Smelly feet and stinky shoes are common irritants during hot summer months. The smell is not only disgusting, but it can also cause headaches in certain people. Besides that, moving into someone’s home with that stinky smell in itself is embarrassing.
So, what causes the shoes to smell in the first place? While there are various factors that contribute to stinky shoes, the main culprit behind them is a microorganism.
What Causes The Shoes Smell?
Well, that’s the job of certain kinds of bacteria that develop inside your shoes, and on your feet, if you offer them the right conditions to multiply. These right conditions include moisture and high temperature.
Following are the main reasons that can cause your shoes to smell:
- Your shoes are made of synthetic materials, they can trap heat and sweat, which can cause bacteria to grow and make the shoes smell.
- The shoes are not properly ventilated, they can also trap heat and sweat, which can again cause bacteria to grow and make the shoes smell.
- If you leave wet shoes in the sun to dry, they can develop that musty smell.
- Finally, even if the material of the shoes is genuine leather, extended time with shoes on during hot weather can cause the feet to sweat.
- If you don’t wash the shoes for a long time, the shoes gradually develop dirt and may become stinky.
Note: Please note that all shoes are not suitable for cleaning in the washing machine. Because the material is often severely damaged by the wash cycle. You should also not use benzine. It kills the bacteria, but it also damages the material.
Eliminate Bad Odor From Shoes: Top Home Remedies
These home remedies are simple and effective in eliminating stink from the shoes. Choose the one that best suits your requirements.
1. Use Baking Soda Against The Odor
This versatile kitchen ingredient is not only good at baking and has great beauty uses, but it also helps eliminate odor from shoes. Baking soda removes bad smells effortlessly. Simply add enough baking soda to a thin but tightly woven sock. Tie the top and place one inside each shoe. Let it stay for an hour and enjoy your odorless shoes.
Because sock fabric may allow some baking powder to escape, you can alternatively use empty teabags instead. Teabags are made of cellulose that doesn’t allow the powder to escape.
2. Powdered Coffee or Coffee Beans
Coffee powder or beans not only deodorize the trash can, but they are also great at eliminating the stinky smell from shoes.
Simply stuff a sock or a couple of empty teabags with coffee powder or coffee beans and place them inside the shoes overnight. Get your shoes fresh and disinfected in the morning.
3. Tree Tea Oil is Also a Great Remedy
The essential oil has an antibacterial and antiseptic effect. It also kills the bacteria that are responsible for the smell of sweat in the shoes.
You can either put one or two drops of tea tree oil directly on the inner sole of the shoe or – if the scent of the oil is too strong for you – drizzle it on some kitchen paper and then stuff the shoe with it. After several hours, the stench should be gone for good.
Alternatively, you can sprinkle a few drops of the oil on your shocks before putting on the shoes.
4. Fresh or Used Teabags Come Handy
Used teabags not only drive insects away, such as cockroaches and spiders, but they are also great at removing bad odor from the shoes.
Take a few used or new teabags, mint tea is preferable, and place them inside the shoes overnight. Your shoes will take a fresh breath in the morning.
5. Many People Swear By Cinnamon
Cinnamon is not only great in pastries, but it also does a nice job inside your shoes. The flavorful spice gives off a pleasant scent – and thus masks or removes bad odors.
Simply place one cinnamon stick in your shoe overnight at a time. If the sticks are too expensive, sprinkle some cinnamon in a fleece tea bag and put it in your shoe for a day or two.
6. Freeze the Bacteria to Death
In addition, unpleasant odors from textiles can also be easily removed by placing the garment in the freezer for several hours or a few days. This will kill the odor-causing bacteria and the stench will go away.
For hygienic reasons, you should pack your clothes and shoes in a bag beforehand and then put them in the freezer.
7. Get an Over-the-counter Deodorant
A shoe deodorant is, in fact, the quickest and easiest way of killing the stinky smell. You can get a good deodorant from any shoe store. With a deodorant at hand, you don’t need to wait for the effects to prevail. Simply spray the deodorant before wearing the shoes and you are good to go.
Precautions: Stop The Shoes From Getting Smelly
While we already learned about 7 remedies to eliminate bad odor from stinky shoes, how about nipping the evil in the bud. How about stopping the shoes from developing the smell in the first place? Well, with certain precautionary measures, that’s perfectly doable.
Follow the following set of measures to ensure your shoes don’t get smelly:
- Put on a fresh pair of socks daily. This reduces the bacteria in the shoes.
- After you remove your shoes, place them in the balcony to get fresh air and get dried.
- If your shoes are made of synthetic materials like PU and plastic, you may consider getting a new pair that is either made genuine leather, fabric, or are breathable.
- Avoid wearing the same shoes everyday. Wearing alternate shoes will allow your previous pair to remove dampness and moisture.
- Disinfect the inside of the shoes regularly. You can use shoe deodorant or a simple disinfectant spray for this.
- Special shoe inserts can also prevent odors from forming.
So, what do you think? Do your shoes smell too often? Which home remedies on the list you liked the most? We would love to know your thoughts.
