Certain Dri vs Drysol vs Driclor: The Antiperspirant Showdown for Foot Odor (And the Foot-Specific Option You're Missing)

By Paul G.

Published: May 18, 2026

Most guys land on this comparison after the drugstore stuff has already let them down. The OTC foot spray did not work. The powder did not work. So now you are looking at the real antiperspirants. The ones doctors actually prescribe. The question is which one to start with, what the side effects look like, and whether any of it is the right call for what you are actually dealing with.

This post walks through all three, where Xerac AC fits in, and the thing most guys miss about foot odor when they go down the antiperspirant route in the first place.

What These Three Actually Are (Antiperspirants, Not Deodorants)

Antiperspirants and deodorants are not the same thing. People mix them up all the time.

An antiperspirant blocks sweat. It uses aluminum chloride (or aluminum chlorohydrate) to plug your sweat glands so less moisture comes out. Less moisture means less sweat for bacteria to feed on. That is the whole idea.

A deodorant goes after the smell directly. It reduces or kills the bacteria on your skin that turn sweat into the acids that stink.

Certain Dri, Drysol, and Driclor are all antiperspirants. They do not have a deodorant ingredient in them. Their whole job is to shut down your sweat glands.

If your only problem is heavy sweating, an antiperspirant might be enough. But if your problem is smell, you have a bacteria problem. And blocking sweat does not kill bacteria. It just gives them slightly less to eat.

I dig into the deodorant-versus-antiperspirant difference more in my Carpe Foot Lotion review. Same category mismatch, different brand.

Certain Dri: How It Works, Side Effects, and Who It's For

Certain Dri is the OTC starter option. You can grab it at most pharmacies for about $11. The active ingredient is aluminum chloride at around 12%.

You apply it at night to dry skin. Let it sit overnight. Wash it off in the morning. Repeat a few nights a week until your sweating drops, then move to maintenance (once or twice a week).

What it does well:

• OTC. No prescription needed.
• Cheap.
• Strong enough for mild to moderate plantar hyperhidrosis.

Side effects most people report:

• Burning or stinging when you first start using it
• Itching at the application spot
• Skin redness or rash
• Reduced effect if your feet are even slightly damp when you apply it

If you have never tried an aluminum chloride product before, Certain Dri is the gentler entry point. If it works, great. If it does not, the next step up is Drysol.

But here is the thing. Even when Certain Dri does its job and shuts down your sweat, you can still have smelly feet. Because the bacteria are still on your skin.

Drysol: How It Works, Side Effects, and Who It's For

Drysol is the prescription-strength step up. Same active ingredient (aluminum chloride hexahydrate), but at around 20%. That is about double Certain Dri.

According to PubChem on aluminum chloride hexahydrate, the mechanism is the same. The aluminum ion forms a plug in your sweat duct so the gland can not push sweat out. Higher concentration means stronger plug.

The application protocol is more involved. Apply at night to bone-dry skin. Some doctors tell you to wrap the area in plastic or wear socks over it to drive the product in. Wash it off in the morning. Cycle on and off as the irritation builds.

What Drysol does well:

• Strong. Works for moderate-to-severe plantar hyperhidrosis.
• Doctor-managed, so you have someone to call when something goes wrong.

Side effects are common:

• Real burning, not just stinging
• Cracked or peeling skin
• Itching, redness, sometimes a rash
• You usually have to cycle on and off to give your skin a break

I broke down the side effects in detail in my Drysol on feet post if you want the longer version.

Drysol does what it says. It blocks sweat. But same problem: it does not touch the bacteria that cause the smell. If your shoes are full of bacteria from years of wear, treated feet going into untreated shoes still smell.

Driclor: How It Works, Side Effects, and Who It's For

Driclor is the third name people see when researching antiperspirants for feet. In the UK and a lot of Europe, it is an OTC version of the same idea as Drysol. In the US, you usually need a prescription.

Active ingredient: aluminum chloride hexahydrate at 20%. Same as Drysol. Same mechanism. Same kind of side effects.

The application is the same nighttime routine. Apply to dry skin. Leave overnight. Wash off in the morning. Cycle as your skin needs.

What Driclor does well:

• Easier to get OTC if you are in the UK
• Same strength as Drysol at a lower price (for UK buyers)

Side effects:

• Same as Drysol. Burning, itching, skin irritation, occasional rash.

If you are a US buyer and you are not under a doctor's care, Driclor is harder to find legally. Imported versions exist online but you are better off getting Drysol with a prescription.

For our comparison, Driclor and Drysol are basically twins. If you have used one, you know the other.

Quick Side-by-Side: Certain Dri vs Drysol vs Driclor

Where Xerac AC Fits In

Xerac AC is the fourth name you will see if you go deep on antiperspirant research. It is basically Drysol's gentler cousin. 6.25% aluminum chloride hexahydrate, prescription required in the US.

The whole pitch with Xerac AC is "Drysol without the burning." Lower concentration means less irritation but also less stopping power. Good for someone whose sweat is moderate and whose skin can not handle Drysol's strength.

For foot odor specifically, Xerac AC has the same gap as the other three. It blocks sweat. It does not touch bacteria.

The Foot-Specific Problem All Three Miss

Here is the part everyone skips when comparing these brands.

Foot smell is not sweat. It is bacteria eating your sweat. The bacteria break down moisture and skin cell byproducts into fatty acids. Those acids are what stink. The two big ones are isovaleric acid (the cheese smell) and propionic acid (the sour gym sock smell). I cover the full mechanism in What Causes Smelly Feet? if you want the deep dive.

If you take Drysol and shut down 80% of your sweat output, you have reduced what the bacteria can eat. But you have not reduced the bacteria. They are still on your skin. They are still in your shoes.

It is like mowing the weeds without pulling the roots. The surface looks better for a few days. Then they grow back.

And there is another problem. Antiperspirants are designed for underarms. The skin under your arms is delicate, the sweat pattern is small and focused, and you only apply once a day. Feet are different. The skin on the bottom of your foot is thick, the soles sweat a lot, and you walk on it in shoes all day.

When you apply Drysol or Certain Dri to the bottom of your foot, you have to:

• Apply at night before bed
• Let it sit overnight without socks
• Hope your sheets do not get gross
• Wash it off in the morning
• Wait again for your feet to be bone dry before putting socks on

That is a lot of friction. Most guys quit after a couple of weeks. The product works, but the routine does not fit a real morning.

What I Use Instead

I never used Drysol or Certain Dri myself. When I was working on my own foot odor problem, I went straight to the deodorant side instead of the antiperspirant side. Two reasons.

One. My problem was smell. Not sweat. My feet sweat about as much as anyone else's. The smell was the part that was ruining my life.

Two. I wanted something I could use in the morning. Before my socks went on. In five seconds. Not at night with cycling and burning.

So I made a foot deodorant with my uncle. He is a cosmetic chemist. Roll-on. Goes on the bottom of the foot and between the toes. Dries in about five seconds. Sock goes on. Shoe goes on. Out the door.

The roll-on goes after the bacteria. No aluminum chloride. No prescription. No cycling on and off because of irritation.

I also use a shoe spray at night. Because even if my feet are treated, walking into shoes that have been holding bacteria for months puts me right back where I started. Treat the feet, treat the shoes. That is the whole routine. There is more on the daily setup in How to Prevent Foot Odor: 6 Daily Habits.

If your feet are wet through your socks every single day, the medical route is real and you should talk to a doctor. The Cleveland Clinic page on hyperhidrosis is a good place to start.

Look, I have seen guys online say they are at the end of their rope with this. I get it. But foot odor/sweat is not a thing you have to organize your whole life around. Find a routine that works, stick to it, and keep living your life. You are not the only one dealing with this, and it gets better.

Chin up. You got this.

For more on the foot deodorant side of the lane, see Best Foot Deodorant for Sweaty Feet and the Foot Deodorant for Sweaty Feet collection.

FAQ

Can I use Certain Dri or Drysol on my feet?

Yes, they are approved for feet. But they are not made for feet. The instructions and concentration are designed around underarms first. The protocol (nighttime application, overnight wear, morning wash-off) is harder to stick to with foot odor than it is with armpit sweat.

Is Drysol stronger than Certain Dri?

Yes. Drysol is about 20% aluminum chloride hexahydrate. Certain Dri is about 12%. Drysol is a bigger gun, but with more side effects.

Can I use regular underarm deodorant on my feet instead?

You can, but it does not really fit. The skin on the bottom of your foot is thick, your toe gaps are small, and the moisture levels are different. A foot-specific product handles all that better. I wrote a whole post on this: Can You Put Deodorant on Your Feet?

Will an antiperspirant alone fix foot odor?

Sometimes, partially. If your foot smell is purely from heavy sweat with no bacteria buildup, reducing the sweat can reduce the smell. But for most guys, the smell sticks around even after the sweating drops. Because the bacteria are still there.

What is the difference between hyperhidrosis treatment and foot odor treatment?

Hyperhidrosis is a medical condition (excessive sweating). It often needs antiperspirants or prescription-level treatment. Foot odor is a bacterial problem and is usually fixed with a deodorant routine, not an antiperspirant. They overlap but they are not the same thing.