How To Eliminate Shoe Odour
Unpleasant aroma coming from your shoes? It’s not just sweaty feet keeping your shoes cheesy. As the weather gets wetter, your shoes can begin to smell from being damp too often. Damp and moist environments are the perfect place for bacteria and fungi to grow and survive. Thankfully we’ve three quick tips for eliminating shoe odour naturally.
Shoe Odour & Bacteria
Shoes can easily become a breeding ground for bacteria, it’s not that you have bad hygiene! Bacteria will naturally grow and multiply in warm and moist environments. That smell? It’s not sweat or your feet, but the breakdown of bacteria that gives off a nasty pong.
To keep moisture and warmth at bay make sure you’re giving your shoes plenty of rest time in between wears. It’s important to keep shoes clean and dry while allowing them plenty of time to breathe in between wears. But before then, let's talk deodorising shoes.
How To Deodorise Shoes: 7 Effective Ways
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Vinegar
Vinegar neutralises odours and effectively fights bacteria to keep them fresh. Mix white vinegar with water in equal measure into a spray bottle and spray the solution inside your shoes. Leave your shoes to dry to keep them fresher for longer.
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Sunshine
Drying out excess moisture is the perfect way to keep your shoes fresh and completely free. Simply put your shoes in direct sunlight for a few hours to dry them out before their next wear.
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Soap
Another at-home remedy is to place a bar of soap into each shoe and leave it overnight. Soap kills bacteria and the smell it produces, and due to soap being porous, it absorbs any unwanted smells and replaces them with a clean and soapy scent.
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Baking Soda
A favourite of ours is the baking soda method. Sprinkle about a tablespoon of baking soda into each shoe. These magic little grains absorb any moisture and odour and help stop bacteria from multiplying. Leave overnight, just make sure you’re rid of it all before popping your shoes back on.
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Rubbing alcohol
Like vinegar, add one part rubbing alcohol to one part water and spray the inside of your shoe, careful not to soak the inside. It’ll effectively kill off bacteria. Alternatively, soak a cloth in the solution and rub it across the inside of your shoes.
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Cat Litter
A strange suggestion but as cat litter is designed to absorb liquid and neutralise bad smells it’ll do the same for your shoes. Use a tablespoon in each shoe and leave overnight.
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Freezing Shoes
As odd as it sounds it's by far the easiest way to remove nasty smells. Freezing temperatures are actually known to kill off bacteria and stop it from multiplying. Pop them in the freezer, away from any tasty treats, overnight and let them reach room temperature before popping them back on for wear.
Keeping Shoes Fresh
Remember to keep shoes as dry as possible in between wears to minimise bad shoe smells. Using shoe trees, or filling shoes with newspaper helps absorb any excess moisture albeit sweat or rainwater minimising bacteria growth.
Alternatively, if you’re looking for a quick fix for smelly shoes our range of shoe deodorisers is perfectly suited for regular use on leather and suede, they’re leather-friendly and help prevent bad smells from resurfacing.
Otherwise, if you’re just hoping we’ll say, hey, maybe it’s just time for a new pair of shoes? Well, we’ll say it - shop for luxury men's shoes, boots, slip-ons, classic shoes, and trainers online with A Fine Pair of Shoes. Free delivery on spends over £40 too... happy shopping!
