How to remove shoe smell?

Are you hesitating to put off your shoes in front of others due to the bad smell of your shoes and you are eagerly looking for tips that how to remove the smell from shoe home remedies, then you are at the right place. The shoe smell is because of sweat and bacteria. Shoe smell can be eliminated by following quick tips.

• Place baking soda in your shoes overnight
• Place your shoes in a plastic bag and freeze them overnight
• Use some good odor eliminator
• Use vinegar
• Sun dry your shoes
• Replace the insole of your shoes

Let us dive in and see details of shoe smell so that you can understand that what shoe bad smell is, why it is there and when a shoe start smelling bad, and how you can avoid shoe bad smell permanently. When you wear your shoes for long hours, your feet start sweating. Specifically, when you are running, jogging, while you are in the gym or the weather is hot ie in summer your whole body starts sweating.

The sweat of your body other than your feet will dry out with air, but the sweat of your feet will not dry and bacteria will be developed which causes a bad smell. If you are using only one pair of shoes day long each day then there are chances that a bad smell will be developed in them. Therefore best quick tip to avoid the bad smell of your shoes is to rotate your shoes by using one pair of shoes one day and the other pair the next day.

Now you can understand that why your shoes stink, and to remove bad odor from your shoes with a handful of tricks, keep reading this article.

20 ways for smelly shoes cleaning

Whenever you find a bad smell on your shoes, it is time to clean them out thoroughly. And as earlier, it is just because that the sweat and bacteria are trapped in your shoes and socks. Your feet are washed on daily basis but your socks and shoes are not cleaned due to which the sweat develops bacteria and thus it starts smelling. Following are the quick tips to remove shoe bad smell.

1-     Remove shoe odor with baking soda

Baking soda can make wonders in your daily life. In the case of smelly shoes, you can use baking soda in your shoes by sprinkling it gently in your shoes at night. In the morning you can vacuum the baking soda from the shoes and your shoe’s bad odor is gone.

Please note that your shoes must be dry before applying baking soda. For making your shoes dry you can use a hairdryer, or sunlight in a controlled way under supervision so that your shoe may not be mutated.

You can also make small pots by putting 2-3 teaspoons of baking soda in a pair of clean and dry socks. Not the socks and place those pots in your shoes each night till morning. Thus your shoes will be ready each day for a new journey.

If you are not planning to wear your shoes the next morning, then you can place baking soda for a longer period of time i.e. 24 to 48 hours.

You can also mix baking soda, vinegar, and some essential oil for a good smell

 in a small quantity of water and wash your shoes inside out and then dry it for an in-depth treatment.

2-     Freeze your shoes for removing bad smell

You know that bad smell is because of bacteria and sweats of your shoes. Bacteria can no longer survive in a freezing temperature.

Thus you can use your freezer to kill all the bacteria in your shoes and get rid of them in a simple way. For this purpose, you use a plastic bag for putting your shoes inside and placing them in the freezer overnight. In the morning you will see that there will be no bad smell.

3-     Use orange or lemon peel as shoe deodorizer

Orange or lemon peel is having a good and fresh smell which can be used as a shoe deodorizer. Place orange or lemon peel in your shoes overnight. Remove the peel next morning and enjoy the fresh smell. Please note that for using this trick your shoes must be dry from sweat and moisture. If not then you must dry them first by using any of the techniques mentioned earlier.

4-     Rubbing alcohol to clean shoes

Pour rubbing alcohol on cotton and apply it to the insole of the shoe. You can pour rubbing alcohol on the worn and dirty part of the shoe to help with the stink. The rubbing alcohol is a good antiseptic and will kill all the bacteria and the shoe will become a good smelling shoe. Rubbing alcohol is considered a good shoe de-stink agent and is used widely for this purpose as well.

5-     Use a bar of toilet soap for removing the bad smell of the shoe

There must be toilet bath soap in your closet. You can place a bar of soap in your shoe to de-stink it. The soap will absorb the bad odor from your shoes and will leave them with a good fresh smell.

6-     Use of cotton balls as a deodorizer for stinky shoes

You can also apply few drops of some essential oil of your choice on cotton balls. Place the cotton balls in your shoes and leave for around 12-24 hours after which you will feel a clear difference in the smell of the shoes.

7-     Perfume spray as a deodorizer for stinky shoes

If you are in a hurry and you want to a have quick solution for your stinky shoes, you can use any perfume spray available on your dressing table on your shoes inside. This can work and can kill the bacteria and bad odor very quickly. Your shoes must be dry before applying this tip.

8-     Sunshine for treatment of bad shoe smell

If your shoes are stinky having a bad odor, then you can place them in the sunshine for a while to kill the bacteria and make them dry. Sunlight is good for moisture due to sweat and thus is important for the health of shoes in a controlled way. Please be careful in the case of leather shoes and sun treatment in specifically in summer.

9-     Boot deodorizer

There are a number of Best shoe odor eliminators and boot deodorizer  are available in the market for treating your shoes to make them fresh smell and remove their bad smell.  These are good for refreshing the odor of the shoes as well as disinfect the shoes.

10- Charcoal shoe deodorizer bags

Another good way is to use charcoal shoe deodorizer bags .  You can place these bags in your shoes every night and thus can make your shoes with a fresh smell.

11- Hairdryer

If your shoes are stinky with a bad smell and are also wet due to moisture and sweat, then you can use your hairdryer on your shoes. Please use the dryer carefully on canvas shoes as well as on leather shoes.

12- Machine washing shoes for bad smell

Some shoes are machine washable. You can put them in your washing machine at least once a week for its cleaning from sweat and bacteria. You can use detergent as usual with cold water and a gentle cycle. After washing the shoes you can air dry them so that they may not become worn.

13- Dry sheets in shoes

Fabric softener sheets can make wonders if your shoes are smelly and you want to get rid of them. The sheets of fabric softener are basically chemically treated which can work very well in a stinky shoe. You can place them in the shoes overnight and can get rid of bad smells easily.

14- Vinegar as a deodorizer for stinky shoes

Vinegar is also a very good bacteria killer. You can add a half cup of vinegar in a half cup of hot water along with few drops of any essential oil of your choice and can apply that to your shoe insoles.

This solution can kill the germs and bacteria and deodorize your bad-smelling shoes. Don’t forget to dry your shoes once you apply this solution.

15- Salt as a deodorizer for smelly shoes

Sneakers can become easily wet due to sweating as they are generally used for games and running. Salt can be used some time to remove the stink and make them a fresh smell.

You can also apply a saltwater solution to the inner side of your shoes and make them dry after some time with better results.

16- Black teabag as a shoe deodorizer for bad smell

Black tea contains antimicrobial properties which can make it a good antibacterial. You can place tea bags in hot water for a while and then take them out to cool down, afterward you can place them in your shoes for an hour or two. Clean the drops from the tea bags in your shoes and enjoy bacteria-free and smell free shoes.

17- Antimicrobial insoles and odor eaters

Antimicrobial insoles are one of the best options used for

Shoes bad smell. It gives long-lasting odor and wetness protection. These insoles are available in one size and can be trimmed to fit each size of shoes.

18- Baby powder for smelly shoes

You can apply baby powder to your shoes and keep it overnight. You can also use baby powder on your feet and it is not harmful. This is a quick way to eliminate bad smells from your shoes.

19- Silica jell packets for shoes

Silica jell is a very good moister absorbent. It is used widely in many products for making them moister free.  Keeping in view this quality silica jell bags can be used for shoe de-moisturize and keeping shoes dry. Thus bacteria will not be formed and the shoes will not become smelly.

20- Alum powder for smelly shoes

Alum powder is the best bacteria killer. It can be used to deodorize smelly shoes as well. It can be used for making feet clean and bacteria-free.

How to prevent shoes from smelling

Imagine that you have applied one of the above DIY tips to your shoes to a de-odorize bad smell, and now you want that your shoes may not become again victim of bacteria and bad smell. You can prevent your shoes from bad smell once you get rid of the bad smell with the following tips.

1-     Feet care

Take good care of your feet i.e. always clean your feet with warm water having some slat so that all bacteria of your feet due to sweating is die down. There for a good TLC (Tender loving care) of your feet is required. You can read further on TLC of your feet here.

TLC for healthy, happy feet

Common foot problems include cracked skin, ingrown toenails, foot injuries, foot odor, and fungal infections.  For foot care, you need to have very good and comfortable shoes, having good stuff, light in weight and with a good fit. Wash your feet every day and wear socks so that your feet are not dirty with dust which ultimately becomes a good catcher of bacteria.

2-     Rotate your shoes

If you want to avoid shoes to become smelly, then you can rotate your shoes and at least at alternate days.

3-     Rotate your socks

Always wear clean socks daily and wash your socks once you put off your shoes so that sweat is not accumulated in your socks.

4-     Use charcoal bags in your shoes

Use charcoal bags on daily basis in your shoes, thus your shoes will become dry on daily basis and bacteria will not be formed.

Frequently asked questions

Why do my shoes smell bad?

The shoes smell bad due to the bacteria which is produced I the sweat when it is air tight. In shoes you feet produce sweat and there is no air, therefore bacteria is formed which causes bad smell.

Is smelly feet a sign of bad health ?

Bad odor of your shoes and feet is generally not considered a bad health condition. However, if your level of feet sweating is too high, then you should consult your family physician.

Is smelly feet a sign of diabetes ?

Smelly feet are not an indication of diabetics, however, special care must be taken for diabetics patients as their feet may get easily damaged in stinky shoes.

What is smelly feet a sign of ?

Smelly feet are medically known as Bromodosis. It is the sweaty feet that cause bacterial growth and a bad smell.

Is baking soda good for your feet?

If you use baking soda for smelly shoes, then it must be cleaned from shoes with a vacuum cleaner, as it may cause irritation on feet skin if you are sensitive to it.

Why do my feet smells  like vinegar?

When bacteria break up your sweat, its by-product is propionic acid which smells like vinegar.