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How do you get the smell out of shoes?

FLMountainMan

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I have a lot of shoes, but my favorites are actually a pair of black Charles Tyrwhitt captoes. Snicker if you must, but they look really great and lasted me an entire legislative session in which I wore them three times a week for twelve+ hours a day.

Despite putting shoe trees in every night, they stink pretty bad - like feet w/a faint tinge of cedar. How do I defunk them?
 

zatarregaza

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Cedar shoe trees have always worked for me.

If the stench is especially bad, it might not help too much. If used regularly (sand them down just a bit from time to time) you shouldn't notice any smell over the life of your shoes. Plus they help your shoes keep their shape!
 

Tarmac

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I think you should cut down on their wear to 2 days a week, and maybe put them outside in the shade when you can, for a few hours. If that doesn't work, try using a commercial odor spray. Also if you really like them that much, get anotehr exactly identical pair and rotate both.
 

j

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Hmm, maybe you could pack them with baking soda-filled cloth bags or something. Or yeah, use that spray they have at the bowling alleys... it must work to some degree, because the shoes generally smell like the spray more than like feet.
 

mataleao

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Try Febreez antimicrobial spray. It seems to work for my raw selvedge denim I haven't washed in a year. If that doesn't work, sprinkle some baking soda inside the shoe and vacuum it out after a few hours.
 

tbone226

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Use the spray that they use in bowling alleys for the rental shoes.
 

FLMountainMan

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Yeah, I have a couple of other black pairs to rotate in now, even though they aren't as nice. I'll take the frebreze and baking soda ideas. That's won't hurt the leather at all?
 

j

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I doubt it, but I'm not sure. I wouldn't put baking soda directly on them personally, that was why I recommended wrapping it in cloth.
 

stickonatree

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get those odor killer balls from footlocker or something. and rotate more often, as well as wear good socks
 

Holstein Bilter

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Leaving them outside helps. Of course don't leave them unprotected against the elements. Keep the leather portions covered..but let the shoe breathe.

It's like hanging clothes dry outside. It works.
 

DARLEY

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Baking soda absorbs odors and moisture, but does not kill bacteria. So we need to use an odor killer containing rubbing alcohol.
 

Tarmac

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personally I dont like the idea of putting additional foreign substances inside the shoe, such as baking soda or talc or whatever. It's just more stuff that can get gunked up and moldy and smelly.

Some people don't like putting their leather shoes in direct sunlight, but you would be amazed at how much bacteria/fungi die in the heat of the sun. If smell was a serious problem I would put it out in the sun for 30 min or so, see if that helps. It can't be much worse than walking outdoors all day.
 

Faded501s

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Originally Posted by Tarmac
personally I dont like the idea of putting additional foreign substances inside the shoe, such as baking soda or talc or whatever. It's just more stuff that can get gunked up and moldy and smelly.

+1. I let my shoes sit for a couple of days in trees and when they are dry I spray a little Simple Green straight up to the toe area and let them dry without trees. It kills the bacteria that causes odors.
 

hoopvillian

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Kiwi makes a shoe spray that smells good and I THINK kills germs too.
 

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