How do you keep your shoes from smelling?
 

I have a pair of work shoes that I wear during the week. They are made of leather or something like leather. The problem is that they don't breathe at all. There are no air holes in them, and they are a few years old. Now, they don't smell bad when I put them on. Or after a few hours from taking them off. It is just around 3pm-6pm each day they just don't smell good. I have bee using oust or Lysol sprays sometimes, but it doesn't seem to get rid of the problem altogether. I've also tried sprinkling some baby powder in them, but that didn't do much. And I do wash my feet and wear different socks each day.

Man I have this problem too. I've tried it all, and nothing seems to work. I can't help you. All of the bullshit solutions people offer never work! My shoes are just destined to stink like shit.

I just buy new shoes.

The only shoes I have that seriously smell are a pair of cheap sneakers. I chucked them to the Salvation Army. Hopefully they went to someone with less of a nose than I.

try deodorant on your feet and on your socks. I find that helps. Arm and hammer (the stuff you use for your armpits) its meant to deal with stink.

Plug their nose!

Sorry!! Someone had to do it...

You have to get those puppies dry. If they're getting damp (either from foot sweat or external moisture like puddles) and not completely drying out they will continue to stink!

I use Lotrimin. I don't have any foot fungus, but it seems to work even in the most heated of leather pimp boots. It also works with leather flip flops.

I can't keep my feet dry. I remember walking to class in flip-flops and being in class with it FREEZING (enough to wear a hoody) and I had shorts and flip flops on and my feet still kept sweating. disgusting.

RJ, it's normal. Seriously. What you're better off doing with flip flops is to wear them for only short walks, and let your feet out of them when you're sitting. People won't steal them, don't worry, but it will allow the bottoms of your feet stay air dry and thus funk free.

Cotton socks.
My daughter had the punkiest feet....anything synthetic and she stunk up a room(even made a cute song up for her: I love you, but yer feet stink. Smell so bad that I can't think. I love you, but when you take off your shoes.....it smells :D)
Now, she'll wear only cotton socks and leather or canvas shoes.:thumbsup:

cute song NG. at least you guys can make the smell entertaining!

Every day you should dry them by either putting them on a heater or in the sun for a few hours.

When they start to smell, drench the insides with 5 or 6 sprays Febreze antimmicrobial and let them dry in a cool dry place overnight. You can't heat-dry them or there will be bacteria and smell left, it has to air-dry for hours. The next morning while you're in the shower, eating breakfast, whatever you do before you put your shoes on, put them on the heater or in the sun to get the last little bit of Febreze dampness out.

I'm wearing a pair of shoes that, until a couple of weeks ago, I couldn't put on for ten minutes without generating a fould stench. Febreze antimicrobial saved them.

chuck em in the washine machine and spin em dry. then put some anti bacterial fungal spray on them and wait for em to dry

MSD has some good recommendations there, with the antimicrobial spray and the drying.

Here is some additional advice:

1) Make sure you are washing your feet 1-2x a day with antibacterial deodorant soap and airing them out well.
2) If your feet sweat badly, use aerosol antiperspirant to help.
3) Wear cotton socks.

Try odor-eaters or some other insert too. Baby powder is incorrect, try baking powder (Arm n' Hammer).

Buy a second pair of shoes and rotate them.

That way each pair gets plenty of time to dry out. It also increases the usefull lifespan of your insoles and the shock-absorption properties of your shoes. I don't have a problem with footwear smelling unless I wear it constantly, day in and day out, as you have been.

You can also spray your feet with Arid XXX dry (specifically that spray deodorant) to keep your feet from sweating. A lot of military guys do this when they know they are going to be marching for a long time and won't be able to even take their boots off for a couple days. It really works at reducing sweat and foot moisture. We use it so we won't get blisters, but it should reduce the smell as well.

I'm glad I read through this entire thread before posting what you said in your first sentence. And all the rest as well.

I personally never wear the same pair of shoes two days in a row. Buy quality, take care of them and they'll last for years. I have dress shows that I've re-soled so many times I can't keep count. They are always polished, cleaned with saddle soap and conditioner and never worn two days in a row. I also sprinkle a little foot power inside and tap them together the day after I wear them. One pair lasted 15 years before I put them to rest! Best of all, they still had no smell.

You want baking soda. Baking powder will foam in your shoes.

Soda. Baking soda, that's what I meant. Thanks MSD.

I use baby powder, works perfect, and my feet always smell like a baby...My wife loves it!...lol

nothing to say

Exactly. Nothing burns stink into a shoe quicker than constant use.

Also, in my experience, once the stink settles into a shoe it's very hard to get it out. You may want to consider starting over with two new pairs of shoes.

Also, Gold Bond powder on your feet does wonders.

I came in here just to say ^ that. Carry on.