How to Prevent Shoe Odor

Bacteria, which thrive in moist, dark areas, cause foot odor. It is essential to keep your feet and shoes clean and aired out to prevent shoe odor from occurring.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Comfortable Shoes
• Men's Dress Shoes
• Running Shoes
• Women's Dress Shoes
• Antibacterial Soaps
• Foot Buffers
• Foot Lotions
• Pedicure Kits
• Talcum Powder

1. Wash your feet thoroughly with antibacterial soap, and scrub between your toes. Dry your feet completely after washing.

2. Apply antiperspirants to your feet to control moisture if your feet sweat excessively. Use antiperspirants specifically designed for feet rather than underarm products. You can also apply antibacterial gels to your feet to control bacterial growth, or antifungal powder to prevent athlete's foot.

3. Wear absorbent socks, such as cotton, and avoid nylon socks, which don't absorb sweat very well. Change socks once or twice a day if your feet sweat a lot.

4. Wear shoes that breathe, such as sandals or shoes made from mesh and canvas. Allowing your feet to air out reduces bacterial growth.

5. Avoid wearing shoes two days in a row'let them air out for 24 hours between uses.

6. Remove the insoles and allow them to air out for 24 hours after an excessively sweaty day, or if your shoes get wet.

Tips & Warnings

• If fashion dictates that you wear your shoes without socks, shake in a bit of talcum powder to absorb sweat.
• If your shoes ever get drenched on a rainy day, let them dry completely before wearing them again.

[mittermeier]

on 1/23/2009 Instead of airing out the shoe's insoles (Tip #6), I am using disposable anti-odor insoles/inserts which can be placed into the shoe. After 1-2 weeks I just replace the used insoles with new ones (I never wear a shoe two days in a row). This really prevents your shoes from bad odor and keeps them fresh.
I made good experience with Odor Eaters from Walgreens ($10 for 3 pairs) or the more cost efficient Fresh Soles ($10 for 8 pairs online at http://www.fresh-soles.com)

[Kodiak1234]

on 11/9/2008 Hi. I have a very very bad problem with smelly feet and i cant keep throwing shoes out. i've tried odor eaters and many other brands of odor defense but nothing seems to work. i have heard there are ways to practically eliminate this problem for long periods of time. What would u guys say works the best that is not a product from a store>

[AlMartin]

on 8/22/2008 Had a continuing problem with my Ecco sandels smelling bad. Tried a number of remidies fond on the internet. What worked was using "Natures Miracle" a pet urin deoderizer. I used it on my sandels after every use and eliminated the problem. I subsequently tried applying it directly to the bottom of my feet and seem to permanently elimitated the problem. Sounds crazy, but whatever they use to kill the bacteria from cat urin seems to work great on feet.

[zekethecork]

on 8/25/2007 When I was a teenager I had a bad foot order problem. I had a doctor tell me what was a big cause was the dye in the socks, not really from keeping your feet clean. Your feet sweat a lot and it interacts with the dye. I live here in Las Vegas and only wear white socks, plus because of my handicap I have to wear over the ankle lace up boots. I've never had any foot odor problem, though I should walking around in tempatures in the 100s all summer long. So my advice is to quit being such a prima donna worrying about your socks matching your purse and be a real man.

[divadiamond]

on 12/27/2007 Check out Diva Diamondz for shoes. This fabulous product removes odor and moisture leaving shoes healthier and better for your feet. Diva Diamondz absorb all the odor and moisture and are renewable and reusable. The volcanic mineral inside the diamondz draw all the "funk" out of the shoe and store it. When the pouch starts ot smell, simply place it in the sun for the day and reuse.