Tips and Tricks For Odor-Free Shoes

With hot weather, wearing shoes without socks can make your shoes smell bad, but there are ways to keep your shoes, odor-free. Check out the article we found at Articles Mercola.

1. Wash and Dry

It’s simple. The cleaner and drier your feet and shoes remain, the more likely it is that your feet won’t smell. Wash your feet with soap and water at least once daily.

Be sure they are thoroughly dry before you put your feet into shoes for the day. Although your feet will continue to secrete sweat, starting dry gives you a better chance of staying sweet-smelling.

2. Kill the Bacteria

You can kill many of the scent-producing bacteria on your feet using either white vinegar or a solution of hydrogen peroxide and water. Place your fluid of choice in a spray bottle and spray the bottom of your feet after each shower.

Allow your skin to air dry for a couple of minutes before walking or using shoes. Make your hydrogen peroxide wash with 1 teaspoon of 3 percent peroxide to 8 ounces of water. White vinegar can be used straight out of the bottle.

3. Coconut Oil

Coconut oil has natural antibacterial and antifungal properties. You might spray your feet with white vinegar or hydrogen-peroxide solution after your shower and rub coconut oil on your feet just before bed. The oil helps to kill bacteria and softens your skin.

4. Stay Out of the Dark

Bacteria and fungi love dark, moist environments. After you take your shoes off for the day, keep them out of gym bags, dark shoe boxes and dark closets. Use a shoe rack to keep the tongue of the shoe up and air circulating through the shoe.

5. Silica Gel Packs

These are the little bead packets you find in a new box of shoes and inside bottles of vitamins. You can also purchase them in bulk. These packets are used to absorb moisture inside your shoes after you’ve worn them.

Put a couple of packets in each shoe and place them in a closed bag. If you leave the shoes open to air with the silica packets, they won’t be as effective because they’ll absorb moisture from the air as well as from inside your shoes.

Closed in a bag they’ll be exposed only to the moisture in your shoes. Use caution or avoid this if you have your shoes near pets or young children.