Dealing With Stinky Shoes? Make This DIY Stinky Shoe Spray!

If you’re dealing with stinky shoes, no matter who they belong to in the family, there is something that will help and you can DIY it! Make this stinky shoe spray to take care of the whole family’s smelly shoes.

This post is in partnership with NOW®. All opinions are my own.

I can’t be the only one that falls totally head over heels [literally] for fuzzy slippers and boots during the cooler months. In fact, I tend to wear them all year long because they’re just so cozy and warm!

But unfortunately I totally deal with stinky shoes quite regularly and my fuzzy slippers, comfy boots, and even some of my slip-on shoes are some of the stinkiest.

Why do some people have really stinky feet?

It’s a question I’ve googled a few times myself because it’s something I’ve dealt with my whole life. There, I said it – I have stinky feet. I hope we can still be friends!

All joking aside, I’ve always known my feet are stinkier than just the normal “sweaty foot smell”. I smell it myself and my hubby will be the first to tell you he smells it too!

Turns out, everyone gets stinky feet when they sweat, which allows bacteria to grow and thrive. It also turns out that I fall in the 10-15% of people that experience really stinky feet that harbor a bacteria called Kyetococcus sedentarius.

If you’ve never experienced it, lucky you, but this bacteria can often give off a sulphur type smell. Hubby likes to say “It smells sour!” and one of my poor girls seems to have inherited this trait from me.

I won’t reveal her identity though, she can come out on her own blog as a “stinky footer” when she turns 37 if she feels as brave as me!

What can you do about stinky feet?

Whether the “Special K” bacteria thrive on your feet or you or a loved one just get the occasional sweaty foot smell, it can still cause some problems and maybe even embarrassment. So what do you do about it? 

There are a few things you can do to keep smelly feet away:

1. Keep your feet clean. Showering and washing your feet daily will definitely help keep the stink at bay.
2. Wear the right socks and shoes. If your shoes are too tight, your feet are likely to sweat more. Also certain materials will definitely contribute to making your feet sweat more.
3. Wash your shoes [if you can] and socks regularly.
4. Don’t share shoes or towels with other people – it sounds gross, but be sure you’re using super clean towels at the gym and spa.

Some shoes and socks can easily be cleaned, but what about your beloved slippers, fuzzy boots, and other non-washable shoes? I’m not planning on throwing my comfy suede slippers in the washer anytime soon so I had to come up with a solution for them, as well as for my girls’ shoes. 

Make a DIY Stinky Shoe Spray

While it won’t cure everything, I’ve found that this homemade shoe spray greatly helps cut down on the stink coming from the insides of our shoes. And it’s really easy to make and you only need 3 things!

You’ll find the full recipe below, but you’ll notice I choose to use NOW® spray bottles and organic essential oils. Be sure to always use glass when making any DIY with essential oils. And I love that I can find USDA certified organic oils for an amazing price from NOW.

The botanicals used to produce our certified organic essential oils are grown in soil that is free of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, and herbicide residues. Each one is guaranteed to be – the finest quality available, identity verified, and certified organic by Quality Assurance International (QAI).

Source.

While this Stinky Shoe Spray will make the inside of your shoes smell fresh again, it won’t necessarily wash your shoes. But at least you won’t have to smell them anymore!