Shoes stink: What can you do about bad smells?

You come home after a lovely summer day, take off your shoes and a bad smell hits your nose. Does this situation sound familiar? You don't have to be uncomfortable, because many people feel the same way as you. We can get one thing out of the way right from the start: it's not due to poor personal hygiene. It's actually the material of the shoes that's to blame. So smelly shoes don't have to become the norm. Quite the opposite: you can do something about it with the following tips.

Shoes smell: Bacteria are to blame!

Most people think that sweat is responsible for smelly shoes. Far from it. If that were the case, you wouldn't be able to stand a second in a steam bath or sauna because of the stench. OK, during puberty or when you're ill, even fresh sweat can smell unpleasant. But otherwise, that's not the case.

But why does sweat smell in shoes? Bacteria are responsible for this, which break down sweat, skin flakes and sebum into individual components. In this process, long-chain fatty acids are broken down into butyric acid and cause an unpleasant smell. Due to the fact that bacteria feel most comfortable in a warm and humid climate, it is therefore not surprising that closed shoes that are not breathable start to smell. The quickest way to get rid of these is with asustainable anti-odor sprayoff again.

Prevent shoe odor: 5 tips to prevent unpleasant smells!

There are a few things you can do to prevent your shoes from starting to smell. The following tips will help you:

Material:The material and fit determine whether your shoes start to smell bad when you wear them. Synthetic materials prevent your feet from breathing. Shoes that are too tight also cause bad smells. In shoes like these, your feet quickly start to sweat. The lack of breathability also leads to waterlogging inside the shoe. For this reason, when choosing your shoes, you should make sure that they are made of natural materials such as leather or canvas and that they fit perfectly.

Socks:It's not just the inside of your sneakers and the like that can get sweaty. Socks can also retain moisture, which can lead to the formation of bacteria. So the same applies to socks: choose ones made of natural materials. Oh yes, and of course you should change them every day!

Change shoes frequently & air them:Even if they are your favorite shoes, give them a break every now and then. During this time, you can put them out in the fresh air and let them air out. Make sure that this place is protected from the elements such as UV light and moisture.

Wash:Depending on the material, you can also wash your shoes. However, it is best to do this by hand. Most shoes cannot withstand a wash cycle. You can then let them air dry. Important: They should not be placed on the heater. This would only cause the material to warp. This could also cause unsightly stains.

Shoe insoles:You should always wash the spare shoe bed separately and let it dry outside the shoe. It is also a good idea to replace the old shoe insoles with new ones at regular intervals.

5 home remedies for smelly shoes: Remove odors without chemicals!

There are various methods to get rid of shoe smell. We have picked out the five best home remedies for you:

1. Baking powder

Sweaty and damp shoes are an ideal breeding ground for bacteria. If your shoes have gotten wet from a rain shower or because of sweaty feet, you can use baking powder to fight unpleasant smells. To do this, fill two tablespoons of the leavening agent with a few newspaper clippings in a sock and put it in your shoes. What happens next is easy to explain. The baking powder absorbs the moisture inside your shoes and neutralizes bad smells at the same time. Good tip: If you want your favorite shoes to give off a natural scent, mix the baking powder with a little cinnamon.

2. Lavender

Lavender is not only great for its relaxing effect and the fact that it keeps annoying insects such as mosquitoes at bay. It also gives off a pleasant scent. Just a few drops of natural lavender oil or a few lavender flowers have a fantastic effect on shoe odor.

3. Citrus fruits

The essential oils of citrus fruits not only drive away bad smells from our interiors. They also have the same effect on smelly sports and street shoes. Simply put a few fresh lemon or orange peels in your shoes overnight. The next morning, the unpleasant smell is guaranteed to be gone.

4. Tea tree oil

The antibacterial oil is truly the ultimate when it comes to fighting bacteria. Even smelly shoes benefit from these properties. A few drops that you put on your insoles and leave to work overnight are enough.

5. Tea bags

Tea also has the wonderful property of absorbing moisture and leaving behind a pleasant scent at the same time. To do this, place two tea bags in your shoes for a few hours. It doesn't matter which type of tea you use. Black tea and chamomile tea also have an antibacterial effect.

In addition to the five best home remedies for smelly shoes, we would like to share another tip with you. We are talking about sustainable odor neutralizers. They combat unpleasant odors effectively and do so without any questionable ingredients or synthetic fragrances, which are often the trigger for allergies. The zinc salts they contain eliminate bacteria in a natural way and thus ensure a pleasant feeling. And this is not only in terms of comfort, but also due to the fact that they are one hundred percent environmentally friendly.