If you are a worker working for hours, you will immediately find a problem with your work boots. Yes, your comfy pair of work boots stink and smell after a few hours or days. And we understand how painful and annoying it could be for workers to continue wearing the stinking boots.
That’s why we came up with this article on how to stop work boots from stinking. Usually, work boots will develop a foul and funny smell when you wear the same pair of boots every day without alternating them and do not clean the boots properly after returning home. Also, boots start stinking if you sweat a lot inside the boots, and there’s a lack of proper ventilation through the work boot.
You can easily stop the work boots from stinking by cleaning them regularly, wearing two pairs of work boots alternatively, keeping your feet clean, and choosing moisture-wicking socks and boots. Also, you may opt for baking soda or essential oil to prevent odor development in your work boots.
So, let’s dig deep into the smelly boots home remedy that won’t cost you much.
Why Does MY Work Boot Stink? : Top Four Reasons
Your work beet is designed to provide maximum safety and comfort to your feet. However, it starts feeling frustrating when the same pair of work boots develop a foul odor. When the odor starts coming out in the workplace, you might feel nervous, thinking that others may sense the stinky odor.
Also, it is harmful to your feet to continue wearing the odorous work boots for too long. It might cause an allergy. So, what are the reasons for stinky work boots?
Let’s explore the reasons for the odorous work boots.
- Work boots will often develop a funny odor due to improper ventilation and airflow inside. Usually, work boots are made of the toughest and most durable material to ensure the maximum safety of your feet. Consequently, they lack ventilation, which is responsible for the odor.
- If you work in oil rigs, chemical industries, lubricant sectors, or in the cleaning industry, gunk, grime, and residue can easily develop over your upper leather. Eventually, the grease and oil will penetrate the porous inside the boots to give them a notorious stinky feel. Also, it causes the upper leather to be smelly.
- If you sweat a lot during the summertime and put on the same pair of work boots every day, it will also get smelly. It is one of the most common problems for workers with sweaty feet. Many people also don’t maintain cleanliness, worsening the funky odorous situation.
- Finally, the odor will slowly grow inside when you don’t clean and dry your work boots after each working day. So, whenever you reach home, brush off your boot’s interior with a clean piece of cloth and let it dry properly overnight.
Tips On How To Stop Work Boots From Stinking: 10 Top Useful Suggestions
Are you fed up with the stinky feel in your work boots? Is it frustrating you recently? Then, you must try the following suggestions to stop the development of the funny smell.
Change your socks:
You must change your socks every alternative day. If you continue wearing the same pair of socks every day, it will surely present you with the smelliest work boots. Thus, the best practice is to take off the socks and clean them using detergent and water when you reach home each day.
As you clean and use two pairs of socks alternatively, it will help you control the odor.
Alternate your work boots:
Likewise, for the socks, you should also alternate your work boots. Yes, you should have at least two pairs of work boots at home and wear them alternatively. It helps the boot to dry properly. If you wear the same work boots every day, it becomes smelly and reduces their lifespan.
Therefore, try to have two pairs of work boots at a reasonable price. Then, use the two work boot pairs alternatively.
Keep your feet and boots clean:
One of the primary reasons for the smell of work boots and feet is untidy feet and boot interior. Many people fail to maintain hygiene and cleanliness. Therefore, the odor will develop in your feet as it accumulates dirt due to uncleanliness. The same goes for the work boot exterior and interior.
So, you must keep your boots as clean as possible. The best practice is to clean off the work boots with a slightly dampened piece of cloth once you take off the work boots. Carefully clean the upper and interior parts of the work boots. Also, when you wear the boots in the morning to go to your workplace, ensure your feet are clean.
The following tips will help you maintain the cleanliness of your feet:
- When you return home, always wash your feet properly with soap. Make sure you reach every part of the feet.
- Before you wear the work boots, apply deodorant to your feet. You may also apply deodorant to the socks. It will protect your feet from a stinky feel for a long time.
Dry your work boots appropriately:
When you wear the work boots for 8 hours to 10 hours every day or even more, the interior slowly becomes damp due to sweating, moisture, and lack of ventilation. The problem of the dampness becomes more acute in the summertime.
Thus, you must dry your work boots properly. When you go home, take off the boots and keep your work boot mouth as open as possible. Also, instead of instantly putting the boots inside the shoe rack, please place them in an open place with adequate airflow. You may even keep them close to your fan or dehumidifier.
Lastly, we suggest you insert some newspapers inside the work boots. The newspaper will soak the excess moisture and smell to offer you a nice and pleasant pair of work boots. You can also dry the boots with a boot dryer or hair dryer for quick drying.
Choose sweat-resistant and well-ventilated boots:
When your work boots feature proper ventilation and airflow, it will work like magic to keep your feet and boots free of the smelly feel. Thus, it would help if you chose work boots with proper ventilation. Also, many boots have a moisture-wicking feature that soaks the moisture and sweat inside the boots. You will also find the best work boots for sweaty feet with antimicrobial mesh lining. It works to stop bacteria and virus development. It is useful to stop your work boots from stinking notoriously.
Therefore, closely look at the features of your work boots and get a pair with appropriate ventilation and airflow to maximize your comfort and eliminate odor development. It will also be useful if you have sweaty feet.
Three top work boots for sweaty feet:
- Timberland Pro 40008 Mudsill Low Steel-Toe Lace-Up Boots: This pair of work boots is built ruggedly and has an antimicrobial lining mesh upper. Thus, it promises to keep your feet protected and odor-free in even the harshest conditions. It is also anti-slip and weather-resistant and has a steel toe for maximum protection.
- Wolverine Men’s W04821 Buccaneer Work Boot: This Wolverine work boot is made with wave mesh lining. So, it has sweat and moisture-wicking properties. It comes a long way to protect your feet from stinking. The boot also features a cement construction method for maximum protection in the workplace.
- Carhartt Men’s CMF6366 6 Inch Composite Toe Boot: The Carhartt Men’s work boot is made with FastDry lining. Thus, it dries faster and removes sweat to ensure comfort and an odor-free feel to your feet. Plus, you will appreciate the lightweight design for all-day walking fun.
These are the best work boots for sweaty feet that you can trust for comfort, safety, and longevity. So, you won’t have to compromise with them at all.
Wear moisture-wicking and thicker socks:
Likewise, work boots for sweat, you will also get the best socks for sweaty feet work boots. These socks are made with moisture-wicking fabrics with improved ventilation. The fabric of these socks can collect sweat and moisture for an extended time. So, your feet will remain drier and won’t feel smelly.
Many of these socks are made with CoolMax technology. It ensures superior comfort too. For instance, the Darn Tough Cool Max Boot Full Cushion Socks are made with advanced CoolMax technology to stop sweat and moisture development.
Another alternative can be Amazon Essentials Men’s 6-Pack Performance Cotton Cushioned Athletic socks with good moisture-wicking properties. Also, it features no-show properties and is ideal for low-cut work boots.
Use the essential oil or tea bags:
Although not widely known, you may use tea bags or essential oils to stop the stinky odor development inside the work boots. When you wear the work boots, pour in a few drops of your favorite essential oil extract inside the work boots. It will work as a natural deodorizer to protect the boots from stinking.
And when you take off the work boots when you return home, you may choose to insert tea bags inside them. Teabags can kill bacteria responsible for odor development. So, put the teabags inside the work boots and keep them overnight. In the morning, dry the boots with a boot or hairdryer before you wear them to go to your workplace.
Use foot soak:
Foot soak is useful for those who normally experience sweat and odor in their foot. If you are one of them, you may choose to apply foot soak on your feet. You may buy the foot soak from the market at ease.
Before wearing the work boots, you can dip your feet in the foot soak and water mixture. For this, mix water and 2 to 3 spoons of foot soak. Stir the mixture properly and dip your feet in it for a few seconds. It should protect your feet throughout the day from stinking.
Apply baking soda:
If your work boots feel too smelly and don’t go away with regular ways to eliminate odor, you might use baking soda. The application of baking soda is easy too. Simply pour a handful of baking soda into your used socks and put it in the work boots.
After that, leave the baking soda-filled work boots overnight. It will soak the moisture and odor to present you with an odor-free pair of work boots. Also, dry the boots with a boot dryer if you have one.
Use lemonade mixture:
Last but not least, you can use a lemonade mixture with essential oil drops and vinegar. For this, follow these steps:
- In a glass full of water, squeeze a lemon and add the lemon peels.
- Add 2tbsps of vinegar and a few essential oil drops to the lemon mixture.
- Mix the elements well and put them inside a spray bottle.
- You can spray the lemonade mixture on your work boots and leave it overnight.
- Before you wear the boots, dry them with a dryer. The lemonade will kill the bacteria that develop the smell. So, you will get an odor-free pair of work boots.
Final Words:
When you see odor development in your work boots, you can feel frustrating. It may also annoy you. Thankfully, this guideline on stopping work boots from stinking suggests the top ten ways to remove odor.
The key to eliminating odor from work boots is to keep your feet and boots clean and dry. Also, you can choose boots and socks for sweaty feet with improved ventilation. Plus, you can use baking soda essential oil and lemonade to remove the smelly feel.
