By SHELBY BILBRUCK
Columnist

One thing that can ruin your favorite pairs of shoes is having stinky feet walk in them day after day. There are many ways to keep the stink away and keep your shoes smelling like they’re fresh out of the box.

The easiest way to make sure your shoes don’t stink is going straight to the source, your feet. Try using antiperspirant made especially for your feet before you put on your socks.

It usually comes in spray form that you apply directly to your feet and let dry before putting on your shoes. If your shoes also smell a bit already, you can spray it into your shoes as well.

Another option is home remedies. Depending on what you have lying around at your house, there are many different types of soaks you can do.

The first home remedy you can do is a vinegar soak. Take one part vinegar and two parts water and soak your feet in it daily to reduce the amount of odor causing bacteria.

Another is a salt soak or wash. Pour half a cup of kosher or Epsom salt into four cups of water and soak your feet for 10-15 minutes then dry them off.

The most effective soak, however, is going to be the tea soak. Boil four or five tea bags in a quart of water, let cool, then soak your feet for 20 minutes a day.

Different sorts of powders are also excellent home remedies. The more your feet sweat, the more your feet tend to stink and your shoes tend to smell. Cutting out the sweat will help eliminate the odor.

Rubbing powders like baking soda, baby powder, corn starch and talcum powder will help absorb the sweat and keep your feet dry.

Other ways to prevent your feet from stinking are to make sure you have proper shoes and socks that let your feet breathe. Socks made from natural materials like cotton usually provide more ventilation, which can help limit the growth of bacteria.

With these tricks and remedies, your shoes and your feet will stay smelling fresh!