Bad Odors in Dance Shoes

Bad odors rising from your dance shoes, or any shoes, can be embarrassing. Your feet are naturally going to sweat, with 250,000 sweat glands! But enclosing that sweat in your shoes can lead to serious smells. Bacteria are the main cause of the odor. But there are steps you can take to help keep your shoes in better condition, and better smelling.

First of all, always air out your shoes. This goes for dance shoes, sports cleats, dress shoes, or tennis shoes. All shoes need aired out. If you throw your dance shoes into a bag to take them home (especially since you won't be wearing them out into the snow) remember to take them out of your bag as soon as you get home. Be sure to unlace them as much as possible to let air circulate inside them. We suggest wearing a pair of shoes every other day so they have adequate time to air dry. This may not be possible if you are practicing a certain style every day (say you need your pointe shoes), but where it is possible to rotate it is the best idea.

Your socks matter! With many dance shoes, you may not be wearing socks, but when socks can be worn with your shoes, you should select socks with moisture wicking properties. This will keep the moisture away from your feet, which helps to prevent fungal infections of the toes or skin. Also, socks that absorb moisture means that less will be left in the shoe.

Try a foot powder. Many powders are available which help to absorb the moisture in your shoes. This helps prevent odors and fungi. You should powder all your shoes to prevent excess moisture.

You can try an odor absorbing insole. These are available over the counter, and can also add a little padding to your shoes. Perhaps you don't want to add them to your dance shoes, but you can add them to your regular shoes to keep your feet smelling better during the day.

Finally, you can Lysol your shoes to kill bacteria. Usually you want to do this when they will have adequate time to air dry. This helps sanitize your shoes and kill the germs that can cause odor, warts, and fungal infections.