Leather shoes: Win over the smell!
Leather shoes and overall leather products (bags, belts) are undoubtedly popular in all corners of the world. We buy leather footwear because it is durable, reliable and comfortable to use. Anyone who decides to invest in leather can benefit from it for a relatively long time. But just as leather has its pros, there are negatives in it. However, these can be managed and leather will continue to be our most grateful item.
It is no coincidence that when choosing shoes, we pay attention to the material from which they are made. Our feet live in shoes and if your activities do not "fit" into material possibilities, it can be a disaster both for your feet and for your eventually favorite shoes.
The leather product has, among other things, a specific odor since production. Therefore, it is good to know from the beginning how to deodorize it, if necessary, to get rid of unwanted aroma. Only then will the leather serve you for a long time and effectively.
The most common causes of a typical odor
Leather is basically a mass product which, as we have already indicated, is used in many types of goods. It's far from perfect, and people who regularly rely on leather shoes know, that over time, even the best shoes will start to smell kind of weird. There can be several reasons. You can wear your leather boots for too long and often or you put on unnecessarily thick socks, "suffocating" your feet. Or you just sweat too much in them and don't give the feet a chance to get fresh air!
Leather shoes not only have the ability to adapt to the shape of your foot. They can also absorb its current condition and health. This is most obvious when wearing them at long intervals and letting the feet to sweat. Despite the fact that we all pay attention to natural body hygiene, just unwashed or neglected feet can make a real trouble. To keep your shoes "dry", both in figurative sense and real, think about a few factors:
• Do the shoes have sufficient ventilation, breathability?
• You don't have them on your feet for too long, you don't wear them for several days in a row?
• Do you wear them on clean and dry feet?
• Do you not have any skin diseases or skin fungi?
• Do you treat and clean your shoes regularly?
• Do you always put clean socks or tights in your shoes?
Factors affecting the freshness of shoes
1. Breathability
Breathability is an important factor and many shoe manufacturers rely on it. Technologies that remove moisture from the shoe belong to the quality equipment of leather shoes and are used not only in perforated models. Winter boots also need sufficient "ventilation" and that's the art of making a quality pair of boots or sneakers.
2. Long-term wearing of one pair of shoes
We understand that the days in those shoes can sometimes be long, but in general it does not pay to wear one pair of shoes too long. Leather shoes also need "regeneration" after a certain time of wearing, so it is recommended, if you have the opportunity, to change after a few hours (for example, to spare shoes at work) and, importantly, not to wear one pair of shoes for more than two consecutive days.
3. Wearing the shoes on clean feet
It may sound disastrous, but the fact is that in a fast-paced way of life, we don't always think about whether we wear shoes on clean and dry feet. Many people have a habit of "storing" socks inside their shoes after taking them off and put them on again at the next occasion. It's worth it? The damped inside of the shoe, the insole, whether from sweaty feet or unchanged socks, are the perfect invitation to create an unattractive aroma and various microorganisms (which are happy to feed here).
4. Skin diseases and fungi
Needless to say, if your feet are not in top health, the odor in even the best leather model can come from fungi that you don't pay enough attention to. Foot care is paramount, followed by the care of the shoes themselves.
5. Shoe care, cleaning
Anyone who takes care of their shoes regularly knows that soaking it in water and letting it dry is not exactly ideal. The leather needs careful treatment, we distinguish whether it is a product made of smooth leather, nubuck or suede. There is a special balm, spray, cream for each type, which closes the pores of the material after targeted cleaning, so that moisture and dirt do not get inside, exactly what causes the odor. Use fine brushes or sponges to remove dirt, the cleaning agent must be applied to small areas to avoid possible damage to the upper by excessive action. Wet shoes should traditionally be dried before re-wearing.
Leather shoes and homemade deodorants
Once the unpleasant smell in your shoes appears, for whatever reason, it is up to you to intervene in time and make your leather footwear look like new again. There are many ways, even domestic ones. Try the most successful:
1. Baking soda
Soda is a universal item in every household, so it will not be a problem to pour a little of it into your shoes. Leave it there for a few hours, it can effectively absorb the resulting odor and at the end of the procedure it is enough to shake it off the shoe. It is recommended to apply twice a month.
2. Newspaper
If your shoes get wet and you just leave them in the shoebox, sooner or later the settled moisture will also show up in the form of unwanted aroma or fading. Crumpled newspapers will also help you dry the upper. If the shoes have already taken on an odor, you can spray the newspaper with industrial alcohol or vinegar.
3. Coffee beans
If you drink coffee at home, it will not be a problem to give your leather shoes, if necessary, a treatment in the form of coffee beans. These are a great odor regulator. Proceed in the same way as for soda - sprinkle a fine layer into the shoes, let it work, sprinkle out, repeat several times. After the subsequent cleaning, you can continue to wear the shoes undisturbed.
4. White vinegar
Vinegar is one of the most versatile helpers in the house, and although white vinegar is recommended for shoe cleaning, you won't spoil anything with the classic ones. The ability of vinegar to reduce odor is preserved here, as vinegar will rid you of unpleasant odors in the washing machine, refrigerator, kitchen - for example, after frying, it is also a great means of cleaning shoes. All you have to do is rub the inside of the shoes with a small sponge, if necessary, repeat several times and let it dry.
5. Alcohol
Industrial alcohol is very effective in disinfecting, fighting bacteria and odors. If you use it on shoes, use it in small quantities and apply with small sponges or pieces of cotton wool.
Even if you manage to remove the unpleasant odor from leather shoes, it is always easier to prevent it, resp. limit the source of its origin. For the sake of your shoes and in Perfection to your feet.
