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This DIY shoe deodorizer spray uses essential oils to naturally knock out stinky feet smells! Knowing that none of us moms personally need a homemade stinky shoe spray (ahem), I’m just here to tell you about this useful tool for the sake of our kids’ or husbands’ shoes. 😉
I’m going to use my daughter as an example of how I know this stinky shoe spray works. Last fall when the weather was still warm, she’d come home after school with sweaty sneakers and it was quite amazing what kind of odor her 7-year-old feet could produce!
Maybe it was because they were cheap sneakers from Walmart. Maybe she just had stinky feet sweat. Either way, washing her sneakers in the washing machine didn’t help much. I heard from a friend that there are some essential oils that are wonderful at getting out shoe odor, so I did some research.
Let me tell you…I was blown away by the results! No more stink!
Plus it’s super easy to make too. All you need to make this stinky shoe spray is 5 essential oils, a spray bottle, and some water. It takes only 5 minutes to make and this stuff really works!
Stinky shoes happen. As moisture becomes trapped in the shoes or socks, they create bacteria, and that bacteria smells pretty stinky.
Other sprays cover up the smells with strong scents. But that doesn’t deal with the root of the issue. It’s better to remove the smells by killing the bacteria at the source.
Some people try to fix smelly shoes with a sprinkle of baking soda – but that is kinda messy. Instead, deodorizer sprays dry quickly and don’t leave a mess behind.
You can even use this spray on your furniture (just spot test it first) or to freshen your gym bag.
4 oz Empty Glass Spray Bottle (be sure to get glass bottles, because citrus (lemon) essential oils corrode plastic bottles)
How To Make DIY Shoe Deodorizer
To make the homemade stinky shoe spray, simply add 10 drops each of lemon, eucalyptus, clove, cinnamon, and rosemary to your glass spray bottle. That’s 50 drops total.
If you prefer using fewer drops, try 5 drops of each oil (25 drops total). You can add more essential oils later if needed.
Fill the rest with water and give it a gentle shake. Then spray inside whichever shoe is causing the most stink! It’s that simple!
How to Use This DIY Shoe Deodorizer
You may have noticed that this combination of oils is the same combo used in the Essential Oil Roller for Immune Support. That’s because these oils all have one thing in common – they are either antibacterial or anti-fungal. Those are the two culprits that cause the shoe odor to begin with!
If you add the essential oil roller to the bottom of your feet (which I have done plenty of times), it has a double benefit. It keeps my slippers from getting too smelly while I’m helping to protect myself against potential viruses.
Wherever you have an area in your house where shoes are stored, either an entryway or your closet, you’ll want a bottle of this close by. I know I like to normally recommend these homemade essential oil projects as nice gift ideas as well – but I haven’t figured out a polite way to make this a “gift.” If you think of a creative way, let us know in the comments. 🙂
If you have any teenage boys or girls that play sports, I’d love some feedback after you try this. (I have 3 & 7-year-old girls). I bet it works wonders on sporting equipment as well, so I’d love for you to leave in the comments if you have tried it, and it does!
FAQs About Homemade Shoe Deodorizers
If you don’t see your question about how to make a natural shoe deodorizer in this list, please leave it in the comments. I’ll do my best to get back to you!
What home remedy kills shoe odor?
You might have heard about people using arrowroot powder or even kitty litter inside their shoes. No matter what you read on Facebook or Pinterest, this essential oil mixture spray is really all you need. It works so well!
How can I deodorize my shoes fast?
All you have to do is spritz the inside of the shoes with this essential oil spray. The oils will kill the bacteria that cause the bad smells and leave you with clean-smelling shoes. It doesn’t get much quicker than that!
How do you get the bad smell out of shoes?
If you have a really tough smell, you might want to use this spray in addition to baking soda. Fill a coffee filter with a scoop of baking soda and a few drops of your favorite essential oils, or several sprays of this blend. Then place these homemade shoe deodorizer sachets in the toe of the shoes overnight.
Should I add alcohol to my deodorizer sprays?
No, it isn’t necessary. Some people like to use it to kill odor-causing bacteria (plus it dries really quickly). Essential oils are natural disinfectants so you don’t need to add anything like alcohol or vinegar to them.
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About Maura
Maura, her husband and 2 daughters live in upstate NY. She is a former high school biology teacher turned into a work at home mom. She loves to have fun and find a great deal. As well as writing for Living Well Mom, she shares her frugal tips and DIY projects on happydealhappyday.com.
Comments
Alma Vaca (Shower Caddies INFO)says
Love this! I also like how natural the shoe spray is and since it’s DIY, it’s more personalized compared to the ones you buy at stores. 🙂
Found you on Pinterest, going to try this as many of my flats and running shoes start to get funk-tastic and spray on amazon (using pretty much the same essential oils you named) are like $13 for 4 oz!
A great way to gift it would be paired with a pumice stone, maybe some foot lotion and oher pedicure things. Then its just an item in a basket…so not offensive or anything.
Alma Vaca (Shower Caddies INFO) says
Love this! I also like how natural the shoe spray is and since it’s DIY, it’s more personalized compared to the ones you buy at stores. 🙂
Shannyn says
Found you on Pinterest, going to try this as many of my flats and running shoes start to get funk-tastic and spray on amazon (using pretty much the same essential oils you named) are like $13 for 4 oz!
Adam says
Great tips, I used it for my gym sneakers!
Ethel says
Hi,
A great way to gift it would be paired with a pumice stone, maybe some foot lotion and oher pedicure things. Then its just an item in a basket…so not offensive or anything.
Erika says
Great ideas, Ethel!