Clean wet tennis shoes

We have a shoe off policy in our house. Partly because the bottom of a shoe is disgusting and we like to hang out in the floor with our kids. But also because it helps keep the carpet from being worn too quickly. That means we have to replace the carpet less often.

My oldest son is fantastic about taking his shoes off when he walks in the door. It’s just a habit because I started teaching him young!

When he goes outside to play, then comes inside to cool off, then out, then in, over and over again, he’s constantly taking his shoes off and on. Because of all the putting on and removing of his shoes, he decided it would be easier to just not wear socks. No socks didn’t bother me so I just let him. Until…

He shoes became so stinky we could hardly handle the smell!

Stinky shoes won’t last long in our house so I got to work to de-stinkify them! Here’s how to clean stinky shoes.

1. Wash stinky shoes in the washing machine.

We used to have a top loader washing machine so stinky sneakers could be submerged in water. A good cleaning would often get rid of the stinky shoe smell.

However, we now have a high-efficiency front loader that uses minimal water. HE washing machines do a great job cleaning clothes, but they don’t seem to do the trick for smelly shoes.

3. Put smelly shoes in the freezer.

This trick works suprisingly well, especially for shoes that shouldn’t get wet. Place the shoes in a clean freezer bag (I’m sure you don’t want shoe germs all over your food!) and let the cold kill the bacteria for 24 to 48 hours.

If cleaning and/or freezing stinky shoes doesn’t work, it just may be time to find new shoes. Just make sure to wear socks and occasionally sprinkle baking soda or use odor eaters to keep your favorite kicks fresh!