Wear The Right Socks And Shoes
One simple way to prevent your footwear from going rancid is by choosing proper socks and shoes. Wearing well-made running shoes with breathable featuressuch as mesh uppers and minimal overlaysis an easy start. While this may not stomp out the source of stink completely, its a step ahead of heavy-duty running shoes. McFaden also recommends rotating between two pairs of shoes if you can. Go deeper by purchasing socks made of moisture-wicking fibers, such as Coolmax, copper, and wool. These will provide more ventilation to your feet, allowing more sweat to evaporate. Lastly, never go barefoot in your running shoes, even if youre not running. A lack of socks means theres no barrier between your sweat and shoes, making the sweat easier to absorb.
Cotton Balls & Fragrant Oils
Another great way to get the smell out of your tennis shoes is to use some fragrant oils. Simply pour a few drops of essential oils onto a cotton ball or two and place them inside each shoe. Nothing smells more like clean to me than the smell of citrus, so I like using those scents.
My favorite method is the first one but each one of these will help you get that awful smell out of your shoes! Youll wonder why youve been putting up with stinky shoes all these years! Is there another method you like to use to get rid of the smell in your sneakers? Leave us a comment below and let us know!
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.
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How Do I Stop My Cork Shoes From Smelling
Keep them smelling fresh
thethe
Regarding this, how do you deodorize Cork shoes?
11 Ways to Freshen Smelly Sandals
One may also ask, can you clean Birkenstocks with baking soda? Combine two tablespoons of water with one tablespoon of baking soda. The aftermath should be a paste consistency. Add more baking soda if it is too watery. Gently scrub the paste onto the footbed using an old toothbrush.
Similarly one may ask, how do I get rid of the bad smell in my shoes?
Put baking soda in the offending shoes. If the freezer trick does not work, put in a healthy dose of baking soda and let the powder absorb the odor overnight. Place fresh orange, grapefruit, lemon, or lime peel into the shoes. Fresh citrus peel has a great smell because of its essential oils.
Can you get Birkenstocks wet?
A: While it is best to avoid prolonged exposure to rain and other moisture, Birkenstocks can get wet on occasion and still last for years with proper care. Many of our customers think that their Birkenstocks will get ruined if they get wet once or twice in the rain, and this is generally not the case.
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Whats The Most Straightforward Way To De
As youre hiking, your footwear will get damp from the sweat or outside moisture. Even if you have breathable and well-ventilated boots, the risk for unpleasant smell is never null. The dark and humid environments are the perfect place for fungus and bacteria to grow, translating into the bad smell.
Cover-up smells wont make a proper solution, and it will not last for a long time either. Here are the steps to take for de-odorizing your hiking footwear.
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Try The Freezer Trick
You can freeze smelly shoes to kill odors. The bacteria that cause shoe odor need a warm, dark place to breed. Freezing your shoes stops that process. All you need to do is tuck them in a freezer overnight. You should probably put them in a bag first, though, so the dirty soles of your shoes dont come into contact with your frozen foods.
Elite Shoe Deodorizer And Foot Spray
This product serves multiple purposes as a shoe deodorizer, a foot spray, and a moisturizer. It can control odors and prevent your feet from becoming smelly.
Once you start using this product, you will notice that your feet are becoming healthier. Formulated in the United States, it contains 11 helpful herbs and 7 pure essential oils. It can both moisturize and repair dry feet. As soon as you spray the product on, you will feel an icy sensation.
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Alternate Your Shoes Give Them Time To Air Out
The smell of your shoes can be greatly reduced by not wearing the same pair on consecutive days. Of course, this means youll need more than one pair of shoes. Assuming that you have at least two pairs, alternate the days you wear them. Give em a well-deserved rest. On their days off, pull out the tongue, loosen the laces and put them in a ventilated spot where they can air out.
Keep Shoes Fresh Smelling With Dryer Sheets
If were going to talk about how to deodorize shoes, we should mention using dryer sheets. Its another unusual idea to freshen stinky shoes.
Take a standard dryer sheet, tear it in half and place one half in each shoe. Let the shoes sit overnight. Really stinky tennis shoes may require more time. Just remember to pull the dryer sheets out before putting on the newly freshened shoes.
Bonus tip: If you keep your gym shoes in a gym bag, throw a dryer sheet into the bottom of the gym bag. It will act as a shoe and gym clothes deodorizer.
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How Do You Stop Your Running Shoes From Smelling
For the running community nothing beats the smell of a pair of brand new trainers straight out of the box.
But as many of us have found, the factory fresh fragrance of your new running shoes doesnt tend to last too long and after a few long sessions your kicks can kick up quite a stink.
The problem starts as our sweat glands, of which we have around 2 million, spring into action when were running in order to help regulate our body temperature and this is particularly needed in warm weather.
Located on our feet are around 250,000 glands which arent concerned with the price tag on your new trainers and only exist to try and cool us down.
Why is it caused?
The smell that builds up in your running shoes is caused by bacteria, and usually quite a few different types are the main culprits.
Three of the main types of bacteria that you can find on your feet are Micrococcus, Corynebacterium and Staphylococcus, which can all normally be found on your skin anyway without posing a risk to your health, unless you have underlying health issues or a weakened immune system.
Its mainly Micrococcus and Corynebacterium that are the main causes, as the bacteria break down the sweat found in your trainers into fatty acids like isovaleric acid, which produces the strong pungent smell.
How do you prevent it?
5 tips to stop your running shoes smelling
1. Try and remove your trainers as soon as youve finished your workout to let them air out
How can Biomaster help?
Power Through With Powder
There are some pretty effective odor-absorbing powders on the market you can buy, or you could just use baking soda.
Make sure to rinse out the powder before you climb, though, or the powder will mix with sweat to form a slimy residue inside your shoes and your feet will slide all over the place. Trust me Ive been there and its not pretty.
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Sole Socks Or Washable Insoles
If you find you get foot odor when wearing shoes without socks, you might try washable insoles such as Sole Socks. They have a cotton terry cloth top and a latex rubber sole. Replace your shoe’s insole or place them over it. They grip well enough to stay in place and provide moisture-absorption and cushioning. Wash them every three to six uses to keep them fresh.
How To Clean Smelly Wetsuit Boots
Smelly boots giving you a hard time? Need some tips on how to cleanse your smelly boots from that nasty smelling odour? Fear not, Superstoked will aid you in your quest.
Smelly boots has been a problem for watersport enthusiasts for generations. Drying out your smelly boots is not the first thing you have in mind after spending several hours in the raging, cold ocean. There are certainly other things your mind and body craves more than giving your smelly boots a haulover. Such as food rich in fat and juicy nutrients. Bacon and eggs after a heavy workout session tastes like a piece of heaven leaving little thought for the pair of smelly wetsuit boots that you have just twisted and wrenched of your feet.
Superstoked have gathered the best remedies for curing smelly boots disease, and here are three solutions which should do the trick. These will work on smelly work boots and smelly football boots as well. So, pay attention lads.
Smelly boots remedy #1: Overture Bamboo Booty Blasters
Smelly boots remedy #2: Booty hanger.
Nothing too fancy, does what it says. Practical way to dry out and store your wetsuit boots. Can be used hanging or free standing. Well-worth investing in. However, if asked Superstoked prefers option number #3 contra this one.
Click the image above or link to learn more: Bootie Hanger
Smelly boots remedy #3: Shoe and boot dryer with vents.
Smelly boots remedy #4: Slosh wetsuit shampoo and cleaner
Article: How to clean smelly wetsuit boots
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Antiperspirant On Your Feet
This is a tactic used by marathon walkers to help prevent blisters. Most of the moisture in your shoes come from the sweat from your feet. If you prevent foot sweat, you keep your shoes dry and don’t provide a damp place for the bacteria and fungus to grow. This should be done with caution to ensure you don’t have a bad reaction to the spray. Test it on one toe or a small patch on one foot to see if there is any redness or rash after a day.
Wear Shoes That Breathe
One of the most effective remedies is simple: Wear the right shoes. The best shoes for stinky feet are made from leather or breathable fabric. These materials allow moisture to vent to the outside world. Avoid shoes made of vinyl or other man-made materials. Non-breathable shoes act to prevent moisture dissipation and evaporation. And once you unlace those babies, you and anybody in the area will be reaching for a gas mask.
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Take Your Shoes Off Asap
Once youre done running, remove your shoes as soon as possible. This allows them to air out rather than remain in contact with your sweaty feet and socks. The longer the sweat lingers in the shoe, the smellier, McFaden warns. Take off your shoes, remove the sole inserts, and place them in a cool, dry place . This will prevent bacteria from growing inside the shoes. If you place them in the heat , theyre more likely to get musty.
Take it a step further and try Aaptiv trainer Rochelle Moncourtois trick. One great tip I have is to use baby powder to help with the smell of running shoes. The baby powder absorbs your sweat and helps reduce that awful smell! Baking soda has the same effect. Sprinkle about half a teaspoon of either into each shoe while you let them sit.
How To Remove Shoe Odors With Straight Baking Soda
With this method, the baking soda comes in contact with every part of the shoe, and the bacteria that cause the odor have nowhere to hide. This method works well with cloth shoes, but be cautious with leather and suede shoes, as a buildup of baking soda can cause these materials to become brittle. With suede and leather shoes, you are better off using baking soda sachets.
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Can Putting Tea Bags In Shoes Stop Them From Smelling
To an extent, it can, though they dont fight bacteria unless you use black tea.
When youve finished brewing a cup of tea, youll notice that the bag tends to absorb quite a lot of moisture making the classic cup-side squeeze a must. However, this quality is what makes them great for removing sweat and odour from your footwear.
Choose your favourite flavour herbal teas will often have a fruitier fragrance then pop two or three tea bags in each shoe and leave them for a day or two.
Its worth remembering that your shoes wont just smell good, however theyll smell a lot like you just finished making a brew. If youre going to stick your nose in there often and youre more of a coffee connoisseur, this probably isnt the method for you!
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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When To See A Doctor
Smelly feet are a harmless problem that generally clears up. Sometimes, however, it can be a sign of a medical condition.
See your GP if simple measures to reduce your foot odour don’t help, or if you’re worried that your level of sweating is abnormally high.
Your doctor can offer you a strong prescription antiperspirant or refer you for a treatment called iontophoresis, which delivers a mild electric current through water to your feet to combat excessive sweating.
Page last reviewed: 29 October 2018 Next review due: 29 October 2021
Lumi Outdoors Natural Shoe Deodorizer Spray
Tester Smell Score: 3.5 out of 5
- Treats and prevents Athletes Foot
- Also helps eliminate sweat and moisture
- Left a chemical-like scent
The classic de-stinking brand makes an excellent powder for repelling nasty foot odors and keeping your toes dry on hot, swampy runs. Not to mention it helps prevent and treat most types of athletes foot when applied to your skin directly. It smells like hand sanitizer and chemicals, but it really did its job, said one tester. Theres no lingering cheese smell at all. We also liked the brands Stink StoppersKids and Teens version for its milder aroma much like a dryer sheet or fresh laundrybut it doesnt promise to kill fungal bacteria.
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Baking Soda + Coffee Filter
Baking soda is a powerhouse at home and can be used to deodorize your shoes. All you need to do is a fill an unused coffee filter with baking soda and secure at the end with tape, staples, or a rubber band. Place the package in each shoe at the end of the day and the baking soda will go to work overnight.
What Works For You
It cant hurt to be a pal and keep your foot stench under control and I hope these tips help you do so.
Now we want to turn it over to you.
Have any techniques of your own for treating smelly climbing shoes? Have you tried any of the techniques mentioned in this article? If so, did they work for you or not?
Let us know below!
This article was written by Sam Farquharson. You can read more of her writing on her blog.
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What Causes Smelly Feet
As weve already touched on, an excess of sweat is the primary cause for smelly feet. We have more glands on our feet than anywhere else and they release moisture throughout the day, regardless of what were up to or whether our temperatures need regulating.
However, there are a few ways to ensure you dont exacerbate the problem:
- Wear fresh socks each day. Choose natural materials such as cotton, which allows your feet to breathe, rather than synthetic fabrics like polyester
- Wash your feet every day as part of your routine and make sure to dry them well, with particular attention to the gaps between your toes
- Dont wear the same footwear two or more days in a row. If your shoes take in sweat and you wear them again without giving them a chance to dry, you will find that your feet become sweatier than usual, more quickly than usual and they may start to smell
- Pick up a combination deodorant/antiperspirant for your feet. They work like underarm products to block your pores, discourage sweat and fight bacteria which causes odours
But what should you do with your favourite shoes if you waited a little too long to start researching? Do you have to throw them away? Potentially, no.
