How embarrassing it can be to walk around in smelly shoes, especially when there are people around you. Don’t worry, it happens to all of us, even to the most hygienic person. Some people sweat more than others, but in general, we all sweat. However, that’s not the point. The question is, how do you remove bad smells from your shoes? Well, in this article I’ll give you the best tips to make your shoes smell good so you can walk everywhere or take off your shoes with confidence!
Why Do My Shoes Stink?
Contents
The short answer is because you sweat.
Do you know that your feet contain over 200,000 sweat glands? And when those glands are cooped up in the footwear all day long, your feet sweat. As surprising as it may seem, sweat itself doesn’t have a smell, but when it reaches the surface of your skin and mix with bacteria, it reacts and cause an unpleasant odor.
So when your feet are in the shoes all day, the sweat can’t evaporate. This is the reason why feet tend to smell more than other areas of your body. Other factors can also make a difference, such as the socks your wear and your’s shoe breathability.
Fortunately, getting rid of shoe odor is pretty straightforward. Take a look at these efficient ways to remove stinky odors from your shoes.
How Do I Remove the Odor?
Ok, now you know why your shoes are smelly, now let’s see what you can do about it. To start with, If you wear the same footwear every day, you should think about getting new shoes. This way, while your old pair is drying and getting rid of all the bacteria, you have a fresh backup pair ready to rock!
Step1 – Prevent Bad Smell.
First off, make sure to wash your feet thoroughly, especially on hot days. The bacteria present on your feet multiply quickly, so you need to scrub them well to fight against foot odor. Thoroughly clean the soles and in between your toes with soap, then wipe with a dry towel. Your feet need to be completely dry before you put your shoes on.
If moisture builds up inside your shoes, the best solution is to store them outside in the sun; they’ll dry faster, and it will prevent the bacteria from growing. If your trainers are machine-washable, try to clean them regularly, especially after an intense walking workout. Moisture-wicking socks absorb moisture and wick it away, which helps prevent blisters.
Step 2 – Kill the Bacteria
The second step is to get rid of the bacteria by disinfecting your smelly shoes. There are several ways you can do this: Bacteria love humidity and warmth. So if you put your shoes into the freezer for several hours, the bacteria won’t be able to make it in the chill. Place them into a garbage bag, freeze them overnight, defrost, and you are good to go!
Another thing that works well is a disinfecting spray; it kills bacteria and eliminates foot odors. Rubbing alcohol is also an excellent way to kill bacteria. Put some in your shoes; it works well.
Vinegar is an excellent cleaner because it’s acidic, and it does a good job of killing bacteria. Spray your shoes with a 50/50 cocktail of distilled vinegar and water, then spritz the mixture into your sole and lining and let dry for at least 30 minutes.
Step 3 – Eliminate the odor.
Now that you got rid of the bacteria, the only thing left for you to do is make your shoes smell fresh! Baking soda is a great solution to remove bad odors. You can Pour some baking soda in your shoes, but then you will have to clean all the mess afterward. A better technique to remove the odor is to tie socks filled with baking soda and leave them in your shoes overnight. Charcoal is also a great option to eliminate the bad smell, but it’s very messy, and it could soil your shoes and socks.
Step – 4 Keep Your Shoes Dry and Fresh
Now that your shoes are bacteria-free, you may want to take it one step further and make them smell fresh. The soap absorbs odors and leaves behind a fresh scent. So if you have some bar of soaps, you can place one in your shoes overnight. Another good way to make your shoes smell pleasant is essential oils.
Place a few drops on a cotton ball and leave it in your shoes overnight. Don’t know what to do with your lemon or orange peel? Put them in your shoe overnight; they absorb odor exceptionally well. If you don’t want the stinky smell to come back, it’s essential to keep your shoes dry. One of the best techniques to remove moisture is to stuff your shoes with newspaper, preferably not printed, to avoid soiling the inside of your shoes.
Do you raise cats at home? If so, fantastic! Cat litter absorbs odor and moisture. So you should consider using it for your stinky kicks. How? It’s easy. You just have to fill an old sock with litter and secure it with a rubber band, and let it absorb the moisture and unpleasant smell.
Step 5 – Too Late? Throw them!
If the shoe odor persists after following all the steps, it might be a sign you need new walking shoes. Sometimes shoes are so infested with bacteria that it is practically impossible to get them back.
Those microbes are embedded in the shoes, in the outer fabric, in the lining, and deep in the sole. So in this stage, it’s tough to remove them. The best thing, in this case, is to throw your shoes, and next time you’ll know what to do to get rid of odor!
My Final Words
To sum it up, don’t forget to wear the right socks as well as some foot antiperspirant if needed – and you won’t have to stand the awful smell of your shoes each time you open the door of your closet.
How do you get rid of your shoe odor? Do you have other tips? I would love to know.
Found this article useful? If so, please share it with your friends and family.
I don’t know about you, but I love my feet because they allow me to walk and go wherever I want to go. Without them, I would be lost! So I always spoil them with a good pair of walking shoes to make sure they are as comfortable as possible. If you take care of your feet, they will take care of you and your health. Well, fitted shoes will protect them and allow you to get more steps without pain!
Read more about me