How to Clean inside Shoes to Remove Odor

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Stinky shoes and insoles are common, but still unpleasant—what can you do to clean the insides of shoes? It turns out there are a ton of easy DIY tricks to make your shoes smell as good as new! We’ve put together a helpful list of ways to clean inside shoes so you don’t have to worry about bad smells following you around in your favorite footwear. If you’re ready to oust the odor, read on!

1

Sprinkle the insides with baking soda.

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  1. Sprinkle some baking soda inside the shoes and leave them for a few hours or overnight. [1] In the morning, shake the baking soda out or use a small vacuum to remove. This will help take out some, if not all, of the smell.
    • If you just want to treat just the insoles , remove them and place them in a large plastic bag with 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of baking soda. Shake up the bag and let it sit overnight. Wipe off the baking soda with a clean cloth.
    • For maintenance, try sprinkling some baking soda into your shoes after each wear to keep them fresh.
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2

Spray them with water and white vinegar.

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  1. In a spray bottle, create a mixture of half water and half distilled white vinegar. Spray the interior of the shoes and let them air dry thoroughly for about 30 minutes. Repeat as needed.
    • If you’re in a hurry, speed up the drying time with a hair dryer.
    • Alternatively, dampen a clean cloth or paper towel with distilled white vinegar and thoroughly rub the insides of your shoes. Let the shoes air dry completely. [2]
    • To treat removable insoles with vinegar, soak them in a mixture of 1 part hot water and 2 parts distilled white vinegar for several hours and air dry. [3]
3

Remove and clean the insoles.

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  1. Mix equal parts water and detergent in a small bowl to make a paste. Remove the insoles and gently scrub them with a clean cloth dipped in the paste. [4] Rinse with cold water and let them air dry completely, preferably in the sun.
    • Scrub with an old toothbrush or nylon brush in place of a cloth if preferred.
    • Alternatively, place the insoles in a pillowcase or delicate laundry bag and throw them in the washing machine. Use regular laundry detergent on a delicate cycle, then air dry.
    William Rossi, Footwear Expert

    When it comes to shoes, most people fail to realize that it's not the shoes themselves but the insoles that start to smell. By regularly removing the insoles and cleaning them thoroughly, you can keep unpleasant odors at bay. I recommend using a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water to disinfect the insoles, followed by sprinkling on some baking soda to absorb moisture and neutralize smells.

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4

Air them out in the sun.

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  1. Leave your shoes by an open window (or outdoors if you have a protected space and the weather is nice) for a day or two to thoroughly dry out. The sun’s UV rays will kill bacteria, and the fresh air will carry the odor away. [5]
5

Freeze them.

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  1. Place your shoes in a clean freezer bag to prevent germs from spreading to your food. Leave them in the freezer for up to 48 hours to let the cold do its work. This works especially well for shoes or insoles that got wet when they weren’t supposed to (like leather or suede).
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6

Leave dryer sheets inside them.

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  1. Cut up or fold 1 or 2 dryer sheets per shoe and leave them inside overnight to soak up any bad smells. Fabric softener sheets work too!
7

Stuff them with crumpled newspaper.

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  1. Crumple an old newspaper into balls and stuff your shoes with them. Let the paper sit inside the shoes overnight. When you take the paper out in the morning, the smell will be gone. [6]
    • Try adding a few drops of an essential oil like vanilla to the newspaper for a refreshing scent.
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8

Treat them with rubbing alcohol.

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  1. Pour some rubbing alcohol on cotton balls and place them inside your shoes. Leave them to sit for a few hours or overnight. When you remove them, your shoe smell will be gone! [7]
    • Alternatively, pour some rubbing alcohol into a spray bottle and mist the inside of your shoes for the same deodorizing effect. [8]
9

Soak up the smell with black tea bags.

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  1. To put them to work in your shoes, boil 2 black tea bags for about 3 minutes. Remove the bags and let them sit for 5 minutes. Place them in your shoes for about 3 hours and your shoes will smell fresh once more. [9]
    • The bags will probably leave your shoes somewhat damp. Wipe them with a clean cloth after you take the bags out and let them air dry completely.
    • Alternatively, leave dry, unused tea bags in your shoes overnight to remove most, if not all, of the odor.
    • If the tea bag leaves a faint stain in white or light-colored shoes, scrub the spot with warm water and liquid laundry detergent while it’s still wet to remove.
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10

Leave cat litter in them overnight.

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  1. Pour some litter into a pair of loose socks or pantyhose and let it sit in your shoes overnight. The litter will eliminate any lingering moisture and bad smells. Toss the socks along with the litter, or wash them to reuse later.
    • If you don’t want to mix litter with your socks, sprinkle clean litter directly into the shoes. In the morning, dump it out and wipe the insides with a cloth.
    • A pet deodorizing spray can also work to eliminate tough shoe odors.
11

Stuff them with orange peels.

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  1. Treat yourself to a tasty orange but keep the peels. Throw them in your shoes instead of the trash and let them sit overnight. In the morning, you’ll be treated to citrus-scented shoes! [10]
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12

Scent them with essential oils.

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  1. Put 3 to 5 drops directly into each shoe. If you don’t want the oils to touch your shoes directly, put a few drops onto crumpled newspaper balls and let them sit overnight or add drops to your water and vinegar spray.

Join the Discussion...

My shoes smell BAD. How do I get rid of the stink?
WikiValleyJammer490
10
WikiValleyJammer490
No matter what I do, I just can NOT get rid of the awful foot smell in my shoes. I've sprinkled baking soda inside them and tried putting them in... Read More
WikiAntelopeWatcher458
WikiAntelopeWatcher458
A little vinegar can go a long way with killing odor-causing bacteria and getting rid of bad smells. Just mix equal parts warm water and vinegar... Read More
WikiZebraDriver430
1
WikiZebraDriver430
Your shoes probably stink because your feet are either wet or sweaty. If you just showered, dry off your feet REALLY well before putting on your... Read More
See all 11 Replies and
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      Tips

      • Prevent shoe odor (especially in the hot summer months) by regularly washing your feet, avoiding wearing the same shoes 2 days in a row, wearing socks, and applying a preventative foot powder or baby powder. [11]
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      Expert Interview

      Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about shoe care, check out our in-depth interview with Moe Draper .

      References

      1. ↑ https://www.consumerreports.org/health/athletic-shoes/smarter-how-to-stop-shoes-from-smelling-a4685770889/
      2. ↑ https://www.homemadesimple.com/in-the-home/how-to-deodorize-your-shoes/
      3. ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-clean-smelly-shoes/
      4. ↑ https://www.consumerreports.org/health/athletic-shoes/smarter-how-to-stop-shoes-from-smelling-a4685770889/
      5. ↑ https://www.homemadesimple.com/in-the-home/how-to-get-smell-out-of-shoes/
      6. ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-clean-smelly-shoes/
      7. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-bottle-of-rubbing-alcohol
      8. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-bottle-of-rubbing-alcohol/
      9. ↑ https://www.yahoo.com/news/shoes-look-awful-smell-funky-184732286.html
      1. ↑ https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/20-brilliant-uses-orange-peels-112911013.html
      2. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/4-sure-fire-ways-you-can-avoid-stinky-feet

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