Deodorizing Your Favorite Shoes

Shoes are an integral and expensive part of your wardrobe. As such, it can be extremely annoying to replace your shoes every couple of months, not because of them being worn out or being suddenly out of fashion, but because of something that happens from activity that is normal for many people.

By following these simple tips you can avoid that recurring cost, not to mention removing any possibility of embarrassing comments by your friends, family, and coworkers. These tips are not just good for athletic shoes, but all of your footwear.

1. Foot odor is caused by bacteria and enzymes, so one of the better ways to get rid of that odor is to kill what is responsible. A safe and easy (not to mention inexpensive) way to do this is to freeze your shoes. Just put your foul footgear into airtight, sealable freezer bags and then place this package into a freezer overnight. Most odor-causing bacteria and enzymes cannot withstand the frigid temperatures. Be sure to remove your shoes the following morning and allow plenty of time to thaw them out before placing them on your feet.
2. Baking soda is an inexpensive and easy solution. By placing one teaspoon of baking soda into each shoe, you will achieve the desired results of destroying the odor-causing source. After placing the baking soda into each shoe, you need to shake the footgear to ensure that the powder covers the entire inside of the shoe. Do this every night for maximum effect and to ensure that the smell does not come back. (Remember that baking soda is a drying agent, so make sure that you apply extra moisturizer to your feet to compensate for the effect of the baking soda on your skin.)
3. If you have ever gone to sports or shoes stores you have more than likely seen those "odor eating shoe balls" offered. Well, here is how you can make a set of your own. You just need the following materials and you can begin: One briquette of plain charcoal (make sure it isn't pre-soaked with charcoal starter) and two old socks or a pair of old tights. Crush the charcoal to powder and place it into the socks or tights. Tie them up so that they are sealed and then insert them into your shoes. Remember to remove your homemade odor balls before you put on your shoes, otherwise you might have a bit of a mess to clean up.
4. A dryer fabric softener sheet placed in each shoe each night also removes the smell. Each sheet works for about a week so this will not be a costly option. An added benefit of this option is that if you forget to remove the sheets before wearing your shoes, they will not result in any mess that you have to clean up.