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Summer for us means long days for adventuring, sweaty feet, and stinky shoes. It doesn’t matter that we have many pairs of shoes; the ones that get used the most are our runners and hiking boots, and those get used hard. The stench emanating from the shoe rack is a distasteful cost of an active lifestyle that I’ve struggled with for many years. Here are some tips for dealing with stinky shoes!
The guarantee on the bottle seemed too good to be true – Stink Free Guarantee or Your Money Back! Really? After a good run in my favorite, raunchy runners, I gave each shoe a few sprays, then took a whiff to see if there was any improvement. Immediately after spraying, I could smell a light lemon mint smell. The shoe odor was noticeably reduced, but I wasn’t sure if the smell had simply been masked. I decided to let the shoes dry, then check the smell level. The next day, the shoes had no stink, so I went for another run and promptly stuck my nose in a shoe to see if the smell had returned (as it usually does when the shoe is warm and damp). No smell! I kept wearing the shoes day after day as I always do, and 10 days later (shoes worn 7 times), the shoes were still stink free! I’m curious to see how long the effects of the spray will last and will update when I know!
Scroll down for the Amare Terra Shoe Deodorizer Review & Giveaway!
How to Get Rid of Shoe Odor
I’ve tried various methods to remove the reek with varying levels of success:
- Febreze / Bounce dryer sheets – Spray Febreze in your shoes or put a dryer sheet in each shoe to get rid of smell fast. These products mask the smell well, but must be used frequently to keep smell at bay. As soon as my shoes get wet and warm again, the smell comes back. I stopped using these products due to chemical sensitivities.
- Cornstarch / Baby powder – Sprinkle some in your shoes and on your feet. Cornstarch and baby powder absorb moisture to make your shoes a little less friendly to odor causing bacteria. This works if your feet aren’t super soakers when it comes to sweat.
- Baking soda – Sprinkle baking soda in your shoes when you get home and shake out the excess before wearing the shoes again. This is a simple and effective deodorizer to use periodically. Frequent use could lead to skin irritation due to a higher pH than your skin.
- Odor Eaters Insoles – These work if you can fit them in your shoes and if you put them in brand new shoes. Once you’ve stinkified your shoes, good luck getting the stench out. I tried them in a particularly ripe pair of shoes and didn’t notice any reduction in odour (but on the plus side, the smell did not get worse). I have read that silver shoe inserts work well as silver inhibits bacterial growth, but have yet to try this.
- Wash Your Shoes – Running shoes can go in the wash on gentle cycle with mild detergent and baking soda. This usually gets rid of most of the smell if you are careful to let the shoes dry completely before wearing them again. Tumble dry them on low heat for 20-30 minutes, then put them in the sun to dry (don’t dry completely in the dryer or you’ll ruin your expensive runners!). The issue is time – can you make do without your runners for a day?
There are several other tricks you can try, but the best is to wear technical socks, alternate shoes so they can dry out completely between games/workouts/hikes/shifts, and wash them periodically. Between washes, use natural shoe deodorizers that help eliminate the source of the odor rather than just mask smell or absorb moisture.
Be Stink Free!
I recently received a free sample of Amare Terra Shoe Deodorizer to try and the timing couldn’t have been better. My 1 year old runners were getting a bit too funky for my liking even though I often let them sunbathe (to kill bacteria and dry them out).
The guarantee on the bottle seemed too good to be true – Stink Free Guarantee or Your Money Back! Really? After a good run in my favorite, raunchy runners, I gave each shoe a few sprays, then took a whiff to see if there was any improvement. Immediately after spraying, I could smell a light lemon mint smell. The shoe odor was noticeably reduced, but I wasn’t sure if the smell had simply been masked. I decided to let the shoes dry, then check the smell level. The next day, the shoes had no stink, so I went for another run and promptly stuck my nose in a shoe to see if the smell had returned (as it usually does when the shoe is warm and damp). No smell! I kept wearing the shoes day after day as I always do, and 10 days later (shoes worn 7 times), the shoes were still stink free! I’m curious to see how long the effects of the spray will last and will update when I know!
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| EEWWW! Stinky shoes! |
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| Spray 3 sprays of shoe deodorizer in each shoe. |
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| Yay for #StinkFree shoes! |
How does it work?
This all natural, biodegradable solution contains natural fragrance and probiotics to get rid of shoe odor and prevent it from coming back!
What I Like
The thing I like most about Amare Terra’s Shoe Deodorizer is that it works! I also like the fragrance; it isn’t chemical or overpowering. I have a lot of allergies and chemical sensitivities, so have to be careful with products I put on me or items I wear. At least 99% of ingredients are naturally derived, so I feel comfortable using this product on my shoes, my hubby’s shoes, and my children’s stinky shoes. (Soccer season = stank-ass trainers!)
Further, I feel the product is good value for the money. For $15 US, you get 2 bottles, and each bottle contains >500 sprays. I only used 3 sprays per shoe and have been stink free for over 10 days, so 2 bottles will last a long time!
Last but not least, I always love a company that gives back!
A Company That Gives Back
10% of all sales go back to helping others. Currently, Amare Terra is supporting The Water Project Inc. to build wells in Africa. Why are they doing this? Amare Terra loves Earth and people. : )
Where to Buy
Amare Terra’s Shoe Odor Eliminator spray is available here and on Amazon. (Update: As of December 2015, the company has rebranded as Simply Earth.)
Enter to Win!
3 winners will be randomly selected from qualified entrants.
Criteria: Complete Rafflecopter entries below. Open to US Residents only (Sorry, fellow Canadians).a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure
I received a free sample of Amare Terra Natural Shoe Odor Eliminator to review and was not paid for this review. All words are my own and as always, this review contains my honest opinions.
