How to Clean inside Shoes to Remove Odor

Co-authored by Moe Draper and Dan Hickey

Last Updated: May 29, 2022 References

Stinky shoes and insoles are common, but still unpleasant—what can you do to clean the insides of shoes? It turns out there are a ton of easy DIY tricks to make your shoes smell as good as new! We’ve put together a helpful list of ways to clean inside shoes so you don’t have to worry about bad smells following you around in your favorite footwear. If you’re ready to oust the odor, read on!

1

Sprinkle the insides with baking soda.

Baking soda is an odor neutralizer that kills bacteria. Sprinkle some baking soda inside the shoes and leave them for a few hours or overnight. In the morning, shake the baking soda out or use a small vacuum to remove. This will help take out some, if not all, of the smell.
- If you just want to treat just the insoles, remove them and place them in a large plastic bag with 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of baking soda. Shake up the bag and let it sit overnight. Wipe off the baking soda with a clean cloth.
- For maintenance, try sprinkling some baking soda into your shoes after each wear to keep them fresh.

2

Spray them with water and white vinegar.

Vinegar is a natural disinfectant as well as a deodorizer. In a spray bottle, create a mixture of half water and half distilled white vinegar. Spray the interior of the shoes and let them air dry thoroughly for about 30 minutes. Repeat as needed.^{[1]
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- If you’re in a hurry, speed up the drying time with a hair dryer.
- Alternatively, dampen a clean cloth or paper towel with distilled white vinegar and thoroughly rub the insides of your shoes. Let the shoes air dry completely.^{[2]
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- To treat removable insoles with vinegar, soak them in a mixture of 1 part hot water and 2 parts distilled white vinegar for several hours and air dry.^{[3]
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3

Remove and clean the insoles.

If your insoles come out, a simple wash can kill your shoe odor. Mix equal parts water and detergent in a small bowl to make a paste. Remove the insoles and gently scrub them with a clean cloth dipped in the paste. Rinse with cold water and let them air dry completely, preferably in the sun.
- Scrub with an old toothbrush or nylon brush in place of a cloth if preferred.
- Alternatively, place the insoles in a pillowcase or delicate laundry bag and throw them in the washing machine. Use regular laundry detergent on a delicate cycle, then air dry.
  - If you’re deodorizing athletic shoes, you can toss the entire shoe in the wash without damaging it.

4

Air them out in the sun.

For mild odors, fresh air and sunlight can do the trick. Leave your shoes by an open window (or outdoors if you have a protected space and the weather is nice) for a day or two to thoroughly dry out. The sun’s UV rays will kill bacteria, and the fresh air will carry the odor away.^{[4]
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5

Freeze them.

Extreme cold can kill odor-causing bacteria. Place your shoes in a clean freezer bag to prevent germs from spreading to your food. Leave them in the freezer for up to 48 hours to let the cold do its work. This works especially well for shoes or insoles that got wet when they weren’t supposed to (like leather or suede).^{[5]
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6

Leave dryer sheets inside them.

Dryer sheets are a cheap and easy way to deodorize shoes and insoles. Cut up or fold 1 or 2 dryer sheets per shoe and leave them inside overnight to soak up any bad smells. Fabric softener sheets work too!^{[6]
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7

Stuff them with crumpled newspaper.

Newspaper is great at absorbing excess moisture and removing odors. Crumple an old newspaper into balls and stuff your shoes with them. Let the paper sit inside the shoes overnight. When you take the paper out in the morning, the smell will be gone.^{[7]
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- Try adding a few drops of an essential oil like vanilla to the newspaper for a refreshing scent.

8

Treat them with rubbing alcohol.

Rubbing alcohol is a strong disinfectant as well as an odor remover. Pour some rubbing alcohol on cotton balls and place them inside your shoes. Leave them to sit for a few hours or overnight. When you remove them, your shoe smell will be gone!^{[8]
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- Alternatively, pour some rubbing alcohol into a spray bottle and mist the inside of your shoes for the same deodorizing effect.^{[9]
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9

Soak up the smell with black tea bags.

Black tea has antibacterial properties because it contains tannins. To put them to work in your shoes, boil 2 black tea bags for about 3 minutes. Remove the bags and let them sit for 5 minutes. Place them in your shoes for about 3 hours and your shoes will smell fresh once more.^{[10]
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- The bags will probably leave your shoes somewhat damp. Wipe them with a clean cloth after you take the bags out and let them air dry completely.
- Alternatively, leave dry, unused tea bags in your shoes overnight to remove most, if not all, of the odor.^{[11]
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- If the tea bag leaves a faint stain in white or light-colored shoes, scrub the spot with warm water and liquid laundry detergent while it’s still wet to remove.

10

Leave cat litter in them overnight.

Cat litter has amazing deodorizing and liquid absorbing properties. Pour some litter into a pair of loose socks or pantyhose and let it sit in your shoes overnight. The litter will eliminate any lingering moisture and bad smells. Toss the socks along with the litter, or wash them to reuse later.^{[12]
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- If you don’t want to mix litter with your socks, sprinkle clean litter directly into the shoes. In the morning, dump it out and wipe the insides with a cloth.
- A pet deodorizing spray can also work to eliminate tough shoe odors.

11

Stuff them with orange peels.

Orange peels smell fresh and are great at soaking up foul odors. Treat yourself to a tasty orange but keep the peels. Throw them in your shoes instead of the trash and let them sit overnight. In the morning, you’ll be treated to citrus-scented shoes!^{[13]
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12

Scent them with essential oils.

Your favorite essential oils will mask any odors coming from your shoes. Put 3 to 5 drops directly into each shoe. If you don’t want the oils to touch your shoes directly, put a few drops onto crumpled newspaper balls and let them sit overnight or add drops to your water and vinegar spray.^{[14]
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- Essential oils like eucalyptus, peppermint, tea tree, orange, and lemongrass smell great and have antibacterial and antifungal properties.