How to Freshen Smelly Shoes

Odor-causing bacteria thrive in dark, damp spaces, which makes your sweaty tennies an ideal habitat. You'll need to wipe out the smelly bacterial population to achieve truly odor-free shoes. Follow these few easy steps to get your shoes smelling fresh as new.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Odor Remover With Enzymes Or Bacteria
• Baking Soda Or Shoe Odor Products
• Odor-controlling Insoles
• Zipper-lock Plastic Bag

1. Examine the shoes. Are the insoles damp and causing the odor? Remove them and dry them. Or replace them with insoles formulated to kill bacterial growth, available at drugstores.

2. If the shoes are slightly damp, place them in the sun or near a heater and allow to dry thoroughly. Remove laces and lift the shoes' tongues to fully air out the shoes.

3. Put the shoes in a zipper-lock plastic bag and place them in the freezer overnight. The freezing temperatures will kill most odor-causing bacteria.

4. If odor remains after the freezing, pour baking soda into the shoes and leave it in overnight to absorb the odors. Or use products designed to remove shoe odor, which are available at supermarkets and drugstores.

5. If all else fails, go to a pet store and purchase an odor remover such as Nature's Miracle that contains enzymes or bacteria. The enzymes and bacteria in these products literally eat away the source of the bad odors. Follow the instructions carefully as you apply the product to your shoes.

Tips & Warnings

• Dry shoes thoroughly after they become wet to prevent smelly bacterial growth.
• If your feet sweat a lot, wear lightweight cotton socks that allow your feet to breathe. You can also try odor-absorbing foot powder. And invest in two pairs of athletic shoes so that your shoes can dry out.

[bridget40]

on 5/11/2009 Have you ever tried special cedarsoles made from fresh smelling cedar wood? It actually works pretty good! Just do a google-search for more information.

[claudette49]

on 1/30/2009 Cat litter works for me! Fill nylon hosiery (I use knee hi's) with cat litter, place in shoes overnight. They will absorb the odor and are reusable. Best results are with Arm & Hammer cat litter with baking soda or add baking soda to generic cat litter.

You can also wipe your bare feet down with rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer at end of day before you put those puppies up on the coffee table. Either one cools, refreshes and deodorizes.

[diamonddivaz]

on 6/30/2008 For heels, Diva Diamondz are great. Diva Diamondz are diamond shaped pouches filled with a volcanic mineral that absorbs, designed for heels. Simple slip your Diva Diamondz inside the shoes, at the end of the day, and overnight your heels are freshened and good to go! divadiamondz.com

[vizmotion]

on 6/25/2008 Check out this product called stuffitts. They will dry and absorb odor from all types of shoes. I think the site is stuffitts.com.

[katiegrey]

on 3/4/2008 what if the shoes are dress shoes and NOT sneakers?