How to Clean Smelly Leather Shoes

Clean smelly leather shoes with vinegar and baking soda.

Whether you have smelly leather dress shoes, smelly leather casual shoes, or smelly leather running shoes, the odor can be highly offensive. While leather makes for durable, supportive shoe construction, it also allows little breathing room, trapping in odor and moisture. To eliminate the odor in your leather shoes, employ a low-cost solution.

Things You'll Need

• Baking soda
• White vinegar
• Spray bottle

Instructions

1. Fill a spray bottle with 1/2 cup of white vinegar, and spray the vinegar inside the smelly leather shoes. The vinegar is not only a deodorizing agent, but also kills bacteria that may be growing in the leather shoes.

2. Let the vinegar dry, and sprinkle a heavy coat of baking soda into the leather shoes.

3. Let the baking soda sit in the smelly shoes overnight. Tap the shoes against the trash can to get rid of the baking soda the next day.

Tips & Warnings

• Sprinkle the baking soda into the leather shoes every two days to prevent a new odor from developing.

References

• Wacky Uses: Arm and Hammer Baking Soda