How do I stop shoes smelling?

Feet produce a substantial amount of moisture daily, and shoes worn every day never dry out. Bacteria multiply in the damp lining and the smell is their waste product. Every effective remedy is really a way of getting the shoe dry.

What you'll need

• Bicarbonate of soda
• Cedar shoe trees (optional)
• Newspaper (optional)
• Replacement insoles (optional)

Step by step

1. Alternate between two pairs so each gets at least 24 hours off.This is the actual fix. Shoes need a full day to dry out properly, and daily wear never allows it.
2. Take the insoles out after wearing and let them air separately.The insole holds most of the moisture and dries far faster out of the shoe.
3. Sprinkle bicarbonate of soda inside overnight and tip it out in the morning.It absorbs both moisture and odour. Cheap and effective as a regular habit.
4. Stuff wet shoes with newspaper and leave them somewhere airy.Change the paper after a few hours. Never dry leather shoes on a radiator — it cracks the leather.
5. Wash removable insoles, or replace them.Insoles absorb the most and are usually the cheapest part to replace. New insoles often fix a shoe people were about to bin.
6. Machine-wash trainers if the manufacturer allows, then air dry completely.Cold cycle in a mesh bag or pillowcase, laces and insoles removed. Never tumble dry them.
7. Use cedar shoe trees for leather shoes.They absorb moisture and hold the shape. Genuinely effective and they last decades.
8. Wear moisture-wicking socks and change them daily.Cotton holds moisture against the foot; wool and synthetic blends move it away.

Tips

• Freezing shoes is a popular suggestion and is only partly effective — it suppresses bacteria temporarily but doesn't remove the moisture they need.
• Antibacterial foot spray or surgical spirit on the insole kills the bacteria directly, but it returns unless the shoe dries.
• For walking or work boots used daily, a boot dryer is a reasonable purchase and works far better than airing alone.
• If shoes smell within a day of being new, it's usually the material or a poor fit causing excess sweating rather than hygiene.

Common mistakes

• Wearing the same pair every day — They never dry, so the bacteria never stop. Rotation is the single most effective change.
• Drying leather shoes on a radiator — Rapid heat cracks and shrinks leather permanently.
• Masking with spray without drying — The bacteria and moisture are still there, so the smell returns within hours.
• Tumble drying trainers — Heat destroys the adhesives and deforms the shoe.

Questions people ask