Cleaning smelly winter shoes

Video: How to Remove Odor From Shoes PERMANENTLY

Content

To step
Part 1 of 3: Removing odors from your boots
Part 2 of 3: Prevent foot odor from spreading to your boots
Part 3 of 3: Keep your boots fresh and clean
Tips
Warnings
Necessities

Winter is coming and with it the characteristic wintery scents. However, you don't want the stench of your old, worn-out winter boots to become one of them. Winter boots are exposed to body heat and moisture, making them an ideal habitat for odor-causing bacteria. Once your high mileage boots start to smell, it usually means it's time for a new pair. However, if you're attached to your favorite boots, or don't have the money to spend on new footwear, in addition to all the Christmas shopping, there are always ways to get unpleasant smells out of your boots and keep them away.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Removing odors from your boots

Scrub the boots with soap and water. If your boots are dirty, they should be cleaned first. Fill a container with warm water and mix in a small amount of mild dish soap. Remove the insoles from your boots and run them through the soapy water, making sure to wash and rinse thoroughly. Wipe the inside and outside of the boots with a washcloth. Let the boots dry completely, otherwise microorganisms will build up again as a result of the moisture.
- If you use your boots a lot, you should aim to clean them every few weeks.
- Hang the boots or set them aside in a well-ventilated area until dry.
Soak away odors with baking soda (baking soda). Sprinkle a little baking soda in the bottom of your boots. Make sure the baking soda reaches up to the toe and midsole. Let the boots sit overnight. The baking soda will absorb and neutralize foot odors that have gotten into the material on the inside of the boots.
- Shake the excess soda out of your boots before putting them back on.
- Try a baking soda and cat litter mixture, which is also designed to absorb odors.
Treat each boot with disinfectant spray. Buy a small bottle of disinfectant spray (the pharmaceutical variety will work, or look for varieties specifically designed for footwear treatment), or make a homemade batch using rubbing alcohol and / or vinegar and essential oil. Spray each boot thoroughly, inside and out. This will not immediately remove a predominant stench, but the bacteria that causes it.
- If you decide to use vinegar, it is recommended that you top it off with a dash of air freshener or a drop of essential oil to offset the odor, which can be unpleasant in itself.
Use essential oil to cover up lingering odors. Even after tackling the worst of the problem, subtle smells can linger. Continue to clean and disinfect your boots consistently and freshen them up with essential oil in the meantime. Essential oil comes from natural scented plant extracts that are great for covering up unpleasant odors. Just drip a few drops of rosemary, peppermint or tea tree oil into your boots at night, put them somewhere dry and let the oil do the rest.
- Due to their pleasant fragrance and antimicrobial properties, essential oil is often used as a holistic alternative to deodorant, hand soap, and even perfume.

Part 2 of 3: Prevent foot odor from spreading to your boots

Keep your feet clean. Your best defense against smelly feet is to keep them clean. Make sure to bathe regularly, paying particular attention to the tops of your feet, toes, and arches when you wash. Many people don't clean their feet well enough because they don't realize that the dirt, oil, and clogged pores that build up in them are more likely to produce an embarrassing foot odor.
- Wash your entire body, including your feet, once a day or after strenuous physical work or activities.
Wash your feet with antibacterial soap. Perspiration, heat and dark, enclosed conditions are all important factors for bacterial growth, making the boots a breeding ground for smelly germs. Choose a strong antibacterial soap to eradicate the bacteria that make your feet their home. If you are particularly troubled by foot perspiration or an odor problem, it may be a good idea to wash your feet with antibacterial soap several times a day.
- Anti-bacterial soaps come in both liquid form, which is more versatile, and a bar of soap, which is easy to use in the shower.
Fight excess moisture with baby powder. One of the biggest contributors to smelly boots is sweaty feet. You can reduce the amount of perspiration absorbed by the fabric of your footwear by dusting your feet with a light layer of baby powder or talcum powder before putting on your socks. Sprinkle baby powder on the bottoms of your feet and between your toes. Massage the light in to make it work closer to the skin. The talcum powder will absorb and dissipate moisture to prevent odors and should disappear on its own over time, preventing it from building up on your feet.
- Use talcum powder or baby powder to keep your feet dry when you know you will be wearing your boots for an extended period of time.
Trim your toenails. Sometimes bathing alone is not enough to keep unwanted foot odors at bay. Keep your toenails clipped short and make sure to clean under the nail and around the nail bed. In the meantime, also look for signs of a fungal infection, such as a slight discoloration of the skin or a discoloration of the toenail. Maintaining clean, neat toenails gives germs less room to hide.
- Toenails should be cut straight and kept quite short. Try to trim your toenails once a week to keep them from getting too long.
- Foot eczema and other fungal infections are persistent and, unlike normal bacteria that grow on the skin's surface, cannot simply be washed away.

Part 3 of 3: Keep your boots fresh and clean

Change your socks regularly. There is no point in keeping your boots clean if you keep wearing the same dirty socks. Replace your socks after prolonged wear, or after any time you sweat in them. Its absorbent, porous material will trap sweat and germs, which can then transfer to your boots.
- Health experts recommend putting on a new pair of socks at least once a day.
- Invest in a pair of high-quality boot socks. These are thick yet breathable so they are harder to sweat through and don't stay damp like regular socks.
Try odor-eliminating insoles. Most shoe manufacturers offer special insoles that contain compounds such as activated carbon that are known for their deodorizing properties. Trade in the standard insoles in your boots for a set of deodorizing insoles. In the case of particularly old or hard-to-clean boots, this could be all it takes to reduce unwanted odors.
- Odor-consuming insoles usually cost around $ 20, making them a slightly more expensive solution, although more durable.
Let your boots dry completely after wearing them. Rain, snow and ice keep the boots wet in winter. After wearing your boots, take them off and leave them somewhere well ventilated to dry. Place them high near an open window, as long as it's not too humid outside - otherwise, you could put them with the tongues out near a stove, radiator, or a fire, too. The longer your boots stay damp without the chance to dry, the sooner they will become a breeding ground for bacteria.
- Wear different footwear from time to time so you don't wear the same pair every day and dry each pair in between.
- If you're short on time or have no other options, using a hairdryer on a low setting can help dry your boots quickly. This should be done sparingly as too much direct heat can ruin the materials.
At night, put a clothes dryer cloth in each boot. A simple solution to controlling odors in clean and slightly worn boots is to tuck a tumble dryer cloth into each boot before going to bed. Dryer cloths trap odors from clothes and replace them with a slow infusion of more pleasant scents. This is perhaps the easiest method for obtaining fresh smelling boots.
- Using tumble dryer cloths is largely a preventative measure, and won't do much if your boots need to be thoroughly cleaned or disinfected.

Tips

Scented air fresheners that kill bacteria on contact can be an effective alternative to disinfectant sprays.
If you have a stubborn foot odor, even if you wash your feet and change socks regularly, the problem could be a fungal infection. Visit your doctor and ask about treatment options if you suspect this is the case.
Make odor-absorbing bags by filling thin stockings with ingredients like baking soda, charcoal, cat litter and even fresh tea leaves. Place these at the bottom of your boots at night or when they are not being worn.

Warnings

Avoid using harsh chemical fragrances or cleansers on your skin. For example, air fresheners should never be applied directly to any part of the body.
Test the above products and remedies first to make sure you don't get an unexpected allergic reaction to any of them.