How to Keep Basketball Shoes From Stinking

Perspiration seeps into your shoes just like clothes.

Keeping athletic shoes from developing unpleasant odors may seem like an impossible task. To a certain degree, it is unavoidable. Every surface of the body perspires when you expend a lot of energy, including your feet. You can care and treat your shoes and feet to reduce odors significantly. Basketball shoes may never have a delightful scent, but you can eliminate offensive odors so that they are undetectable when you wear the shoes or store them in a closet or locker.

Things You'll Need

• Odor-fighting shoe inserts
• Antibacterial soap
• White vinegar
• Medicated foot powder or baking soda
• Socks
• Sneaker cleaning spray
• Dryer sheets
• Newspaper

Instructions

1. Place odor fighting shoe inserts in the shoes. Change the inserts as often as the manufacturer suggests.

2. Practice proper foot hygiene. Shoe odor begins with your feet. Wash your feet with an antibacterial soap. Soak them in vinegar for five minutes to combat strong foot odor.

3. Sprinkle foot powder on your bare feet and the inside of the shoe. Foot powder will control the moisture that you generate while wearing the basketball shoes. Medicated foot powder will also control bacteria and fungus that can grow in a damp shoe. Keep the product in your locker at the basketball court or your gym bag so that you can always prepare your feet before you play. You can use baking powder, in lieu of foot powder.

4. Wear socks with the basketball shoes. Socks will absorb most of the moisture from your feet so that it does not soak into the foot bed and linger. Wash socks after each use.

5. Spray the inside of the shoe with a shoe interior cleaning product. Sporting stores carry these products. It also protects the shoe from harmful bacteria and fungus.

6. Place a laundry dryer sheet in shoes when you are not wearing them. Replace the sheet after you wear the shoes. Crumple dry newspaper to place in the shoe if you do not have dryer sheets.

7. Wash the shoes regularly depending on how frequently you wear them. Monthly washings should be enough. If you do not want to put the shoes in a washing machine, fill a spray bottle with equal parts vinegar and water. Spray the inside of the shoes with the mixture. Set wet shoes outside in full sunlight to dry. Sunlight helps kill mildew, bacteria and fungus.

References

• "Real Simple": New Uses for Shoes
• "Good Housekeeping": Cleaning Tips to Solve Any Crisis