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Now that Memorial Day has come and gone, we Americans have our eyes firmly focused on summer. The next few months will be resplendent with outdoor activities running the gamut from long walks on the beach to family barbecues in the backyard. Between now and Labor Day, a lot of us will be relishing the ability to walk around with bare feet. No more shoes to worry about for the next few months.

Summer is a great time to treat your shoes with a good shoe deodorizing spray like ShoeFresh. If your shoes are dirty, this is a good time to clean them. As for walking around with bare feet, enjoy yourself. Just be careful. To that end, below are some bare feet tips offered by the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons.

Use Sunscreen on Your Feet

Giving your stinky shoes a rest by going barefoot during the summer isn’t a bad idea. But if you are going to spend a lot of time outdoors, the experts recommend using sunscreen on your feet. Definitely put it on the tops of your feet and around your ankles. If you will be spending time sitting in a lounge chair with your feet up: apply sunscreen to the bottoms as well.

This may sound strange but remember that our feet spend most of their time covered with socks and shoes. As a result, the skin is especially sensitive to sunlight. A little sunscreen goes a long way toward protecting that skin.

Wear Flip-Flops Around the Pool

Maybe you are the kind of person who prefers to spend the summer by the pool. That’s great. It is probably a good idea to wear flip-flops when you are walking around the pool or crossing the pool deck. Pool decks are designed with anti-slip surfaces that tend to be somewhat abrasive. They can be pretty rough on your feet. There is also the danger of stubbing a toe when you’re walking barefoot on a pool deck.

Be Careful on the Beach

There is nothing quite like the sensation of bare feet in the sand, right? Still, be careful when you are walking on public beaches. You never know what lurks just underneath the surface of the sand. It is also a good idea to take flip-flops with you on your beach excursions, just in case the sand ends up being too hot for your feet.

Inspect Your Feet Daily

Your feet are pretty resilient. They can stand up to a lot of punishment. Nonetheless, your feet are not indestructible. So make a point of inspecting them on a daily basis. Look for cuts, scratches, and a variety of blemishes from blisters to warts. If you ever suffer a puncture wound or a severe laceration while walking barefoot, consider paying a visit to the emergency room.

The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons goes so far as to recommend getting a tetanus shot if you plan to spend a lot of time without shoes this summer. Tetanus shots require a booster every 10 years or so, so keep that in mind if you’ve already had a shot.

While you are enjoying a bare feet summer, your stinky shoes can get a much-needed break. Get your hands on a good shoe deodorizing spray and treat all your shoes with it. A good spray not only eliminates existing odors, but it also prevents those odors from coming back – at least for a time. If you are still having issues foot odor, check out our blog on preventing summer shoe odor.

Though summer is on the doorstep, it will be here and gone before you know it. So get out and enjoy it while you can!