Does anyone have any suggestions what to do about dance shoes very soon becoming so smelly i have to open my shoe bag outside to keep my fellow dancers from fainting?

pretty much everyone I know who uses their shoes several times a week seems to have the same problem - I'v etried shoe deodorant but all it seems to do is that they now stink of a mixture of sweat and deodorant, but definetely still smell bad...

any suggestions??

Sarah,
I usually have a pedicure once a week( I do it myself), I don't know if you realize that the dead skin on our feet tend to smell... I also use a pomice stone on them every time I shower, to ensure all that stuff comes off, and I also make sure to keep my feet dry at all times (cotton socks) that includes work shoes, sneakers and so forth. Also try silica, you know those little packages that come with new shoes. Also never wear you stockings twice, the dead skin from your feet stick to them. I hope you are not offended by my imput. Huray.. to happy feet! Lia

I noticed you're from UK; I'm from USA. I've never seen them in dance stores. I don't know if you call them the same thing, but I get them from a Drug Store/Pharmacy type store. Foot pads are also available in supermarkets (food stores) in the personal hygiene section. The brand name that I buy is Dr. Scholl's (not sure of the spelling).

Regards, Hoofer

hi ,

i am a male dancer.
and i can say that my foot does not smell so my shoes !

he he



hope the foot pads work...

take care
bye

I'm thinking of spraying the inside of my shoes and show bags with disinfecting sprays like Lysol to get rid of the odor. I've also thought about sprinkling foot or baby powder inside my shoes to absorb the sweat a bit.

tango

I have had the best luck using cedar shoe trees to both help air-out and absorb odors.

Since the charcoal insoles that others have mentioned aren't always practical for women's shoes, I have seen them used to absorb odors when the shoes aren't being used (ie. in the bag). I have also seen people put a box of baking soda in their shoe bag for the same purpose.

Blair

i'm sorry but i don't think men can even begin to comprehend the issue of shoes here
that is, of course, unless you're one of the chosen few who have tried dancing barefoot in 3 inch heels

the problem is that wearing socks in shoes stretches them out quite a bit, and believe me, when my heels are 3 inches higher than usual i need all the support i can get! Nylons are thin, but too slippery...

but if you can let me in on the secret of not getting smelly feet when you're barefoot in the same shoe exercising for 4 hours, i'll be very grateful!

I usually dance 3-4 nights a week. I use foot pads which contain charcoal. Not only are they easy to change/replace, but they also give a little extra cushion. I have also used foot powder, but doesn't seem to work as well as pads.

It's important to realise that people are all different physiologically. Some people suffer from sweaty palms, others don't have this problem at all.
Sweat itself is pretty well odourless. But it supports bacteria which multiply and, after about 30 minutes or so, give the characteristic 'sweaty' smell.
A few years ago, after running in a wet field, my running shoes were muddy and covered in grass, so i put them in a plastic bag inside my sports bag.
The next day, when i opened up the plastic bag, the smell was disgusting - the bacteria from my feet had multiplied in the damp, humid conditions i'd so kindly provided!
So - dry your shoes quickly and certainly don't put them in your shoe bag while they are even slightly damp. Charcoal inserts ("odour-eaters" in Europe) will help, but they take up valuable shoe space.
And yes - men can appreciate foot problems - we have them too

Some people swear by those scented wooden balls you can get at fancy goods or craft stores, kept in the shoes/bag.

Mind you, some people swear at them when they roll out all over the floor.