Trish Barber
Things like bacteria, sweat, and other foot problems or injuries can cause your shoes to smell. Make them last longer and stay fresh with these home remedies.
Salt
Sneakers and other canvas shoes can get pretty smelly, especially if you wear them without socks in the summertime. Knock down the odor and soak up the moisture by occasionally sprinkling a little salt in your canvas shoes as a shoe deodorizer.
Essential oils
Drip a few drops of essential oils into your shoe to give them a refreshing smell. Try using eucalyptus, clove, or tea tree oil. If you don’t want to put the oil directly on your shoe, drip it onto a piece of paper or a tissue and put that in your shoe overnight.
Baking soda
A smelly shoe or sneaker is no match for the power of baking soda. Liberally sprinkle soda in the offending loafer or lace-up and let it sit overnight. Dump out the powder in the morning. (Be careful when using baking soda with leather shoes, however; repeated applications can dry them out.) You can also make your own reusable “odor eaters” shoe deodorizer by filling the toes of old socks with 2 tablespoons baking soda and tying them up in a knot. Stuff the socks into each shoe at night before retiring. Remove the socks in the morning and breathe easier.
Fabric softener sheets
Deodorizing sneakers calls for strong stuff. Tuck a new dryer fabric softener sheet into each sneaker and leave overnight to neutralize odors (just remember to pull them out before wearing the sneaks). It’s also a great idea to deodorize places where you store your shoes, such as your gym bag. Drop a dryer sheet into the bottom of a gym bag and leave it there until your nose lets you know it’s time to renew it.
Baby powder
Using baby powder is a precautionary step that you can take before putting your shoes on to keep them from smelling. If you find that you are prone to having stinky shoes, rub baby powder on your feet before slipping them on.
Freeze them
If you’re finding that none of these other home shoe deodorizer remedies are working to remove the stench from your shoes, you can freeze them overnight. Put your shoes in a plastic sealable bag. Leave them in the freezer overnight and it will kill the bacteria.
Black teabags
Black tea contains tannins, which will work to kill the bacteria that builds up in your shoes and help to eliminate the smell. Put the teabag in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Remove the tea bag and let it cool. Place it in your shoe for about an hour for a natural shoe deodorizer. After you remove it, clean up any excess liquid left on the shoe.
Cat litter
This may seem a little bit strange, but cat litter contains a lot of deodorizers and absorbs liquids. Line the bottom of your shoes with cat litter and let it sit overnight. Dump it out in the morning and wipe down your shoe with a damp cloth to give it a final clean.
Rubbing alcohol
If you can’t wash your sneakers, take a cotton ball and simply wipe them down with rubbing alcohol. This will help eliminate any smelly odors.
Wear the right socks
Trapped moisture is often the cause of fungus, bacteria, and foul smells. For sneakers, opt for breathable cotton socks or moisture-wicking running socks. If you have sweaty feet, avoid going sockless when wearing ballet flats or pumps. Look for no-show socks.
Stay dry
The bacteria that make their home on your feet and in your shoes thrive in moist places. So if you keep your feet dry, bacteria won’t feel welcome there.
Try these tips:
- Change your socks if they get wet or sweaty.
- Wear socks and shoes that let your feet breathe. Use athletic socks with moisture-wicking technology. As for shoes, mesh athletic shoes or real leather are safe bets. Avoid shoes made of synthetic materials.
- Use powder or cornstarch in your shoes. Some foot-odor powders are deodorants; others absorb sweat.
