Tap to Read ➤

What to Do for Stinky Shoes?

Stephen Rampur
Many people are worried about problems related to stinky shoes. Here are some tips on what to do for stinky shoes.
Sometimes, stinky shoes are to blame for putting us into the most embarrassing situations. There are many people around the globe who have the problem of stinking shoes and feet.
The problem is not very serious, and with a good and effective remedy, you can certainly get rid of the unpleasant smell that is responsible for putting you into embarrassment. On that note, some tips are given here on what to do for stinky shoes.

Causes

The primary cause why our shoes stink is because of bacteria or fungi. There are sweat glands throughout our body, and feet are not an exception. When our feet remain inside our shoes for a substantial amount of time, these glands start to give out sweat. And as bacteria and fungi like to reside in damp conditions, they are formed in our footwear.
However, the bacteria being present is not the actual reason for the smell coming out. The bacteria feed on the sweat and the dead cells of our skin, and when the bacteria excrete the waste, that is when the smell arises.
The sweat coming out from the feet is firstly absorbed by the socks, but if there is an excessive sweating more than the socks can soak up, then the sweat gets absorbed in the footwear, which causes bacteria and makes our shoes smell dirty. Bacteria can also be formed if you forget to dry your shoes after they have been wet in rains or anywhere else.

Solutions

Sunlight

If your boots are smelling because you wore them wet and for a long time before letting them dry out, the best cure is to allow them to dry out completely in the sun so that all the bacteria and fungi gets killed.

Lemon Pieces

Another natural method is to place pieces of lemon in the boots for the night, which will take out all the bad odor.

Deodorizers

You also have an option of purchasing odor deodorizers and disinfectants from the market to get rid of the dirty smell. Use it on the smelly footwear after taking them off from a day's job, and when you want to put them on the next day, you have odorless boots.

Rub Alcohol in the Shoes

Some other inexpensive ways to get rid of the bad odor of shoes is sprinkling some amount of baking soda or spraying rubbing alcohol on the insides.

Technological Remedy

You can purchase an ultraviolet sanitizer. A UV shoe sanitizer needs to be placed in the footwear for a certain amount of time, and it kills all the bacteria and fungi present therein.
Wearing smelly boots regularly or for a considerable period of time can lead to fungal infections, such as Athlete's foot. These are some of the remedies for dealing with this condition. While you need to keep your boots away from bacteria, you also need to wear clean socks to prevent smelly feet.