Shoe odor usually comes from foot perspiration. You can prevent shoe odor from happening by always wearing cotton socks (cotton absorbs more moisture than man-made fibers) with your shoes, and have more than one pair so you can alternate wearing them.

A shoe salesman friend told me that a pair of shoes that was worn all day should not be worn the next day, so they have time to dry out inside. She said the dampness not only causes odor but makes the shoes wear out more quickly.

For shoes that are already smelly, try machine washing them first with regular laundry detergent. If they're white, put a bit of bleach in the wash cycle. Leather shoes can be machine washed on a gentle cycle but should not be put in the dryer; stuff old newspaper in the toes to hold the shape and let them air dry.

If you can't wash them or they still stink, sprinkle baking soda inside them, or put some activated charcoal in a piece of mesh and put it inside your shoes when you aren't wearing them.

Asker's Rating:

Permalink | Report