Use Ammonia And Vinegar/baking Soda
Ammonia is another powerful ingredient for eliminating unpleasant smells. All you need to do is follow the steps outlined above , but use ammonia instead!
- Step 1: Mix baking soda with water until you have a thick paste.
- Step 2: Apply paste to shoes and allow it to sit overnight.
- Step 3: Brush off any excess powder in the morning.
- Step 4: Spray ammonia onto shoes.
- Step 5 : Then allow them to air dry overnight.
- Step 6 : repeat until they are odor-free.
How To Deodorize Your Shoes
Cat litter. Quirky but effective. As strange as it may sound: cat litter actually isnt such a weird remedy since the stuff is produced for odor prevention and deodorization.
Simply fill an old sock, seal it shut and loop it into your shoe overnight. Just remove anytime you plan to wear them, and put them back after.
Charcoal. Charcoal is commonly used in air filters because of its deodorizing properties. Therefore charcoal can work wonders in removing odor from shoes too. Fill a cloth bag or old socks with charcoal, insert these in the footwear and keep it there during the night.
Tea tree oil based deodorizer spray. This Rocket Pure Natural Shoe Deodorizer can be used on both feet and shoes and has raving user reviews. Its all-natural containing essential oils of tea tree, mint, eucalyptus, and thyme.
- Tea tree oil for instance has antibacterial odor reducing properties that are backed by studies. Thyme is bactericidal too and is able to mask foul odors. More about essential oils for smelly shoes.
Deodorizing insoles. Shoe inserts made out of cedar wood, bamboo or containing charcoal can help remove nasty scents. These however do not attack the problem at the source.
- Heres an overview of the different types of deodorizing shoe inserts you can get.
Store Shoes In A Cool Dry Place Or Even Freeze Them
The cold will also inhibit the growth of bacteria and fungi. If you store your shoes in a cool, dry room that has lots of airflows, that will help keep growth at bay. Or you may want to take the drastic tactic of freezing your shoes. However, that may degrade the glues and adhesives and shorten the life of your shoes.
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Does Rubbing Alcohol Help Smelly Shoes
Use a rubbing alcohol spray spraying rubbing alcohol on your shoes absorbs the moisture allowing it to dry out the shoes. Use vinegar and water mix equal parts of white vinegar and water and put it in a spray bottle. Spray it on the lining of the shoes and the soles. Air dry them for at least half an hour.
Tips For Keeping Shoes Dry
- Toss them in the dryer, put them near a heater, or put them in a sunny window. Canvas shoes should be fine taking a spin in the dryer, but other shoes will get ruined, so just be careful!
- Go barefoot at home as much as possible. My 10 year literally wears his tennis shoes from the time he leaves for the bus until he gets into bed at night and his shoes suffer because of it! Im trying to teach him that the less he wears his shoes, the faster they will dry out and the less they will smell. Were still working on it.
- Toss them in the freezer. Place your shoes in a plastic bag, then put them in the freezer. The freezer helps kill the bacteria and dry out your soles.
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Freeze The Smell Away
When in doubt, freeze it out. While there is some debate over whether this is a temporary or permanent fix, there is evidence to suggest that exposing your shoes to cold temperatures will help kill bacteria and cancel bad smells.
If you are interested in the icy method, put your shoes in a plastic bag. Leave them in the freezer for a few hours or overnight. When you take them out, you should notice a change.
Proven Hacks To Fix Smelly Shoes
Have you ever returned home and taken off your shoes only to be met with a horrid smell that seems to be stained into your shoes? It sucks, I know. But its even worse when your stinky shoes are out in public as people wrinkle their noses, while you desperately stand still and avoid eye contact.
In general, shoe odor is caused by bacteria that is created in the warm and sweaty breeding ground in your shoes. This happens to your feet in particular because your feet are tightly wrapped by your socks and shoes on a daily basis without having room to breathe. Bacteria loves dark, damp places, which is why they flourish in your shoes.
For those who sweat less, consider yourselves lucky. For everyone else, no need to worryweve figured out how to get rid of smelly feet to make your life more pleasant!
Try any of these ten proven smelly shoe remedies:
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How To Solve One Of The Stinkiest Summertime Problems
Don’t just cover up the smell of stinky shoeseliminate the odor at its source!
Summertime is all fun and games until someones smelly shoes are stinking up the house! It happens in a predictable cycle: hot temperatures lead to sweaty feet, and sweaty feet leave behind moisture in shoes causing unpleasant odors.
But dont give up on those smelly shoes just yet, because today Im sharing the best and most effective methods for eliminating odors in shoes. If youve been wondering how to get the stink out of shoes, youve come to just the right place!
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The secret to removing odor from shoes is to deal with the moisture issue. Many people simply try to tackle the odor itself by using a deodorizing spray, but that only covers up the smell. By drying out the moisture, you can cut the smell off at the source by killing the odor-causing bacteria.
There are a few different ways to do this, so Ive included a few different options for you in this post. Use whichever method you like best, or whichever method you can do using stuff you already have at home.
Heres to a stink-free summer! 🙂
What Makes Feet Smell Bad
Lets get technical: The actual medical term for stinky feet is bromodosis. While the name might be a bit intimidating and clinical, the cause of bromodosis is actually quite straightforward. The condition could be caused by a build-up of sweat, which creates an ideal environment for bacteria growth on the skin. And this bacteria is believed to be one of the sources of those bad odors youre smelling.
According to Cleveland Clinic, foot odor happens when the bacteria that live on your skin and in your shoes eat your sweat. This process produces an acid byproduct that smells unpleasant. Since your feet have more sweat glands than any other part of the body, meaning bacteria thrive on them, its no wonder that feet are notorious for being, well, stinky.
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Use Cedar Wood On Smelly Shoes
With cedars distinguished, woody smell on your side, smelly shoes will be yesterdays problem. Many products like insoles and stretchers utilize cedar wood for its fragrance and durability.
For instance, the FootFitter Sir James Cedar Shoe Tree with Split Toe helps shoes maintain their shape while fighting the smells of frequent use. The shoe trees texture also works well for absorption purposes.
Stuff Some Cotton Wool
They help prevent the shoes from falling out. Simply put a few cotton balls in the front of your shoes and theyll fit again. In addition, the wadding is pleasantly soft, so that unnecessary pressure points are avoided.
This is super comfortable for the toes because the wadding adapts to the toes shape while shrinking the shoe in seconds so that they no longer slip out the back.
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Use Baking Soda And Essential Oils
For those of us who live busy lifestyles but still want to avoid using harsh chemicals or materials that could cause damage to our beloved shoes, there is a safe, natural method that will allow you to eliminate odor without harming anything or spending any money. All you need are some baking soda and your favorite essential oils!
This easy fix is perfect for those who are sensitive to certain chemicals, but still want the same fresh-smelling results. If youre ready to get rid of your stinky shoes without causing damage or spending any money, here are the steps to follow.
- Step 1 : Simply put a thin layer of baking soda in each shoe and leave them overnight. Theres no need to cover them with plastic or anything else the soda will work its magic without any help!
- Step 2 : Next, take some of your favorite essential oils and place a few drops on a small cloth. Rub this over the areas where you have already rubbed the baking soda, so that they also absorb these clean scents. You can do this as many times as necessary to ensure your shoes have a lovely fragrance!
How Do You Revive Smelly Shoes
Two socks should be filled with baking soda, tied off at the top, and then slipped into each shoe. Overnight is a good time. Lysol is an effective way to disinfect the interior of shoes to remove bacteria and fungus that cause odors. If you want to add similar effects, you can also sprinkle foot powder or baking powder inside.
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Foot Sense Natural Shoe Deodorizer Powder
Tester Smell Score: 3.5 out of 5
- Eliminates excess moisture
- Doesnt kill 100% of bacteria
We know, traditional powders can be messy. But Foot Sense uses an arrowroot-based, talc-free formula thats safe, effective, and smells greatso we didnt mind if some spilled outside of our shoes. Its not as powerful as some of the potent sprays weve tested, so youll likely need to reapply more frequently, but we loved this powders supreme ability to eliminate excess moisture alongside a lemony-lavender aroma.
Dry Your Shoes Between Wearings
Don’t keep your shoes in your gym bag where they will stay damp longer and provide a happy home for the smelly microbes. Give them lots of air between wearings. Remove the insoles and stuff the shoes with dry paper towels to help speed drying. Another option is Stuffits Shoe Savers, a foot-shaped insert with cedar shavings. Put them in your shoes to dry them out quickly after wearing them. They work for dress shoes as well as athletic shoes.
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Coffee Filters And Baking Soda For Stinky Shoes
Insert a coffee filter into each shoe and fill it with baking soda to get rid of that stench. The baking soda will absorb the rank smell. You know that if it works in your fridge, itll work in your shoes, too!
I like the ease of this simple stinky shoe solution since everything you need is right in your kitchen!
How To Clean Smelly Shoes With Denture Tablets
Denture tablets are rapidly gaining popularity as a fantastic all-purpose cleaner, and they are perfect for removing bad odors from shoes.
Fill a tub or sink with hot water and soak your smelly shoes overnight with a few tablets in each one. Once they have soaked, run them through the washing machine, and the odor should be gone.
Denture tablets contain powerful antibacterial ingredients that destroy odors and the tablets effervescing action penetrates deeply into the material to kill germs beneath the surface.
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Are Some People More Likely To Have Bromodosis
While everyones feet sweat , some people are more susceptible to the condition. Teenagers and pregnant women are prone to sweaty feet because their bodies produce particular hormones that make them sweat more than the average person, according to Healthline. The more sweat, the more likely a person is to harbor an increased level of bacteria on their feet.
That being said, your day-to-day life or even your mental health could sometimes impact whether youll experience bromodosis. For example, people who are on their feet all day performing physically demanding work tend to sweat more from their feet than those who work an office job. Similarly, people who experience high levels of stress tend to sweat more from their feet than those who experience low levels of stress.
What Causes Smelly Feet
Your feet produce a lot of sweat. They have more sweat glands than any other part of the body. These glands release sweat all throughout the day to help cool your body and keep your skin moist.
Everyones feet sweat, but teenagers and pregnant women are most prone to very sweaty feet because their bodies produce hormones that make them sweat more. People who are on their feet all day at work, are under a lot of stress, or have a medical condition that makes them sweat more than others tend to have sweatier feet.
There are naturally some bacteria on the feet. These bacteria help break down sweat on the feet as its released. If bacteria and sweat build up, a foul odor can form. Extra bacteria tend to form when a person sweats in their shoes, takes them off, and then puts them back on without allowing them to fully dry.
Poor hygiene can also play a role in causing bromodosis. Infrequent foot washing or not changing your socks at least once a day can allow extra bacteria to begin to grow on your feet. This can cause foot odor to worsen.
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Repurpose Your Dryer Sheets
Shoes are considered part of your wardrobe. With this in mind, dont limit your dryer sheets to your clothes. While you may not actually throw your shoes in the dryer with the rest of your laundry, the scented towels are great at masking unfavorable scents.
This method is also really easy. Just ball up two dryer sheets and stick them in your shoes and wait for your results. A simple smell and touch test will reveal when the sheets soak up extra moisture and leave their pleasant scent behind.
Quick Ways To Clean Smelly Shoes
We are going to let you in on some quick ways to clean smelly shoes and remove the foot odor once and for all. Visit a friends house and leave your shoes at the door in confidence.
After cleaning your shoes, especially if you washed them in the washing machine, you may find that they are a little tight when you put them back on. Luckily, there are simple and effective ways to stretch canvas shoes so that they are comfortable on your feet once again, as well as being nice and odor-free.
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What Causes Smelly Feet And Smelly Shoes
While athletes foot is a cause of foot odor and smelly shoes, it is possible to have smelly shoes without also having athletes foot. If you do have athletes foot, consider using a cream, lotion, or other mixture of tea tree oil on the feet to fight the fungus. Tea tree oil is a natural, great-smelling anti-fungal oil.
How To Fix Shoes That Are Too Big & Make Them Fit
The shoes were too nice to leave in the store? But unfortunately, they are a size too big? With our tricks, theyll fit you like a glove. Dont panic if the shoe slips.
Almost everyone has faced this problem at some point: Your feet are constantly slipping out of your shoes. Sometimes the desired size was simply no longer available, sometimes an exchange was impossible. But what do you do now? In any case, dont panic, because with these tips the shoes will still fit!
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Coffee Grounds Hack For Stinky Shoes
Coffee grounds can freshen everything from shoes to garbage disposals! If your household doesnt drink coffee or you would rather not dig out the small number of grounds from each of your coffee pods, you can stop in at your local coffee shop. Most coffee shops will have bags of coffee and espresso grounds that they will happily let you take for free. I love the smell of coffeeso when I grab the bags of grounds I also use my mate-less socks to make bags of odor absorbers. These are good anywhere there is a stinky smell: under the seats of the car to absorb musty odors the area that houses the kittys litter box under the sink of the bathroom.
The coffee grounds that you pick up at the coffee shop may be damp, if thats the case pour some out into a shallow plastic storage container and allow them to dry before you used them to freshen up your shoes or making your odor absorbers. Put the coffee grounds in aluminum foil first before adding them to your shoes or You dont want a wet, mushy mess on your hands .
Keep Your Feet Socks And Shoes Dry
After you thoroughly wash your feet with antibacterial soap, make sure to wipe them completely dry with a clean towel. Dont forget your toes! Water tends to get stuck in between your toes, often causing a damp environment if you put wet feet in your socks, and eventually into your shoes.
Make sure to also put on a clean, dry pair of socks before placing them into your shoes. Leftover moisture from previous times could be the culprit too. The main goal here is to avoid damp feet or socks to prevent bacteria from growing and eliminate foot odor by creating clean, dry conditions to prevent bacterial growth
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