How to stop slippers from smelling

Luckily there are ways to both prevent your slippers from becoming smelly in the first place and, if that ship has already sailed, completely deodorise them, leaving your favourite indoor shoes feeling and smelling great. In this blog, we look at the best ways to prevent and remedy smelly slippers. So, whether you favour traditional leather mules or fleece-lined slip-ons, read on for our top deodorising tips. 

 -        Keep your feet clean 

Smelly slippers are typically caused by bacteria that finds its way into the fabric of the footwear when sweat from your feet is absorbed. For this reason, one way to help keep slippers clean is to wash your feet regularly, especially immediately before putting your slippers on. Sweat that has accumulated from a day of wearing socks and outdoor shoes, dry skin and general dirt should be cleaned and scrubbed away, ideally using antibacterial soap, before slippers are worn. Once clean it is also important to make sure your feet are completely dry before putting slippers back on, as trapped moisture can encourage smelly bacteria to thrive.   

 -        Give your slippers a break 

While it’s easy to get into the habit of putting your slippers on whenever you’re in the house, it’s important not to wear them all the time. Indeed, slippers are designed to keep your feet warm and cosy, especially in winter. With this in mind, when temperatures start to rise, slippers are not the best type of indoor footwear. Hot weather causes your feet to sweat more, leading to your slippers becoming smelly at a quicker rate. For this reason, it’s a good idea to give your slippers a break when you don’t need them to keep your feet warm. If you still want to wear something on your feet indoors when it’s hot, why not try a comfy pair of sliders or flip-flops?   

 -        Use baking soda 

Baking soda is a fantastic deodoriser and can help to prevent smelly slippers, as well as treating them. With this in mind, it can be a good idea to place small bags of baking soda inside your slippers when you’re not using them. This will draw out any lingering smells before you can even notice them, keeping your slippers feeling and smelling fresh.  

Although many people believe a socks and slippers combination is very much a fashion faux pas, as well as an inferior comfort experience, you don’t have to wear bulky socks to protect your slippers from becoming stinky. Thin sports socks or no-show socks can be used to help keep your indoor footwear smelling nicer for longer without having to compromise on style or comfort.