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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How To Stop Shoes From Smelling
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You know summer has truly begun when classrooms, offices and your home start to smell like feet. You can either accept the constant opening of windows as the new normal, or try and tackle this all too common but annoying problem. Here at ShoeInsoles.co.uk we are no strangers to smelly shoes, which is why we’ve prepared this short, three-step guide that first deals with the question why smelly shoes even occur, suggest how you can avoid it altogether and, lastly, help you discover what you can do to get rid of the smell once it’s already present.
Can Putting Baking Soda In Shoes Get Rid Of Odour
This does work, depending on the level of odour in your shoes and it fights odour-causing bacteria too.
Baking soda is used in lots of products such as cat litter to absorb odours and moisture, which is why its handy for freshening up smelly shoes.
For particularly pleasant results, wed recommend combining two tablespoons of baking soda with four or five drops of a bacteria-fighting essential oil such as tea tree. Mix together and apply liberally to the inside of your soles.
Shake your shoes to ensure the mixture reaches the toe area and leave for about 24 hours. Afterwards, you can tip the baking soda into the bin and vacuum the inside of your shoes to remove any residue.
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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.
Make Good Footwear Choices
Since shoe odor starts with sweaty feet, an easy way to reduce it is by choosing shoes made of natural materials and open weaves. Hemp, fabric, and canvas are all good choices since they allow air to circulate, so your feet stay drier. Plus, shoes made from natural materials are usually washable, so theyre easier to clean.
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Additional Ways To Prevent Smell
These methods do not make shoes suddenly smell bettertheyre simply ways to further reduce the chance of smelly shoes. They also all have downsides.
- Take your shoes off between climbs. This prevents your feet from heating up and sweating more, and it starts airing out/drying your shoes, too. Caution: Walking around with your shoes off will pick up other crap that you dont want in your shoe, so make sure if youre taking your shoes off between climbs youre not adding more contamination and funk to the problem.
- Wear thin wool socks. Wool is anti-microbiotic, so socks may absorb some of the nastiness to get it out of the shoe / prevent further stench from getting trapped. You can do it occasionally and itll still help. Caution: Wearing socks will reduce sensitivity, could stretch your shoe, and is generally considered a newbie move.
- Only buy unlined leather shoes. Leather shoes breath the most. Synthetic shoes breath the least. The more natural materials involved, the better the breathability. Caution: Buying only leather will limit your shoe options and your shoes will still smell if not taken care of, just not quite as bad.
- Rotate the use of your shoes so each pair has more time to dry out
The Best Way To Prevent Smelly Shoes
This may sound a little over-the-top but it is absolutely the best way to reduce existing stench and prevent future smells.
Before Climbing: Wash your feet. Rub off the dead skin thats been building up during the day. No access to water? Get some alcohol rubbing pads or baby wipes and give them a good once-over. This is especially important if youre climbing later in the day because youve already spent a majority of the day sweating in your socks and breeding bacteria.
After Climbing: Store your shoes where they can air out. Open your shoes to the max, and leave them in a non-sunny area where they can completely dry out.
Certainly its acceptable to put your shoes in a bag for short periods of time, during transit, but the more you can limit this the better . Nothing promotes a bacteria orgy like a hot shoe without ventilation. Not only does stuffing you shoes in a pack for long periods of time increase odor, but the more you cram your shoes in a pack the more deformation occurs, which can result in permanent damage to the shoe. If you have to put your shoes in a bag, try to give them room to roam.
Going Further. If youre willing to put in the time and energy to reduce the smell as much as possible, you can also:
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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.
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.
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Put Your Shoes In The Freezer
The cold helps with slowing down bacterial development.
Thats why your best winter dress boots stay odor-free much longer than your everyday summer shoes.
Since the cold is so beneficial, you can seal your shoes in a bag and put them in the freezer. Itll keep the insoles and shoes fresh for longer.
Keep Them In Your Freezer Overnight
This one is a bit unorthodox. Yes, your eyes are not deceiving you. If your shoes have a stench after working out, putting them in a freezer overnight will help. It eliminates bacteria and germs and allows the odor to dissipate in the morning.
The next day, take them out of the freezer and run them through a cycle in the dryer.
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Steam Clean Shoes To Kill Bacteria And Odor
Steam can help eradicate bacteria and foot odor in your shoes. If you have a dryer with a steam feature, give that a try. Be sure that you try this method on shoes that can tolerate moisture.
Another method using steam requires a steam cleaning appliance. These are used for cleaning and disinfecting things around the house. Just stick the steam machines nozzle into each shoe for about 30 seconds. Let them completely dry before wearing again.
Remove Shoe Odour Overnight With These Leave
In addition to using the freezer option, you can also refresh your shoes overnight by placing something inside them to soak up the smell. Heres how to remove odour from shoes overnight in two ways:
- Baking soda. Sprinkle a small amount into your shoes and let its natural deodorising properties soak up the bad smells overnight. Remove all traces of the powder before putting your shoes back on.
- Cat litter. Place a small amount in two plastic bags and leave one in each shoe overnight, so its deodoriser can get to work. Dispose of the bags in the morning.
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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.
Put Them Through The Washer And Dryer
Obviously, this is an athletic shoes only solution but its a pretty effective one. And since the shoes that tend to get the smelliest tend to be those we sweat into the most aka the shoes we wear to the gym or running or playing sports this is a solution that will work for a lot of people. Contrary to what most folks believe, however, it isnt the hot water of the wash cycle that kills the bacteria generating the stink. Nor is the water from the wash cycle drowning that bacteria. Its actually the prolonged exposure to the high heat of the dryer that does in the bacteria in your shoes thereby ridding them of the smell producing agents. So dont make the mistake of taking your shoes out of the washing machine and letting them air dry. Not if you want them to smell better.
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Lumi Outdoors Natural Shoe Deodorizer Spray
Tester Smell Score: 3.5 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.
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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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 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.
Use Shoe Insoles To Fight Foot Odor
Another way to minimize shoe odor is with specially treated insoles. Several varieties are available at your favorite grocery or drug store. Theyre treated with activated charcoal or baking soda and neutralize unpleasant odors. They not only provide long-lasting odor protection , but they can also absorb foot moisture and add extra footbed cushioning.
Most brands come in a standard size that can be easily cut to fit any size shoe. These odor-neutralizing insoles are especially useful in taming those smelly gym shoes.
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Use These Foot Products
Home treatments will normally do a good job of helping to reduce or eliminate your foot odor. However, if home treatments dont help alleviate your bromodosis, or if youre concerned that the sweating and odors are severe, you should see your doctor. They may prescribe stronger antiperspirants and foot soaps, and can offer advice on medical treatments for excessive sweating .
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.
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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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Try Lemon Juice Instead Of Vinegar
Sometimes heavy-duty treatment with vinegar may not seem feasible, which is why I like to use lighter citrus solutions to deodorize shoes occasionally. All you need to do is:
- Soak the shoes in a bucket filled with 3 gallons of warm water and juice from half a lemon .
- Allow them to sit for at least 8 hours or overnight if possible before allowing them to dry.
- Be sure not to mix ammonia with anything containing bleach, because it creates toxic fumes!
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Use Your Freezer Shoes Smell Remover
Freezer Shoes Smell Remover
How To Get Rid Of Smelly Shoes? You can utilize your freezer to serve to remove odor from shoes. Start by putting them in a sealed Ziplock-Bag, then place the bag in your Freezer-Overnight. The Freezing-Temperature will kill the odor-causing bacteria, which will go a lengthy way toward getting your shoes Smell-Fresher!
Place The Sachets In Your Shoes
You can place these sachets in your shoes each time you take them off. Tennis shoes, sneakers, and walking shoes used for exercising are especially prone to collecting odors. Keep the sachet in the shoes until you wear them again.
Variation: Fill the toe of a sock with baking soda and tie it off. Leave sock sachets in your shoes overnight to absorb odors. This can be part of your ongoing routine for any athletic shoes you wear regularly.
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How To Prevent Shoes From Smelling
Few things are as embarrassing as going to a friends place, taking your shoes off, and realizing that your feet smell. Or even worse you could be bringing that special someone over after a dinner date.
These incidents dont make for an excellent first impression, right?
The worst part? At that point, its too late you cant do anything about it.
But hey, its understandable. Almost everyones been there at some point.
There’s a lot you can do to stop your shoes from smelling. Im making it my mission to help you understand how to prevent that awkward foot stench from embarrassing you in the future!
