How you can get the stink out of your shoes

Smelly shoes can stink out your wardrobe and leave you feeling quite unpleasant.

Too often smelly or sweaty feet can cause odour to linger in our shoes, even if we haven’t worn them for days.

Next time your shoes start to stink don’t throw them out.

You can easily get the smell out of your shoes by trying these eight tips.

1. Spray with water and vinegar

Water and vinegar are perfect for just about any cleaning situation, which is why they are perfect for getting the smell out of your shoes. All you need to do is spray your shoes with a 50/50 mix of water and white vinegar. Spray the mixture into your shoes, paying particular attention to the sole and lining. You can leave them to air dry for 30 minutes or use a hair dryer if you need to dry them straight away.

2. Swab with rubbing alcohol

Try soaking a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol and using it to swab your smelly shoes. It’ll dry out anything causing the odour such as sweat and it’ll evaporate quickly, allowing you to use your shoes quicker. 

3. Keep a sock full of kitty litter in them overnight

A sock full of kitty litter might not sound appealing, but it’s a great way of making your shoes smell better. Fill a sock with unused kitty litter, tie it up and stuff in your shoes for the night. When you wake up in the morning, your shoes will smell much better than they did when you went to bed!

4. Sprinkle some baking soda

You’ve no doubt heard about using baking soda as anti-fungal powder for your feet. Well, it can also be used for making your shoes smell better. Simply sprinkle some baking soda in your shoes and leave it to be absorbed overnight.  All you have to do when you wake up in the morning is get all the powder out of your shoes. For maximum effect, you can add some zinc oxide powder to the mix. It’ll help deodorise and get the bacteria out of your shoes.

5.  Add a few drops of lavender oil 

Not only does lavender oil have anti-bacterial properties, it also gets rid of any lingering odours in your shoes. Just add a drop or two inside the shoe on each sole and leave them to sit overnight. It’ll make your shoes smell great!

6. Place some citrus fruit peels in them overnight

Take the fresh peels of orange, grapefruit, lemon or lime and put them in your shoes overnight. When you wake up in the morning, your shoes will have a fresh, citrusy smell!

7. Pop your shoes in the freezer

Apparently if you put your smelly shoes in a plastic bag and put them in the freezer, it’ll make them smell better. Freezing can kill odor-producing bacteria. All you need t do is put your shoes in the bag in the freezer overnight and thaw them out in the sun the next day.

8. Leave them in the sun

One of the biggest causes of smelly shoes is moisture such as sweat. Try drying your shoes in the sun to make them smell better. All you need to do is take out the laces and lift up the tongue. By drying your shoes, you can prevent odour-causing bacterias from growing.

Have you tried any of these tips? How do you make your shoes smell better?