’ve been in Atlanta a while now, and I clearly understand that the term is not “extermination” it is “management“.

Every three to four years or so a band of “Argentinian” ants finds there way into my house, and into my neighbor’s houses, (cuz Lord knows we don’t want anyone to feel left out). These guys are teeny tiny. I have tried every way to fix this problem over the years, from expensive professional bug treatments to home made Borax solutions I found on Pinterest. I am finally an expert😉 and I have the photos to prove it. Are you ready? Above you see them? Below you don’t! (Well, you can see a few dead ones on the paper if you look closely.)

I finally found something at Home Depot a few years ago called Terro Liquid Ant Baits. Yes, the packaging says the active ingredient in these is from “Borax.” But… buying a box of Borax, making a solution and soaking cotton balls, etc. was never this effective. I promise. I’ve done it. HOWEVER… you have to know how to use this stuff properly…so keep reading…because these directions are not on the package. This is a Managed By Mom (from experience) exclusive.

DO THE FOLLOWING AND ANTS DISAPPEAR!

#1. When you see ants…don’t kill them! I know. This seems counterintuitive, but it’s important. Watch them. Follow the trail to determine where they are entering the room. This might take a minute or 10 minutes. I promise it’s worth your time.

#2. Once you’ve figured out where they are entering (probably through a wall, a crack, a door jam) put down something you can throw away – I like wax paper. Cut open one of these baits, and if it’s possible, dribble a little of the Terro liquid at the beginning of the trail right where they are entering. You don’t want these suckers walking 20 feet cuz they leave pheromone trails which is how they follow each other…and probably how they keep finding their way to my house every few years. In the photo above I put some on the tiles next to the window moulding which is why you see so many congregating there.

#3. As close to the entry point as possible put one or two of these bates with a little bit of the bait sprinkled leading up to it. I don’t take any chances people. Lead them to the poison. Then wash your hands very well with soapy water, whether or not you think you got any on your hands. (Sorry…Mom here…can’t shut it off.)

#4. Now, spray a paper towel well with Windex and wipe all around the perimeter of the area with the bait – if it’s a wipeable surface. Think – you are creating an invisible fence. Windex is one of the few things that can literally wipe out the ant pheromones they follow. I’ve been told it’s the ammonia. This way the ants only smell the bait and the pheromones left by other ants leading up to it. Very few will wander past it.

#5. Now the hard part…walk away. Yes. Just leave it, because watching this will give only you the willies. No lie – I get goosebumps watching this little suckers multiply as they make their way to the bait. It’s like they send out a freakin’ SOS. So walk away and let them eat. They won’t die while their eating it. They take it back inside their bodies to all their friends in the nest and wipe them out where they live. (Thank God, cuz I would not want to clean that up.)

#6 Within 24 hours you should see the number of ants dissipate and/or stop. This year it took about 36 hours till I didn’t see a single ant. A day and a half of goose pimples…wondering if they were gone..but they are! Yippee!!

#7. You’re not done yet. Now you need to plug or seal that tiny hole, crack, door jam, or however they got in. This year at my house it was literally a pin sized hole in the caulk between the tile and the window moulding. So I sealed it. Also throw away your wax paper and carefully wash off any residue that’s left with soap and water with paper towels and throw them away. (You don’t want this stuff on a sponge you’re going to wash the dishes with.) And wash those hands again. Then wipe over the area with Windex to erase any pheromones.

The problem should be over…at least for another few years. But if (or when) it happens again – you’re ready!

Let me know how it works for you!

Kate