How To Keep Work Shoes From Smelling

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.

The Best Fixes For One Of Summers Smelliest 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 remove the smell from 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! 🙂

Spray Essential Oils Into Your Shoes

Essential oils are a big thing for millions around the world. If youre a fan of essential oils and their natural super powers, this essential-oils-for-stinky-shoes treatment will surely appeal to you. Be sure youre using high-quality essential oils.

1. Grab a small spray bottle. The 2.7-ounce size is ideal.

2. Fill halfway with unscented witch hazel.

3. Add distilled water leaving just a little space at the top of the bottle for these essential oils: 6 drops peppermint essential oil, 4 drops tea tree oil , 2 drops eucalyptus essential oil, 1 drop thyme essential oil

4. Screw the spray top onto the bottle.

5. Shake well.

6. Spray lightly the entire interior of the shoe. Dont forget the toe box.

7. Place the treated shoes in a sealable plastic bag to heighten effectiveness.

8. Let dry.

Each time you detect offending shoe odor, spray again. Not only will this essential concoction deodorize your shoes, but it also has the power to kill odor-causing bacteria. It might just be the best deodorizing spray youve ever tried.

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How Do I Stop My Cork Shoes From Smelling

4.5/5Keepsmellingthethe

Similarly, you may ask, how do you deodorize Cork shoes?

11 Ways to Freshen Smelly Sandals

Additionally, 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.

Consequently, 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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Causes Of Stinky Feet

The main cause of smelly feet is trapped sweat. Your feet create a lot of sweat each day since they have thousands of sweat glands. When the sweat becomes trapped in your shoes or socks, it can create a bad odor. This is known as bromodosis, or smelly feet.â

Bacteria are also responsible for smelly feet. There are many kinds of bacteria on the bottom of your feet. These bacteria live off the sweat that your feet are constantly producing. When they feed on the sweat, the bacteria create an acid that causes foot odor.

Besides bacteria, fungus may also cause you to have smelly feet. Fungus grows and thrives in warm, moist areas. When your feet sweat inside your shoes and socks, this creates an environment where fungus can grow. These bad-smelling fungi are commonly known as athleteâs foot.

Some other factors that could cause stinky feet include:

• Wearing the same shoes every day or not changing your shoes frequently enough
• Certain diseases

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Wear 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. Use to replace your shoe’s insole, or place over it. These grip well enough to stay in place and provide moisture-absorption and cushioning. Wash them every three to six uses to keep them fresh.

Dry Your Smelly Shoes Out

Wet shoes are definitely a common culprit of bad smells. As if the sweat your feet naturally produces wasnt bad enough, sloshing through rain or snow will not help your shoes in the scent department.

If you realize your smelly shoes problem is caused by added moisture from the elements, start by drying them out. Finding a sunny spot or other heated area will be beneficial for drying your shoes and reducing the spread of bacteria and therefore the smell.

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Tip : Store Your Cleats In A Dry Well

Storing your cleats in a dry, well-ventilated place is essential for preventing them from smelling. If you store your cleats in a damp, dark place, they are more likely to develop mold and mildew. So you can keep your cleats in a mesh bag or shoe rack. Just ensure they are in a place where they can get plenty of air circulation.

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 an awful smell.
• When you get home, change shoes and let those shoes air out.
• It doesnt 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.

Aurorae All-Natural Deodorizing Shoe & Foot Spray, $15,

This all-natural solution is made without any chemicals or toxins. Instead, it uses all highly-effective essential oils like peppermint, tea tree, eucalyptus, and thyme to overcome odor while also offering a relaxation scent. Itâs great for everything from tennis shoes and flip-flops to ballet flats and leather shoes. Reviewers love the fresh minty smell and the fact that it doesnât leave a residue. One says, âIt seems like I have a cooling mint-y sensation for at least four hours. My feet felt refreshed and deodorized.â

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Well There Is No Need To Spend Money On Buying New Shoes As There Are Many Simple And Easy Ways To Get Rid Of The Unpleasant Odor

• Look for the cause. Examine your shoes before you try to treat the odor. If you have damaged insoles, either take them out or dry them.
• Better is to exchange your old insoles for a fresh pair, everyone around you will be very happy. MISTER MINIT has a very large offer
• Dry out your shoes by putting them near a heater or in a sunny spot. By keeping them dry, you help prevent bacterial growth that causes odor.
• Freezeyour shoes. Put your smelly shoes in a plastic bag, and then put them in the freezer over the course of a night. The idea is that freezing the shoes kills the odor-producing bacteria.
• 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. Leave fresh citrus peel in your shoes overnight and remove them before using. They should smell a lot better.
• Black teabags: Black teabags contain tannins which are very effective in killing bacteria that can be found inside the shoe. Place the tea bag on boiling water for a few minutes. Remove the tea bag and let it cool for about 5 minutes before placing it in the shoe. Leave it in the shoe for an hour or so.
• Odor removers, like MISTER MINITs fresh contain bacteria and/or enzymes that eat away what is causing the odor.

How To Remove Old Odors And Prevent New Ones

Bonnin Studio / Getty Images

Do you have smelly walking shoes and sandals? Shoe odor comes from bacteria and fungi that grow happily where it is warm and damp. Your sweaty shoes are just the place they love. Here are a few tactics to stop your shoes from smelling and keep your shoes and sandals odor-free.

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Remove Shoes Off Immediately

Once you finish a run, take off your running shoes as soon as possible. This lets them air out instead of remaining in contact with your sweaty socks and feet.

In fact, the longer the sweat loiters inside of your shoes, the smellier.

You should also remove the sole inserts and put them in a dry, cool place. Wash your socks, too.

Whatever you do, do not keep your sneaker in the trunk of your car or gym where they stay moist longer, providing a breeding ground for microbes.

A Lemonade Spray Might Be A Great Idea To Kill The Smell

To make this lemonade just follow the steps below:

• Squeeze a lemon in a glass of water.
• Add the peels as well inside the glass.
• Add some essential oil drops.
• Add 2 tablespoon of vinegar.
• Pour the mixture in a spray bottle.
• Spray it inside your boots.
• Leave in for 2-3 hours.
• Dry with a hair dryer.
• The smell as well as the bacteria causing smell gets killed in the process.

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Use Activated Charcoal To Clean The Shoe Rack

Another way to remove the smell from your shoe rack is by using activated charcoal. Activated charcoal is known for its ability to absorb odors, so its the perfect option if youre looking for a quick and easy way to get rid of the smell.

All you have to do is sprinkle a little activated charcoal on your shoe rack and let it sit for a few hours.

The activated charcoal will absorb any unpleasant smells, leaving your shoes smelling fresh and clean.

Freeze Your Flip Flops

So are you wondering how to keep flip flops from smelling? Well you heard me right just freeze them!

If your foam flip flops have gotten a bit stink-kay over time, simply place them in a large ziploc bag, add some baking soda in the bag, and freeze overnight. In the morning, remove them from the bag, and allow them to thaw out completely. Dust off any remaining baking soda, and your flip flops will be all freshened up and ready to go!

Now if youve got leather flip flops, you wont want to freeze those. Instead, you can clean them with a soft brush followed by a leather cleaning product.

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• 32 Genius Ways to Use Baking Soda!

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How To Prevent Smelly Shoes

There are steps you can take before you even start wearing shoes, to minimise the smell. The NHS advises:

• Using a spray deodorant or antiperspirant on your feet.
• Putting medicated insoles, which have a deodorising effect, in your shoes.
• Using a foot powder to absorb sweat.
• Trying socks for sweaty feet some sports socks are designed to keep feet dry, and you can get special antibacterial socks.
• Wearing leather or canvas shoes, as they let your feet breathe, unlike plastic ones.
• Always wearing socks with closed-toe shoes.

It’s also not advisable to put shoes on immediately after showering water between the toes can encourage bacteria. Also, where possible, let your shoes breathe somewhere ventilated for 24 hours between wears.

Like Little Tiny Air Purifiers For Your Shoes

Natural Bamboo Charcoal Bag, $10,

Im entirely in love with using natural bamboo charcoal bags to purify the air in my home, but these ones are specifically made to fit right inside your shoes. Theyre made from 100 percent organic activated charcoal, which absorbs moisture, smells, and bacteria without any chemicals or hassle. They can be used again and again for up to two years, and all you have to do to “renew” them is place them out in the sunlight to rejuvenate. One excited reviewer says, These are probably the coolest and most useful little things that ever came in a package! When it says they absorb odors, man do they ever!

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Dry Your Shoes Between Wearings

Dont 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.

Freshen Your Shoes With Tea Bags

This home remedy for shoe odor works the same way as the cat litter and wood chips methods. All you need are some stinky shoes and unused tea bags.

Place two or three tea bags inside each shoe. Let stand for several hours or overnight. The dried tea in the bags will absorb that bad odor emanating from your shoes. Simple. Easy. Effective.

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Tip No 6 Soak Your Feet To Keep The Bad Smell At Bay

Using a foot soak will help keep your feet odor-free. Just add two to three spoons of foot soak into a basin of water, pop in your size nines, and relax. A foot soak is blissful and useful if you have smelly feet or an infected foot injury. The formulations for foot soak products are specially designed to kill fungus, bacteria, and unpleasant foot odors. If you dont have the time, use rubbing alcohol instead.

Why Do Your Shoes Smell Bad

The reason your shoes stink is that your feet contain 250,000 sweat glands. When those glands get confined in a shoe, the sweat and warmth create a breeding ground for bacteria. To get rid of the smell in your shoes, you need to destroy the bacteria causing the stink. You can do this by cleaning them properly. Using homemade shoe deodorizing sprays or powders also helps. Then follow good shoe and foot care to help keep feet from stinking.

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Wipe Down The Shoe Rack

The smell of sweaty shoes can be a real turnoff, not to mention it can be pretty smelly. If you want to get rid of the smell, you can wipe down the shoe rack with a damp cloth. This will help get rid of any bacteria that is causing the smell. You can also try spraying some disinfectant on the shoe rack to help kill any remaining bacteria. Just make sure to let the disinfectant dry before putting your shoes back on the rack.

A quick wipe down with a damp cloth will remove any dirt or dust, keeping your shoes looking and performing their best. Plus, itll give you one less thing to worry about when youre trying to get out the door in the morning. So next time youre cleaning your house, dont forget to give your shoe rack a once-over. Your shoes will thank you for it.

The Best Way To Clean Your Shoes So They Stop Smelling

Kill the bacteria! Spray or wipe a disinfectant in your shoe.

• hydrogen peroxide a disinfectant that is far less harmful than a chemical like bleach that can be found at any grocery store. You can put it in a spray bottle and spritz the inside of your shoes. Or you can use a cotton ball / sponge / toothbrush and rub the entire inside of your shoe, concentrating on breaking up anything you can see that is not naturally a part of the shoe. If you get a little overzealous, dry off the extra liquid with a rag.
• tea tree oil WebMD agrees its great for fungal infections and getting rid of athletes foot. Alternatively, use lavender oil, another natural disinfectant. To use, make up a spray bottle filled with water and add 3-8 drops of the oil. Spritz shoes and let them air dry.

If the methods above dont work, then your shoes may have some seriously caked on sludge. Youll actually have to wash them with the aid of room-temperature soapy water and get the scrub brush out.

While scrubbing, try to avoid saturating your shoes with water , and instead work on cleaning any gunk out with the scrubber / toothbrush with help from the tepid soapy water.

After washing, help your shoes dry by stuffing them with newspaper and then let the shoes finish drying in an open area or use a fan to speed up the process . Once clean, use the methods listed above to keep ahead of the build-up.

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