Shoe Deodorizer DIY

Let’s face it, shoes can get stinky real quick, and it can be embarrassing. In this post, you will find 3-simple shoe deodorizer DIY hacks to keep your shoes smelling fresh and clean.

How to Eliminate Shoe Odor

The number one reason shoes retain a foul odor is from them getting wet. The problem: keeping your shoes dry is next to impossible, with sweaty feet and our shoes being the first thing that hits the ground when we go outside in the elements.

Your feet contain over 250,000 sweat glands, and when confined to a small, warm, barely breathable space, you are bound to get sweaty feet.

Wearing dry-fit socks may help absorb some of the sweat, but in reality, your shoes are going to take the brunt of it. The best way to get rid of the odor is to get rid of the bacteria caused by the sweat.

How to Deodorize Shoes

There are a couple of ways to deodorize shoes and keep them smelling fresh. The first thing you will want to do is clean them properly.

As mentioned above, getting rid of the bacteria found in the shoe will help eliminate the odor. And don’t worry, it’s actually relatively easy. One of the best ways to clean your shoes is simply throwing them in the washing machine.

Most shoes can be machine washed, but be sure to check the label to verify before throwing them in.

I have washed lots of shoes in my day and have never had any issues, and they always come out looking brand new. Or you can learn how to hand wash shoes here.

Do note: Dress shoes and leather shoes should never be machine washed.

After the shoes are clean, you can use a couple of different simple ingredients to keep them smelling fresh longer in between washes.

Baking Soda Shoe Deodorizer

Baking soda is an excellent natural deodorizer. Baking soda absorbs moisture which can effectively eliminate shoe odor. It is a natural cleaning agent and has been used for cleaning for centuries.

With its mild alkali properties, it can dissolve and loosen dirt, grime, and grease quickly. It also has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, which can help keep the bacteria at bay.

To use baking soda as a natural shoe deodorizer without drowning your foot and socks in the white powder is by making a baking soda sachet.

Simply place the baking soda sachet in your shoes at the end of each day and let it work its magic. The sachet will work as a natural deodorizer.

Baking Soda Sachet

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Get my full disclosure here.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup baking soda
• 20 drops essential oil (refer to the list below for the best oils to use)
• Small cloth or sachet
• Rubber band

Instructions

1. Pour the baking soda into a small bowl.
2. Add the drops of essential oils and stir to combine the oils and baking soda.
3. Divide the baking soda into equal halves and scoop it into two sachets.
4. Secure the cloth or sachet with a rubber band to keep it from spilling.
5. Place one sachet into the heel of each shoe.

Although it’s not necessary, adding the essential oils to the sachets will fill the shoes with a beautiful, fresh scent. In addition, these sachets can be placed in the closet, shoe bin, or gym bag.

Charcoal Shoe Deodorizer

Charcoal can be used to absorb odors and leave your shoe scent-free. For this, you can use a lump of charcoal or activated charcoal.

Activated Charcoal

Activated charcoal may be the most powerful deodorizer because it has millions of micro pockets that suck up and absorb odors. In addition, it has gone through a process of being heated up at high temperatures, is very porous and can absorb odors.

Like baking soda, only worse, activated charcoal is a very messy powder and can stain anything it touches. So use extra care with the activated charcoal around the shoe.

Activated Charcoal Sachet

Ingredients

1/4 cup activated charcoal

10 drops essential oil (refer to the list below for the best oils to use)

Small cloth or sachet (make sure they are breathable, but the charcoal can’t get through the material)

Rubber band

Instructions

1. Pour the activated charcoal straight into the sachet.
2. Drop the essential oils on top of the charcoal.
3. Secure the sachet with a rubber band and gently shake to mix the oils in.
4. Place one sachet into each shoe.

How to Use Lump Charcoal to Absorb Odors

Lump charcoal that you use to grill up Saturday night dinner can also be used to remove odors. Simply place a lump of charcoal in your shoe, closet, or car and it can remove the odor from the air.

To avoid stains, place the charcoal on a piece of newspaper or inside of a breathable cloth.

I recommend using lump charcoal over charcoal briquettes. Most briquettes are made with chemical additives, so avoid using briquettes if possible.

Essential Oils for Sticky Shoes

Citrus essential oils are the best oils to use to mask the scent. They are strong and give off a fresh and clean aroma.

Below is a list of essential oils that can be used to deodorize shoes or other areas of your home:

• Cilantro
• Citronella
• Grapefruit
• Lemon
• Lime
• Rosemary
• Siberian Fir
• Tea tree
• Wild orange

When adding essential oils to your sachets, you can choose a blend of oils, a single oil, or even leave them out altogether. I find the blend of rosemary and lemon to be very effective at absorbing odor.

Newspaper to Absorb Odor

This may be the cheapest hack you will ever find! A crumpled-up newspaper can be used to absorb odors and moisture. To dry wet shoes, stick the newspapers into the shoes to help quickly dry the shoes.

To absorb moisture and odor, lightly mist the paper with vinegar. Then place the vinegar newspaper crumbles inside of your shoes.

You may want to make several for each shoe and push them down into the toe cap.

Allow the paper to sit in the shoes overnight before removing and discarding it.

I hope you enjoyed this natural shoe deodorizer post. If you enjoy this style read; let me suggest this homemade upholstery spray or my top tips for a fresh-smelling closet next.