How to Clean Stinky Winter Boots

Co-authored by Marc Sigal

Last Updated: October 21, 2021 References

Winter is right around the corner, and with it comes a host of distinct smells. However, you don’t want the stench of your old, worn-out winter boots to be one of them. Winter boots are exposed to body heat and moisture, which makes them an ideal habitat for odor-causing bacteria. Once your high-mileage boots start to stink, it usually means you’re overdue for a new pair. If you’re attached to your favorite pair, though, or don’t have the money to spend on new footwear and still get all your Christmas shopping done, there are ways to get pesky odor out of your boots and make sure it stays gone.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Eliminating Odor from Your Boots

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Scrub the boots with soap and water. Like anything else, if your boots are dirty, they need to be cleaned. Fill a basin with warm water and mix in a small amount of mild detergent. Remove the insoles from your boots and whisk them through the soapy water, making sure each is washed and rinsed thoroughly. Wipe the inside and outside of the boots clean using a washcloth. Allow the boots to dry completely, or microorganisms will build back up due to the moisture.^{[1]
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- If your boots see a lot of use, you should aim to clean them every couple of weeks.
- Hang the boots or set them aside in a well-ventilated area until dry.
2
Soak up odors with baking soda. Sprinkle a little baking soda into the bottom of your boots. Make sure the baking soda gets down to the toe and midsole areas. Allow the boots to sit overnight. The baking soda will absorb and neutralize foot odors that have set into the material on the inside of the boots.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Marc Sigal
Shoe Care Specialist
Expert Interview. 15 January 2020.}
- Be sure to shake the excess baking soda out of your boots before wearing them.
- Try out a mixture of baking soda and cat litter, which is also formulated to absorb odors.^{[3]
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3
Treat each boot with disinfecting spray. Purchase a small bottle of disinfecting spray (the pharmaceutical variety will work, or you might look for kinds that are specifically designed to be used to treat footwear) or whip up a homemade batch using rubbing alcohol/and or vinegar and essential oils. Spray each boot thoroughly, inside, and out. This won’t do away with a powerful stench immediately, but it will work to kill the bacteria that are causing it.^{[4]
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- If you decide to use vinegar, it’s recommended that you top it off with a spritz of air freshener or a drop of essential oils to offset the smell, which can be unpleasant on its own.
4
Use essential oils to cover lingering odors. Even after you’ve dealt with the worst of the problem, subtle odors may remain. Continue cleaning and disinfecting your boots consistently and freshen them with essential oils in the meantime. Essential oils are natural fragrant botanical extracts that are wonderful for covering up offensive smells. Just dab a few drops of rosemary, peppermint or tea tree oil into your boots at night, store them somewhere dry and let the oils do the rest.
- Because of their pleasant aroma and antimicrobial properties, essential oils are commonly used as a holistic alternative to deodorant, hand soap and even perfume.^{[6]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Preventing Foot Odor from Spreading to Your Boots

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Keep your feet clean. Your best line of defense against stinky feet is to keep them clean. Make sure you’re bathing regularly and pay particular attention to the tops of your feet, toes, and arches while washing. Many people don’t clean their feet well enough, not realizing that the dirt, oil, and clogged pores that build up are all more likely to produce embarrassing foot odor.^{[7]
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- Wash your entire body, including your feet, once a day, or any time you engage in strenuous physical labor or activity.
2
Wash with antibacterial soap. Perspiration, warmth, and dark, enclosed conditions are all prime factors for bacterial growth, which makes boots a hotbed for smelly germs. Choose a strong antibacterial soap to wipe out the bacteria that make your feet their home. If you have a particularly bad foot perspiration or odor problem, it may be a good idea to wash your feet with antibacterial soap multiple times a day between showers.^{[8]
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- Antibacterial soaps come in both liquid form, which is more versatile, and as bar soap, which can be used conveniently in the shower.
3
Defend against excess moisture with baby powder. One of the biggest contributors to stinky boots is sweaty feet. You can reduce the amount of perspiration that is being absorbed by the fabric of your footwear by dusting your feet with a light coating of baby powder or talcum powder before putting on your socks. Sprinkle baby powder onto the bottom of your feet and between your toes. Massage lightly to work it nearer to the skin. The talc will absorb and dissipate moisture and thus prevent smells, and should disappear on its own over time so that it doesn’t cake onto your foot.
- Use talcum or baby powder to keep your feet dry whenever you know you’ll be wearing your boots for an extended period.
4
Trim your toenails. Sometimes, bathing alone may not be enough to stave off unwanted foot fumes. Keep your toenails trimmed short, and make sure that you’re cleaning under the nail and around the nail bed. While you’re at it, be on the lookout for signs of fungal infection, such as a slight darkening of the skin or discoloration of the toenail. Maintaining clean, neat toenails gives germs fewer places to hide.^{[9]
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- Toenails should be clipped straight across and kept fairly short. Try to trim your toenails once a week to prevent them from growing too long.
- Athlete’s foot and other fungal infections are persistent, and, unlike normal bacteria that grows on the skin’s surface, cannot simply be washed away.^{[10]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Keeping Boots Fresh and Clean

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Change your socks regularly. There’s no sense in keeping your boots clean if you’re wearing the same dirty socks all the time. Change your socks after prolonged wear, or after any time you sweat in them. Their absorbent, porous material will hold onto sweat and germs, which can then be transferred to your boots.^{[11]
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- Health experts recommend putting on a fresh pair of socks at least once a day.^{[12]
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- Invest in a few pairs of high-quality boot socks. These are designed to be thick yet breathable, so they’re harder to sweat through and won’t stay damp like ordinary socks.
2
Try odor-eliminating insoles. Most shoe companies offer special insoles that contain compounds like activated charcoal which are known for their odor-fighting properties. Trade out the standard insoles in your boots for a set of odor-eliminating inserts. In the case of especially old or hard-to-clean boots, these may be all you need to cut down on unwanted smells.
- Odor-fighting insoles typically retail for around $20, making them a slightly pricier but longer-lasting solution.
3
Let your boots dry completely between uses. Rain, snow, and ice will keep boots wet throughout winter. After wearing your boots, take them off and leave them somewhere well-ventilated to dry out. Placing them up high near an open window will work, provided it’s not too humid out, or you can lay them tongues-out near a space heater or fire. The longer your boots stay damp without having the chance to dry, the more likely they are to become a breeding ground for bacteria.^{[13]
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- Switching out your choice of footwear so that you’re not wearing the same pair every day will allow each pair to dry out between uses.^{[14]
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- If you’re in a time crunch or have no other options available, using a hairdryer on a low setting can help get your boots dry in a hurry. This should be done sparingly, as too much direct heat can potentially ruin the materials.
4
Leave a dryer sheet in each boot overnight. A simple solution for combating odors in clean and lightly worn boots is to stick a fabric softener dryer sheet in each boot before you go to bed. Dryer sheets act to trap smells from clothing and replace them with a slow infusion of more delightful fragrances. This is perhaps the easiest method for maintaining fresh-smelling boots.^{[15]
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- Using dryer sheets is largely a preventative measure and won’t do much if your boots are in need of thorough cleaning or disinfecting.

Expert Q&A

Question

How do you clean stinky boots?

Marc Sigal
Shoe Care Specialist
Marc Sigal is the Founder of ButlerBox, a dry cleaning and shoe care service based in Los Angeles, California. ButlerBox places custom-designed, wrinkle-resistant lockers in luxury apartment buildings, class A office buildings, shopping centers, and other convenient locations so you can pick up and drop off items 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Marc has a BA in Global and International Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Marc Sigal

Shoe Care Specialist

Expert Answer

The easiest way to remove odors from the inside of your boots is to sprinkle some baking soda or cornstarch inside of your shoes. Let your shoes air out overnight and then vacuum the inside of your shoes to suck up the powder. This should remove most odors.
Question

How do you get the smell out of snow boots?

Marc Sigal
Shoe Care Specialist
Marc Sigal is the Founder of ButlerBox, a dry cleaning and shoe care service based in Los Angeles, California. ButlerBox places custom-designed, wrinkle-resistant lockers in luxury apartment buildings, class A office buildings, shopping centers, and other convenient locations so you can pick up and drop off items 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Marc has a BA in Global and International Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Marc Sigal

Shoe Care Specialist

Expert Answer

Spray your boots with a disinfectant to kill the bacteria that are causing the odor.
Question

How do I clean a pair of children's faux fur lined boots? They smell sour!

Community Answer

Put tea bags in each boot, multiple if necessary! If that doesn't work, mix baking soda and essential oils together, put them in little bags, and leave the bags in the boots overnight.

Warnings

Avoid using harsh chemical scents or cleansers on your skin. Air fresheners, for instance, should never be applied directly to any part of the body.

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Test the aforementioned products and remedies first to make sure you won't have an unexpected allergic reaction to any of them.

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