Useful life hacks on how to quickly remove odor from sneakers at home

An unpleasant smell from your sneakers is not a reason to rush to the store for a new pair of shoes.
The first thing to do is to determine the cause of the problem and the scale of the “tragedy” (perhaps the crosses are so worn out that it is really better to replace them with new ones).

But if the goal is to refresh your favorite sneakers, then you should immediately start cleaning, using proven improvised or special products.

We'll tell you how to remove odor from sneakers (with or without washing) in this article.

Causes of unpleasant odor

cause an unpleasant odor from sneakers :

1. 
   Increased sweating of the feet (a pathological condition of the body when the sweat glands are very actively producing sweat).

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2. Poor quality shoes (dermantine dyed with cheap dyes, when in contact with the skin of the feet, provokes the appearance of an unpleasant odor and allergic reactions.
3. Abuse of alcohol, smoking, fried spicy foods (bad habits disrupt the natural functioning of the sweat glands)
4. Lack of care (even the most durable and high-quality shoes, if not regularly cleaned and aired, become saturated with sweat and begin to smell unpleasant).
5. Wearing sneakers for a long time in the heat (in the summer season it is better to wear open shoes).

It is important to understand that sweat itself has no odor. As the secretions accumulate, they create a favorable environment for the development of pathogenic bacteria—the source of the unpleasant odor.

How to fight odor

Soda is an acidic sodium salt of carbonic acid. When interacting with water, it turns into a weak alkali, which has a detrimental effect on microorganisms.

But to eliminate odor in shoes, dry powder is used: an alkaline reaction occurs when it interacts with moist air vapor. The smell disappears after 12–24 hours. The effect is explained by the destruction of pathogenic microflora.

Due to its hygroscopicity, sodium bicarbonate powder also absorbs other foreign odors that are not associated with the activity of microorganisms.

Tip: To give your shoes a pleasant scent, add dry fragrance, rose or lavender petals to baking soda, and place a pad with the mixture inside your boots or sneakers.

To wash or not to wash shoes if they stink?

Washing is the fastest way to get rid of unpleasant odor and renew the appearance of sports shoes. The sneakers can be washed both by hand and in the washing machine.

Sneakers with decorative decorations, shoes of dubious quality and fairly worn sneakers are washed by hand. Textile sneakers and shoes made of high-quality leatherette can be washed in a washing machine.

It is strictly forbidden to wash sneakers made of suede and genuine leather. With prolonged contact with water, such shoes completely lose their appearance.

Read about how to wash fabric sneakers here. About the possibility of washing suede - here, leather - here.

Hand wash

To ensure that sports shoes do not completely lose their appearance after washing by hand, it is necessary to follow a certain sequence of actions:

1. 
   Sneakers are cleaned of dust with a brush and dirt is removed from the sole. The laces and insoles are removed from sports shoes (these elements are washed separately).

2. The prepared shoes are lowered into a basin filled with warm (room temperature) water with the addition of liquid detergent.
3. Crosses are carefully wiped with a soft sponge or brush. Cleaning begins from the sole, smoothly moving to the upper part.
4. Sports shoes are thoroughly rinsed under running water and left to dry in a well-ventilated, slightly darkened place.

Do not use chlorine or alkaline detergents for washing. This article will tell you how to wash sneakers by hand.

Process in the washing machine

Before placing shoes in the drum of the washing machine, they are cleaned of dust and dirt, and the laces and insoles are removed. It is very important to study the manufacturer's labels for prohibitions and care recommendations.

The washing process then proceeds according to the following algorithm:

1. Sneakers are thrown into the washing machine. To prevent shoes from hitting the drum, they are wrapped in an old sheet, towel or placed in a special bag for washing sneakers. Sports shoes cannot be loaded together with clothing items.
2. Liquid detergent is added to a special compartment (it rinses out better). Set the water temperature to 40°C, turn off the spin option, set the short wash mode, and press “start”.

At the end of washing, the sneakers are immediately removed from the drum and left to dry in a draft, away from direct sunlight or heating appliances.

You can find out how to quickly dry your sneakers after washing here.

Washing sneakers by hand and machine

You can wash your sneakers by hand or by machine. Before you begin cleaning, the shoes need to be prepared. There should be no debris in them, then you need to pull out the laces and remove any pebbles that may get stuck in the sole. We remove unnecessary items and begin cleaning manually or by machine.

Important! Sneakers with cardboard inserts, various rhinestones on the surface, suede, not recommended for washing. Eliminate the odor in any other way.

Handwash

Involves using a basin, water at a temperature not exceeding 40°C, a sponge or brush, and soap. Hand washing is recommended using various means. Regular laundry soap will help deal with stench. Grate half a bar of laundry soap and dissolve it in water at a temperature of 40°C. Place the sneakers in the soapy solution for half an hour. After time, wash them with a brush to remove dirt, rinse them in clean water, and set them to dry. If you don't have a bar of soap in the house, use detergent. Dissolve two tablespoons of any dishwashing detergent in a container of warm water. Soak the shoes for 20 minutes, then rinse in clean water.

Washing sneakers in an automatic machine

You can wash sports shoes without wasting time and effort in a washing machine, but it is worth remembering that not all types of sports products can be cleaned. It’s great to wash rags in a washing machine. The cleaning algorithm involves the following steps: clean the shoes of debris, put each sneaker in a separate bag for washing things, put the prepared item in the drum, turn on the machine for half an hour, the drum speed should not exceed 600 revolutions. Use regular laundry detergent or stain remover to clean. Dry naturally. After the product has dried, use protective sprays to restore the protective layer. Not washable:

• cheap sneakers that are made from the simplest material. When washed in an automatic machine, they will simply fall apart;
• After cleaning in a machine, leather shoes will crack, shrink, and lose their shape. Expensive sneakers can only be thrown in the trash;
• When washed in a machine, suede products will lose their normal structure and may crack or tear.

How to dry

After hand or machine drying, it is necessary to dry the shoes properly. Immediately after washing, stuff them with dry rags so that there is no space left inside. If there are no clean, unnecessary rags in the house, use sheets of clean paper. Hang your sneakers stuffed with rags or paper on a balcony or street so that air can circulate well there. In addition to natural drying, use an electric dryer, which will not only dry thoroughly, but also disinfect. Most dryers have ultraviolet light, which disinfects sneakers.

Important! Drying should not be done on open heat sources such as radiators or heaters.

Folk recipes

Everyone has a lot of handy tools in their home that can be used to remove unpleasant odors from sneakers.

Activated carbon, if the smell is mild

Activated carbon can remove unpleasant odor from sports shoes.

It is enough to crush 10 tablets of the pharmaceutical product into powder and sprinkle it in a thick layer on the insoles. After six hours, the activated carbon powder is cleaned off with a vacuum cleaner.

You should not expect a long-term cleaning effect from activated carbon (the product does not destroy bacteria, but only absorbs unpleasant odors). After five to seven days, the steps will have to be repeated.

Lemon zest

Thinly cut peels of aromatic citrus will help quickly get rid of unpleasant odors from sneakers.

Algorithm of actions:

• use a special knife to cut the thin skin (zest) from a lemon, lime or orange;
• the cut zest is laid out inside the sneakers for at least twelve hours;
• remove zest from shoes.

Any remaining unused peel can be saved until your next shoe cleaning. To do this, thin slices of the peel are dried in the sun and placed in a glass container with a tightly screwed lid.

Bay leaf

Bay leaf spice will not only remove unpleasant odors from sneakers, but will also disinfect the inner surface of the shoes .

It's simple: 2-3 laurel leaves are crushed into powder, which is spread on the insole in a thin layer. After a few hours, shake out the seasoning.

Hydrogen peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide can remove sweat bacteria, the main source of unpleasant odor from sneakers. It is enough to moisten a cotton pad with a first aid and wipe the inside surface of the shoe.

Peroxide bleaches fabrics . Before cleaning, you need to test the product on an inconspicuous area of ​​the sneakers. Hydrogen peroxide should not be used for dark sports shoes.

Table vinegar

In order to permanently get rid of the ingrained smell of sweat from sneakers, the inner surface of the shoe is treated with a cotton pad soaked in table vinegar.

Afterwards, a little baking soda is poured into the shoes, which neutralizes the remaining “aroma” of the vinegar.

Table vinegar cannot be used for painted shoes or low-quality leatherette sneakers. The result of such cleaning will be completely damaged shoes.

Medical alcohol

Treatment with medical alcohol will not only remove unpleasant odors, but also disinfect shoes.

Algorithm of actions:

• alcohol (1 tbsp) is diluted with water (one liter);
• shoes are immersed in an alcohol solution and left to soak for sixty minutes;
• The sneakers are taken out of the water and left to dry in the open air away from direct sunlight.

Sneakers can be used for their intended purpose only after they have dried thoroughly.

Advantages

Soda has many advantages compared to store-bought household chemicals.

1. Economical: consumed slowly.
2. Neutralizes harmful microorganisms: fungal spores, viruses, bacteria.
3. Has no harmful effects on the skin. On the contrary, it prevents excessive sweating and sebum production.
4. Effectively cleanses any contamination (no matter: superficial or deep) thanks to its fine-crystalline structure. When dissolved in water, it forms a caustic mixture that can even fight rust and thick deposits (read about using soda to clean the bathroom).
5. It is hygroscopic, quickly absorbs moisture, therefore it is used for drying (in bags).
6. Eliminates odor due to its antibacterial effect.

Special means

On supermarket shelves there is a wide range of special products (mainly sprays) for the care of sports shoes. TOP 3 most effective means for removing unpleasant odors from sneakers:

Scholl Fresh Step

Shoe deodorant . The dual-action formula keeps sports shoes fresh twenty-four hours a day. After drying it leaves no traces.

Method of application: shake the aerosol can, spray the product on the inner surface of the sneakers, after which the shoes are left to dry. The average cost is 165 rubles. (150 ml can).

Deodorant SAPHIR MENTHOL

Prevents the growth of bacteria that cause unpleasant odors . Has disinfectant and antibacterial properties. After application it leaves a pleasant fresh menthol scent for the whole day. Suitable for sneakers made of any materials. The average cost is 900 rubles. (200 ml can).

Aerosol Woly sport Wet & Soft

An excellent product for the care of sports shoes made of:

• suede,
• skin,
• textiles,
• synthetics,
• combined materials.

Keeps sneakers soft, improves hygiene, destroys and prevents the formation of unpleasant odors. The average cost is 155 rubles. (aerosol 250 ml).

Before application, you must carefully study the manufacturer's instructions for using the selected product.

How to get rid of odor from sneakers using specialized products

Deodorants work best to combat unpleasant odors. A special spray is sold in household chemicals departments. It is enough to spray the deodorant over the entire inner surface of the sneakers and the smell will be eliminated.

It is advisable to choose products with a natural composition so that they have an antibacterial effect

Attention! All types operate on the same principle. The difference in sprays is only in composition and aggressiveness.

They sell special odor absorbers. They help get rid of the stink overnight. You need to put 1 capsule in each shoe. They contain a biologically active composition that absorbs unpleasant odors.

Another way is to use antifungal pads. First remove the old insoles, wash them and treat them separately with products that will help get rid of the stench. Put pads in their place.

They will not only help get rid of the stench, but will also destroy the fungus and prevent its further development.

There are disposable and reusable linen insoles. They also have an antibacterial effect. To get rid of the stench, just put insoles instead of those in your shoes.

Features of removal of amber depending on the material

In order not to completely ruin your sneakers, the method of removing unpleasant odors must be selected taking into account the material used to make sports shoes.

So for delicate suede or nubuck only dry cleaning is suitable . Sneakers are treated with special sprays that disinfect contaminated surfaces.

Sneakers made of genuine leather can be cleaned using both improvised and special compounds. The main thing is to minimize skin contact with water. Alternatively, wipe the sneakers from the inside with a sponge soaked in soapy water.

Textile sneakers can withstand any cleaning (both wet and dry). You should start with the simplest and safest methods (ventilation, use of folk remedies), if necessary (if the first cleaning turned out to be ineffective) using treatment with special chemical sprays.

Wash

Before dealing with the problem, first wash the sneakers so that the pleasant aroma and the smell of sweat do not mix. This can be done using an automatic machine or manually. The first option provides quick results because the shoes dry instantly. It is recommended to machine wash at low drum speed. It is not advisable to turn on high temperature mode. This may damage your shoes. You can wash your sneakers not only with powder, but also with conditioner, then a pleasant smell will appear.

If you plan to use the manual method of cleaning your shoes, you will first need to soak them in warm, soapy water for 30 minutes. This cannot be done if the sneakers are made of genuine leather or are decorated with suede inserts. At the next stage, the water is changed; you can additionally try to scrub off the stains and remove yellowness using bleaching agents.

Before you wash your sneakers by hand, you need to remember that you cannot wring or twist them. Shoes may lose their shape. You need to leave it to dry naturally - in the fresh air. It is permissible to use special electric shoe dryers.

Prevention

Following certain rules will help you forget forever about the problem of unpleasant odor from sneakers:

1. 
   Feet are washed every day using soap. After water procedures, the skin is treated with a special deodorant for feet.

2. Regular insoles are replaced with special antibacterial ones.
3. Socks are changed every day (and twice after visiting the gym). It is important to select socks according to size, pay attention to the composition of the product (synthetics are strictly a no-no).
4. In a situation where the sneakers are wet, they must be immediately removed and dried thoroughly. You cannot walk in wet shoes.
5. Every day, sports shoes are aired and, if necessary, treated at night with shoe deodorant.

Regular shoe care and foot hygiene are a guarantee of long-term use of sneakers without unpleasant odors.

Causes of odor

An unpleasant odor most often appears due to the accumulation of sweat deposits inside shoes and significantly worsens the overall appearance of a person. The amber is felt especially strongly by those people who choose sneakers for sports.

Other main factors in its occurrence are:

• long stay indoors;
• hot weather;
• increased sweating;
• walking for many hours in tight sneakers;
• infrequent washing of insoles;
• hormonal imbalance;
• unbalanced diet;
• synthetic socks;
• shoes of the wrong size;
• increased physical activity.

Sweating creates an excellent breeding ground for bacterial flora. The warmer the room and the more closed the sneakers are, the more actively bacteria multiply. It is their rapid growth that causes amber to appear.

Adviсe

A few tips will help you quickly solve the problem of smelly sneakers:

1. The process of washing sneakers eliminates the soaking step. Prolonged contact with water and detergents negatively affects the strength of the adhesive layer.
2. Steam treatment will help quickly get rid of the unpleasant odor from your sneakers. High temperature kills 99% of bacteria and fungi - the main source of stench.
3. The use of special deodorizing insoles (liners made of cedar wood, bamboo) prevents the appearance of an unpleasant odor from sneakers.
4. A few tea bags (you can use them) left in your sneakers overnight will get rid of unpleasant odors.

When starting to eliminate the problem of unpleasant odors, you must remember that any (especially new) product requires testing on an inconspicuous area of ​​the lining or insole of sports shoes.

You will find a lot of useful and important information about removing various unpleasant odors from objects and surfaces in this section.

Some important tips for preventing odor

It is easier to prevent any problem than to deal with it later. Therefore, already at the stage of choosing sneakers, it is better to choose a breathable model with minimal synthetics. In order for your feet to sweat less, you need to carefully select shoes that fit strictly in size.

It becomes clear that you can get rid of amber quite simply and reliably.

One cannot take such a problem lightly. The appearance of shoes that are not too clean causes unpleasant emotions in others. Therefore, you need to know exactly how to properly wash your sneakers and eliminate the resulting stench.

Reviews

Alina M. Moscow

This is the only way I clean running shoes. Before baking soda, the only solution was washing, and you can’t wash them often. Now, immediately after a run, I put bags of powder inside, and the smell does not appear at all. Well, it cleans white soles wonderfully. In general, some advantages!

Sergey K., Novosibirsk

On the advice of a friend, I started using baking soda to clean my work boots. I can just fall asleep and leave it overnight. In the morning I shake it out and you can put it on. The stench is gone, I can now take off my shoes without fear of losing my sense of smell)

Additional ways to remove odor

Sodium bicarbonate is considered the most effective remedy for this delicate problem. It combines gentle treatment of materials, hypoallergenicity and high efficiency. But it may not be available at the right time. In such cases, you can use the following tools with similar functions:

• hydrogen peroxide (not suitable for dark and black products);
• citric acid or lemon juice;
• ammonia;
• ethanol;
• tea bags

Expert opinion

Advice!

Placing shoes in areas with low temperatures also has a disinfecting effect. After spending the night on the balcony in winter, microorganisms will die.

Using baking soda as a disinfectant will rid your favorite pair of shoes of the worst smell and its owner from discomfort. At the same time, the substance not only guarantees freshness, but also significantly saves money.

A quick way to remove odor from shoes using baking soda

A universal and quick way to get rid of odor using sodium bicarbonate is very popular among ordinary people. Its essence is this: pour baking soda inside the sneakers and leave it overnight. In the morning, shoes should be shaken or vacuumed. But it is worth considering that this method is only suitable for light-colored shoes.

IMPORTANT! Instead of baking soda, you can use any dry product that contains salicylic acid.

Properties of soda

Sodium bicarbonate or bicarbonate is a white powdery substance consisting of small crystals. Soda is used for industrial purposes, for cooking, in home medicine, and as a household remedy for getting rid of contaminants.

Sodium bicarbonate is a completely affordable product. It can be purchased at any grocery store. Moreover, the product is used so economically that one package is enough for a fairly long period.

Bicarbonate has many beneficial properties that make the product so popular:

1. Kills pathogens. The substance is widely used to treat bacterial or fungal diseases. Solution rinses are prescribed for dental diseases, sore throat, and oral candidiasis.
2. Improves the taste of products. Baking soda helps transform many culinary creations. It softens the meat, in combination with vinegar, fills the dough with oxygen, makes the omelet more fluffy, and significantly speeds up the process of cooking beans.
3. Takes care of the skin. Hydrocarbonate is used in cosmetology for the preparation of scrubs. It will cleanse the skin, remove roughened particles of epithelium, and help remove excessive sebum secretions. Microscopic particles polish the skin and improve blood circulation.
4. Cleaning properties. The product can clean not only the skin, but also household items. Every housewife knows that a powdery substance is an excellent assistant for cleaning metal surfaces. Thanks to bicarbonate, you can eliminate plaque, rust and any dirt. You can also remove fungal infections on tiles and walls.
5. Absorbs moisture and unpleasant sweat odor. There is no easier or cheaper way to eliminate unpleasant shoe odor than using bicarbonate. Baking soda is an excellent remedy for foot odor in shoes. It absorbs all excess moisture and kills fungi that cause sweating.

Everyone knows about the beneficial properties of this product. That's why it's easy to find in any kitchen arsenal.