How to get the smell out of shoes

Why shoes smell

Polygiene, a company that sells odor-control treatments for fabrics, says microorganisms love moisture, and that sweat does not make the smell directly. It says the insole and footbed are the worst offenders, and that socks that do not breathe add moisture. Because Polygiene sells a related product, weigh its view with care.

What people suggest

• Take out the insoles and let them air out somewhere with fresh air moving.
• Rotate pairs so each pair dries fully between wears.
• Wear dry socks that breathe.
• Baking soda. Arm & Hammer’s instructions are to put half a cup of baking soda in the centre of a piece of fabric, make it into a sachet, and place sachets in your shoes.
• Activated charcoal, which Polygiene lists as another odor absorber.
• Wash washable shoes. Polygiene says washing is an effective way to remove bacteria. Check the care label first, and see our guide to washing running shoes.

What about the freezer?

Polygiene says bacteria do not like sub-zero temperatures. House Digest says freezing will not solve the problem for good, only reduce the smell for some time, and says not to freeze suede or leather. We found no test of freezing, only advice.

How much of this is proven

The sources above are makers, a vendor and a publisher giving advice. We found no published test that compares these methods, so none of them is proven to work better than another.