There are many stinky shoe remedies that people often use. Since I’ve not had the opportunity (or the smelly shoes, luckily) to try all of these things out, I cannot swear that any of them work, but they will give you plenty of inspiration on your quest to rid yourself of the reek!
- Some people say that odors in shoes are caused by bacteria, and that freezing them for a couple hours will kill the bacteria, and thus the odor.
- Sprinkling in baking soda and tapping the shoes so it spreads around evenly is another tip.
- Always wear socks. Your body oils and sweat get into your shoe linings and grow bacteria, causing stinky shoes.
- Soak your feet in tea. Steep some tea bags in warm water then soak your stinky feet for ten or fifteen minutes. Presumably, this kills the bacterium that causes foot odors.
- Some people spray Febreze into their shoes every night to keep shoe smells away.
- Deodorant on your feet? Yes, some people advocate using your regular under-arm deodorant on your feet or in your stinky shoes. Of course, the spray on kind would be easiest for this purpose.
- Rotating shoes is very important- don’t wear the same ones every day.
- In between wearing, spray your shoes with antifungal and antibacterial sprays (I’m sure there are others, but Oust and Neutra Air come to mind.)
- Soak your feet in Epsom Salts daily.
- Kitty litter – really! Make your own “smell eaters” by putting kitty litter in knee highs and tying them. Put in your shoes and leave overnight.
- Baby powder in your shoes after a workout has been suggested. The powder absorbs what would otherwise have time to cause bacteria and odors.
- Spraying with white vinegar to kill growing bacteria is another tip.
- Some people suggested crumpled newsprint to absorb odor and moisture.
- Rubbing alcohol in a squirt bottle sprayed inside and out will kill the bacteria and the smell.
- Do not buy shoes created from manmade materials. These stink worse!
- Let the sun shine! Putting them in the sun for a day or so has been said to work miracles.
- Take zinc on a daily basis. This works on people with a zinc deficiency (because lack of zinc equals stink.)
- Boric acid is used by some people as a home remedy.
- Cedar wood blocks, like the kind you put in your closet to keep moths away, apparently keep bacteria and odor away, too.
- Charcoal briquettes – charcoal is used to remove odors from water in home purification systems; it should work for stinky feet too.
- Make up a baking soda sachet with a few drops of essential oil, like eucalyptus. Sweet smelling shoes!
If you try several of these remedies, and none of them work, toss the offending shoes in the trash bin and vow to take much better care of your shoes (and your feet) on the next go around!
