There’s nothing more frustrating than getting dog poop on your shoes. Needless to say, the stench is downright awful, and no matter what you do, the smell seems to linger.
If you’ve ever been in this boat (if you are a dog owner, you most certainly have), then pull up a chair and let’s discuss how to get the dog poop smell out of your shoes. Believe it or not, there are quite a few ways to remedy this problem, so let’s go!
Before You Start
You’ll want to remove as much poop from the shoe as possible before trying the upcoming methods to rid the smell, which involves rinsing the shoe to get as much of the poop off as possible. Toothpicks come in handy to get into the grooves. Also, an old toothbrush with soapy water helps ensure you get all the poop off while rinsing. After you’ve rinsed, you can proceed.
How to Get the Smell of Dog Poop Off Your Shoes (5 Easy Steps)
1. Baking Soda or Coffee Filter
Baking soda is an excellent odor absorber. It will also disinfect the area where you had the poop. This method is cheap and works like a charm.
To use baking soda for this purpose, simply sprinkle and cover the sole of your stinky, poop-smelling shoe. Once the shoe is coated with baking soda, put it in a plastic bag. Next, let the shoe sit in the bag for a few hours, preferably overnight. After a few hours, dust off the baking soda, and your shoe should be free of the poop smell.
If you don’t want to douse baking soda all over your shoes, you can place 1 tablespoon of baking soda into a coffee filter, tie it up, and place the coffee filter inside the shoe. Of course, this won’t rid the smell if it’s on the sole, but hey, you may need to rid your shoe of a dog poop smell on the inside, too!
2. Activated Charcoal
Activated charcoal works well to absorb odors within the household, but it can also come to the rescue when you need to rid your shoes of smelling like dog poop.
To use this method, break out the trusty plastic bag once again. Place the activated charcoal in the plastic bag along with your shoe. After that, simply let it sit, preferably for a few days, until the smell is eliminated.
The only drawback to this method is that you won’t have your shoe for a few days, but if you can do without that particular shoe, it works pretty well; it’s just a little time-consuming.
- Related Read: 10 Best Dog Pooper Scoopers: Reviews & Top Picks!
3. Vinegar and Water
Most everyone has vinegar on hand because it comes in handy in numerous situations, and that includes getting rid of the dog poop smell of shoes.
To use this effectively, use a 50:50 ratio. Take ½ cup of water and ½ cup of vinegar, mix well, and put the mixed liquid into a spray bottle. Spray liberally onto the area of the smell, and let it sit a minute or two. Next, take an old brush (an old toothbrush works well for this) and scrub the entire area. You can then soak up the wetness with an old towel or paper towel. Repeat if necessary.
4. Place the Shoes in the Sun
UV rays from sunlight actually can kill odor-causing bacteria, which is in dog poop. All you need for this method is, of course, the sun. Leave your shoe outside in the sun for at least a day. After that, try washing the shoe with soap and water. If the smell persists, leave the shoe out in the sun another day or two and repeat the steps. Using this method will require patience, but you’ll be amazed at how well the sun works to get rid of unwanted smells.
5. Buy an Odor Remover
If all else fails, you can buy a product specifically for this purpose. Enzymatic sprays are good to have on hand because they work for other areas, too, such as beds, couches, and more.
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Conclusion
Hopefully, you won’t have to deal with having dog poop on your shoes too often, but sometimes, it just happens, no matter how careful you are. Whatever you do, don’t let the poop sit for a long period before cleaning it off; the longer it sits, the harder and longer it will take to rid the smell. Also, be sure to wash your hands after trying all of these methods, as dog poop can be hazardous to humans.
Featured Image Credit: Penny Photo, Shutterstock
