Yes, your feet do sweat and yes, it’s natural for shoes to stink beyond a point – but what are you going to do about it? You can try and pretend not to notice, even when people around you are making their grimaces more obvious, or you can opt for some of these methods that can help you combat smelly shoes.

Before you get to work, you need to understand that shoes get their distinct stink because of the bacteria (brevibacteria) that breed within them. Brevibacteria consume dead skin and they produce methanethiol from amino acid methionine. Methanethiol has an unpleasant and cheesy odor, and this is what makes your feet smell (learn more about how to get rid of smelly feet). So basically, all you need to do is eliminate these microorganisms, and this will solve your problem.

Bacteria thrive in spaces that are moist, dark and warm, and thanks to the sweat glands that are present in your feet; the insides of your shoes serve as an ideal place for their growth.

The Baking Soda Method

Every evening, roll up your sleeves and coat your shoes with baking soda on the insides. Once you do this, seal them up in a plastic bag and store them in the freezer. Bacteria can’t withstand the cold, and any existing odor will be removed fully by the baking soda.

Don’t wear the shoes soon as you take them out of the freezer. Keep them out in the open for a while before you slip them on again. This will bring down their moisture content, and reduce the chances of brevibacteria breeding in your shoes again.

The Rubbing Alcohol Method

You can opt for this method if you don’t have the time (or room) to freeze your shoes overnight. Apply a coat of rubbing alcohol along the insides of your shoes and place them in ventilated space for a while. Rubbing alcohol removes the bacteria quickly, as it evaporates fast. If you think your shoes are quite moist after this method, apply some baking soda on their insides, as this will soak up the remaining moisture.

Preventing Shoe Odor

There are a couple of preventive measures that you can opt for, to make things easier. Keep your feet clean, and dry them properly once you wash them. Moisture tends to accumulate in the region between your toes, so ensure that you use a good towel regularly. Antiperspirants can also help in this regard, and talcum powder can be used to soak up the moisture from your shoes.

Never wear wet shoes, and leave them out to dry for a long time before you use them again. Stuffing newspapers inside your shoes is a good idea that can help drain off the excess moisture. In case your shoes are wet, think twice before tossing them into the dryer because this may ruin them. Your shoes need to be cleaned regularly, so make this a part of your daily or weekly routine.

It’s important to take your protein no later than 30 minutes after you end your workout, otherwise your body will start feeding on what’s already stored in your body and you won’t maximize your muscle growth. That’s why every minute counts – if you have to take the time to wash your protein shaker out again, you’re wasting time and could be wasting your workout altogether. Below are some steps to get rid of that old protein smell and keep your protein shaker smelling fresh and clean:

Wash Immediately After Use

I know the last thing I want to do after a workout and consuming a protein shake is to wash the shaker out. Not only do I never want to wash dishes, but I’m especially lazy after a workout and post-workout shake. Nonetheless, if you want to maximize the chances of your protein shaker not smelling the next time you use it, it’s crucial that you at least start the washing process almost immediately after you’re done drinking. You can choose to wash it out altogether, or if you’re feeling particularly lazy, just rinse it out and leave some hot, soapy water in the shaker to soak until you’re ready to wash.

Washing by Hand

I would always recommend washing your protein shaker by hand – it’s the best way to ensure you’re going to get rid of that old protein smell. You can stick it in the dishwasher, but you’ll only get a near-perfect wash with your hands. If you have a dishwasher, you can do both, but more on that later.

When washing by hand, you’ll need an extended brush. For most protein shakers, a regular sponge won’t cut it because you won’t be able to fit your hand down to the bottom; and as you know, that’s where all the protein settles and tends to crust up. Make sure you use dish soap and wash/rinse the shaker out several times. Pay special attention to the cover and the little plastic shaker inside, as protein tends to stick to all the little nooks and crannies in these pieces.

Use Your Hands and the Dishwasher

If you’re lucky enough to have a dishwasher, you may save yourself a little bit of time and effort. However, I would still recommend washing out your protein shaker by hand before putting it in the dishwasher. You don’t have to clean it as good, but you still want to give it a bit more than a once over to ensure that old protein smell won’t creep back next time you use it.

Cleaning up Old Protein

If you’re in the unfortunate situation of having left your protein shaker un-cleaned for days, you’ll need to take a different approach to cleaning. If you’re like me and use milk as the base of your protein shakes, you’re much worse off than if you had just mixed with water. The little drops of milk left in the protein shaker will spoil within a day and start to form mold shortly after that. The stench of this is unreal; old protein + moldy milk = absolutely horrible smell!

Since we’re talking about mold here, you’ll need to disinfectant the shaker and all its parts completely. This means giving it a nice bath on some household bleach or similar disinfectant. After you’ve completely disinfected the shaker, you should proceed to wash it by hand, and then put it in a dishwasher if you have one.

Preparing for Cleaning

Before you get into the cleaning aspect, you need to know a little something about mothballs. The way they keep moths away is by releasing a gas – a gas which doesn’t smell all that great. Therefore, conventional cleaning methods like soap and water won’t really do much to disperse the gas. I just wanted to share that little lesson with you before you get on your hands and knees and start scrubbing away! Now, onto actually getting rid of the smell…

Proper Ventilation

Because the bad smell of mothballs comes from gas, fresh air and proper ventilation are powerful forces in the fight to get rid of the smell. The better the air circulation and ventilation in the affected area, the quicker the mothball smell will disperse and eventually go away completely. If the smell is just affecting one room or so, you need to make a strong effort to keep the windows open and get an area fan in there. Depending on the weather, this may be uncomfortable at times, but it’s completely necessary to get rid of the smell.

Dry Heat

A dry heat source is also effective in getting rid of mothball smell. This means cranking up the heat! You’ll need to bear with some warmer temperatures throughout your whole house if everything smells; if it’s just one room, you can get away with a space heater. And, if the mothball smell is concentrated on a piece of furniture, you can simply point the dry heat source directly at it to help speed things along.

Getting Rid of Mothball Smell on Clothes

If you stored away your winter clothes with a load of mothballs and have pulled them out only to find them reeking of that awful mothball smell, here are some tips. Pour a healthy amount of baby powder on the affected clothes and proceed to dry them off with either a hair dryer or by letting them dry naturally on a clothesline outdoors. After they’ve sufficiently dried, shake out the excess powder and put them in the dryer for about 10 minutes with a few sheets of fabric softener. If they still smell, run the whole process again and you should be all set.

Alternatives to Mothballs

You can easily avoid the problem of mothball smell altogether by not using them at all! There are plenty of alternatives to mothballs that work just as well or better when it comes time to store your clothes. The first way is the most natural: simply store your clothes in a place that’s cool and dry – like a closet or a spare room. Make sure the area is clean before storing the clothes and when it comes time to take them out, they should be in great shape.

Another alternative to mothballs is to use vacuum-sealed bags. You can buy these at any home or department store for a relatively low cost. You simply place your clothes in the bag and then suck out all the air with a vacuum cleaner. Without any air, there is very little chance of bugs getting inside and wreaking havoc on your clothes.

The good news is that smelly feet are definitely curable; at the very least you’ll be able to cover up the smell so that it’s not noticeable. You may even be able to get to the root of the problem and solve it altogether. Check out the different tips below to get started on the path to having good-smelling feet!

Causes of Smelly Feet

The reason for your smelly feet is actually quite simple. Your feet sweat – there’s no way around that. Sweat discharges waste from our bodies, and there are many types of bacteria that feed on this waste. The bacteria use organic acids to help break down the waste, which in turn, results in a very potent odor that can stink your feet up something awful.

Natural Remedies to Get Rid of Smelly Feet

One of the oldest and most effective remedies for food odor is taking a salt bath. You don’t literally need to get into the bathtub, but rather just soak your feet. Add some salt to a mixture of warm water and grab a seat. Let your feet soak for a good 20-30 minutes in the salt water. When you take them out, you’ll notice your feet are extremely dry; this is a good thing, the salt soaks up all the toxins and what not that are present in your feet’s sweat glands. Don’t rinse your feet off – just let the salt do its job and dry you up.

Cleaning your Shoes

Since we know that sweat is a direct contributor to foot odor, your shoes can be doing you lots of harm. Because your shoes house your feet for most of the day, it’s only logical that they’re being sweat on and are absorbing a lot of this smell while they’re being worn. You may start to reduce the smell of your feet through different methods, but your shoes can still smell!

The best way I’ve found to fix this problem is with baby powder or cornstarch. Sprinkle the powder or cornstarch in your shoes before you put them on and after you take them off for the day. Do this every few days and then monitor the smell. The powder will help to absorb some of the sweat and even do a little bit of “covering up” if the smell starts to seep out.

Try Different Socks

Ditch the synthetic socks and go for something more natural like cotton. Socks that are made out of synthetic materials tend to cause more sweating in the feet than socks made out of natural materials. So go to your local clothing store and pick up your new socks, and give them a try. Monitor the smell and take note of whether or not your feet are still sweating (or sweating as bad as before) over the next couple of weeks.

Store-Bought Products for Smelly Feet

Since smelly feet are a very common problem all over the world, there are a number of over the counter (OTC) products sold to remedy the problem. Simply put: some work, some don’t. You always need to be cautious when buying products to remedy a health issue – many times the makers of the product are relying on the fact that you’re in a desperate situation and are willing to “try anything”. That being said, some reputable and effective products include Odor-Eaters, Gold Bond Medicated Foot Spray and Lavilin Cream.

Brush your Dog’s Teeth

Depending on the breed of dog you have and their patience, brushing your dog’s teeth can either be a simple task or one that’s going to take a long, long time. Some dogs will sit peacefully while you brush their teeth, while others will go crazy every time you put the brush near their mouth.

Purchase a specially made dog toothbrush and dog toothpaste to get started. Sit your dog down and start out slowly to get them used to the feeling. Ideally, the dog will like the taste of the toothpaste and the brushing will actually feel good to them. It’s recommended that you do this in the bathroom or outside, because it can get messy. Brush their teeth like you would brush your own, paying special attention to the gums and as much of the tongue as you can.

Dog Mints, Mouthwash and Plaque Spray

Aside from dog toothpaste, you should be taking advantage of dog mints, mouthwash and plaque spray. All of these items combined can help to reduce the buildup of bacteria, plaque and tartar that contribute to bad dog breath. On top of that, you’ll also be doing wonders for your dog’s dental hygiene.

Avoid Non-food Items

Pay close attention to your dogs habits when they’re outside and don’t think you’re watching. Are they eating dirt? Plants? Bugs? Any of these things can cause bad breath. Bad breath can originate in the stomach, and some of these foreign items can cause digestive issues, sending bad smells up through your dog’s digestive tract and out their mouth. Break their bad habits by preventing them from eating anything other than the food you give them.

Your Dog’s Health

Gastrointestinal diseases and bacteria can be a root cause of your dog’s bad breath. If they’re having problems in their stomach or other parts of their digestive tract, bad breath can be one of the resulting symptoms. If your dog is vomiting or having bouts of diarrhea, it may be time to head to the vet and get them checked out.

Medical Treatments from the Vet

If you’ve stuck with the home remedies listed above and your dog still has bad breath, you should seek a professional opinion. Schedule an appointment with a veterinarian to find out the cause of your dog’s bad breath. They’ll be able to offer you’re a more professional opinion and give you different treatment options that may include prescription medications for your dog.

Vinegar

Smoke smell is left behind even after the all the smoke has cleared because of all the tars and resins have decided to make a little home for themselves by clinging to the walls or furniture. For getting the smells out of surface areas, vinegar cuts right through all that tar and leftover resins like a hot knife through butter. But why replace the smell of smoke with the smell of vinegar? The answer is simple: the smell of vinegar will eventually go away, taking the smell of smoke with it; but left alone, the smoke smell will continue to linger.

A Carpet Cleaner

For smoke that has found its way into your carpet, a thorough washing is the only true remedy. And, if smoke likes to stick anywhere, it’s your carpet. Hiring a professional carpet cleaner is not necessary; most local hardware stores will rent carpet cleaners for a lot less, and these are efficient enough to get the smell of smoke out.

Baking Soda and Fresh Air

Nothing works better at absorbing foul odors than baking soda and fresh air. First, take some baking soda and sprinkle it on the floor, furniture and window sills. The more surfaces covered, the better it will work, so be generous when spreading the baking soda around. Let it sit overnight and absorb all the leftover tar and resins, then let the room or area air out for a day. The baking soda works like a charm and what ever small amount is still lingering in the air can be blown out with a fan. Adding an oil-based air freshener after you’ve aired everything out is a good way to follow up the cleaning.

Odor Removal Products

Odor removal products work well as long as they have some kind of cleaning agent in them to cut through the tars and resins. The only downside is that using them can get pricey really quickly. If you have to rely on professional odor removing products to constantly clear your house or work space of the smell of smoke, be prepared to bust our your wallet on a regular basis.

Prevention

Prevention is the best way to prevent mattress odor from accruing. Protect your mattress by using a protective cover. This will help eliminate mattress odors and helps increase the lifespan of your mattress. You can pick these protective covers up and most bedding stores.

Baking Soda

Baking soda is a great way to get rid of unwanted odors. Sprinkle some baking soda on your mattress periodically. The odors and any moisture will disappear. After you sprinkle the baking soda on your mattress let it sit for a few minutes before vacuuming it off. Doing this every few months can help prevent odors from coming back.

Sunlight

Every few months take your mattress out to enjoy some sun. Sunlight helps vaporize any moisture in the mattress and kills mold. Both moisture and mold can be a cause of odor. Sunlight is an excellent way to eliminate the odors.

Fabric Softener Sheets

Place four to six fabric softener sheets on top of your mattress but under the sheets. While you are sleeping your body, heat will activate the fabric softener sheets and the mattress will absorb the fragrance. You will probably wake up smelling good too!

Bleach

Dilute bleach with water and spray on the bed. Some people even like to get a scrub brush and really get the bleach/water mixture worked in. You might have to repeat this process a couple of times but it is cost effective and does work to eliminate odors.

Steam Cleaning

Steam cleaning should probably be used as a last result because it is the most expensive option. There are a number of mattresses cleaning companies so make sure to do your research before selecting one. Compare prices and ask about the chemicals they use.

Using all the tips provided on a regular basis can help ensure your mattress lasts its expected lifespan. These tips can also help eliminate mattress odor. Cleaning your mattress, every few months stop odors from even accruing.

Ventilation

Before, during, and after painting be sure to keep the room your working in well ventilated. Please be sure to have windows wide open. If you are painting a room without windows, such as a bathroom, place fans throughout the room blowing air out of the door and into another room with the windows open. While paint is drying be sure to have fans sucking the fumes and moisture out of the room, and blowing the gases outside. Also try running your air conditioner or a dehumidifier to speed up the drying process. Try to paint as early as possible so the room has time to air out before you seal up the house for the night.

Pure Vanilla Extract

Try adding some clear, pure vanilla extract to the paint. The extract will break down and neutralize the VOCs without changing the texture, consistency, or color of the paint. Take all paint to a well ventilated area or outside and open all the cans. Leave them to air out for about 5 minutes. Upon returning to the paint make sure that the initial, overwhelming paint smell is gone. Next add the extract:

• 1 teaspoon per quart
• 1 tablespoon per gallon
• 1/4 cup per every 5 gallons

Thoroughly mix until all signs of additive are gone. Paint is then ready for immediate use.

Onions

Here are two methods using onions to absorb the VOC fumes.

• Thinly slice a large onion and place on 3-4 plates around the room and let sit over night.
• Cut a large onion in half and place the halves cut side down in a small bowl of water. Place on opposite sides of the room and leave for 24 hours. If the smell of onion still lingers in the room, simply open a window or run a fan and the smell should dissipate in 2-3 hours.

Charcoal

Lastly, try using charcoal to absorb the VOC fumes.

• Lightly crush wood charcoal and place in a bucket with wet paper towels or rags. Leave the bucket in the room over night and the smell should be absorbed by morning.
• Place 2-4 CUPS of charcoal briquettes in paper sacks and place them all over the room. Leave bags in room for 24 hours.

Painting is a great way to refresh a home but be cautious of the VOC fumes as they can be harmful and hazardous, especially to pregnant women and small pets.

The P Trap Problem

Odors coming from sinks and washtubs are usually caused by a P Trap that is emptying or drying out. Take a look under the sink to see that part of the drainpipe that is actually “U” shaped, the way it is positioned, but is referred to as a P Trap. That little piece of pipe is supposed to hold a tiny bit of water after the sink drains to act as a seal against sewer gasses backing up into the room. If it doesn’t have any water in it, the gasses travel up the pipe into the room, and then up your nose where the yuck factor comes in.

Common causes for that little section of pipe to not have water in it are sinks that are not used often so the water in the P Trap evaporates, or plumbing systems that aren’t vented properly. The first is easy to fix by running a bit of water down the sink occasionally to refill the trap with water. That will block any gasses from the sewer from coming up into the sink. The second is a bit more involved, but not that difficult to remedy.

Installing a Vent

If the venting of the plumbing system has never been correct such as can be found in some older homes, draining a sink can create a vacuum effect caused by the water traveling down the drain. Normally a pipe that goes up through the roof will let air in behind the draining water. If that vent pipe is not there, or is clogged, this causes venting problems with the plumbing.

Sometimes sucking sounds can be heard from sinks or toilets when they are drained or flushed. This is a result of the vacuum. The proper way to fix it is to have a plumber fix the main vent pipe or pipes, but a homeowner can rectify the problem at individual sink drains by installing a one-way vent. Check your codes about doing this yourself.

After the P Trap there should be a length of pipe going into the floor or wall. This is where you would install the vent. Just get some plastic fittings including the vent that will allow you to attach it in the section of drain after the P Trap. Usually you will need a T fitting, a small piece of pipe, the vent, and some pipe glue.

Most under-sink drains can be disassembled by hand. Take a picture or draw the drain as it is before the changes. Measure the piece of pipe after the P Trap. Cut out a section the length of the T fitting minus how far the pipe will stick into the T fitting on each end (you need this length to fit pipe into the T fitting for gluing).

Cut a small piece of pipe to fit into the side part of the T fitting. Attach the vent to the end of this piece of pipe. Check to see if everything will fit before gluing. Glue according to the instructions on the adhesive product. Put it all back together hand-tight. Check for leaks with hot water.

Take a picture of your drain to the store where you will be buying the parts. You might be able to get fittings that do not require any gluing. Just use a bit of common sense, stay calm, think it through. It’s just a few pieces you are fitting together like a puzzle, and it is just a sink drain. It’s not like you are doing surgery!

The vent will allow air into the system, but won’t let fluid or gasses back out. Depending on the vent, it may have to be in a vertical position. Just ask the salesperson or read included literature.

Some Drain Odor is Sludge

Some sinks have a thick buildup of bacteria laden sludge that is in the section of the drain before the P Trap. A quick way to manage these odors is to remove the pop-up drain that most sinks have by giving it a slight twist, and pulling up. It should come loose from the rod that holds it in place with a quarter or half turn in one direction. Don’t force it. Pull up on it when it comes loose. Put it back by following these instructions in reverse.

With the pop-up drain out, use some baking soda and an old toothbrush securely taped to a wooden dowel with strong tape such as electrical tape. The dowel and toothbrush should fit in the drain and go down as far as the P Trap.

Scrub the pipe with the baking soda. Rinse with hot water. Repeat until clean enough that sludge and odor are gone. Clean the pop-up drain with the brush and baking soda as well. Reinstall the pop-up drain.

Bacterial colonies growing in the sludge buildup need to be manually removed. Using chemicals such as bleach only get the surface bacteria, but the sludge stays behind to grow new bacterial colonies.

Basement Drains Gone Bad

Many an older home has a basement drain in the middle of the floor that stinks like grandpa after he has eaten a few burritos. If you can’t afford a plumber, try a test plug. Check your codes first, and consider the risk of the drain being plugged. If there is any concern of flooding either from outside the home coming in, or a pipe that may burst, then the owner must decide whether or not to use this inexpensive fix.

A test plug is a rubber stopper with a metal back plate and wing nut assembly. The plug is meant for pressure testing new plumbing systems, but the plug also works very well to temporarily seal a basement drain. The plug can be easily removed by loosening the wing nut. A hacksaw may be needed to shorten the post where the wing nut is so that the drain cover can be replaced.

Buy a test plug of the proper diameter for the drain pipe. Press the plug into the drain. Tightening the wing nut puts pressure on the rubber washer causing it to expand outward. This expansion holds the plug in place preventing sewer gasses from backing up into the basement at this drain. A solution that works like a champ, but is not for every circumstance.

There is a lot the average person can do to rectify drain odor problems without needing to call for expensive plumbing repairs. If you have the means, then let the professionals handle it. If your are on a tighter budget, try some simple solutions such as the ones in this article to get rid of drain odor problems.

Basement & Bathroom Mildew Smells

If you are trying to remove mildew and the smell of mildew in such places as a basement or bathroom the most common and popular way of removing the smell is to take some bleach to the area that contains the smell. You will need to have a spray bottle with a concoction of one half bleach to one half water and then spray the area that you are trying to treat. Once you have sprayed the area allow to sit for a couple of minutes and follow with a bottle of nothing but water. You will then need to have a wash cloth or rag that will not be used afterward for other cleaning solutions to wipe the bleach off the wall with the pure water. Once you have rinsed the wall off with the water and wiped it allow it to sit for a couple of hours with the window’s open and doors to air the area out. This will allow the smell to be brought in of clean fresh air. Once this is done you should clean the area frequently and allow to air out on occasion. This will make the area smell much better.
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Mildew Smell on Clothes

If you have some old clothes that you have had stored for a while you can hang these clothes in the sun for a short time and allow the sun to be soaked into the clothes. You will need to have purchased some laundry detergent that is meant to treat mildew smelling clothes. Once you have placed the products into the washer place the appropriate amount of detergent into the washer and allow the clothes to wash. Do not place the clothes into the dryer. Once you have finished washing allow them to hang dry in the sun again and once they are dry remove and fold and put away or if you want to store them again allow some dryer sheets to be placed with the clothes to absorb the smell of mildew that might arise later on.

Mildew Smell in your Carpets

For the smell of mildew in your carpets you will need to have combined a solution of water and bleach. Use one part bleach to ten parts of water and insert this solution into the reservoir for a carpet cleaner and allow to soak the area that contains the most smell for 15 minutes and then go over and allow the cleaner to be cleaned. The next step is to just allow the area to air dry by opening windows and doors.

Additional Mildew Removal Methods

The last step to remove the mildew smell from a kitchen or bathroom where the drain is the culprit you will want to pour baking soda down the drain and then follow behind with vinegar. The vinegar should once it hits the baking soda start to foam up. Once this has happened allow the solution to sit over night and in the morning rinse the solution with scolding hot water. This should remove the smell and the mildew allowing for a cleaner bathroom or kitchen sink.

As you can see there is a number of ways to get rid of the smell and to get rid of the mildew and if followed these steps can prove to be a promising way to get rid of mildew and smells and can be for next to nothing with most of the ingredients being found in our homes already.