My son’s sweet baby feet smelled of freshly baked bread and sunshine and blades of sweet spring grass. Then he turned twelve and the distinct baby feet smell soured into a distinct…stink.
In case you think I’m being awful for discussing my boy’s smelly feet, I assure you I asked his permission before sharing. He thinks watching his mother squirm and gag at his post basketball game shoe parfume is funny. It is not, for I am highly sensitive to smells. Seriously, I can sniff out a moist sweat sock hidden under a pile of laundry from a mile away. I’m the Sherlock Holmes of smelling.
As vile as my son’s shoes can get, he has nothing on his dad’s size 12 odour generators. My husband is very active. He teaches Phys Ed and not from the sidelines—he gets out there with the kids and works up a sweat. And when some of that sweat pools in his shoes, the aroma can reach a nine—ranked on a rank scale of one (baby feet) to ten (a family of dead rats decaying under the porch in the heat of summer).
And what of my shoes? Obviously they smell like daisies 24/7.
My husband thought he found a solution. It was a nice try, but the resulting chemical smell and toxic residue in my throat sent me running outside. He bought a can of shoe spray that I suspect contained Agent Orange, DDT, baby powder, and oven cleaner. I forbade him from ever using that Napalm foot bomb ever again.
So whaddya do? Plug your nose and suffer like a some kind of odour martyr? No way! There are solutions and just in time for summer—the season also known as “dear god those sandals smell like rotting shellfish!”
There’s no need to suffer. Though my son’s feet may never again smell like gingerbread, they don’t have to smell like the food waste bin in August either.
Here are three things you need to help keep your shoes and feet fresh all summer long:
We tested out this shoe freshener in running shoes, slippers and rain boots. It’s simple to use and did the trick without smelling horrific.
We’re a Birkenstock wearing family. Birks have amazing support (#oldlady) and I enjoy mine all summer but by July they’re a little less than “daisy fresh.” The trick is to let them dry out completely and then use a brush like THIS ONE to remove any surface dirt and grunge. Then clean with the sandal cleaner. Let dry and then spray with the Universal All Protector to help repel moisture.
These are great! The only thing worse than socks in summer is moist feet (yes, I used the M word). I can’t stand the feeling, plus once sweat soaks into your shoes they smell as soon as your feet heat up your shoes the next time you wear them. It’s gross—that’s why these insoles are brilliant. The insoles absorb the moisture instead of your footbeds. *Tip: gently hand-wash and air dry the Barefoot Insoles and use again!
With these products on hand (or foot in this case) your shoes will last longer and the best part…your feet won’t smell like a week old cheese plate. You’ll basically win summer.
And here’s another way to win…
Tana knows “shoe love is true love” and with that in mind they’ve created two fun opportunities for you to WIN!
If photos are your thing… From April 4th to 30th, simply share photo(s) of what “shoe love” looks like to you and use the hashtag #TanaLovesShoes on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook for a chance to win a Tana Prize Pack!
Enjoy chatting on Social Media? Then join in on the #TanaLovesShoes Twitter party—Tuesday, April 19, from 8-9pm EDT. Plenty of shoe talk, plus prizes! The grand prize winner will receive a $500 VISA gift card, plus there are an additional six prizes of $50 VISA gift cards up for grabs!
Disclosure: a) My shoes *may* occasionally smell less fresh than I’ve lead you to believe. b) This post was generously sponsored by Tana whose products clean, protect and freshen my family’s footwear all year long.
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