Times are busy and people have very little time to take care of their selves. Personal hygiene is one of the most significant issues people forget while complying with their work routine.

After a day’s job when you return home, it’s natural that you will have smelly shoes. Now you wouldn’t want those stinky shoes to share the shoe odor as you travel everywhere. 

Also, you do not have unlimited time to spend on your stinky shoes or smelly feet to get rid of the odour. So, here is an article that brings you ten excellent natural remedies that you can try out at home. These remedies will help you get rid of shoe odour with ease. So, why wait, let’s dive right in!

1. What Causes Shoe Odor?

Before getting rid of smelly shoes overnight, you need to know what causes odour from shoes. So, let’s know a bit about Biology here. Our foot consists of nearly 125,000 sweat glands. Sweat glands are the most dense on our soles and palms. Well, now you get the reason why your feet sweat so quickly! Some other factors that may lead to sweaty feet are:

• Physical activity
• Standing up maximum part of the day
• A hot weather
• Hormonal changes
• Overweight

Now, when you have sweaty feet, your skin starts becoming wet. Moist surroundings are the best areas for bacteria growth.

On top of this, if you wear socks, there’s excess moisture. The socks are unable to absorb moisture. It traps bacteria instead.

This leads to the growth of odour-causing bacteria and stinky feet. if you use the shoes every day without washing them, leads to a funky smell.

Also, if you spend your maximum time outdoors, dirt accumulates. This leads the shoes to smell bad.

Other than these there are certain medical conditions. Medical conditions like the athlete’s foot, lead to stinky shoes and stinky feet. If you observe heightened smell, it’s because of the accumulation of odour-causing bacteria.

One of the simplest techniques to get from stinky shoes is washing them. A cold and gentle water cycle with a slow spin in the washing machine is popular. However, there are other ways as well to try out.

2. Home Remedies for Stinky Shoes

Yes, washing your shoes is the most common remedy. But not trying the other effective remedies would be a waste. People always search on the web to eliminate smelly shoes overnight. Some of the best methods are using tea tree oil, rubbing alcohol, using baking powder, etc. So, let’s fix that problem without ado.

2.1. White Vinegar: A Natural Shoe Deodorizer Spray

Thinking about getting rid of your smelly shoe overnight? Well, white vinegar is always there to your rescue. If your shoes smell, then fight bacteria with this spray overnight. It’s a simple process. So, there’s no need to fret.

Firstly, you need a spray bottle. Fill it with an equal amount of water and vinegar. Secondly, spray the liquid into your smelly shoes and let them sit overnight. It would be best if you kept in mind not to dampen the shoes too much.

This is one of the easiest and most popular ways to deodorize shoes overnight.

You can apply it without cleaning your shoes. However, the best results will follow after you give the shoes a thorough wash. This way, your shoes smell fresher.

2.2. Use Tea Bags to Kill the Bacteria

Tea bags have the potential to curb several bad smells. So, if you want to know how to limit shoe smell overnight, this is your catch.

Let us know the Chemistry behind it. Black tea bags are the most useful in these cases. Why? Because black tea is pretty rich in tannins. These substances help you get rid of stinky shoes in no time!

So, let’s know how to get going with this remedy. Firstly, Get a pot of water to a boil. Seep in a few tea bags for a few minutes. Now, take out the bags and let them cool.

Put the cool tea bags in your shoes and keep them for an hour. After this, you may take away the bags and dry up any extra liquid present. This is one of the best odour-removing tricks. This is applicable for any type of shoe whether it’s leather shoes or canvas shoes.

However, an important thing is to keep shoes air-dry. Just because the smell is gone, doesn’t mean it won’t return. So, Keep your shoes dry even after applying these remedies. 

2.3. Stop Stinky Shoes using Fresh Lime

Shoes smell fresh when you eliminate odour-causing bacteria. One of the best ways to deodorize your shoes is to use a fresh product. A fresh peel of lime is best suited.

Gently wash your shoes in warm water and let them dry. After the shoes are dry, keep a peel of lemon in your shoes to sit overnight. If you don’t have any lemon at home, you may also use essential oils without hesitation. It works the same!

2.4. Baby Powder for Eliminating Odor

Baby powder is one of the products that are available in every house. It helps kill odour-causing bacteria and maintains good foot hygiene. So, if you are suffering from smelly feet, apply baby powder. This keeps the feet dry and helps absorb odours. Sprinkle the powder on the shoe’s interior and limit bad odour from the shoes.

2.5. Sprinkle Baking Soda

A stronger product than baby powder is baking soda. this is a foot powder that you can rely on. There’s a whole lot of Chemistry behind this powder.

So, let’s not miss it! Baking soda is a common term for sodium bicarbonate. This powder can neutralize the acid pH of several substances. Now, human sweat is a bit acidic. So, using baking soda neutralizes the sweaty acid that helps thrive bacteria.

Also, dry baking soda helps absorb moisture and humidity. Apart from this, using the powder also has several other benefits. Using the product helps reduce any reaction on sensitive skin.

This also has antibacterial properties. So, do not waste time and get yourself a pack of baking soda from your nearest store. It won’t disappoint.

2.6. Use Dryer Sheets

If you lack a natural deodorizer, you may also rely on products like dryer sheets. You’ll easily find dryer sheets in online stores like Amazon. These help in deodorizing shoes without any delay. Using Dryer Sheets is the way out if you are thinking about how to get rid of smelly shoes and home remedies.

All you need to do is tuck a dryer sheet into your shoe and leave them overnight. Make sure that you cover the entire insole of your shoe with the dryer sheet.

If you wish to add some scent to your shoes. You may also add some essential oils like lavender to the sheets. After twenty-four hours, remove the sheets to view your favourite shoes in perfect condition. This method is great for any sort of shoe.

You may use it for your tennis shoes, leather shoes, running shoes, or canvas shoes. A few hours with the sheets in does the magic.

2.7. Try Rubbing Alcohol 

Just like essential oils, alcohol does the magic too! Well, essential oils may give you a pleasant smell. But alcohol gives you a new smell. Alcohol works the best because it removes the odour-causing bacteria in no time. Along with this, alcohol also has the properties of a disinfectant. It also helps remove dirt faster than anything.

So, you may rub alcohol inside the shoes and let them sit. Repeat the process every day for good results. Keep the shoes in the open space.

This helps it completely dry up. You must keep in mind to not apply alcohol on your shoe’s exterior. This applies especially to leather shoes.

The strong effects of alcohol may discolour your shoe in this case. So, if you do not have your favourite essential oil handy, rubbing alcohol might do the best.

2.8. Essential Oils: An Unforgettable Natural Shoe Deodorizer Spray

Have tried all the above remedies but not gotten your favourite one? Well, here’s the remedy you were looking for! There’s no limit to the wonders that essential oils can do.

One of these wonders is getting free of the unpleasant odour from shoes. Odour in shoes is caused by trapped dirt, skin shedding, and trapping sweat.

There’s no end to the number of essential oils you’ll find in the market. This ranges from oils like Bergamot and grapefruit to Orange, Sage, and Oregano! So, do not hesitate and choose your best essential oil without delay. A few drops of essential oil do wonders.

So, all you must do is spray a few drops of the oil inside your shoes. Let your shoes sit overnight. In the morning, you’ll be surprised at how quickly the remedy works and lasts!

There are several ways in which you can make your favourite essential oil. So, here I am sharing with you one of the most simple of those recipes.

Read on without any wait. For this, you need a small bottle. Combine 9 to 10 drops of purification, 5 drops of oregano, and lemongrass along with water. Shake the product well before using it.

You can spray this magic mixture directly on your shoes. I assure you, nothing works better! Also, it’s simple enough for daily use.

So, if you are on a tight schedule, this remedy would be the best suited for you! You may feel free to use your preferred essential oil instead of the ones I’ve mentioned. So, why wait? Deodorize your shoes without any delay!

3. Conclusion

Smelly shoes are not a simple problem. However, it’s not a problem that is untreatable. The funky smell of the shoes can become a serious issue if not treated very soon.

It not only disrupts your reputation in public but also hinders your hygiene.

Bad hygiene is the root cause of several bacterial diseases. Untreated issues may also lead to serious illnesses in the long run. So, it’s best if one pays attention to the most minor issues, like preventing stinky shoes. Like one bathe, brushes, and combs the hair every day, one needs to deodorize shoes daily too!

The process of deodorizing shoes is not complicated. The techniques mentioned above are home remedies. The materials involved in shushing odour from shoes are easy to find and uncomplicated to apply. Apart from the remedies mentioned above, there are other options.

Methods like putting the shoes in the freezer overnight, putting cotton balls in the shoes, etc are also popular. In the case of the freezer technique, you may put the washed and dried shoes in a sealable plastic bag and put them in the freezer overnight. Above all, all your shoes need is fresh air and sunshine to keep away from the unwanted odour.

So, do not wait and apply your favourite remedies without a second thought! Also, if you find this article to your taste, don’t forget to pay a visit to other such interesting ones. They are at your service!

4. FAQs

4.1. How to remove the shoe smell without washing?

You can remove odour from shoes by several methods. Some of these methods can be applied even without washing your boots. A baking soda mixture is recommended. You need to mix a quarter cup of the soda along with half a cup of cornstarch and baking powder. Also, if you want a good scent, you may move a step ahead and add an essential oil.

4.2. How to remove odour from wet shoes?

To remove odour from wet shoes, you dry them. But you shouldn’t dry them under direct sunlight. So, you should dry them in an airy space. To accelerate the process, you may place the shoes under a fan or a vent. Always remember to clean the shoes and then let them dry. Otherwise, the odour remains and the shoe also suffers discoloration. 

Last Updated on April 30, 2024 by Sunanda Basu