Slippers do not usually develop an odors quickly, but the stench can be rather awful when they do. This foot related stench can be off-putting from a footwear that is supposed to offer coziness within the comfort of one’s home.
Fortunately, there are a number of solutions available for lifting odors from slippers. The following household solutions will help in deodorizing slippers to ensure that they are always smelling their best.
Smell Removal Solutions for Slippers
1 Baking Soda
This household solution is a tried and true solution for lifting nasty foot related odors out of slippers. Scoop 3-4 teaspoon of baking soda and place within the interior of the slippers. Follow this action by quickly shuffling the footwear to cause the deodorizing powder to cover the areas where your foot normally comes into contact within the interior of the slippers. Allow the baking soda to set in overnight before pouring the used powder within a small bedside bowl for reuse during the subsequent night. You will want to repeat this action nightly with the slippers until all of the foot related funk has been absorbed from the slippers.
2 White Vinegar Rags
If the baking soda has not delivered desired results, using this household acid can work well in cutting through any remaining odors. Make a solution of one white vinegar and water within equal part in a kitchen bowl. Proceed to dunk two small dishcloths within the mixture and stuff the wet hand towels within the interior of each slipper. Allow the white vinegar drenched dishcloths to rest within the slippers overnight. The dish cloths can be removed within the morning and the slippers can be place outside within the sun to air dry.
3 Activated Charcoal Insert
If you are not in a rush, using activated charcoal inserts can be an effective solution. To create your own inserts you will need six activated charcoal briquettes and an old pair of nylon leggings. Begin by cutting the nylon leggings into two to separate the lags. Proceed to place three charcoal briquettes within each legging and then tie a knot to enclose the briquettes within. Finally, you will need to place each of these within the slippers on a nightly basis until no odor remains. Expect these homemade activated charcoal inserts to take approximately 5-7 to absorb the last of the footy funk from the insides of your slippers.
4 Newspaper + Dryer Sheets
Using fabric softening sheets in tandem with wadded newspaper can do much to remove foot odor from within slippers. Place two fabric softening sheets along the bottom interior of the slipper, and two along the inner top portion. Next, wad up several piece of newspaper and stuff it within the interior of slipper to hold the top two and bottom two pieces in place. Once completed, allow the shoes to sit for 24-48 hours as the newspaper absorbs the odor and the fabric softener transmits a fresh floral scent within them. Upon completion of this time period, the contents can be removed and the freshened slippers can be worn.
5 Place Them Within Sun
If your are without the deodorizing ingredients mentioned above you can freshen your slippers by placing them in direct sunlight within the yard. Place your slippers in a location within the yard where they can receive a minimum of 8 hours of direct sunlight. At the end of the day retrieve them and perform a quick smell test. If any odors remain, they can be placed outside within the sun for a second or third day until they have been completely deodorized.
6 Machine Wash – If Permitted
If your slipper are machine washable, you may want to consider placing them through a washing cycle. When performing this task, you run the washer on cold to prevent shrinkage and add in a half cup of baking soda to give a boost to the detergent solution. Upon completion of the wash cycle, place the slippers outside in the sun to be air dried. As a precaution, placing slippers within the dryer can potentially lead to unwanted shrinkage.
Photo credit: Robert Couse-Baker
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