We all have that favourite pair of sneakers that have a little bit of a stink. Most shoes are made from suede, leather or materials that are not machine washable – therefore you should mainly focus on cleaning the interior of your shoes, forcing yourself to ask “How can I remove the smell from my shoes?”

Bacteria is the culprit of stinky shoes, they grow in large number on your feet which then produces organic acids – methanethiol isovaleric acid and propanoic acid – as waste products. While these types of bacteria aren’t harmful, they can leave a lingering smell.

Even with the best foot hygiene, your feet may still smell, this is partly because your feet contain more sweat glands per square inch than anywhere else on your body. Your sweat itself doesn’t smell, the bacterial waste products do. This making shoes an ideal breeding ground for bacteria, because they trap swear and moisture – creating the perfect environment for bacteria to thrive. Fortunately, below are some ways to deodorize your shoes

Homemade deodorising shoe powder 

If you want a home remedy – use baking soda as it is a natural deodorizer that absorbs smells and bacteria. There are two different ways you can use baking soda

• Mix ¼ cup of baking soda, ¼ cup baking powder and ½ cup corn-starch. sprinkle the mixture in both shoes and leave overnight. For that extra scent boosters, add a few drops of your favourite essential oils.
• Alternatively, you could keep it simple by sprinkling straight baking soda directly into the shoes and leaving them for at least 24 hours.

In the morning, before wearing your shoes, give them a quick shake to get the powder out of them.

A Spritz of vinegar

Vinegar is known to neutralize odours and fight bacteria in shoes. All you need to do is mix white vinegar with water in equal parts into a spray bottle. Spray the mix inside your shoes after use and allow to dry.

Wearing the right socks

Socks help to soak the sweat – so wearing the correct pair of socks can control the odours. During the Summer months wear cotton socks as this provides good ventilation to your feet whereas in the Winter months woollen socks are a better option.

Change the insoles of your shoes

The innersoles of your shoe provides great comfort to your foot, but you could change your old insoles with new ones if you have had the same pair for a while. Innersoles could be the cause of odour in your shoes and changing them will reduce the odour as well as bacteria.

Following this practice can also help to support your feet while you wear your shoes.

Good foot hygiene

It is important to take extra care when cleaning your feet. Make sure to apply soap or a bodywash between each toe and across the sole of the foot and rinse well. Below are few more foot hygiene tips to eliminate shoe odours.

• Only wear socks once between washing
• Once finished cleaning your feet, make sure to dry them fully – any moisture on your feet will encourage bacterial growth
• Let your feet breathe by going shoeless and sock-less when you can – this will help air out any sweat without spreading bacteria.