Shoe odor can be quite embarrassing and is not so easy to fight. But with quite a few steps and proper care you can prevent the same. Here is what you can do to fight the odor….
Wash them– If your footwear is washable then wash them frequently to remove the traces of moisture and dirt which causes odor generating bacteria to build up. After washing dry them in sun properly.
Bar of soap– This is the most easiest way to get rid of the odor from the shoes. Just put a bar of soap inside the footwear and leave it overnight. It will absorb all the odor and leave the shoes smell great.
Baking soda– One of the many great uses of this multi purpose ingredient is that it can remove shoe odors. Take a filter paper or a small round piece of a thin cloth and place 2 spoons of baking soda in the middle of it. You can also add a few drops of essential oil to it and tie to make a potli with the help of a thread or a rubber-band. Keep it inside the footwear overnight and it will absorb all the moisture and odor from them.
Cotton Ball– If you do not have baking soda then need not worry, you can sprinkle few drops of any citrus essential oil like lemongrass on cotton balls and place it inside the shoes.
Leftover citrus peels– Leftover peels of citrus fruits like grapefruit, lime, lemon and oranges are a good and cost effective replacement of essential oils. Dry the peels a little bit in the sun and then keep them in the shoes overnight to get rid of the odor.
Keep the footwear in sun– Once you clean the footwear make it a regular habit to keep them under sunlight for sometime. This helps in moisture loss and helps kill the bacteria, it is infact a kind of a sterilizing procedure.
Rubbing alcohol– Rubbing alcohol is known for killing the bacteria as it is antiseptic and also evaporates very quickly. Just spray some rubbing alcohol to the inside of the shoes and let it dry completely before using them.
Silica gel– Silica gel pouches which are readily available in the market are great to fight shoe odor. Place one sachet per footwear and it will absorb all the moisture and odor.
