7 Ways to Keep Your Shoes Odor Free

It’s that time of year again! The weather begins to shift to warmer temps and our shoes shift from winter boots to spring sneakers/shoes. As I’m sure many of you have noticed, there’s been a trend for the past few years; wearing sneakers and shoes without socks or stockings. While it looks more stylish, it comes with a problem we all dread: foot odor! The offensive odor comes from bacteria that grows and transfers from sweaty feet to the inside of your shoes.

7 Tips to Odor- Free Shoes

Here are some clever and inexpensive ways to partake in your favorite trend while keeping your shoes odor –free:

  1. Wash & Completely Dry Your Feet: When you take a shower make sure you don’t forget to lather and rinse your feet. Make sure to wash in-between your toes. To combat the bacteria, you can use an anti-bacterial soap for this part which will help eliminate any unwanted bacteria. When you get out of the shower make sure to completely dry your feet off (a step usually skipped) as it is in moist conditions that bacteria thrives & survives.
  2. Apply Foot Powder to Your Feet: Before you put your shoes on you may apply a small amount of foot powder to your foot and the inside of your shoes. This will help to absorb any unnecessary moisture and help to keep your feet dry throughout the day.
  3. Charcoal Insoles: Charcoal has been listed as one of the world’s most powerful deodorizers. It can significantly aid in helping to keep any unwanted foot odor at bay.
  4. Baking Soda + Coffee Filter Overnight: We all know that using baking soda in our fridge helps to eliminate any unnecessary food odors. It works the same way in your shoes; go figure! To keep the process mess-free, fill an unused coffee filter with baking soda and use a rubber band to secure it. Place one of these in each shoe overnight and re-use as you please.
  5. Essential Oil: Drip a few drops of your favorite essential oils into your shoes to give them a refreshing smell. We recommend tea-tree oil for its anti-bacterial properties to help eradicate odor and bacteria at the same time. If you don’t want to drop the oil directly into your shoes, put a few drops on a napkin and stuff your shoes overnight.
  6. Black Tea Bags: As crazy as this sounds, black tea contains tannins, which will work to kill bacteria that lives in your shoes and therefore helps to eliminate any odor. Put two teabags in boiling water for two minutes. Let the teabags cool and dry to “damp”. Then, place the teabags in your shoes for about an hour. Be sure to place the tea-bag on something in your shoes that won’t allow the dampness to penetrate or stain your fabric.
  7. Wash Them: If your shoes are considered to be “washable”, we recommend washing them directly in the washer and dryer. If they are white, use bleach and hot water to further the results.

We hope that these tips will help you as you transition your shoe wardrobe from Winter to Spring. As always, if the problem persists and seems abnormal please do not hesitate to contact your Podiatrist for consultation.