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How to Remove Shoe Odor? Freshen Up Your Footwear

How to Remove Shoe Odor? Freshen Up Your Footwear
How to Remove Shoe Odor? Freshen Up Your Footwear

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Shoes are an important part of our everyday life. We wear them to the office, to school, to the gym, for a walk, and on different occasions. But sometimes the smell from shoes can reduce our confidence and also embarrass us in front of others. This problem is mainly caused by sweat, bacteria, dirt, and moisture, which accumulate inside the shoes and create an unpleasant odor.

But there is no need to worry! You can completely eliminate the bad odor from your shoes by adopting some easy and effective measures. Let us know what you should do to fill the shoes with freshness and remove their smell.

What Causes Shoe Odor?

If your shoes smell bad, then before cleaning them, it is important to understand why they smell. There are some common reasons behind the smell in shoes, such as sweat, bacteria, moisture, and poor ventilation of the shoes. Let’s understand these reasons in simple language.

1. Sweat and Moisture

Our feet have a lot of sweat glands, which help in controlling body temperature. When we wear shoes for a long time, the feet sweat. If this sweat gets trapped in the shoes and does not dry properly, then the moisture increases. This moisture gives bacteria and fungus a chance to grow in the shoes, which causes bad smell.

Why does it have an effect?

Sweat accumulates inside the shoes and increases the moisture.

If the shoes are not allowed to dry properly, then fungus and bacteria grow inside the shoes.

People who sweat a lot may have smelly shoes quickly.

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2. Bacteria Buildup

The skin of our feet constantly sheds dead cells. When these dead skin cells mix with sweat, bacteria start breaking them down. This process releases some gases, due to which the shoes start smelling bad.

Why does it have this effect?

Moisture and heat in the shoes give bacteria a chance to grow quickly.

Bacteria break down sweat and dead skin and release smelly gases.

If the shoes are not cleaned properly, the number of bacteria keeps increasing.

3. Wearing Shoes Without Socks

If you wear shoes without socks, your feet come in direct contact with the shoes. When the feet sweat, this sweat goes directly into the shoes. Wearing socks absorbs this sweat and reduces bacterial growth.

Why does it have an effect?

Wearing shoes without socks causes sweat to go directly into the shoes.

The moisture remains inside the shoes, which increases the odor.

Socks work to absorb sweat, which reduces the growth of bacteria.

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4. Poor Ventilation

If your shoes are made of materials that do not allow air to pass through (such as plastic or synthetic shoes), then the moisture remains inside the shoes. Due to this, shoes are wet and hot for a long time.

Why does it have an effect?

We all know sweat remains inside the shoes, so they smell because of sweat.

Due to the excess moisture, there is growth of bacteria and fungus inside the shoes.

Shoes made of leather or cotton fabric are better because they allow air to pass through.

How to Remove Shoe Odor: Effective Tips

How to Remove Shoe Odor: Effective Tips
How to Remove Shoe Odor: Effective Tips

Due to sweat bacteria and lot of moisture your shoes can smell bad anytime and this is very common problem for us.

If you are also wondering how to remove shoe odor or how to get rid of shoe smell, then by adopting some easy techniques, you can eliminate the bad odor from your shoes. In this blog, we have elaborated some of the great and effective ways to remove the bad smell from your shoes and keep them fresh always.

Using Baking Soda

For removing the bad odor or smell from the shoes Baking soda can be used as it is a natural deodorizer. Baking soda is good substance that helps to absorb smell. If you are still wondering how to remove odor from shoes, then using baking soda is good option. Sprinkle a little amount of baking soda inside the shoes and leave it for appooximately 7 to 8 hours. Next morning you can feel that smell is gone. Now you can brush off the baking soda from the shoes with light hands and wear them.

Vinegar and Water Solution

Vinegar and Water Solution
Vinegar and Water Solution

Due to sweat bacteria and lot of moisture your shoes can smell bad anytime and this is very common problem for us.

If you are also wondering how to remove shoe odor or how to get rid of shoe smell, then by adopting some easy techniques, you can eliminate the bad odor from your shoes. In this blog, we have elaborated some of the great and effective ways to remove the bad smell from your shoes and keep them fresh always.

A little mixture of vinegar and water is also an effective way to get rid of bad smell from shoes. Vinegar kills bacteria and helps in eliminating odor. Just mix equal amount of vinegar and water  in a spray bottle and then, spray this mixture inside the shoes. After this, let the shoes dry in the natural air. This solution has power to eliminate the odor and kill bacterias.

Freezing Your Shoes

If you want to know how to remove odor from shoes, then freezing shoes can also be an good solution. As we all know that Bacterias can not survive in low temperature. Therefore, you can wrap the shoes in a plastic bag and keep them in the freezer overnight. Due to low temperature all the bacterias will become non active amd your shoes will be fresh and free from smell. After this you can wear them when they are a little warm and see, the shoes will be absolutely fresh and odorless.

Using Activated Charcoal and Tea Bags

Activated charcoal and tea bags both are very effective at absorbing odors. If you are looking for an answer to the question of how to remove odor from shoes, then you can use both of these and they are really great solution. The method of there use is very simple- You have to put some activated charcoal packets or unused tea bags inside the shoes and just leave them in the shoes overnight, and next morning you will realize that they have completely absorbed the odor. This method will make your shoes smell good always.

Washing Your Insoles

If your shoes have removable insoles, then you can wash them in few days and this is also one of the great solution to remove the odor from the shoes. By opting this method the inside part of the shoes also remains clean. You can soak the insoles in soapy water and rub with the brush gently, then leave them to dry in natural air. By doing this the odor will be reduced and you can have your fresh shoes again.

Rotating Your Shoes

Another easy way is to rotate your shoes. If you wear the same pair of shoes every day, they do not get time to dry, and this increases the odor. Therefore, to remove the smell from shoes, make it a habit to wear different pairs of shoes so that every pair gets time to dry and maintain freshness. By adopting this method your shoes will remain fresh for long time and you dont need to clean and wash them again and again.

Using Essential Oils

You can get rid of the smell of shoes by using essential oils such as lavender, peppermint, or tea tree oil. You can put a few drops on a cotton ball in essential oil and place it inside the shoes, and leave it for overnight. Next morning your shoes will be odour free and then you can wear them.  Essential oils are helpful in killing bacterias so by the use of these oils you can get rid of the smell easily.

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Conclusion

If you are still thinking how to remove smell from shoes then by adopting some simple methods you can remove the bad odour by using baking soda, vinegar, and essential oils. Baking soda absorbs moisture and odor inside the shoes, thereby removing the odor. Vinegar helps kill bacteria, which are the main cause of odor. Essential oils like lavender, peppermint, or tea tree oil not only make the shoes smell good but also eliminate bacteria.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author. They do not necessarily purport to reflect the values or views of Tumbledry.

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