Stinky shoes have been one issue many people have and they keep sourcing for different effective ways on how to get rid of smelling shoes. The funny part is that your shoes do not start smelling on their own but due to the contribution of many factors.
Nevertheless, if you fall into the category of one of such people, you might in it quite challenging taking your shoes off in the crowd, especially in a closed room. Thus, setting up an odor-reducing plan for your footwear would help. Going through some helpful solutions, I would be revealing a few tips to help you out. By reading this article you will know how to get read of smelly shoes.
What Causes Shoe To Smell?
Whether you’ve been involved in some sports lately or simply walk in your shoes, you can find your feet sweating. Research from San Diego Podiatric Medical Society reveals that there are over 250,000 sweat glands that lie in the feet of humans. So, don’t freak out, as you are not alone and it is natural.
However, if that sweaty moisture remains trapped in your shoes for a while, they become a chilling spot for bacteria. You might be wondering what harm the bacteria causes. Well, those tiny organisms are great in causing your footwear to start smelling, as they grow within it. For runners, it might get even worse, as the activity makes them perspire a lot.
The hotness from the summer season can also accelerate this problem. Hence, you are more likely to experience smelly shoes during summer than other seasons of the year. It can be quite challenging battling with smelly shoes with the awful smelling toxins released by the bacteria.
Thus, I advocate that individuals get breathable shoes, switch them frequently, and wear moisture-wicking socks – and why is that? Such actions can help reduce the dampness of your feet, ensuring you don’t deal with a smelly shoe. But, what can one do when their footwear suddenly starts smelling? You can go through the effective solutions to keep your boots away from odor.
How To Keep Shoes Odor Free?
If you find yourself faced with this tricky situation, here are some simple and cost-effective ways of handling such.
Finding The Cause
Well, it is quite crucial to know the cause of the smelling footwear to help you solve the problem. Thus, it would help if you try to examine the boot, loafers, or running shoes beforehand. If you find out that the insoles are wet, you can dry them.
If they are currently damaged, changing them would be suitable. There are various insole options available in stores and you can easily find a compatible pair.
Keeping The Shoes Dry
It is a known fact that smelly shoes result from dampness, which helps promote bacteria growth. Thus, it is quite essential to keep your shoes dry as soon as possible. Whether you got them wet by soaking them in water or from those sweaty feet, take care in keeping them dry out. At the end of each day, it would be best if you store them in an airy area to help keep them ventilated and free from odor.
How To Get Rid Of Smelly Shoes?
01. Employing Some Cost-Effective Smell Removers
You have many effective solutions right there in your home to help you get rid of the smell that oozes from your shoes, and they include:
- Baking soda: They are one of the top options when it comes to stopping smelly shoes, as baking soda offers some moisture absorbing properties. Placing some healthy dose of the baking soda into the shoes and leaving them in overnight, you are sure to get an odor-free shoe by morning.
- Black tea bags: If you keep encountering smelly shoes and you have some black tea bags at home, they can serve as an excellent solution for that problem. These teabags have some effective bacteria-killing properties (tannins) and can help stop the growth and toxin release of these organisms.
Kindly boil some water and place the tea bag into it for a period of 5 minutes. Take it out and let it cool for a few minutes. Then, place it in the shoe and leave it there for about an hour.
- Citrus Fruit Peel: The peels from lime, orange, grape, and lemon are effective because of their anti-bacterial properties in their essential oil. Thus, the scent from these peels can get the bacteria out, and leave your footwear to smell nicer if left in them overnight.
02. Freezing
Most odor-causing bacteria that attack shoes tend to like a warm and moist environment, and placing them in conditions that may seem unfavorable can kill them. Thus, freezing your shoes overnight can get them odor-free by the morning. Ensure that you place them in a suitable plastic bag, and freeze them throughout the night.
03. Odor-Removing And Shoe Disinfectant Sprays
Many products in the market come formulated with the right ingredients that leave your footwear free from odor. Not only do these sprays have nice smells that they leave in your boot, but they also have bacteria-fighting capabilities that prevent the growth of bacteria.
Thus, they put an end to the release of its toxins. With their effective moisture-wicking abilities, your shoes can remain fresh and dry. So you can get one soon to help you get rid of even the strongest shoe smells. If you are a natural ingredient freak, many versatile shoe sprays come formulated with essential oils and other natural ingredients.
How To Make an At Home Shoe Deodorizer
So, how to get rid of smelly shoes home remedies? Just see this video. This may help.
Some Tips To Follow To Avoid Odor
- Clean your shoes after each use
- Store in a ventilated area
- Keep dry as much as you can
- Avoid wearing the same pair for days
- Get some socks that help absorb moisture
FAQ’s
How Do You Get Rid Of Stinky Feet And Shoes?
You can add baking soda, talcum powder, or corn starch inside your shoes – and socks, if necessary – to absorb moisture that can lead to bacteria growth. Putting a few unused dry tea bags in your shoes and letting them set for a few days will help to absorb moisture and bad odors from your shoes. I must say, Cleaning your shoes with a disinfectant is a good idea.
What Essential Oils Help Smelly Shoes?
There are many essential oils to eliminate shoe odors, Some listed below
- Purification essential oil blend: fresh, energizing, and crisp.
- Thieves essential oil combination is spicy, rich, and warm.
- Cedarwood essential oil has a woodsy, warm, and well-balanced scent character.
- Cinnamon Bark essential oil has a sweet, spicy, and soothing fragrance character.
What Soap Is Best For Smelly Feet?
It is suggested to use any anti-bacterial soap, once a week to wash your feet.
Final Thoughts
Dealing with a smelly shoe can be quite distressing, as you keep searching for effective ways on how to get rid of smelly shoes. Well, the foundation of the problem lies with the dampness of the footwear, as it becomes a breeding spot for bacteria while they release toxins with a foul smell. Thus, those sweaty feet can start causing your shoe to smell at the end of the day. You can, however, peek through the various cures that I revealed in this article to help you out of this problem.
