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How to get the smell out of basketball shoes
How to Remove Shoe Smell and Make Them Smell Good. Nike.com
How to Remove Shoe Smell and Make Them Smell Good. Nike.com
Product Care
We all have a favorite pair of sneakers that have a little bit of a stink. Fortunately, there are some ways to deodorize your shoes and make them smell good again.
Last updated: January 5, 2022
4 min read
Time Required
30 min
Estimated Cost
$10
Supplies
Vinegar
Baking Soda
Soap
Essential Oils (optional)
Tools
Spray bottle
Smelly shoes are an all-too-common issue. It can be annoying; no matter how clean your feet are, they still end up making your sneakers smell. At worst, it can be downright unpleasant, forcing you to ask, “How can I remove the smell from my shoes?”
Bacteria are the culprit of stinky shoes. They grow in large numbers on your feet, producing organic acids — methanethiol, isovaleric acid, and propanoic acid — as waste products. While these types of bacteria aren’t harmful, they can leave a lingering stink.
For example, methanethiol is produced as a byproduct of Brevibacterium, the primary bacteria found on the feet. This organic acid has a distinct sulfuric stench that resembles rotting cabbages and smelly socks.
Even with the best foot hygiene, your feet may still smell. That's partly because your feet contain more sweat glands per square inch than anywhere else on your body. While sweat itself doesn’t smell, those bacterial waste products do. This makes shoes an ideal breeding ground for bacteria, because they trap sweat and moisture, creating an environment for bacteria to thrive.
8 of the Best Ways to Remove Shoe Smell
1.Baking Soda
Want to deodorize your shoes with a home remedy? Use baking soda. It’s a natural deodorizer that absorbs smells and bacteria. There are two different ways to use baking soda to deodorize shoes:
Mix ¼ cup of baking soda, ¼ cup of baking powder, and ½ cup of cornstarch. Put the mix in a pair of cotton socks or sprinkle the mixture in both shoes and leave overnight. For an extra scent booster, add a few drops of your favorite essential oil.
Alternatively, if you want to keep it simple, sprinkle straight baking soda directly into the shoes and leave them for at least 24 hours.
2.Spritz of Vinegar
Vinegar neutralizes odors and fights bacteria in shoes. Just mix white vinegar with water in equal parts into a spray bottle. Spray the solution inside the shoes after use and allow it to dry. Doing this to your running shoes after every run will keep them smelling fresher for longer.
Tip: To maximize the effect, clean your shoes thoroughly inside and out before applying the solution.
3.Soap
Another home remedy to remove sneaker odor is to drop a bar of soap into each shoe and leave it overnight. Soap kills bacteria and the smell they produce. Plus, soap is porous, so it’ll absorb the smell and replace it with a clean, soapy scent.
Tip: Make sure your bars of soap aren’t wet before adding them to the shoes, as moisture will only encourage bacteria.
4.Sunshine
Drying out any excess moisture from shoes is an easy and effective way to rid them of odors. Put your shoes in direct sunlight for a few hours after a run to let them dry completely before their next wear.
5.Wear Socks
Going sockless is a surefire way to make shoes smell. Socks absorb sweat and moisture produced by warm feet. This is particularly important if you’re prone to sweaty feet.
Tip: Consider a pair of Nike socks made with cotton — a breathable and sweat-absorbing fabric that will help keep your shoes smell-free.
6.Essential Oils
Tea tree, clove, and cedarwood essential oils are all popular natural deodorizers with antifungal properties. For example, one December 2007 study published in Mycobiology found that clove essential oil strongly inhibits bacteria growth on the feet to eliminate odor. These oils are a triple threat: fighting bacteria, eliminating odor, and leaving a nice scent.
Put a few drops of essential oil directly into your sneaker and let it air out. Alternatively, you can mix essential oils with other home remedies like baking soda or vinegar.
7.Good Foot Hygiene
It’s important to take extra care when cleaning your feet. Make sure to apply soap or a cleanser between each toe and across the sole of the foot and rinse well. Here’s a few more foot hygiene tips to eliminate shoe odor:
Only wear socks once between washings.
Change out of your socks and shoes straight after a workout to avoid any unnecessary smells getting trapped.
Once finished cleaning your feet, make sure to dry them fully. Any moisture left on your feet will encourage bacterial growth.
Let your feet breathe by going shoeless and sockless when you can. This will help air out any sweat without spreading bacteria.
8.
Check the Insoles
If you’ve been wearing the same insoles for years, it’s probably time to replace them. Often, insoles are the source of smelly shoe odors. You might just find that a new pair of insoles "magically" gets rid of that persisting funky smell.
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clothing - How can I get rid of my sneakers' stench?
Asked
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7 years, 2 months ago
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6k times
I have basketball shoes that have a putrid smell and I can barely stand it. Besides the smell, the shoes are in pretty good shape and I hope to keep them a bit longer.
So far I have tried washing the shoes, which helped for about 2 hours before the shoes started smelling again, putting tea bags in my shoes (a hack I found online), but that did nothing to get rid of the stench, and using car fresheners, but that didn't do anything either.
Is there anything else I can try to get rid of the stench that wouldn't damage the shoe?
clothing
smell
6
Try the cheapest alcohol gel you can find (hand sanitizer from the 99 cent store)
That will kill the bacteria in an instant, instead of just masking their smell
I use it on all sorts of clothing when washing is not an immediate option, and never had any problems with dye fading, or anything like that...
6
I heard that sticking it into the freezer for an hour or so will help kill the bacteria. I wouldn't recommend doing so if your shoes didn't dried off completely.
Warning: do not microwave your shoes!
4
You can use baking soda to dry out the inside of the shoe and neutralize the smell. Just sprinkle a bit inside the shoe and it will work in a few hours.
It's the same principle as removing odors from a fridge.
You can also use the gold bond foot powder stuff that's supposed to prevent athlete's foot. It's pretty much the same thing as baking soda.
This should be perfectly safe for your sneakers, but I wouldn't use it on shoes made of real leather. I think the leather might crack if it dries out too much from the powder.
Wash the shoes in chlorhexidine surgical scrub disinfectant. The brand called Hibiclens is common. (WalMart has it.) You need to bump off the evil smelling bacteria you're carrying. Wash your feet with it and Use it on your armpits too and that can remove odors there, as well.
Use baby powder! It will keep the shoes dry and prevent bacteria from growing as well as provide a nice deodorant. Several of my basketball mates used it.
Try packing your shoes with newspaper and leave it in there for 2 or 3 days and then remove the newspaper... Then, if u can, put them in direct sunlight for about 3-4 days but make sure when u do - remove the laces and pull the tongue of the shoe as open as u can exposing the shoe to as much sunlight as possible. Oh and if u hadn't already, rip out the in-soles and replace them with new ones
Your previous attempts have failed because they haven't actually killed the bacteria.
The alcohol method will work however I have found freezing them over night, let them thaw out. You can then wash them after this process if necessary.
It's very important that they are 100% dry before freezing otherwise you risk damaging your shoes.
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How to quickly get rid of the smell in sneakers?
May 22, 2019
Leaving your sneakers in your bag after a workout, after a while, you can certainly detect a terrible smell. The same problem occurs on an ordinary hot summer day, when the so-called “greenhouse effect” occurs during long wear and the leg begins to gradually fog up. In addition, the use of synthetic socks, the lack of breathable mesh in sneakers, and certain features of human health (fungus, sweating) can provoke stink. In order to avoid unpleasant consequences when a smelly odor occurs, it must be eliminated in time.
The unpleasant smell in any case is a consequence of the multiplication of bacteria and high sweating. Inside the shoe, the dark and damp environment is ideal for the development of any kind of bacteria. And first of all, disinfection is necessary.
The most effective disinfection is freezing, because microbes die at low temperatures. To spend it, just put the sneakers in a paper bag and put in the freezer for a day. At the end of the period, take out the shoes and let them warm up.
Steam is also an excellent disinfectant. At high temperatures, harmful fungi and bacteria are destroyed, which emit unpleasant odors. For this purpose, you can use a regular iron (with a steamer) or a steam cleaner.
And of course, regular washing is the best way to get rid of unpleasant odors. However, sneakers must first be washed on the “Delicate” mode, wrapped in a pillowcase at moderate water temperature. It is better to dry such shoes in the air, having previously absorbed excess moisture with paper towels. It is not recommended to dry on the battery, as this may lead to a decrease in its size or the surface will crack at all. If it is not possible to wash shoes in a typewriter, then you can manually simply wipe them with a damp piece of cloth inside and out.
Remove stink from sneakers with professional products
The most popular professional odor removal products are:
Odorless aerosols (Dividik, Salamander Shoe Deo, Scholl Fresh Step, Kiwi Extra-fresh, etc.) They are used up quickly, but at the same time provide good antifungal and antibacterial protection, preventing the further development of pathogenic microbes.
Scented sprays (Solitaire Shoe Fresh Deo, Saphir, etc.). Effectively kill fungi and bacteria and with them an unpleasant smell. They come in a variety of flavors (fruit, lemon, floral, etc.).
Spray deodorants. Such funds are enough for a long time and at the same time they are safe for sneakers and the legs themselves, because they do not contain harmful gases. They mask odor and provide excellent antibacterial properties. The most popular products are Shoes Deo, Cliven, Odor Gone Shoes, Tamaris 4Ever Shoes.
Which means to give preference to is a personal decision of each.
Some folk remedies
Of course, not everyone has extra money for preparations for professional shoe care, but no one has yet canceled the use of folk remedies.
The most popular odor eliminators are soda, bleach, iodine, bay leaf, activated carbon, citrus peels, bleach and, of course, alcohol.
Each of these means is good in certain cases. Let's consider some of them in more detail.
Alcohol and vinegar. As a rule, ethyl, medical alcohol or vodka is used. These liquids are wetted with cotton wool, which processes each sneaker from the inside. After that, you should take clean fleece for each sneaker, moisten and leave them inside for about 5 hours, then ventilate well. In the same way, you can resort to the use of ammonia, but in view of its peculiarity - a pungent odor, the procedure for processing sneakers must be carried out in a ventilated space.
Bleach. Definitely not suitable for colored shoes. It is diluted in water or with liquid bleach, and the resulting solution is poured directly into sneakers for 2-3 minutes, no more. After that, you can drain the liquid and dry the shoes well enough.
Bay leaf. Crushed and poured into each sneaker for about 8 hours (best left overnight). Whole bay leaves can be placed under the insole to prevent odors.
Activated carbon. Such a simple remedy can absorb unpleasant odors well and even neutralize breeding bacteria. It is enough to take five tablets, grind them and, just like lavrushka, pour them into sneakers at night, and remove them during the day.
Soda. It is indispensable for white crosses, but on colored ones it can leave white spots, which are rather problematic to remove. The powder is covered with a dense layer and left for about 12 hours. Then simply shake it out. For best results, you can mix baking soda with starch 50/50 and pour this mixture into two socks and place in each sneaker at night.
Green tea. Not only invigorates in the morning, but also has good antibacterial properties that are successfully used to remove such odors. It is enough to take 5 bags and put in each sneaker at night. Brewed tea can also be used in the form of ready-made strong tea leaves, which are poured into shoes and can be dried immediately.
Citrus peels. Orange or lemon peels are perfect for this procedure. By putting fresh peels directly inside the shoes overnight, you can effectively mask the unpleasant odor, it will simply be interrupted by soft citrus notes. You can also use lemon juice, pour it into the sneakers and immediately wipe and air dry.
Unused cat litter. This is an unusual option for eliminating odor and excess moisture, but it is effective. The mixture is poured into socks and placed in each sneaker, preferably for a day. Socks can be dried after use for reuse.
Already when choosing sneakers, you can make a mistake. For the warm season, crosses should be “breathable” and not synthetic in order to avoid the very “greenhouse effect”. You also need to choose the right size.
Feet must be clean before each exit. They need to be washed regularly with soap. Especially if a person is active in physical activity, plays sports, you need to wash your feet as often as possible, as well as ventilate sneakers in a ventilated place. Scented pads can be used.
Insoles should be cleaned regularly (with a toothbrush and washing powder), if they are in poor condition, they should be replaced with new ones, possibly with deodorizing properties. Similarly with socks - they need to be changed and washed every day.
The problem of unpleasant odor can be a banal fungus on the feet, which promotes the growth of “stinky” bacteria. If peeling of the skin, spots, scabies, brownish color of the nails were noticed - these are the main symptoms of the fungus and treatment should be taken immediately. Otherwise, the disease may become chronic and the period of its treatment may increase by several years.
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How to get rid of an unpleasant smell in sneakers?
With daily wear, and even more so after long workouts, sneakers will definitely have an unpleasant smell, so sooner or later each of us will have to find the right way to deal with this problem. And since the questions “how to get rid of the unpleasant smell in sneakers?” and “why do sneakers smell bad?” excite every third (and even every second), today I will try to give answers to them.
Sneaker odor is a problem that isn't talked about, but that doesn't stop sneakers from smelling bad. And even new shoes after the first wear can be “fragrant”, so let's figure out how to eliminate the unpleasant smell by all possible methods.
Unpleasant smell is a problem that is noticed not only by you, but also by others, and the reasons for this can be different:
The temperature regime is not respected - if you walk in winter or basketball sneakers in the summer, then even without a warm sock your feet will sweat and, accordingly, they will start to smell. Choose sneakers strictly for the season: winter or demi-season sneakers - for cold / cool weather, textile sneakers and mesh sneakers - for the summer.
Foot hygiene is not observed - if you do not change socks, do not wash insoles, rarely wash your feet - an unpleasant smell will definitely appear in sneakers.
Diseases of the feet - the fungus causes the foot to sweat more and becomes a catalyst for the appearance of unpleasant odors. Moreover, the feet affected by the fungus sweat even in sandals.
Active training - running shoes are most at risk of odor, so preventive refreshing measures should be taken between workouts.
The sneaker's own smell - honestly, this happens quite rarely, but if you come across such sneakers, then you need to remove the laces, unscrew the tongue and ventilate them well in the fresh air.
And now let's look at the most popular ways to get rid of bad smell in sneakers.
#1 way: foot hygiene
If your feet sweat a lot for no apparent reason, there is an unpleasant smell and severe itching in the area of the feet and fingers - consult a dermatologist. This is how the fungus works. Unfortunately, the disease is common. The good news is that it is relatively easy to get rid of.
Remember the main thing: it is much easier to prevent the appearance of an unpleasant odor and other manifestations of foot disease than to deal with its consequences.
Wash your feet regularly after training and especially in summer. Optimal: morning and evening, and it is also desirable to change socks more than once a day. You can additionally treat your feet with special talcum powder or foot deodorant in the form of a cream or spray. It is especially important to maintain proper hygiene if you are running or exercising actively, as at such moments the legs are under severe stress.
#2 way: shoe care
Proper care of your sneakers will not only get rid of unwanted odors, but will also help prolong the life of your shoes. In our last article, we looked in detail at caring for different types of sneaker materials, but here we focus on the points that will help prevent unpleasant odors.
Clean your shoes when they get dirty
Shoes can and should be cleaned regularly, maybe even washed, but remember: washing sneakers in the washing machine is a bad idea (the adhesive bonds loosen and the textiles fade). For cleaning nubuck, suede and textile sneakers, we recommend using professional products: Tarrago Nano Protector, Crep Protect or Jason Markk Repel.
From Tarrago, Crep and Jason Markk you can find complete sneaker care lines:
Cleaning kits, consisting of cleaning fluid, soft brush, dry cloths and water-repellent spray;
Napkins and erasers for quick cleaning of shoes from dirt;
Balms for protecting leather shoes, etc.
One bottle of cleaning fluid is enough for 100 uses. It gently removes dirt and foreign odors, does not eat away color, and protects the upper of the sneaker from premature wear.
Wash or replace insoles
Replaceable insoles allow you to wear the same pair of shoes for a long time without attracting attention with foreign smells. When choosing new insoles, we recommend giving preference to options made of cotton or genuine leather.
Insole made from natural materials absorbs microscopic particles of moisture, leaving the foot dry and preventing the growth of bacteria. This, in turn, will help to avoid the development of the same foot fungus and will prevent the appearance of a bad smell in your sneakers. Special deodorizing insoles are produced for sports shoes. They are impregnated with concentrated activated carbon, which provides protection against unpleasant odors.
Removable insoles should be washed as often as possible. They can be sent to the washing machine or cleaned by hand - as you prefer.
Preserve the upper
Preserving the upper is a way to keep the look and integrity of the sneakers you are storing for next season. Wash your sneakers with plain water or with professional Tarrago or Crep Protect shoe polish. Treat suede and nubuck with an eraser from dirt. After that, dry and ventilate your sneakers thoroughly. Place your sneakers in a dry, ventilated area.
To protect shoes from dust, place them in well-ventilated cloth bags beforehand. Polyethylene is categorically not suitable for storing sports shoes precisely because the air in such bags does not circulate, it becomes musty, and this aroma is then very difficult to remove.
Use shoe polish
Crep Protect Pills is recommended to be used after every wear. It needs to be untwisted and placed inside the shoe. The capsule quickly absorbs odors, disinfects and refreshes shoes. Among the analogues there are deodorizing balls from different manufacturers.
Tarrago Fresh Deo Spray is even easier to use: just spray it from a distance of 15 cm from the insole and let it dry for 15-20 minutes. It not only kills odors, but also has antibacterial properties. The manufacturer guarantees that the spray lasts for 48 hours, but for reliability it can be used daily.
Alternate shoes
If you work out often or wear the same pair of sneakers every day, consider getting one or more pairs and alternate them. This way you give each pair time to dry at normal room temperature.
#3 method: ultraviolet treatment
There is a special device - ultraviolet dryer (sterilizer) for shoes. This device is used to disinfect and deodorize shoes and is often used in fitness clubs, where they are usually allowed to use it for free. A similar device can be bought for home use.
#4 method: ozone dryer for shoes
This method allows you to get rid of various fungi, germs and bacteria from sneakers, as well as eliminate unpleasant odors. The design of ozone dryers allows you to get into the most secluded corners of the sneaker. Not a single microbe will go unnoticed.
Of course, store-bought odor control products work well, but there are alternatives for them. The resourcefulness and curiosity of people over the past decade has led to a number of "folk ways" to remove the smell in shoes, they are available to everyone, they can be easily found at home, and it is about them that we will talk next.
#5 way: tea bags
Tea bags absorb odors very well. In the evening, put a few bags of black tea (any kind you can find at home) in each sneaker. During the night, the bags will absorb the unpleasant odor and excess moisture, so in the morning your sneakers are ready to use again.
#6 way: baking soda
In addition to absorbing unpleasant odors, baking soda effectively fights bacteria and disinfects any surface. The disadvantage of the method is that the soda sticks to the inside of the shoes, and it is then problematic to remove it, unless you then clean them with a vacuum cleaner.
You can cheat and pour soda not directly into the sneakers, but into a nylon or thin textile sock, and place it inside the sneaker.
#7 way: mixture of sage and lemon
Sage and Lemon Blend is a proven folk recipe for fighting bacteria and odor inside sneakers. Take a few lemons and scrape the zest from them (that's what we need) and dried sage (you can buy it at tea stalls, pharmacies or in the market). Mix these two ingredients. There is no formula or ratio, do as you wish.
Then put the sage-lemon mixture in paper bags and leave it in each of your sneakers overnight. During the night, the bags will absorb the smell of sweat and replace it with a pleasant freshness. Like baking soda, a mixture of lemon peel and sage has antibacterial properties.
#8 method: freezer
Yes, your wife will not like this method, but it's worth it. Place your sneakers in a plastic bag and put them in the freezer overnight. The low temperature will kill germs - the main source of odor in shoes.
In the morning it will be necessary to take out the bag with sneakers from the freezer, wait until they come to room temperature, and after that - you can put on your shoes.
2 important “buts” for this method are as follows:
1. Excess moisture that has accumulated inside your sneakers will not go anywhere, it will freeze and thaw in the morning, which means it will become a catalyst for the appearance of an unpleasant odor again. To avoid this, let the shoes dry after the freezer during the day.
2. Such things will not work with patent leather shoes - the material will crack in the cold!
#9 way: cat litter
Cat litter eliminates odors worse than sweat, so it will work here. Just do not leave shoes within reach of pets - they may think that you have prepared such a gift for them.
General tips and a couple of final tips
Ventilate your shoe closet and sneakers regularly. Even if you take your unlaced sneakers out on the balcony for half an hour, this should help.
To prevent an unpleasant smell from "cling" to sneakers right in the closet, hang in it aromatic bags with the smell of coffee, fruit, citrus. It is not necessary to buy such a bag - you can make it yourself.
You can also use cabinet odor absorbers. They are sold in shoe stores and pharmacies, they cost a penny, but they skillfully neutralize the smell of sweat and other stench due to the content of active carbon.
Put the mix in a pair of cotton socks or sprinkle the mixture in both shoes and leave overnight. For an extra scent booster, add a few drops of your favorite essential oil.
These oils are a triple threat: fighting bacteria, eliminating odor, and leaving a nice scent.
Check the Insoles
Besides the smell, the shoes are in pretty good shape and I hope to keep them a bit longer. 
I wouldn't recommend doing so if your shoes didn't dried off completely.
Inside the shoe, the dark and damp environment is ideal for the development of any kind of bacteria. And first of all, disinfection is necessary. 
If it is not possible to wash shoes in a typewriter, then you can manually simply wipe them with a damp piece of cloth inside and out. 
In the same way, you can resort to the use of ammonia, but in view of its peculiarity - a pungent odor, the procedure for processing sneakers must be carried out in a ventilated space. 
The powder is covered with a dense layer and left for about 12 hours. Then simply shake it out. For best results, you can mix baking soda with starch 50/50 and pour this mixture into two socks and place in each sneaker at night. 
The mixture is poured into socks and placed in each sneaker, preferably for a day. Socks can be dried after use for reuse. 
Scented pads can be used. 
And since the questions “how to get rid of the unpleasant smell in sneakers?” and “why do sneakers smell bad?” excite every third (and even every second), today I will try to give answers to them. 
Among the analogues there are deodorizing balls from different manufacturers. 
During the night, the bags will absorb the smell of sweat and replace it with a pleasant freshness. Like baking soda, a mixture of lemon peel and sage has antibacterial properties. 
