Preventing Stinky Shoes and Smelly Feet

Do you have smelly walking shoes? The stink comes from bacteria and fungus that grow happily where it is warm and damp. There are two tactics to keeping your shoes odor-free. First, you can inhibit the bacteria and fungus from growing by using socks woven with metal fibers, such as silver or copper. I received a review pair of Aetrex Copper Sole Athletic Socks this week and I really like them for their fit and sweat-wicking ability. The copper fibers prevent most bacteria and fungus from growing, which should prevent foot odor.

Review of Aetrex Copper Sole Socks

The second tactic is to dry out your shoes thoroughly between wearings. Stuffits Shoe Savers use cedar shavings in a foot-shaped insert to put in your shoes to dry them out quickly after wearing them. They should work for dress shoes as well as athletic shoes. I haven't personally tried this product. Photo © Stuffits

I generally don't have foot odor as long as I wear sweat-wicking socks. I've only had problems with the Nike Free 5.0 shoes that I wore barefoot. They would get so smelly after four hours that I could smell my feet while sitting in an office chair. I solved that with a sprinkle of medicated foot powder in the shoes before and after wearing them. The powder helped keep the shoes dry and inhibit the bacterial growth.
What is Your Tip to Prevent Shoe and Foot Odor?