A little pitter patter is enough to turn your clean, pedicured feet into that of King Kong's. Blame it on the rains, but dirty feet are quite the norm in offices these days. Don't be surprised if a colleague leaves muddy footprints around your workstation, and worse, please don't walk in his footsteps. We tell you how to keep your feet looking nice and fresh even when there's slush and muck all around !

Wearing closed shoes and socks is the best way of protecting your feet from the mess outside. You can keep a pair of chappals/sandals in your office and slip into them when you step in. Here's a word of caution it's not a good idea to be sitting in soaking wet socks

Wash your feet under a running tap as soon as you step into office. You'll not only look clean, but also feel good

Paint your toenails, ladies. Even if you can't stop the dirt from entering your nails, you surely can prevent people from seeing it. But at least once a week, use a toothbrush with soap on it to clean your toes

Soak your feet in hot water everyday for at least 10 mins. This will keep them nice and supple and keep the cracked heels at bay. Twice a week you could also apply a little foot scrub before soaking your feet in water

Wrap a warm towel around your feet for five minutes twice a week to hydrate them. Follow it up with a good dose of moisturiser to see the difference

sheena.thomas@mid-day.com