Useful life hacks on how to quickly remove odor from sneakers at home

An unpleasant smell from your sneakers is not a reason to rush to the store for a new pair of shoes.

The first thing to do is to determine the cause of the problem and the scale of the “tragedy” (perhaps the crosses are so worn out that it is really better to replace them with new ones).

But if the goal is to refresh your favorite sneakers, then you should immediately start cleaning, using proven improvised or special products.

We'll tell you how to remove odor from sneakers (with or without washing) in this article.

Causes of unpleasant odor

Provoke an unpleasant odor from sneakers The following factors may:

1. Increased sweating of the feet (a pathological condition of the body when the sweat glands are very actively producing sweat).
2. Poor quality shoes (dermantine dyed with cheap dyes, when in contact with the skin of the feet, provokes the appearance of an unpleasant odor and allergic reactions.
3. Abuse of alcohol, smoking, fried spicy foods (bad habits disrupt the natural functioning of the sweat glands)
4. Lack of care (even the most durable and high-quality shoes, if not regularly cleaned and aired, become saturated with sweat and begin to smell unpleasant).
5. Wearing sneakers for a long time in the heat (in the summer season it is better to wear open shoes).

It is important to understand that sweat itself has no odor. As the secretions accumulate, they create a favorable environment for the development of pathogenic bacteria—the source of the unpleasant odor.

To wash or not to wash shoes if they stink?

Washing is the fastest way to get rid of unpleasant odor, update the appearance of sports shoes. The sneakers can be washed both by hand and in the washing machine.

Sneakers with decorative decorations, shoes of dubious quality and fairly worn sneakers are washed by hand. Textile sneakers and shoes made of high-quality leatherette can be washed in a washing machine.

Read about how to wash fabric sneakers here. About the possibility of washing suede - Here, leather - here.

Hand wash

To ensure that sports shoes do not completely lose their appearance after hand washing, it is necessary to follow a certain sequence of actions:

1. Sneakers are cleaned of dust with a brush and dirt is removed from the sole. The laces and insoles are removed from sports shoes (these elements are washed separately).
2. The prepared shoes are lowered into a basin filled with warm (room temperature) water with the addition of liquid detergent.
3. Crosses are carefully wiped with a soft sponge or brush. Cleaning begins from the sole, smoothly moving to the upper part.
4. Sports shoes are thoroughly rinsed under running water and left to dry in a well-ventilated, slightly darkened place.

Do not use chlorine or alkaline detergents for washing.He will tell you how to wash sneakers by hand this article.

Process in the washing machine

Before placing shoes in the drum of the washing machine, they are cleaned of dust and dirt, and the laces and insoles are removed. It is very important to study the manufacturer's labels for prohibitions and care recommendations.

The washing process then proceeds according to the following algorithm:

1. Sneakers are thrown into the washing machine. To prevent shoes from hitting the drum, they are wrapped in an old sheet, towel or placed in a special sneaker washing bag. Sports shoes cannot be loaded together with clothing items.
2. Liquid detergent is added to a special compartment (it rinses out better). Set the water temperature to 40°C, turn off the spin option, set the short wash mode, and press “start”.

You can find out how to quickly dry sneakers after washing Here.

Folk recipes

Everyone has it There are a lot of improvised means in the house that you can use to remove unpleasant odors from sneakers.

Activated carbon, if the smell is mild

Activated carbon can remove unpleasant odor from sports shoes.

It is enough to crush 10 tablets of the pharmaceutical product into powder. and sprinkle it in a thick layer on the insoles. After six hours, the activated carbon powder is cleaned off with a vacuum cleaner.

You should not expect a long-term cleaning effect from activated carbon (the product does not destroy bacteria, but only absorbs unpleasant odors). After five to seven days, the steps will have to be repeated.

Lemon zest

Thinly cut peels of aromatic citrus will help quickly get rid of unpleasant odors from sneakers.

Algorithm of actions:

• use a special knife to cut the thin skin (zest) from a lemon, lime or orange;
• the cut zest is laid out inside the sneakers for at least twelve hours;
• remove zest from shoes.

Any remaining unused peel can be saved until your next shoe cleaning. To do this, thin slices of the peel are dried in the sun and placed in a glass container with a tightly screwed lid.

Bay leaf

Bay leaf spice will not only remove unpleasant odors from sneakers, but also disinfects the inner surface of shoes.

Hydrogen peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide can remove sweat bacteria, the main source of unpleasant odor from sneakers. It is enough to moisten a cotton pad with a first aid and wipe the inside surface of the shoe.

Peroxide bleaches fabrics. Before cleaning, you need to test the product on an inconspicuous area of ​​the sneakers. Hydrogen peroxide should not be used for dark sports shoes.

Table vinegar

In order to permanently get rid of the ingrained smell of sweat from sneakers, the inner surface of the shoe is treated with a cotton pad soaked in table vinegar.

Afterwards, a little baking soda is poured into the shoes, which neutralizes the remaining “aroma” of the vinegar.

Table vinegar should not be used for dyed shoes., low-quality leatherette sneakers. The result of such cleaning will be completely damaged shoes.

Medical alcohol

Treatment with medical alcohol will not only remove unpleasant odors, but also disinfect shoes.

Algorithm of actions:

• alcohol (1 tbsp) is diluted with water (one liter);
• shoes are immersed in an alcohol solution and left to soak for sixty minutes;
• The sneakers are taken out of the water and left to dry in the open air away from direct sunlight.

Special means

On supermarket shelves there is a wide range of special products (mainly sprays) for the care of sports shoes. TOP 3 most effective means for removing unpleasant odors from sneakers:

Scholl Fresh Step

Shoe deodorant. The dual-action formula keeps sports shoes fresh twenty-four hours a day. After drying it leaves no traces.

Method of application: shake the aerosol can, spray the product on the inner surface of the sneakers, after which the shoes are left to dry. The average cost is 165 rubles. (150 ml can).

Deodorant SAPHIR MENTHOL

Prevents the growth of bacteria that cause unpleasant odors. Has disinfectant and antibacterial properties. After application it leaves a pleasant fresh menthol scent for the whole day. Suitable for sneakers made of any materials. The average cost is 900 rubles. (200 ml can).

Aerosol Woly sport Wet & Soft

An excellent product for the care of sports shoes made of:

• suede,
• skin,
• textiles,
• synthetics,
• combined materials.

Keeps sneakers soft, improves hygiene, destroys and prevents the formation of unpleasant odors. The average cost is 155 rubles. (aerosol 250 ml).

Before application, you must carefully study the manufacturer's instructions for using the selected product.

Features of removal of amber depending on the material

In order not to completely ruin your sneakers, the method of removing unpleasant odors must be selected taking into account the material used to make sports shoes.

So For delicate suede or nubuck, dry clean only. Sneakers are treated with special sprays that disinfect contaminated surfaces.

Textile sneakers can withstand any cleaning (both wet and dry). You should start with the simplest and safest methods (ventilation, use of folk remedies), if necessary (if the first cleaning turned out to be ineffective) using treatment with special chemical sprays.

Prevention

Following certain rules will help you forget about the problem forever. unpleasant odor from sneakers:

1. Feet are washed every day using soap. After water procedures, the skin is treated with a special deodorant for feet.
2. Regular insoles are replaced with special antibacterial ones.
3. Socks are changed every day (and twice after visiting the gym). It is important to select socks according to size, pay attention to the composition of the product (synthetics are strictly a no-no).
4. In a situation where the sneakers are wet, they must be immediately removed and dried thoroughly. You cannot walk in wet shoes.
5. Every day, sports shoes are aired and, if necessary, treated at night with shoe deodorant.

Regular shoe care and foot hygiene are a guarantee of long-term use of sneakers without unpleasant odors.

Adviсe

A few tips will help you solve the problem faster smelly sneakers:

1. The process of washing sneakers eliminates the soaking step. Prolonged contact with water and detergents negatively affects the strength of the adhesive layer.
2. Steam treatment will help quickly get rid of the unpleasant odor from your sneakers. High temperature kills 99% of bacteria and fungi - the main source of stench.
3. The use of special deodorizing insoles (liners made of cedar wood, bamboo) prevents the appearance of an unpleasant odor from sneakers.
4. A few tea bags (you can use them) left in your sneakers overnight will get rid of unpleasant odors.

You will find a lot of useful and important information about removing various unpleasant odors from objects and surfaces in this section.

Video on the topic of the article

8 life hacks for eliminating odor from sneakers - in the video:

Conclusion

A timely response to the problem of unpleasant odor, using only proven methods and means will help you refresh your favorite sneakers as quickly as possible.