Running Shoes Smell? Why It Happens and How to Fix It

By Paul G.
Published: October 2, 2026

I used to run a lot. A 5K every other day. And my running shoes smelled so bad I had to keep them outside, in my backyard. They pretty much lived out there.

So if your running shoes smell, I get it. Running shoes smell because your feet sweat hard on a run, the sweat soaks into the insole and the lining, and bacteria feed on it. The shoe never fully dries before the next run, so the smell builds. The fix is to dry the shoe out, treat it after every run, and treat your feet before you go.

Why Do Running Shoes Smell So Bad?

You sweat a lot more on a run

Your feet have around 250,000 sweat glands, per the National Library of Medicine. The bottoms of your feet are one of the most sweat-packed spots on your body.

Sitting at a desk, that sweat comes out slow. On a run, your body heats up and those glands go to work. All of it goes straight into your socks and your shoes.

The insole and the lining hold on to it

Running shoes are built to be light and soft. That means a padded insole, a padded collar around your ankle, and a soft lining. All of that soaks up sweat and holds on to it.

The mesh up top lets air in. But the sweat is not sitting on the mesh. It is in the insole under your foot, and that is the part that stays damp.

Bacteria feed on the sweat

Sweat by itself barely smells. The smell comes from bacteria that live on everyone's feet. They eat the sweat and the dead skin in your shoe, and what they leave behind is the stink. A warm, damp, dark shoe is the perfect spot for them.

If yours smell sharp, almost like ammonia, that is its own thing. I covered it in why your shoes smell like cat pee.

They never get a chance to dry

Most of us finish a run, kick the shoes off, and toss them in a gym bag, a closet, or the car. No air. The insole is still damp the next time you put them on, so the bacteria never get a break.

I ran every other day, so my shoes always got a full day off between runs. They still stunk. Drying a shoe slows the smell down. It does not get rid of the bacteria. They just wait for the next sweaty run.

How Do You Get the Smell Out of Running Shoes?

• Pull the insoles and the laces. Every time, if you can. The insole holds most of the sweat, and it dries way faster on its own.
• Air them out, not in a bag. Somewhere with air moving. Stuff the shoes with newspaper to pull the moisture out of the toe. Swap the paper if it gets damp.
• Hand-wash when they are really bad. Warm water, a little mild soap, a soft brush. Wash the insoles on their own. Let everything dry all the way before you run in them again.
• Keep them out of the dryer. High heat can warp the foam and weaken the glue. Same goes for a heater or a hair dryer up close.
• Treat the inside. Once the shoe is dry, use something made for shoe odor and get the toe box and the heel. That is where the sweat goes. I compared a bunch of them in the best sneaker odor sprays.

Baking soda gets passed around a lot. It soaks up some of the smell overnight. It also leaves white powder in the mesh, and the smell comes back after the next run. I wrote up the whole baking soda in shoes thing if you want the details.

Freezing your shoes gets passed around running groups too. Cold slows bacteria down. It does not kill most of them. Labs keep bacteria in freezers on purpose.

How Do You Keep Running Shoes From Smelling?

• Air them out right after the run. Before the coffee, before the shower. Pull the insoles and leave the shoes somewhere with air, not in the bag.
• Rotate two pairs if you run most days. Each pair gets a full day to dry. It will not fix the smell by itself, but it helps everything else work.
• Wear socks made for running. Merino wool or a wicking blend pulls sweat off your skin. Plain cotton holds on to it. More on that in the best socks for smelly feet.
• Treat the shoe every time. After every run, not once the smell is already bad.
• Treat your feet before you go. The shoe only smells because your feet keep loading it up. A foot deodorant on the bottoms and between the toes, before your socks go on, handles that side. If you are wondering whether your regular deodorant works, I covered that in can you put deodorant on your feet.

Training for a Race? Race Week and Race Day

If you are training for a marathon or a half, your shoes take a beating. Long runs mean more sweat soaking in, and a training block can be months in the same pair.

• Taper week is your reset. Fewer miles means more time for the shoes to dry. Hand-wash the insoles that week, not the night before the race. They need a day or two to dry all the way.
• Nothing new on race day. Not new shoes, not new socks. Runners say it because of blisters, and it goes for your routine too. Whatever you do for your feet and shoes in training, do it race morning.
• Do not bag them after the finish. One runner posted in a London Marathon Facebook group that they finished the 26.2, shoved their shoes in a bag, and forgot them in the car. You can guess how that went. Take them out when you get home. Insoles out, air, spray that night.

What I Use

What got my running shoes back in the house was a shoe spray I made with my uncle Fredy. He has run a cosmetic lab in Costa Rica for over 30 years.

Here is the shoe spray. It kills the odor in the shoe, it is scentless, and it dries in about a minute. I spray the toe box and the heel when the shoes come off.

For my feet, I use the roll-on in the morning before my socks go on. It stops the smell at the source. Together they are the Foot Reset Kit.

The key is doing it every time. Shoes come off, spray goes in. After a few weeks it is just part of the run, like charging your watch when you get home.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do my Hoka shoes smell so bad?

It is not the brand. Any running shoe smells for the same reason: sweat and bacteria in a shoe that does not dry. Max-cushion shoes like Hokas have thick insoles and a lot of padding, so there is more to soak up sweat and more to dry. Pull the insoles after every run and treat the inside.

Why do my shoes still stink after washing?

Washing cleans the shoe, but if it goes back on before the insole is fully dry, the smell comes right back. And your feet load it up again on the next run. Dry them all the way, treat the inside after every run, and treat your feet too. More in how to get rid of shoe odor.

Can you put running shoes in the washing machine?

Some brands say you can, but hand-washing is easier on them. If you use the machine, take the insoles and laces out, put the shoes in a pillowcase, and use cold water on a gentle cycle. Then air-dry them. Never the dryer.

Does baking soda work in running shoes?

A little. It soaks up some smell and moisture overnight. It does not stop the bacteria, and it leaves powder in the mesh. Use it as a quick fix, not a routine. Look for something made for shoe odor that is easy enough to use after every run. Here are the shoe odor sprays I make.

Can other people smell my shoes?

Yes, often before you can. Your nose gets used to your own smell, so you stop noticing it. Other people do not. If you have ever thought twice about taking your shoes off at a friend's place, that is your answer.