June 30 Days Writing Challenge -Life Hack- Avoid The Embarrassment Smelly Shoes Can Cause

I prefer foot-wears that are open at the toes. I wore shoes to school and still wear them to work. However, I make sure that they don’t smell so that I can comfortably remove them in the midst of people. Shoe odor can fill your surrounding with a foul smell and embarrass you. You need to prevent such stink and wear your shoes with confidence.

Determining the cause of the odor will help you to get rid of it effectively. Excessive sweating of the feet creates a favorable condition for bacteria to thrive. Poorly fitted shoes can cause the feet to perspire due to less ventilation. The lining inside the shoes and the socks absorb the sweat, creating a humid environment. The bacteria growing on these areas cause the shoes to smell. Besides, they feed on the feet’s dead skin cells.

The use of synthetic materials for the production of shoes can lead to an unpleasant smell. Some shoes have plastic innersoles which can make the shoes to stink. Nylon or polyester socks can also contribute to odor. Also, wounds on your foot or diseases such as nail fungus can cause an unpleasant smell to emanate from your shoes.

Improper hygiene of the feet can also lead to smelly shoes. You may be conscious of removing your shoes in public if it smells. The odor may be so overwhelming that you may wish to discard the shoes.

Get Rid Of Shoe Odor
Don’t worry about the unpleasant smell from your shoes. Here are ways to eliminate it.

Drying

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You can dry your shoes under the sun when they are not in use. Lift up the tongue of the shoes and remove their laces to hasten the drying. Keeping the shoes dry will prevent the growth of bacteria that may cause them to stink. Alternatively, you can put the shoes near a heater or place a dryer sheet in each of them. Remove the sheets when you want to wear the shoes.

Essential oils
A few drops of essential oil in your shoes will replace the odor with fresh fragrance. You can apply the oil with a cotton ball. Alternatively, place few pieces of paper inside the shoes before adding drops of essential oil to each of them keep the fragrance longer. Allow the shoes to stay overnight before using them. Besides eliminating the odor, lavender oil has anti-bacterial properties which prevent the growth of bacteria inside the shoes. You can also use tea tree or eucalyptus oil.

Peels of citrus fruits

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You can use fresh peels of grapefruit, orange, lime or lemon to get rid of the unpleasant smell from shoes. Put the peels in the shoes and leave them overnight. The essential oils contained in the citrus peels will remove the odor and make your shoes to smell better.

Alcohol
You can get rid of smelly shoes with alcohol, which removes the odor and kills the bacteria that cause it. Use a cotton ball to rub the alcohol inside your shoes. You can also soak the shoes in cleaning alcohol after drying them. Allow the shoes to stay in the liquid for some minutes before you take them out to dry properly. You can also rub pure alcohol on your feet to disinfect it before you wear your shoes. Allow your feet to dry properly after applying the alcohol.

Baking soda

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Besides its deodorizing properties, baking soda can also serve as an anti-fungal powder. You can use it to eliminate shoe odor. Place sachets of baking soda in the shoes. In the absence of the sachets, put baking soda in cotton stocks and keep them in the smelly footwear. Allow it to stay in the shoes until it has absorbed the foul smell.

Water and vinegar
Spray a mixture of vinegar and water into the sole and lining of your shoes. Then, allow it to air dry for about 30 minutes. The mixture prevents the growth of bacteria. However, placing baking soda in the shoes after this treatment will give you better results.

Dry black tea bags

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Black tea bags contain tannins, which can kill bacteria causing odor in shoes. The aroma of the tea leaves can also absorb the unpleasant smell from the shoes. You can leave these tea bags inside your smelly shoes to get rid of the odor.

The foul smell from shoes can be embarrassing. It may force you to discard your shoes. You can easily eliminate the odor. Besides you can use antibacterial spray or antifungal foot powder to make your shoes smell better. The latter is helpful if you have athletes foot which can cause your foot to smell. A bit of care for your feet and footwear can prevent the foul smell from shoes.