How to Make Gym Shoes Smell Better

Hardcore gym sessions are often very rewarding, but they can leave a lingering smell coming from your footwear. Gym shoes are designed to absorb sweat throughout a workout, but over time, they can begin to stink.

No one wants to be walking around in shoes that have a powerful pong, especially in public, which is why eliminating these odours is important.

Smelly shoes are a common issue, and they can be annoying. Regardless of how clean your feet are, your gym shoes can still smell. But what causes the unbearable stench? Bacteria. Yes, bacteria are the culprit of smelly gym trainers. They grow rapidly and multiply in large numbers on your feet, producing waste products. Although the bacteria aren’t actually harmful to your skin, it can leave your shoes reeking, which you don’t want.

Don’t worry, we’ve got a list of tips to help save you from your unpleasant gym shoes, so you can work out and not worry about leaving a lingering scent behind.

What causes the smell?

Firstly, let’s explore what causes the smell to occur in more depth, as this will help you understand how to eliminate it.

So, we know what the cause is – bacteria, and specifically, methanethiol which is a byproduct of brevibacterium found on feet. This has a distinct smell which can be described as rotting cabbages and smelly socks. As your feet contain more sweat glands than any other body part, they are more prone to smell, even with the best hygiene.

When your feet sweat it makes shoes the perfect place to breed bacteria, as they trap sweat and moisture. Those bacterial waste products left behind are what cause the funky smell, not the sweat itself.

How to remove the smell 

Bio one™

The solution is simple – Bio one™. With the power of enzymes, it can eliminate any odour from your gym shoes by eliminating any carbon-based residue which breeds bacteria. This process doesn’t mask the problem – it permanently eliminates it. By disintegrating the bad bacteria that cause the smells, your gym shoes will be left smelling fresh. As Bio one™ is 100%, chemical free and vegan, you can spray it as much as you like.

Good foot hygiene

Taking extra care when cleaning your feet will help limit any stenches coming from your gym shoes. Make sure to apply either soap or a cleaner and scrub between each toe as well as the sole of your foot and then rinse. A few extra tips are:

• Only wear socks once, and put them in the wash after every wear
• After a workout, change your socks and shoes right away to avoid any smells lingering
• Make sure your feet are always dry before putting on your socks and trainers
• Give your feet time to breathe by being shoeless and sockless when possible. This allows your feet to air out any sweat, which minimises the spread of bacteria.

Check the insoles

Frequently, insoles can be the source of smelly shoe odours. We know throwing away your favourite gym shoes may seem like your worst nightmare, but if you’ve been wearing the same trainers for years, your insoles might need replacing.

Soap

Leaving a bar of soap in your gym shoes overnight will kill any bacteria. Plus, it will absorb any smell and replace it with a refreshing soapy scent, so there won’t be any more unbearable scents. Just make sure the bar of soap used isn’t wet before you put them in your trainers, as moisture aids bacteria spreading.

Sunshine

Bacteria thrive in wet conditions, so in order to stop them from spreading, you need to keep your gym trainers dry. If the sun’s out, leave your shoes in the garden in direct sunlight for a few hours to ensure they are completely dry and moisture free.

Wear socks

Never go to the gym sockless unless you definitely want your trainers to reek. If your feet are prone to sweating, wearing socks is a must. Socks absorb sweat and moisture, so wearing them whilst working out will reduce the chance of your shoes smelling. Wearing cotton socks also allows your feet to breathe whilst you work out, so it should reduce how sweaty your feet become.

What are enzymes?

Don’t be fooled to think that because enzymes are natural they are less effective than chemical cleaners. Enzymes are nature’s very own powerful cleaning tools. Making them the go to choice for customers who do not want to spray harmful chemicals around their home and on personal items.

Simply put, enzymes are all around us performing millions of important tasks in our bodies and in nature every single day. They are a type of protein that act like a biological catalyst to speed up the break down of organic compounds.

Similarly to how saliva, (which contains enzymes), initiates the digestion process by breaking down food in our mouths, cleaning enzymes use the same ‘enzymatic digestion’ to effectively break down and eradicate the organic proteins present in urine, faeces, vomit, drool, dirt, food, and more.

This process not only makes cleaning easier but also prevents the growth of bad bacteria – the root cause of those unpleasant odours – in the air, on surfaces, and within the fibres of your soft furnishings.

Try out Bio one™ today, vomit and the other nasties is what nature created enzymes for.