Prevent Unwanted Gym-Shoe Stink With This Clever & Natural Solution

Whether you prefer the hot girl walk or a gym membership, exercise can get you all kinds of sexy if you work hard enough, but it has the total opposite effect on athletic shoes. That's why many people are left with stinky shoes that they are desperate to deodorize. The reason that gym shoes start to smell bad is because bacteria grows on the average human foot at alarming rates, Nike explains. The sports shoe juggernaut also points out that this bacteria creates a number of unpleasant acids, like propanoic acid and methanethiol. None of these are actually bad for you healthwise, but they will help your shoes develop an odor that can run the gamut from "smelly socks" all the way to "rotting cabbages." Yikes!

Don't feel bad if that's the case for you, because even people with amazing hygiene develop sweaty feet. Consider the high number of sweat glands on the foot, coupled with the fact that gym shoes are by design damp and dark, and it's no wonder that bacteria thrive there. The great news is that the fix to deodorize your favorite sneakers is easy enough, and involves only a simple homemade sachet of baking soda. 

You probably already have a box of baking soda sitting in the refrigerator to soak up food-related odors. In fact, the product can neutralize all kinds of stinky smells. "Many unwanted smells are the result of acidic compounds," Aspen Clean's Audrey Pariés tells Martha Stewart. "Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is an alkaline substance, and when it comes into contact with acidic odors, it reacts to neutralize them." The chemical reaction causes a shift in pH levels, which effectively gets rid of any unwanted odors. 

Arm & Hammer advises making a DIY shoe sachet that will eliminate odors completely. First, collect the supplies: a box of baking soda, some cloth or fabric that measures 6 inches by 6 inches, a rubber band, string, or ribbon, and essential oil for adding a light fragrance, if desired. To put it together, lay out the fabric piece and put a ½ cup of baking soda in the middle. Then, put a few drops of essential oil in the baking soda (optional). Next, gather the ends of the fabric and tie them together with the rubber band or string. Repeat as needed to make the desired number of sachets, then put them inside the shoes to work their deodorizing magic! This isn't limited to athletic shoes by any means. If you want to wear your favorite sneakers to work but notice that they're starting to smell, go ahead and use it on those, too. 

There's usually more than one way to get a job done, and deodorizing athletic shoes is no exception. Nike also advises that it's easy to get rid of shoe smells by using baking soda (¼ cup) mixed with cornstarch (½ cup) and baking powder (¼ cup). Mix them all together and either sprinkle some directly in the shoes or put the concoction in some cotton socks and place one inside each shoe. Let it sit overnight and enjoy nice, neutral-smelling shoes in the morning. 

If any of these options are just too extra for you, Nike also says that baking soda can be lightly poured into the shoes on its own and left to do its job for a minimum of 24 hours. Women's Running suggests that extremely active people may also want to consider rotating between two or three pairs of shoes so that they have adequate time to dry out and deodorize between fitness sessions.