I remember the first time I went ice skating like it was yesterday. I was filled with such anticipation– I was finally going to get to glide across the frozen rink, probably inspiring awe and wonder in all those who watched on, as I completed spin after spin. I imagined great applause and an adoring audience following each of my varied leaps.
Perhaps there were several Olympic judges simply waiting in the wings, ready to give me several golden medals for my shockingly incredible (and assuredly perfect) first performance as an unexpectedly talented ice skating amateur.
Instead of my expected frozen glory, however, my face was promptly introduced to the cold ice skating rink. Little me certainly hadn’t anticipated how truly difficult ice skating actually is.
In literal seconds, my respect for ice skaters everywhere (but especially for the crazy-good ones who competed at events such as the Olympics) increased significantly. It seemed as though ice skating was monumentally more difficult than I had initially given it credit for being.
Another thing that I hadn’t given the great sport of ice skating credit for? The absolutely incredible funk that radiates from ice skates!
I mean, I had encountered smelly shoes before, but what the heck was I supposed to do with funky skates? Those shoes literally came with little sharp blades attached! I obviously couldn’t subject my poor washing machine to the kind of danger a skate’s trip through the wash would do.
It would be like, “WANTED: Ice Skates, for the murder of one poor laundry machine.” But, I mean, how else is one supposed to go about cleaning their funky footwear?
I’ve since learned a thing or two, about both skating and the (stinky) ice skates themselves. Trust me, my dear, yet quite possibly funky reader, when I say that there is an innumerable amount of methods by which we can totally save you and your skates.
Deodorize your ice skates for good with any of the following tips and tricks!
Table of Contents
1. Fix the Funk with a Freezer
2. Black Tea Beats Back Bad Smells
3. Baking Soda is Actually Magic
4. Salt Sticks it to The Stank
5. Lose the Smell with Lemon or Lime Peels
6. White Vinegar is pretty Rad so that you don’t have to be Rank
7. LUMI’s Natural Shoe and Foot Powder
1. Freezer
Alright, so I’m sure you read the title of this first option, and felt the need to doubly check that the prescription for your glasses was actually correct, because… like, does that actually say “Freezer”?
Yes, indeed it does! You read it correctly, and if you choose this option, your ice skates will smell great for good! There’s actually totally some sciency information to back this all up, so before you doubt me, just keep reading to see what you think, alright? It sure sounds crazy, I’ll give ya’ that, but I pinky-promise that using a freezer to help deodorize shoes can and will work out.
So the whole reasoning behind this is the why of your shoes and feet smelling. You see, it’s wild because it’s not actually your feet that are doing the smelling. In actual fact, my dear reader– it’s bacteria!
More specifically, it's the bacteria that lives on your feet, which in turn stink up your poor peds and shoes. This bad-smelling bacteria essentially chows down on both the moisture from your sweat and also any spare dead skin cells just left chilling on your feet (of which there’s a veritable plenitude, so said bacteria never really are going to go hungry).
Essentially, our job, if we want to fix our smelly shoes, will be to go after those bacteria with no mercy and lots of zest on our parts. Indeed, any and all manner of enthusiasm ought to be applied if you want to save your footwear from funky doom.
Freezers are great for going after the bacteria because they’ll literally just make it so that the bacteria has a difficult time thriving and jiving on your shoes, and anything that’s bad for the bacteria is awesome for our nose hairs.
Stick your skates into a pillowcase (ice skates and ice cream don’t mix, alright ma’ dude?), and then place that pillowcase into the freezer overnight. If you can go without your skates for more time than that and want to leave them in there a bit longer, go on right ahead, although just make sure not to eventually forget your poor shoes amidst the Ben and Jerry’s, alright?
2. Black Tea Bags
But if you want to keep the skates out of the freezer, there are plenty of other options for us to work with. Black tea bags are the next item we have lined up on the agenda for you, and trust me when I say that it’s a good one.
Yes, I know very well that black tea is meant to be a drink, and if we’re being honest with ourselves, we wouldn’t want to waste good tea on feet. A drink of their own? Nah, feet are already kind of expensive, what with all of the shoes, socks, and spa trips, am I right?
BUT trust me when I say that black tea absolutely is one of the most ideal and effective solutions to stinky shoes that there is. Your skates, feet, schnozz, and dignity will absolutely thank you for this.
Black tea is effective at deodorizing all kinds of shoes because it has this one little ingredient called “tannins” in it. Tannins are bad news for bacteria, which is GREAT news for all of us hoping to clean out our smelly shoes.
In order to deodorize your ice skates with black tea, get yourself a few bags, boil ‘em, and then stick 'em into your skates. Allow it all to sit for at least an hour (although you can totally feel free to go for longer, should you choose to do so), wipe off the excess liquid and then you’re good to go!
Actually, then you should totally just go and brew yourself a spare cup of tea, because you deserve to celebrate smelling great, ma’ dude.
3. Baking Soda
This next one we’ve got lined up for ya’ is easy-peasy, and will deodorize your ice skates with absolutely minimal effort.
Baking soda is literally one of the most simple and effective manners we’ve got for getting rid of that funk, and as an aside you can also use it for baked goods, so I mean, eat well and smell super, because why not do both? Bake cakes, smell great, as I’m always apt to say!
Baking soda gets its super punch from being able to absorb any and all kinds of moisture (including that from your sweat) which, as we’ve already run through, is essentially what helps to feed those crazy-smelly bacteria that live in and stink up all of your poor shoes. Baking soda dries up the moisture like a sponge, leaving your ice skates dry and smelling ah-maaaazing!
If you’re wanting to use baking soda to deodorize your funky ice skates, you’ve got basically two options to work with. You can one, just go the simple route, and sprinkle your baking soda directly into your ice skates, giving the baking soda direct access to the sweaty shoes, or you could as a second option opt to put the baking soda in a sock, tie it off with like a rubber band or something similar, and then stuff that sock into the stinky shoe.
Either or work perfectly fine, although you’ll just want to be aware that you’ll have to clap the baking soda out of your skates once you're through with it (wouldn’t want dusty white footprints after practice, am I right?).
Regardless of which option you think you’ll go with, make sure to leave the baking soda in your pungent peds for at least overnight, but you could totally go a bit longer if you can spare your skates between your time on the rink.
4. Salt
Ok, but baking soda can be messy, and maybe you literally just don’t bake at all, so you don’t have it in your pantry, and you think life sucks now because you don’t have all of the stuff you need to *properly* deodorize your smelly shoes.
I’m here to tell ya’ that you’re WRONG! There are plenty of other wonderful and effective manners by which you might successfully sock the stank for good! Salt, being one of them.
Because really, if you don’t have salt in your pantry, idk how to help you dude– I mean, I could totally help you to deodorize your shoes with another alternative option, but if you don’t have salt then your home cooking probably sucks, and that just sounds like a “you” problem, if you know what I mean, ma’ most dear, yet quite likely smelly reader.
But if you are a sane human being and do have salt in your place of residence (a high-five to you, good sir), then consider yourself fully prepared to deodorize your ice skates, because that’s literally all we’ll be needing. And maybe a sock. Actually, most assuredly a sock will be required for this venture, should you decide to go with the easy-to-clean-up methodology of this option.
Salt slurps up moisture, basically just like baking soda could, and it’s that supremely awesome trait which is going to save your shoes.
Simply salt the insides of your ice skates like they’re under-seasoned food, give the shoes a good shake to make sure that the insides are all fairly coated, and then leave it all to marinade at least overnight, and longer should you like better results and have the time to spare your shoes.
Stick the salt in a sock, just like went over in the baking soda option, should you opt to make it easier for future you to clean everything up.
5. Lemon or Lime Peel
Had enough of the options that just go after the sweat in your shoes? Do you want your ice skates to actually smell great, beyond just smelling rank? Do you, by chance, enjoy the tangy scent of lemon or lime?
If you don’t, um well sorry, take a look at the other six options (and so sorry, you must be deathly allergic to citrus, because lemon and lime are pretty swell, and I literally have no other idea as to why you would avoid them).
Lemon and lime peels work for deodorizing your stinky skates because of how naturally acidic they are. Remember that bacteria? Yeah, so it like really just doesn’t appreciate zest like we do. While we may enjoy the puckery feeling of a good, cool glass of lemon/limeade, bacteria certainly wouldn’t.
The acid from some lemon or lime peels is enough to do said bacteria in, leaving you and your skates free from the funk!
Worried that using literal fruit peels in your ice skates for any amount of time will just lead to mold and other unsavory (and even worse than the sweaty foot funk) results? Don’t you worry, because the acid in the lemon and lime peels is also enough to fend off mold bacteria, at least for a length of time. Like, be careful, don’t be dumb and leave the peels in your shoes for ages, and you and your shoes should totally be fine.
And smelling better than ever! Simply get yourself some peelings from a lemon or lime– enough to cover the sole of each ice skate– and then stick them into the shoes, leaving for at least overnight. Said peels are literal pieces of fruit, so make sure not to leave them in for too much longer– like, over a day would definitely not be great. Seriously, just don’t be dumb and use your own (assuredly fantastic) common sense.
6. White Vinegar Foot Soak
I would also suggest a white vinegar foot soak, in case you feel like you just want the bacteria and the funk gone-gone– no worries about your ice skates smelling like lemon or lime, or getting salty granules everywhere (it’s always the smallest pieces that get stuck inside of your shoes, am I right? And then like hours later they’re the most annoying things in the world until you can finally get them out– totally the most actual and literal worst).
A white vinegar foot soak is an incredibly effective way to get rid of the funk in your ice skates. Remember all of our chit-chat about the smelly bacteria? Those show-stopping stinkers? Yeah, those guys– they’re real headliners, sadly enough. But not for long when we use white vinegar!
Or honestly any kind of vinegar will really work for this one, here. I mean, like apple cider vinegar could probs stain easier should you spill during this option, but there are loads of different types of vinegar that likely wouldn’t stain, and that you also likely have just lying about in the pantry.
Vinegar, you see, works because of how acidic it is. Just like when we discussed the lemon or lime peels, all of that acid isn’t too terribly great for the smelly bacteria, which is absolutely great for us and our noses!
To use white vinegar to deodorize your shoes, simply fill up a bath (or proper-sized container you can use to soak your feet) and fill it all up with a mixture made up of one part white vinegar and two parts water (temperature doesn’t really make a huge difference, one way or another, so literally whatever is comfy for ya’ will work just fine, ok?). Soak your feet for at least 30 minutes, thoroughly rinse off, and then pat dry when you’re done.
7. LUMI’s Natural Shoe and Foot Powder
Your ice skates deserve to be good and deodorized, and so if none of the other options are your vibe, then no worries at all! We’ve got your back! And your feet! And the ice skates themselves! Mucho care, and zero funk, ma’ dude! Say nay to the funk, and yay to LUMI!
Ice skating is a crazy-difficult sport. Sweating is a normal part of gliding across the ice. LUMI’s Natural Shoe and Foot Powder is a natural and supes effective product for clearing up any and all stank for your feet and shoes. Over 600 people have given the product a PERFECT 5 star rating on Amazon, averaging out at a 4.6 star rating. Antony E. Fasse here talks about how it does the job without all of the usual drawbacks for any and all sports:
Your ice skates (and your actual feet themselves!) totally deserve the best of the best. LUMI’s Natural Shoe and Foot Powder actually prevents moisture in your shoes, and uses only the highest quality of natural ingredients to do it. Kaolin clay, bentonite clay, zinc oxide, etc. are all great for your skin, as well as being freakin’ amazing for deodorizing your shoes, to boot (oh, don’t mind me and the puns– you know ya’ love ‘em ;) ).
LUMI’s Natural Shoe and Foot Powder is made with only the best, high quality and natural ingredients. It’s crafted free of animal cruelty and LUMI also just happens to be a small family-owned business on top of it all.
Just a little bit of LUMI’s Natural Shoe and Foot Powder in each of your ice skates takes care of the funk before it can become a problem!
Let’s review it all, because if ice skating has taught us a darn thing, it’s that reviewing and practicing is what makes anything perfect!
Our first option was sticking the ice skates in the freezer, which will totally do a number on the crazy-smelly stank wafting up from your poor pungent peds. Stick the skates into a pillow case, and then stick that into the freezer for as long as you’re not on the rink if you really want to get rid of the stank for good, although simply storing them in there overnight will absolutely work just fine!
Black tea has these pretty swell things called “tannins,” which will totally show those stinky bacteria what’s what. Simply stew your brew (boil it, I mean), and stick the black tea bags in your skates. Make sure to carefully dab away any excess moisture, and then let your shoes air-dry before calling it good!
Baking soda will actually dry out the moisture, which basically is going to leave no moisture for the dreaded bacteria to chow down on, which basically means no funk for us! Heck to the freakin’ yeah, if I do say so myself!
Simply dust the insides of your skates with some baking soda or, for an easier way to clean up, just put the baking soda into a sock, tie it off with a rubber band or something similar, and then stick the stuffed sock into the ice skates. Regardless of what method you’d rather go for, leave it be for at least overnight, but def longer if you can manage it!
Salt can easily replace baking soda, as it slurps down any and all excess moisture. Grab some from your pantry, and a dash a couple of tablespoons of salt (or to taste, as the cookbooks are always saying about seasoning ;) ) directly into your skates or into a handy sock you’ll tie off, then leave it be overnight or longer should you be so able.
Lemon and lime peels work because of how acidic they are, essentially doing the bacteria in. Stick the peels into your ice skates, and let it all sit overnight, although make sure to be cautious about how long you leave it (literal fruit, if I might remind you, dear reader) plz and thank you very kindly.
A white vinegar foot soak also works well for taking care of the funk for good. Get a tub for your feet, fill with one part white vinegar and two parts water, temperature given at your preference. Soak for about half an hour, and then rinse your feet off! The acidic vinegar works just as the lemon or lime peels would– thank goodness for natural acidity, because it’ll def do a whammy on those funky bacteria!
LUMI’s Natural Shoe and Foot Powder is the last one we have in our lineup of methods you can use to easily deodorize your ice skates, but it’s certainly and most definitely not the least! A few dashes of some of this all-natural and all-amazing stuff, and you’ll have managed to fix your smelly shoes in literally almost no time at all!
Your ice skates may need a little help to smell great, but with any of these options, you’ll be back to rocking the rink instead of something rank in no time flat!