How to Remove Musty Odor from Shoes at Home

Feet carry the densest concentration of sweat glands in the whole body, so moisture builds up inside the lining all day. Add a humid, closed cabinet and shoes that never fully dry between wears, and mold starts growing — bringing that sharp, musty smell with it. Musty odor is different from sweat odor, but both are fixable if you work in order: clean, deodorize, then change how you store the shoes so the smell does not return.

First: clean before you deodorize

Deodorizing dirty shoes only masks the problem. For fabric shoes, remove the insoles (if they come out) and wash them separately with soap, then scrub the inner lining with a mild soap solution and wipe with a damp cloth. For leather and suede, never soak — spot-clean with a damp, soapy cloth, wipe again with a clean damp cloth, and let them air dry.

Overnight baking soda

Fill an old sock with about a cup of baking soda, tie the end, and place one inside each shoe overnight. The sock weave lets the powder work without spilling into the shoe. In the morning, remove the pouch and tap the shoes upside down to shake out any residue. This is the safest method — it works for every material, leather included.

White vinegar and tea tree oil spray

Mix half a cup of water with half a cup of white vinegar and 5 drops of tea tree oil in a spray bottle. Lightly spray the smelly areas and the inner lining, then let the shoes dry in a ventilated spot. This solution neutralizes odor and slows mold from coming back; use it regularly after heavy-sweat days. On suede, spray very lightly and never soak the surface.

Extra helpers

• Orange or lemon peels: leave a few slices inside the shoes overnight for a mild fresh scent. This freshens but does not replace cleaning.
• Fabric softener sheets: roll one up and tuck it into each shoe overnight — works for light odor.
• Air and indirect light: dry moving air is mold's worst enemy. Fabric shoes can sit in mild morning sun for a few hours; leather and suede stay in a ventilated shade only, away from direct sunlight.

How to keep the smell away

• Rotate at least two pairs so each one gets a full dry day between wears.
• Never store damp shoes in a closed cabinet or box; keep moisture absorbers inside the shoe cabinet.
• Wash or replace insoles on a schedule — old sweat-saturated insoles are the most persistent odor source.
• After rain, dry shoes right away following the steps in our mold prevention and removal guide.

When to hand them to EXTRIM

Musty odor that has soaked into the lining and midsole for months, a smell that returns days after deodorizing, or shoes that smell and show mold at the same time — home tricks only reach the surface in these cases. EXTRIM's shoe cleaning and spa service deep-cleans the lining, deodorizes by material and treats mold with 2026 reference pricing from 150,000 VND; badly odor-damaged insoles can be replaced. See also our guide on washing smelly shoes and storing 20 pairs of sneakers in humid climates.

Final pricing is confirmed after we see the actual condition of your shoes.

👉 Send photos of your shoes for odor-treatment advice

Public case studies

Photos in this article illustrate the process — they are not a before–after record with a public case code. EXTRIM does not use illustrative images to promise results for every pair.