How to Keep Shoes and Insoles Fresh
Every pair of shoes takes in sweat, and a pair that never fully dries soon starts to smell. A few minutes a day of airing, rotating and drying can keep them fresher.
At the end of a long day you kick off your shoes by the door, and the next morning you put the same pair back on. After enough mornings like that, the inside of a shoe can start to smell. By then the question is where the smell is really coming from, the shoes, the socks or the feet, and why it comes back even after a wash.
The short answer
Shoes smell when sweat soaks into the lining and insoles and never fully dries. Freshness comes mostly from routine: take the insoles out after wear, give each pair a day off, and dry shoes in open air. Avoid heaters, radiators, hair dryers and clothes dryers, which can warp foam and loosen glue, and avoid wearing the same damp pair day after day. If odor stays despite good care, or the skin between your toes itches or peels, have it checked.
Why shoes and insoles start to smell
Shoe odor starts with moisture that has nowhere to go. The soles of your feet have some of the most tightly packed sweat glands in your body, and much of that sweat passes through your socks into the lining of the shoe and the insole, which sits right under your foot. Fresh sweat has little smell; odor builds when microbes that live on your skin and inside your shoes break it down, and a warm, dark, damp shoe suits them well.
A closed shoe dries slowly, so a pair worn again the next morning starts the day damp, and each day adds a little more moisture to the last. Materials matter too. Fabric linings and knit uppers soak up water and dry slowly, while plastic and patent uppers can trap sweat inside, and leather and canvas let more air through. So on a long or hot day, a breathable pair is the easier choice for your feet, and shoes that trap sweat are better saved for shorter outings.
A shoe can feel dry on the outside while its lining and insole are still damp, because moisture works its way out slowly through layers of fabric and foam, especially with the laces done up and the insole in place. That's why a pair needs about a day between wears, and why a pair worn every day never quite gets there. Two pairs in rotation give each one that time, and taking the insoles out speeds things up.
With only one pair, the night is all the drying time there is, so it pays to make the most of it. Getting the insoles out and the laces open as soon as you're home gives the moisture the longest possible start. It still won't match a full day off, which is why even an occasional day in different shoes is worth it when you can manage one.
A simple routine for fresh shoes
Most of this takes a minute at the end of the day. The first steps are the everyday ones, and the later ones are for the days a pair gets soaked or grubby. All you need is a soft cloth, paper towels, mild soap and, if you can, a second pair of shoes to rotate.
Take the insoles out after wear
At the end of the day, pull out removable insoles and loosen the laces so air can reach the inside of the shoe. Stand the insoles on their edge to dry.
Give each pair a day off
Rotate at least two pairs, so each one gets a full day to dry out before you wear it again.
Dry shoes in open air
Leave shoes where air can move around them, such as an open rack by the door, rather than in a closed locker, gym bag or car. Keep them away from heaters and direct sun.
Fill soaked shoes with paper towels
If a pair gets soaked, take out the insoles, open the shoes wide and fill them loosely with paper towels. Change the paper when it turns damp, and allow about a day.
Wipe insoles clean by hand
When insoles look or smell grubby, wipe them with a cloth dipped in water with a little mild soap. Do not soak them, and let them dry completely before they go back in.
Machine wash only if the label allows
Some fabric shoes can go in the washer: use a mesh bag and a cold, gentle cycle, then air-dry. Never put shoes in the dryer.
A soaked pair takes about a day at room temperature with the insoles out and paper towels inside, and thick, padded shoes and boots can take longer. Paper towels are the better choice over newspaper, since both soak up water but newsprint can leave ink on pale linings.
Where shoes spend the night, and what helps
The spot where shoes wait between wears matters too. A closed locker, a gym bag or a car trunk keeps warmth and moisture around a pair, much like the inside of a shoe, while an open shelf or rack in a dry room is the easy fix. If you change at work, carry the day's shoes home in a bag you can open, take them out as soon as you get in, and set any wet pair apart to dry on its own.
What goes on your feet matters as much as what happens to the shoes. Wool or synthetic blends keep feet drier than all-cotton socks, so less moisture reaches the shoe, and a fresh pair every day matters too, as how often to change your socks explains. A light dusting of foot powder on clean, dry feet can also help on sweaty days.
Skip heat as a shortcut, since dryers, radiators and hair dryers can warp foam, shrink materials and weaken the glue that holds most soles on. When a pair needs a proper cleaning, mesh, canvas and leather each need their own method, and how to clean sneakers walks through them.
When shoe odor may mean something more
Some smell is ordinary, and it's what the routine above is for. Shoes can smell after a hot day, a workout or a long shift, and a night with the insoles out or a day off usually brings them back. It also helps to notice where a smell lives. One that stays with a single pair and fades once that pair gets a proper rest is coming from the shoe, and the routine is doing its job.
Pay closer attention if the odor stays strong even with clean socks, dry shoes and daily washing. The same goes for itching, peeling or cracking skin between your toes, or sweating that soaks through your socks and shoes. It may not be serious, but it's worth getting checked.
Questions people ask
Can I put insoles in the washing machine?
It's safer to clean them by hand. Soaking sends water deep into the layers of foam and fabric, which can then take a long time to dry. Wipe them with a cloth and mild soapy water without soaking them, let them air-dry completely before they go back in the shoes, and follow any care instructions from the maker.
Why do my shoes still smell after washing?
Odor often returns when a pair isn't dried fully or is worn again too soon, so washing alone may not settle it. If shoes still smell after a thorough cleaning, a full drying and a day off, the insoles may be due for replacement.
Can I dry shoes in the sun?
Not for long. Strong sun can yellow white shoes, and its heat is hard on glue and foam, so a dry, airy spot indoors is the gentler choice. An open rack by the door is enough to let air move around a pair.
The bottom line
Shoes rarely start to smell because of one hard day, and they rarely stop because of one good wash. The smell builds each time a pair goes back on before it has finished drying, which makes time the most useful thing you can give it.
