The majority of people may have a pair of good work boots. However, if these work boots have a bad smell, you may lead to many problems. First of all, if you wear this pair of smelly work boots for a long time, the feet will smell blackish. It can lead to a bad smell that sticks to your feet. In some cases, it may even cause foot odor. These smelly work boots not only make you feel gross but also appear unsanitary in any professional setting.

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Troubles With Work Boots

The bottom of work boots collects a lot of dirt, grease, and other residues from the workplace. Besides, it is also due to the lack of air circulation, which causes the inside of the boots to get warm and humid, which in turn causes bacteria to grow. In addition, most people have sweat glands at the bottom of their feet; the warm and humid environment in work boots can cause foot odor.

Some major factors promote the growth of bacteria:

1. The temperature is high, and the temperature difference between the inside and outside causes sweat to be sticky.
2. The temperature is low, and it can’t be ventilated properly.
3. It is not clean enough, and there will be bacteria under the surface.
4. It has been in a closed space for a long time, so there will be a large number of bacteria in it.
5. Not air-dried after cleaning, so water does not evaporate so that bacteria grow fast.

8 Easy Tricks To Eliminate Bad Odor From Work Boots

Baking soda

Baking soda is alkaline and can be used as a deodorant. By mixing some baking soda with some water, we can spray the affected part and dry it. When baking soda is neutralized and dried, it removes the foul odor of work boots.

To clean your work boots with baking soda, you should follow these steps:

1. Step 1: Wear your work boots and cover any place where you can smell.
2. Step 2: Use a brush and some baking soda to scrub the work boots, and the smell will be gone.
3. Step 3: Wash it with some water, dry it, and put on your regular rubber mocassin again.

Precaution in using baking soda: 

1. It is not recommended to use for metal or plastic boots;
2. Baking soda is not suitable for work boots with latex insole. If the surface of the work boots has some rubber material, it can make your feet become bad;
3. Do not apply too much baking soda on the problem point because baking soda can irritate your skin and damage your health;
4. After you wear your work boots, wash them after each day before putting on your shoes to avoid the appearance of malodor again.

Corn starch

Corn starch is a common household product, which can help to remove bad smells and deodorize your work boots. Since corn starch is white and powdery, it can stick very well on the surface of the work boots and form a layer of an oil film. So, when we walk on our feet, we don’t feel too much bad odor on our feet. When we put some cornstarch powder or mixed with water to spray the affected part, it can effectively remove the bad smell of work boots.

To clean your work boots with cornstarch, follow these steps:

1. Step 1: Sprinkle corn starch into a cup and mix it with a little water to form a paste.
2. Step 2: Dip the affected parts in hot water with the paste, let it dry in the air for almost 10 minutes, then brush with some toothbrush to remove the bad smell of work boots.
3. Step 3: Wash it with some water and dry it, and wear your usual shoes again.

Precaution in using corn starch:

1. Corn starch does not have any deodorant effect, so please carry out the elimination of bad odor at the earliest time;
2. There is a small risk of corn starch being contaminated by bacteria, if you feel that your skin has an abnormal reaction, please consult a doctor.

Essential oil 

Essential oil is a natural plant extract, which is widely used in the cosmetic industry. The smell of essential oil can cover the bad smell in work boots by stimulating the secretion of sweat so as to make work boots comfortable. In addition, the scent of the essential oil can make work boots more beautiful, so it can also make people feel better about working. Therefore, we should choose some good quality essential oil so that it can help us to remove bad smells from work boots.

To clean your work boots with essential oil, follow these steps:

1. Step 1: Add some essential oil to water in a small bowl, mix it to form an emulsion.
2. Step 2: Apply the mixture on one foot of work boots and let the mixture dry for 15 minutes.
3. Step 3: Wash it with hot water, sponge it with some warm water to remove the bad smell of work boots.

Precaution in using essential oil:

1. Do not use essential oil directly without dilution;
2. If you have some skin problems, please consult a doctor.

Alcohol spray

Alcohol is a kind of solvent, which can remove the bad odor from work boots. In addition, alcohol can directly eliminate the bad smell from the work boots just by spraying. We should also treat the work boots with a clean and dry cloth before spraying them with alcohol. Then we can enjoy working in a fresh and good atmosphere.

To clean your work boots with alcohol:

Step 1: Clean and dry your work boots and spray them with some alcohol-based solution to remove the odor;

Step 2: Wash it with some water and dry it, then wear your usual shoes again.

Precaution in using alcohol spray:

1. The use of alcohol on the skin is not recommended;
2. Do not expose the work boots to the sun after drying. Otherwise, it will make your work boots easily get out of shape.

Teabags

Teabags are mainly used to remove the bad odor of work boots. It can remove the bad smell and absorb moisture to dry out the work boots. However, do not expose the work boots to sunlight after the washing because these kinds of teabags are easily damaged by ultraviolet light.

To clean your work boots with tea bags, follow these steps:

1. Step 1: Put some teabags into a shallow bowl and microwave it for about 4 minutes.
2. Step 2: Wet one hand and rub the teabag well.
3. Step 3: Dry it and put on the shoes again;
4. Step 4: Use some paper towels to dry the work boots and put them on your shoes.

Precaution in using teabags:

1. Teabag can make the leather of work boots soft and easy to get damaged, so please check whether your work boots’ leather is smooth and durable first;
2. If you feel that the smell is not gone after following the above three steps, you can use other deodorant products, such as baking soda or corn starch, to remove the bad smell from work boots.

Lemonade Spray 

Lemonade is a kind of acidic liquid containing citric and ascorbic acids, and vitamin C. Lemonade can help remove the foul odor from work boots and moisturize your skin. After you wear your work boots, you can use lemonade to clean your work boots to remove the bad smell on the surface. If you do not have some lemonade at home, adding some sugar into the water can also substitute.

To clean your work boots with lemonade spray, follow these steps:

1. Step 1: Add some sugar or dissolve some lemons into the water in a shallow bowl. Wait for about 5 minutes to form a simple syrup.
2. Step 2: Use a clean and dry cloth to wipe the surface of the work boots with the syrup.
3. Step 3: Wash it with hot water, use a soft brush to remove the bad smell from work boots.

Precaution in using lemonade spray:

1. The use of lemonade on the skin is not recommended;
2. Do not expose the work boots to the sun after drying. Otherwise, it will make your work boots easily get out of shape.
3. Lemonade Spray is a more effective way of removing bad odors from leather boots. However, it may change the color of your work boots for a while.

Dryer Sheet

Dryer sheets are generally used to remove dust and odors but also can eliminate the bad smell from your work boots. Use dryer sheets to wrap your work boots, and then you can easily remove the bad smell. If you do not have dryer sheets, using some cotton wool to wrap your work boots can also be a substitute. 

To clean your work boots with a dryer sheet, follow these steps:

1. Step 1: Put some dryer sheets into the shoe box and shake it well.
2. Step 2: Put them into one pair of work boots and let them dry in the air for about 5–10 minutes, then remove it.
3. Step 3: Wash it with hot water, then put it on your feet.

Precaution in using dryer sheets:

1. Do not use dryer sheets to wipe the shoes directly because it will damage the leather of work boots.
2. The time for letting the shoes be dried should be set according to their thickness and material.

Change your socks regularly to keep work boots clean

We should keep changing our socks regularly because our feet sweat during work, then the sweat will make the boots dirty. It is also the reason why there is not only a bad smell in your work boots but also it can cause some diseases like athlete’s foot. If you do not change socks often, then you may have to buy some specific deodorant to remove the bad smell from your work boots.

FAQs

Does putting shoes in the freezer kill the smell?

The smell can be killed. You can put them in the freezer for 1–2 hours. When you take them out, let them air out in a well-ventilated area for a while.

Why do my shoes smell after washing?

Shoes might smell after washing because the synthetic materials used to make them may leave a chemical taste on your feet, which can make you feel uncomfortable. In addition, shoe leather will also get stretched if you wear them quite often or walk a lot, then this will also cause some problems to your feet, including being hurt.

How to keep boots from smelling?

Wear thick socks when wearing work boots. Clean them every time you return from the field. Clean your boots when they start getting a bad smell. Don’t put them in a plastic bag in your locker or in your car overnight to dry out if they get wet. This will make them smell worse. Instead, let them dry naturally away from heat and sunlight before putting them away again.

How to deodorize medical boots?

Deodorize medical boots at the lowest possible temperature. Turn them inside out and let them air dry. Medical doctors often use an aftershave lotion specifically to deodorize boots. This is because some drugs can cause a bad smell to get into the shoes if the drug residue is left on them after application. The aftershave lotion can be used to remove this residue and keep your boots safe and clean.

What can I use to deodorize work boots?

You can use a combination of disinfectants to keep work boots fresh and non-offensive. Try using a mixture of half water, half white vinegar for a maximum effect. Spray from an aerosol can or pour into a spray bottle and use as desired. Be careful as the chemical may stain fabrics, leathers, etc.

Why do work boots smell like ammonia?

Ammonia smell results from the accumulation of sweat and bacteria on the boots. Bacteria are attracted by moisture, so make sure to keep your work boots dry, clean, and empty. You can also use an antiperspirant to fight excessive sweating.