10 Quick DIY Methods to Remove Shoe Odors
Shoes are one of the best pieces of equipment that not only protect your feet from getting damaged but add elegance to your fashion.
But one of the sad facts is that it gets smelly over long and repeated use unless you have magical feet. It is a very common problem that happens to all of us.
Even most hygienic people develop shoe odour. Because it is the area of the body with the most sweat glands, it is not only unhygienic but lowers your self-esteem.
If your shoes stink, it can be very embarrassing and annoying for you, especially when many people surround you or when you visit your friend’s home and someone asks to remove your shoes.
But the good news is that there are several simple, natural, and quick household remedies to eliminate these unpleasant odours.
In this guide, I will discuss the best remedies to eliminate shoe odours permanently and how to prevent them from happening in the first place to preserve your favourite footwear.
Why Do Shoes Develop Unpleasant Odours?
Overuse, sweat, dirt, skin shedding and lack of aeration are all the main causes of stinky shoes.
Shoe smell occurs due to the feet sweating in warm environments due to workouts or running, which creates a moist environment that is the ideal place for the development of bacteria and fungi.
These bacteria produce organic acid waste that smells bad. Poorly ventilated shoes Synthetic or non-linear shoes and socks that are not good at pulling away moisture are more prone to smell.
Footwear with more frequent use also starts smelling. That’s why it is important to clean boots from time to time to prevent unpleasant odours.
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Essential Tips to avoid shoe odour at First Place
- Wear the socks made with cool max fabrics as these fibres move the sweat away from the foot so that it can evaporate. The cotton retains the sweat, hence setting up an environment for bacterial growth.
- Wash your socks after every use will reduce the smelly bacteria buildup. Please do not buy your work shocks made with cotton, as it absorbs the sweat instead of wicking it away from the skin. Woollen and bamboo socks are best for moisture-wicking.
- Dry your shoes in between your wearing, keep them in sunlight or remove the sole and stuff the shoes with a dry paper towel for speed drying.
- Do not wear the shoes without wearing socks, as it is the quickest way to invite your shoes to the smell. Use breathable socks that wick away the sweat to keep the shoes as dry as possible.
- Replace the shoe insole after 3-6 months, as a lot of shoe odours lie in the sole, even though you may clean your insole daily. Bacteria can hide in small cracks which leads to unpleasant odours.
- Keep two pairs of shoes and use them on alternate days. This gives time for your shoes to air out.
- Wash your feet thoroughly and keep them clean; dry them thoroughly before putting on the socks or shoes. Consult your doctor if you have chronic foot disease.
- You can use copper sole socks. This lab-tested and clinically proven technology. The yarn of these socks is embedded with a copper ion that provides superior protection and eliminates 99.9% of bacteria and fungi that are responsible for unpleasant odours.
How to get rid of stinky shoes: effective tips and tricks
1. Baking Soda:
Create a mixture of 1/4th cup of baking powder, 1/4th cup of Baking Soda, and 1/2th cup of cornstarch. Sprinkle the mixture inside the shoes and leave it for 24 hours to absorb the odour completely.
Make sure to shake out the excess powder from the shoes before wearing them again. If the shoes still smell, you can repeat the process to remove the remaining odours.
If you are removing the odours from leather or suede shoes then pour the mixture into a small bag or in two cotton socks equally and knot the socks to prevent the damaging of the shoes from baking soda.
Place the socks inside the shoes for 24 hours to eliminate the unpleasant smell. Monthly wash the socks and refill them with the same mixture.
2. Febreze Air Freshener:
It is one of the most beautiful chemical inventions that can neutralize odour, but people think that it is just fragrance due to the mismarket. I have been using it for three years, and it works great.
3. Vinegar and Water:
Take equal parts of vinegar and warm water in a spray bottle and spray it inside the footwear. Allow the shoes to air dry for 24 hours by loosening the lace and tongue to promote airflow.
Avoid spraying outside to prevent discolouration. Remember, before spraying the vinegar, pre-cleaned the shoes from the inside out with a damped cloth. Apple side vinegar also works well in cleaning the shoes.
4. Keep your shoes in sunlight to dry:
The easiest and most effective way to eliminate shoe odours is to place them in direct sunlight. The heat generated by the sun’s rays will kill the odours-producing bacteria, and the smell will disappear.
5. Use a Soap Bar:
Take a little bit of soap and clean the shoes with the help of a sponge to remove the smell. Or place the unwrapped dry bar of the soap inside of your shoes overnight.Due to the porous nature of the soap it will kill the bacteria and eliminate the odours.
6. Fabric Softener Dryer Sheet:
One of the easiest ways to remove the shoe’s smell is to use the fabric sheet. Take one or two fabric softener sheets.
Put them inside in each sneaker over a night. The sheet absorbs the bad odours and fills up the sheet with fresh scents.
You can also use the sheet where you store your shoes. Remove the sheet before using the boot in the morning, and you are good to go.
7. Cat Litters:
Fill up a pair of cleaned old socks with cat litter, secure them with a rubber band, place one of them in each shoe and leave it overnight; it will absorb all the foot odours.
8. Freeze the shoes:
One of the best and quickest ways to remove the unpleasant smell of the shoes is to put the shoes inside the freezer overnight.
The extremely cold temperature will kill the bacteria, causing an unpleasant smell. Pop the shoes inside the plastic bag before putting it inside the refrigerator
9. Wash The Shoes:
Most of the athletic shoes are washable and can be washed by hand or in the washing machine. If you have doubts, read the labels that are provided on the shoes.
Remove the lace and insole from footwear and clean them separately so that everything gets cleaned perfectly. Use an enzyme-based laundry detergent and cold water to wash the sneaker.
Do not use hot water to wash the shoes or put them in the dryer, as extreme heat may shrink the shoes or cause damage to the adhesive.
10. Rubbing Alcohol:
Rubbing alcohol is an isopropyl or ethanol-based product widely available and has several potential uses in personal care as well as general household cleaning. Also works as an odour neutralizer and bacteria eliminator.
Take a cloth or cotton ball, dip it in rubbing alcohol and rub this inside the shoe. It will make your shoes smell free. Due to its quick evaporation, it helps other types of moisture, like sweat, dry out quickly.
Tips: do not put rubbing alcohol in leather shoes. It will suck the oil out of the leather of the shoes causing it to dry and cracks.
Conclusion:
By using these simple home strategies, you can keep your shoes free from unpleasant odours, but keep in mind the best way to keep your boot free from the smell is to follow proper hygiene, such as keeping your feet and shoes clean, and do not use the socks more than once.
To keep my shoes free from bad smells, I use a Stink Boss shoe deodorizer and OxiClean sometimes.
Along with that, I follow a good hygiene routine, such as cleaning and drying my feet before wearing the socks and shoes, washing my socks daily after every use, and my shoes never produce a bad smell.
What types of strategies do you guys follow to keep your boot free from bad smell? Let me know in the comment section.
FAQs.
You can put fabric softener dryer sheets, cat litter or baking soda to take out the smell of your shoes.
Yes, tea bags help to remove the smell from the shoes as they contain tannins, which are very effective in killing the bacteria that are present inside the shoes.
Keep in mind before placing the tea bag inside the shoes, put it in boiling water for a few minutes, then take it out and keep it for a few minutes to cool down before placing it inside the shoes and then place it inside the shoes for an hour to remove the smell.
Following the proper hygiene routine, such as
1. Clean and dry the foot before wearing the socks and shoes
2. Wash the socks after every use
3. Buy the second pair and rotate it to give it a chance to air out
4. Wash in between your toes
5. Use antifungal cream and athlete’s foot spray, and never wear the same socks with multiple pairs of shoes.
Fabric softener sheets, cat litter, and baking soda remove shoe odors without the need for washing.
The easiest way to stop the smell of the shoes at home is to Put a fabric dryer sheet in the storage area of the shoes to remove the smell of the shoes.
