After daily use of your favorite pair of Converse, you may find a recognizable foot odor emanating from the depths of the shoes. This funky fume is often a sign that the shoes have a foot related bacteria building within them.
Fortunately, there are several household solution for treating odors within Converse to freshen the shoes and remove any foot stench. By following the deodorizing solution below, you can add a freshening touch to your pair of Converse and have them smelling like new.
Converse Smell Removal Solutions
1 Rotate Shoes
Smells often develop within Converse shoes when they are worn too often. Constant use can have the effect of not allowing the needed airing out time required to dry out the odorous residues. As a preventative solution to this problem, the shoes can be rotated with another pair to ensure that one pair is being aired out while the other is being worn. This method can also help with maintaining a fresh apperance on a daily basis, as Converse shoes come within a range of colors and styles.
2 Sprinkle Baking Soda
As an old tried and true method, the use of baking soda to absorb difficult foot odors can work well in deodorizing Converse shoes. Measure 2-3 teaspoon of the deodorizing powder and sprinkle within the interior of each shoes. Proceed to shuffle the Converse lightly to ensure that baking soda makes it all of the way down to the toe area where the smells are at there worst. Continue this practice nightly until the baking soda been effective at absorbing all of your foot odor to leave your Converse smelling fresh.
3 Cat Litter
This solution may sound strange, but these odor absorbent granules can work wonders in pulling in difficult odors from the interior of your shoes. Measure a quarter cup of cat litter to be poured within the interior of each Converse shoes. Proceed to shuffle the granules along the bottom, making sure that some cat litter reaches the toe area of the shoe. Allow this product granule solution to sit within Converse over night. Proceed to pour the cat litter contents into a spare bedside cup for reuse during subsequent nights until the odor has been lifted.
4 Enzyme Spray + Newspaper
If the odors living within your Converse are especial repugnant, an enzyme cleaning solution can be use to eat through the smelly foot residues. Begin by spraying down the interior of your shoes with an enzyme cleaning spray. Your will want to make sure that the spray makes it all of the way down to the toes area of the shoes and that no area is left untreated. Next, you will need to stuff the shoes to completely full with newspaper balls and allow them to sit overnight. By morning, the newspaper balls can be removed from the interior of the Converse, and the shoes can be placed outside in the sun to air dry any remaining enzyme moisture.
5 Activated Charcoal Inserts
As a final solution, the use of activated charcoal can be an effective one for treating odor and maintaining freshness for long periods of time. To apply this solution, you will need to cut an old pair of nylon leggings in half to separate the legs. Next stuff 3-4 activated charcoal briquettes within each stocking and tie a knot to enclose them within the foot area. Nightly, you will want to place these nylon enclosed activated charcoal inserts within each shoe to allow them to absorb as much smelly odor a possible.
Photo credit: Martin Thomas
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