Smelly Running Shoes Happen Find Out Why And Follow These Steps To Rid Your Shoes Of The Stench
Did you know that sweat itself doesnt smell? The odor you find in your running shoes actually comes from bacteria: It comes out in the chemical process of bacteria on your skin breaking down acids in your sweat. Though the sweat glands in your arm pits vary from those in your feet, the process of breaking down acids is the same and can also leave behind an odor.
Along with the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet contain the greatest concentration of sweat glands with each foot containing 600 to 700 per square centimeter. In total, the human body has between 1.6 to 5 million sweat glands.
So its no wonder when all that sweat and bacteria get trapped in our running shoes and socks;that our shoes would retain the smell after going unwashed day after day. On the other hand, our feet and socks get washed and disinfected regularly.
Just as with all other organisms, bacteria need fluid to thrive, and your foot sweat does that job perfectly, explains Sara Landvik, who works at Novozymes and is an expert in bacteria and other microorganisms.
Our skin is covered with bacteria, including staphylococci, micrococci, and corynebacteriumand thats quite normal. When your feet sweat, corynebacterium and micrococci break down the sweat into a fatty acid called isovaleric acid, which causes the smell in your running shoes.
Freeze The Stink Out Of Your Shoes
Disgusting foot odor is caused by bacteria lurking in the dark recesses of your footwear. Putting them in the freezer overnight kills this bacteria. These foul-intentioned germs cant stand the cold environment. But first, youll want to protect whatever else is in the freezer by following these simple steps:
- Make sure your shoes are completely dry.
- Put them in a sealable plastic bag or wrap them tightly in plastic wrap.
- Leave them in the freezer for the night.
- Remove them in the morning
In the morning, dont be afraid to stick your nose where it normally doesnt belong. Youll be pleased to find that the shoe stench is gone.
Lock Laces Odor Drops
Tester Smell Score: 4 out of 5
- Easy-to-use with very powerful fresh scent
- Wasnt as effective at getting rid of odors
These long-lasting deodorizer balls from Lock Laces keep your shoes, bags, or locker fresh with minimal effort from you. Simply twist open the vents and drop one or two in. One tester found the Drops extremely effective, but others thought the super strong laundry detergent scent did more to mask odors than truly eliminate them.
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Unexpected Ways To Get The Odor Out Of Your Shoes
For a totally fresh start.
Okay, so your shoes smell. Youâre only human, after all. Itâs not like you wanted to stink up the elevator on the way to the 17th floor or create one of the most awkward rideshare experiences in the history of all time.
Let us offer some advice because this isnât our first Dear HMS situation. Weâve been helping people solve their stinkiest shoe conundrums for a while now and weâve discovered that there are 7âyes, count âemâ7 unexpected things you can do right now to liberate your feet from the oppressive reign theyâve had over your friends, family, and coworkers.
The Trick Of Talcum Powder
Talcum powder works in the same way as baking soda. They have the virtue of absorbing humidity and thereby silencing the bad smell. In this case, you have two options:
- Apply a little;talcum powder;to each shoe;and allow them to spend the night like this. In the morning, we can remove the rest of the powders.
- Apply talcum powder to the sole. In this way, we limit the sweating caused by the bad smell of the shoes.
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Lumi Outdoors Natural Shoe Deodorizer Spray
This odor-removing spray comes with a 100% guarantee of making your shoes smell fresh and clean. The company believes that you will most definitely fall in love with this product.
All the ingredients in the spray are natural and safe for regular use. It contains strong essential oils that can combat even the toughest shoe odors.
It works well and can also double up as a general odor eliminator inside your house. The product is made very strong, and you should be careful not to use too much. You have multiple choices when it comes to what kind of fragrance you would like.
Remodeez Natural Carbon Odor And Moisture Remover
Remodeez Natural Carbon Odor Remover is not just a shoe smell remover but also works as an antimicrobial agent. It prevents further growth of hidden bacteria and fungus inside your shoes. This product basically contains activated charcoal which is derived from coconut husks. It also helps in absorbing moisture from your feet and shoes. So your shoes remain properly ventilated for longer period.
The important factor about this product is it does not contain any harmful and allergenic chemicals which might cause potential allergy and infection for your feet. The best thing about this odor and moisture remover is it quickly absorbs moisture and odor just like a sponge.
You can place it in the sunlight to get recharged and you can reuse it for at least next one year without any hassles. You can use it for your athletic shoes, running shoes, walking shoes, boots and other sports gear.
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Lightfoot Foot And Shoe Deodorizer
This natural spray will do a tremendous job of removing odor from your shoes. A concoction of pure anti-Bacterial essential oils will help remove the most resilient foot and shoe odor without any exception.
The spray contains the power of peppermint, tea tree oil, eucalyptus, and thyme. Even a little spritz can go a long way. You can potentially use this bottle for hundreds of sprays.
While the spray is powerful, it is safe and gentle for your feet. You can directly spray it into your shoes to get that refreshing effect.
Home Remedies That Can Get Rid Of Foot Odor
Smelly feet;are no laughing matter. Despite all the jokes, its not funny if you notice excessive and unpleasant odors every time you take off your shoes.
This condition is called;bromhidrosis;and is caused by bacteria that love moist or wet environments. So every time your feet start to sweat, the bacteria increase and cause;foot odor.
Try These Home Remedies That May Work for You
Some home treatment methods for foot odor can work for you but beware of applying any potentially caustic substances like bleach directly to your feet.
- Spray antiperspirant deodorant on your feet. Your feet have sweat glands just like the underarm and deodorant may take care of foot odor.
- Soak your feet in a solution of 1 tablespoon baking soda to 1 quart water for 15 minutes a couple of times a week to help restore pH balance of the feet and reduce bacteria.
- Mix lemon juice or vinegar with water and soak your feet in it to attack bacteria. This mixture is also an astringent and can help remove dead skin from the feet.
- Soak your feet in some brewed tea. Tea has tannic acid that can reduce sweat and help dry out your feet. Use a few teabags in each batch, let cool, add some cold water and soak the feet once a week for 30 minutes.
But Then Dont Put Your Dry Feet Back Into Sweaty Shoes!
It wont help if you put nice, dry feet into sweaty or damp shoes and socks. Always change your socks when they get damp and rotate shoes to let them dry out completely.
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How To Maintain Good Hygiene In Your Shoes
Finally, we teach you;how you must maintain proper hygiene to avoid bad odor from your shoes:
- Try not to wear;closed shoes;every day.;It is terrible for the health of our;feet;and promotes awful smell.
- When you get home, change shoes and let those shoes air out.
- It doesn’t matter if the shoe is of good quality. They all absorb the terrible smell. Hence, we must maintain good cleaning of them. You can use a damp cloth with detergent and brush them every day.
- Apply talcum powder if the sole sweat excessively.;It is a simple remedy that helps us a lot daily.
Home Remedies For Stinky Shoes:
- 1. Wash + exfoliate feet
- 2. Stop sweaty feet to stop stinky shoes
- 3. Foot and shoe deodorant spray
- 4. Wear shoes that breathe
- 5. Alternate your shoes give them time to air out
- 6. Use shoe insoles to fight foot odor
- 7. Sprinkle baking sode in those stinky shoes
- 8. Keep shoes fresh smelling with dryer sheets
- 9. Deodorize shoes with cat litter or wood chips ¯\__/¯
- 10. Clean shoes with rubbing alcohol
- 11. Steam clean shoes
- 12. Denture tablet shoe soak
- 13. Freeze the stink out of your shoes
- 14. Spray essential oils into your shoes
- 15. Use tea bags to keep shoes smelling fresh
- 16.If all else fails: Spring for new shoes
Where do stinky shoes come from anyway? The answer is well obvious. First comes foot sweat, then comes bacteria, then comes stinky feet, socks and shoes.
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Home Remedies For Cleaning Non
Dryer sheets can be placed inside your shoes overnight to make them fresher. They will leave behind a fragrance to neutralize the smells and help remove the odor.
If your shoe material is suitable, you can try steaming the inside of the shoe to kill any bacteria. Use a handheld steamer, the type thats designed to take creases out of clothes and clean upholstery. Leave the shoes to dry thoroughly before wearing them.
This method should not be used on suede shoes, as it could damage them.
Charcoal is another superb odor eater. Simply fill a sock with activated charcoal and place it inside your shoes overnight. It will absorb the smells, leaving them fresh.
Baking soda can also be used on non-removable insoles. Simply sprinkle it into your shoes and leave it overnight, then shake out the excess the next morning. Leave the shoes to air for a while before wearing them.
Cat litter is another great product for absorbing nasty smells. Pop some clean cat litter inside a small cloth bag or a thin sock. Put it in your shoes overnight and it will take away the smell from your insoles.
Sweat X Sport Extreme Odor Eliminator Spray
Tester Smell Score: 4 out of 5
- Eco-friendly formula
- Smell was hit or miss among testers
While our testers were split on whether they actually liked the smell of Sweat X, they agreed that it did a stellar job of eliminating the scent of the Limburger. That said, the smell wasnt nearly as overwhelming as some of the other sprays. Plus, Sweat X also helps remove blood, dirt, and grass stains.
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How To Get Rid Of Shoe Odor Fast
Once your shoes have become stinky, the onus is on you to restore them to their original condition. If you are worried about how you will achieve that feat, do not worry because there are some natural DIY methods of removing shoe odor that will prove to be very useful in these circumstances.
You can choose either the non-chemical method or the chemical method, both of which are fairly easy.
What Is Foot Odor
Being one of body parts that produce much sweat, feet often causes unpleasant smell. Your foot odor can bother people around you so much. This foot skin issue happens when you have sweaty feet, and the excess foot perspiration soaks your socks and shoes lining and creates the ideal environment for harmful bacteria to grow and cause a smelly odor.
Actually, sweat itself is odorless, yet it creates an environment where the bacteria grow and produce substances with bad smell. Feet might start to smell when the bacteria on skin breaks down the sweat when it comes into contact with skin pores, causing an unpleasant smell when the sweat decomposes.
Now, let see why you can suffer from foot odor!
What Are Common Causes Of Foot Odor?
Basically, foot odor is caused by excessive sweat production. We often wear socks or shoes frequently, leading to producing sweat too much. As a result, the sweat is a good place for bacteria to develop. They cause an unpleasant smell, accordingly.
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Stop Sweaty Feet To Stop Stinky Shoes
If youre often plagued by sweaty feet, youll want to focus on stopping some of that sweat. An antiperspirant lotion like SweatBlock is perfect for reducing excessive sweat on the feet. Your feet contain more sweat glands than any other part of your body. Bacteria love sweaty feet and and stink loves bacteria.
If you can reduce some of that foot sweating, you can reduce a lot of the stink that comes along with it.
Denture Tablet Shoe Soak
Youll only want to use this method on shoes that can be submerged completely in water without damage.
Take a bucket or medium size bin. Fill it with hot water. Drop in 3 to 4 denture tablets and allow them to dissolve. Toss in your sneakers and let them soak for 2 to 3 hours. Not only will they smell better but theyll be germ-free, at least for a while.
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Rocket Pure Natural Deodorizer Spray
Tester Smell Score: 4.5 out of 5
- Made in USA from all-natural ingredients
- Kept odors away after 24 hours
- Expensive for the amount you get
If youre put off by harsh chemicals, this formula from Rocket Pure draws on half-a-dozen natural agents like alcohol derived from organic cane sugar, citrus extracts, and cedarwood oil to inhibit bacterial growth . Plus, all three scents are downright awesome. Im smelling something mild, yet clean and fresh, one tester said of the peppermint and eucalyptus scent. Its hard to place, but I can hardly smell the cheese behind it.
Black Tea Bags For Smelly Shoes:
How to get rid of shoe odor with tea bags? Tannis is an important ingredient found in black tea and its tea bags which have remarkable ability to kill odor. Take used tea bags and let them dry completely. Place the dried tea bags inside the shoes overnight. This will kill the entire odor from the shoes also this recipe is considered as Best shoe odor eliminator. For smelly shoes, tea bags used must be completely dry.
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Shoe Disinfectants To Remove Bad Smell From Your Shoes And Feet
Bamboo charcoal deodorant bags work great when it comes to removing bad odor from your smelly shoes. This type of product acts as a dehumidifier and helps in eliminating the odour from your running shoes, walking shoes and all other kinds of footwear products.
These deodorizer bags are usually very safe and are made from natural ingredients. So your skin does not get affected. These deodorizer bags do not contain any harmful chemicals and aids in creating fresh air in the surroundings. These bags are finely made and are flexible enough to fit inside all kinds of shoes.
Plus they are very economical because they are usually reusable in nature. These bags are easy to handle and you often experience pleasant fresh air in just 1-2 days once you start using it. These charcoal deodorizer bags are easily available for you to buy online.
Some of the best brands that create these kinds of bags are as follows.
Bamboo Air Natural Shoe Deodorizer Bag
Great Value SG Bamboo Charcoal Deodorizer Bag
Moso Natural Air Purifying Shoe Deodorizer Bag
Sagano Charcoal Shoe Deodorizer Inserts
ShoeStix is one of the most unique and new kind of shoe odour remover products available on the internet. This product helps you to remove odour, bacterial infection and moisture from all types of boots, sneakers, shoes, cleats and other sports equipment.
Tip: How To Wash Tennis Shoes And Sneakers To Get Rid Of Foot Odor
Todays tennis shoes and sneakers often cost north of $100. To keep them looking and smelling like new, you can use your washing machine. To protect your investment, there are a few steps to follow. This method works well for fabric and leather athletic shoes.
- 1. Remove the laces and any removable insoles or inserts.
- 2. Wipe away any loose dirt and debris.
- 3. Place shoes, minus laces and inserts, in a mesh bag or pillowcase. Secure the opening so the shoes cant come out.
- 4. If you have a washing machine with an agitator, include some towels along with the shoes to balance the load. If you have a newer machine without an agitator, you probably dont need the towels.
- 5. Wash in warm water with a heavy-duty detergent.
- 6. Air dry your newly cleaned shoes. NEVER put them in the dryer.
- 7. Use a solution of water and baking soda to hand clean the insoles/inserts.
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