The more we wear our favorite shoes, the more we notice that they start to smell. Overuse, perspiration, peeling skin, dirt, bacteria, mold, and lack of ventilation can all contribute to smelly shoes.
Here are some ways to remove bad smell from shoes:
Simple methods:
- One of the best ways to remove odors from shoes is to spice them up with a much more pleasant scent. Leave fresh lemon or lime zest on your shoes overnight, or spray a few drops of an essential oil, such as lavender, on the bottoms of your shoes and let them dry. Both drugs help eliminate odors.
- If your shoes are washable, wash them. You can get leather and fabric cleaner to clean shoes that can’t be machine washed, or if they are machine washable, you can throw them in the washing machine or soak and hand wash them in a detergent bath. Put your shoes in the sun or near a heater and let them dry. This helps prevent the growth of odor-causing bacteria. Make sure they are completely dry before putting your shoes back together and putting them back on.
- Place the smelly shoes in a large plastic sandwich bag and leave them in the freezer overnight. Take them out of the freezer the next day and let them dry naturally. Very cold temperature kills bacteria and reduces shoe odor.
Ingredient Methods:
- If your feet start to sweat during the day, add some baby powder to keep them dry. Baby powder can help keep feet and shoes dry by reducing the growth of bacteria on feet and shoes. Baby powder can help neutralize odors and remove odors from shoes.
- Tea bags can fight bad breath. Black tea contains tannins which are very helpful in killing bacteria in shoes. Put a few tea bags in boiling water and leave to infuse for a few minutes. Remove the bags and let them cool for about 5 minutes. Place the chilled tea bags on your shoes and let them sit for nearly an hour. Remove the tea bags and squeeze out any excess liquid.
- Tea tree oil is a great product for reducing shoe odor. Sprinkle a few drops of tea tree oil across your shoe to reduce and prevent odor. If you’re tempted to apply tea tree oil directly to the skin, make sure it’s highly diluted with other carrier oils like coconut oil.
- Cedarwood has natural antifungal properties, making it a great deodorant. Put cedar insoles in your shoes to keep them fresher for longer.
- A specially formulated deodorant spray can be an incredibly effective way to get rid of shoe odors. Most of these sprays contain bacteria and/or enzymes that eat away at odor-causing substances and provide a quick fix.
- A good natural deodorant is baking soda. This can help absorb bad odors and make your shoes that much fresher. Sprinkle a small amount of baking soda into your shoes and let it sit overnight. Be sure to dust your shoes with baking soda before putting them back on. Put a mixture of baking soda, baking soda, and cornstarch in a pair of cotton socks and let it soak in your shoes overnight.
- Use a solution of vinegar and water to combat the smell. Mix one cup of vinegar and one cup of water in a spray bottle. Spray the solution on your shoes and let them dry.
- Add cloves to your smelly shoes. Let them rest for a few hours. For exceptionally smelly footwear, leave the cloves in longer or until the smell has dissipated.
- Put a bar of soap in your shoes at night. The porous nature of the soap helps remove odor.
Preventive methods:
- The main reason for the smell of shoes comes from sweating feet. When your feet sweat and moisture seeps into the boot material, bacteria and fungi thrive in warm, humid conditions. Frequently washing your feet with antibacterial soap will destroy the bacteria and the resulting odor.
- Replacing your socks with new socks often will help reduce the buildup of smelly bacteria. When choosing work socks, avoid cotton if possible, as it absorbs moisture (including sweat) and doesn’t remove it from the skin. This will make them smell faster and keep your feet moist and unpleasant. Wool or bamboo socks absorb moisture best.
