Hi everyone!

My first post here. Love the site.

Here's the question:

My wife bought two new pairs of ballroom shoes today. That makes about 6 pairs alone this year.

She says she needs new shoes because her feet sweat so much her shoes begin to smell.

There has to be a better solution than just buying new shoes every couple of months. Yes, she's tried odour sprays and Gold Bond.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

OB
Victoria, BC, Canada

I use the mesh bag from Freed of London. Mesh is good because it's breathable. It doesn't seal sweat & stink inside the bag. I put my practice shoes in the mesh bag and put in the lock of my studio. No smell at all!

Gebby,

Thanks.

The all leather vs. cloth lining concept is a good one.

Definitely not an overuse issue although we dance quite a bit.

OB

Well, I sometimes need new shoes after 6 weeks because my "old" ones fall apart. Is it really because of sweat or because of the intense use?
I experienced a big difference when using different brands of shoes. Some italian shoes -such as "dance naturals" are leather inside and out and therefore not too smelly as the ones with cloth lining.

But still: Smelly shoes go with hard training, don't they?

One thing that unstinks shoes is "Enz-Stain" from exelpet. Its main purpose in life is neutralising cat's wee, but it helps with shoes too. Also, if you are going to be throwing them out anyway, chuck them through the washing machine and see if they survive!

Thanks All,

Some excellent ideas.

OB

Cedar shoe trees should help. They help the shoes keep their shape and dry out. The cedar wood absorbs odors. I keep all my dance shoes in cedar shoe trees and store them in a mesh shoe bag. I have not had any odor problems since I started using the shoe trees.

BTW, you can also find shoe-bags at golf shops.

Blair

First of all, make sure the shoes are drying out thoroughly. A lot of people put them in a synthetic zip-bag that just seals all the sweat & stink in there.
My feet aren't terrible, but as someone noted, this goes with the territory. I put talcum powder in my shoes before and after every practice. It absorbs sweat as well as neutralizing the smell. Switching the insoles more frequently may help (and is certainly cheaper than switching shoes so fast).

I know some people wear nylons, tights, footsies, or even socks to help absorb and/or trap the sweat so that the shoe remains relatively unaffected... and you just throw the offending layer in the washing machine to be used as a barrier another day.

I think there are sprays which are supposed to suppress sweat... she could maybe even try a regular antiperspirant.

Hope these or other idea help!