Content

• Part 2 of 2: Refresh your shoes with chemicals
• Tips

1 Look for the reason. Examine your shoes thoroughly before dealing with odors. If your insoles are damp or damaged, either take them out and dry them, or buy insoles that are specifically designed to prevent bacterial growth.

2 Dry your shoes by placing them next to a radiator or in the sun. Take out the laces and pull the tongues up and out to dry the shoes faster. Dryness prevents the growth of bacteria that cause odor.

3 Buy cedar wood insoles. It is an antifungal material that can help you prevent odor. Plus, the smell of cedar is fresh, light and clean, making it a great choice for removing odors and preventing bacterial growth.

4 Freeze your shoes. Put the smelly shoes in a plastic bag, and put the bag in the freezer overnight. Defrost the next day in the sun for best results.

• There is controversial evidence that this method works. The idea is that freezing kills the bacteria that cause the odor, but some believe that this method will only temporarily improve the problem. Try it yourself!

5 Use fabric softener sheets. Place one or two of these sheets (which you put in the dryer or just with your laundry) in your shoes after you use them. The leaves will give the shoe a pleasant smell and absorb the remaining moisture.

6 Use a steam machine or try the steam setting in your washer or dryer. The steam can kill bacteria and fungi and thus eliminate odors. If you're not worried about wet shoes, try this method.

7 Place fresh orange, grapefruit, lemon, or lime peels in your shoes. The fresh peel of citrus plants has a very strong smell, as it contains a lot of essential oils. Leave the peel in the shoe overnight and remove before use. The shoes should smell much better.

8 Add a few drops of lavender oil to your shoes. It will be enough to add one or two drops to the inside of each shoe, on the sole. Lavender oil has antibacterial properties and eliminates unpleasant odor by replacing it with a fresh scent

Part 2 of 2: Refresh your shoes with chemicals

1. 1 Use an antifungal foot powder or an antibacterial spray. Both can be purchased at grocery stores and pharmacies.
   • Antifungal foot powder is commonly associated with fungus. Fungus is the most common cause of smelly shoes, but it is possible to have smelly shoes and not get the fungus.
   • You can also use cream, lotion, or other tea tree oil mixtures on your feet to fight fungus. Tea tree oil is a natural, good-smelling, anti-fungal oil. Rub into feet to fight fungus.
2. 2 Take out the insoles and laces and place your shoes in a pillowcase. Wash at 4-10 degrees Celsius. Repeat once the previous cycle is over and then air dry the shoes.
3. 3 Put baking soda in your shoes. If the refrigerator method doesn't work, put baking soda in your shoes and let it sit overnight to absorb the smell. Soda is used for a wide variety of purposes, including as an antifungal powder.
   • Mix baking soda with zinc oxide powder and you have an anti-fungal odor-reducing agent. Mix equal parts baking soda and zinc oxide and sprinkle on shoes. Zinc oxide has deodorant and antibacterial properties.
   • Be sure to shake out the powder the next day.
4. 4 Try a store-bought odor remover. Most contain bacteria or enzymes that eat away at the odor.
5. 5 Use rubbing alcohol. Blot with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol on shoes that cannot be washed. This will help dry out the cause of the smell and hopefully allow you to fully use the shoe again. Alcohol evaporates quickly and is also an antiseptic. When it mixes with other liquids, it helps them evaporate.
6. 6 Use clean cat litter. Perhaps this method looks a little repulsive, but it will help for one simple reason - the filler has good deodorizing properties. Fill a sock with fresh, unused cat litter, tie a knot at the top, and place in your shoes overnight.
7. 7 Use vinegar and water. Spray the shoes with a mixture of equal parts white vinegar and water. Spray the insoles and soles well and let air dry for 30 minutes. If you're in a hurry, you can blow dry your shoes. Then apply baking soda and leave overnight.

Tips

• Keep a sock or tights filled with a mixture of cat litter and baking soda and tied in a knot for daily odor management. Put this mixture in your shoes every night.