Don't Let Bad Shoe Smells Take Over Your Home—10 Ways to Remove Them Fast (2025)

It's common to have smelly shoes, but they could have a major unwanted impact on your home depending on where and how you store them. Even with extensive care, damp shoes in an unventilated area can lead to smelly odors and sections of the home.

Addressing the root of the problem by washing the shoes is the most straightforward way of fixing this problem, but not all shoes can be washed. Here are 12 different ways to remove bad smells from every kind of shoe.

Washing Your Shoes and Letting Them Breathe

The best preventative measure for managing bad shoe smells is to dry out excess moisture from the insoles and shoe lining. Remove laces, insoles, and all detachable components, then wash your shoes by hand or on the gentle setting of your machine.

Keep in mind that some materials shrink in the dryer, so always air dry your shoes in a breezy area, preferably outdoors and under direct sunlight. Once they're completely dry, store them in a cool, dry area with good airflow so the material can breathe and dry out thoroughly.

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White Vinegar

Mix a 1:1 ratio solution of white vinegar and filtered (or distilled) water in a spray bottle. Spray the inside of your shoes and let them air dry.

This remedy will remove odors and bacteria—making your shoes smell fresher for hours—but is most effective when coupled with cleaning the shoes entirely prior to using the spray.

Baking Soda

Baking soda is a great deodorizer because it absorbs bad smells (hence why it is a common staple in many fridges). For shoes, sprinkle it inside your smells footwear and leave overnight. Just don't forget to shake it out before you put them on again!

Another option is to fill cotton socks with baking soda and leave them inside the shoes overnight; this will deodorize both the shoes and socks at the same time.

Essential Oils and Herbs

Nothing combats a bad smell better than a good smell, so add some drops of essential oils to your insoles. Just be sure it's fully dry before using again.

Some scents—like clove, cinnamon, and cedar wood—have natural deodorizing properties. Bunch these together in a handkerchief or sock and leave inside your shoes overnight. Doing so regularly will ensure your shoes are fresh for any occasion.

Commercial Shoe Deodorizers

Store-bought shoe deodorizers and disinfecting sprays exist, and can be quite effective in eliminating shoe odors; they often employ bacteria-fighting properties that get at the cause of unpleasant smells. Use these according to the manufacturer's label, and ensure shoes are left to dry in a well-ventilated area.

Bar Soap

This option requires no scrubbing whatsoever—simply leave a dry bar of soap inside your shoe overnight. Because bar soap is porous, it will absorb and eliminate any odors.

Citrus Peels

As with essential oils, try using citrus peels to mask a bad smell with a good one. Leave the peels of your chosen citrus(es) inside your closed-toe shoes and boots overnight.

Freezing Your Shoes

This extreme option might be at the bottom of your list, but it does work if nothing else does. Place stinky shoes in a protective bag and leave them in the freezer overnight. The following day, remove them and allow them to air dry.

This works because the freezing temperatures will kill any odor-causing bacterial, leaving your shoes with a neutral smell.

Rubbing Alcohol

Alcohol is great for eliminating odors for leather and other materials that should not get wet. Dampen a cloth with alcohol and wipe down the inside of your shoes, or add some to a spray bottle and spritz the insides (without soaking them).

Dryer Sheets

Dryer sheets absorb odors and leave shoes feeling fresh and new by the morning. Place half of a sheet in each shoe and leave overnight.

The effectiveness of all these methods depends on how long shoes have gone without being washed; there is a chance that multiple methods or multiple rounds of the same method will be needed before showing lasting results. Try different things to see what works best for your shoes.