To conquer the stink, you must kill the bacteria, deodorize, make the shoes an unfriendly environment, and of course, keep those feet as clean as possible!
You may have already searched online for solutions. There are many out there, offering varying results (the majority disappointing). There are also store-bought remedies, but most are unsuitable for dance shoes (Lysol, inserts, foot powder, etc). Washing most dance shoes isn't an option either as it can cause damage to the leather, dye, and glue. After a lot of trial and error, I have found only the method below to work reliably.
1. Make your own shoe powder. This recipe is inexpensive and very effective. You will need:
- A large jar with a tight-fitting lid, medium round screw-top Ziplock storage container, or other similar vessel
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup baking powder
- 1/2 cup baking soda
- 10 drops melaleuca/tea tree essential oil (optional, but worthwhile)
*Between my two kids, I'm looking at 10 pairs of different dance shoes to keep fresh. If you're only working with one or two pairs, you can certainly halve or quarter the recipe!
Place all of the ingredients in the container. Attach the lid. Shake vigorously to mix everything together.
What do these ingredients do exactly, you might be wondering:
- Cornstarch will pull the moisture right out of the shoes, which is an essential step of stopping bacteria
- Baking Soda is a natural deodorizer and anti-fungal
- Baking Powder is a mix of baking soda and cream of tartar, which is anti-bacterial
- Melaleuca Oil is anti-bacterial (the scent will not stay with the shoes once the powder is removed).
How does one use this foot powder, you ask?
- The powder can be applied directly to each shoe (1 tsp for little shoes, 2-4 tsp for larger sizes). This is especially useful when a shoe is very sweaty and/or stinky. Be sure to shake it around to coat the inside of the shoe. Let the powder sit in the shoe overnight or longer. Before wearing, you can just tap the powder out into the garbage - though using the hose of a vacuum is faster and more thorough. The powder is safe for feet, but it is more comfortable to remove it before wear.
- Make sachets - one for each shoe. This is most useful for general maintenance (when the shoe does not stink). To make a sachet you will need a 6"X6" dual-layer of cheesecloth, a 5"X5" single-layer of napkin, and a rubber band. Place the napkin in the center of the cheesecloth. Scoop 2 tbsp of foot powder onto the center of the napkin. Carefully gather the edges to make a pouch. Secure the ends tightly with the rubber band. Voila! You can apply a few drops of anti-bacterial essential oil to the outside of the sachet, if desired (I like to use cedar wood oil). This will scent the shoe and help keep bacteria at bay. I make fresh sachets every few months.
2. The dance bag itself can become a varitable playground for bacteria. Make the dance bag breakdown a part of your dance-day routine:
- As soon as you get home, unzip the bag and keep it open until you're ready to leave the house with it again. This allows air circulation.
- Remove any dirty clothes, food & garbage, and all shoes that were worn that day.
- Keeping (and refreshing) a product like an air purifying bag isn't a must, but it is helpful.
3. Take care of the shoes!
- Once you've taken the shoes out of the dance bag, open them up to allow air circulation so they can dry.
- If the shoes are particularly sweaty or stinky, apply foot powder directly to each shoe (see #1 above).
- Otherwise, once the shoes have air dried (I usually leave them out overnight), place a sachet in each one (see #1 above). The shoes can be put back in the dance bag at this point. Leave sachets in place until the shoes need to be used again.
4. Keep feet clean. Dirty feet (and tights) transfer bacteria right to shoes. Washing feet before dance class is a wise precaution. No time to wash with soap and water? Rubbing alcohol or antibacterial wipes are great on the go cleaners. And, of course, if tights or socks are being used, make sure they've been washed.
Following these four simple steps will banish the stink. Fellow dancers and moms alike will thank you (and want to know your secret)!
