2 Ways To Make All-Natural DIY Sneaker Balls at Home

By Richard Haberkost

2 Ways To Make All-Natural DIY Sneaker Balls at Home www.walkjogrun.net

There are few things worse than unwanted shoe odor. This is a problem that many Americans struggle with, and it can absolutely ruin a pair of sneakers… or any other style of shoe, for that matter! While sneaker balls may have a very specific name, you can use them with any style you have in your closet. Today we’re going to talk about how to make your very own, all natural sneaker balls right at home! High prices and questionable ingredients are just two of the reasons people are making their own sneaker balls. Another great reason is the ability to customize both scent and potency. It’s no secret that some shoes get stinkier than others, and sometimes you need a strong scent to combat those strong odors… after all, nobody wants their shoes to smell like a dumpster. It’s just gross.

Remember that last time you pulled off your shoes and everybody in the room noticeably grimaced? It was probably humiliating and awful. Don’t worry about it, though- we’ve all been there! Every single person who wears anything on their feet knows what this is like. So, let’s all take the steps to avoid it in the future! Make your own sneaker balls, and you’ll never worry again.

What Are Sneakerballs?

So, you may be asking what these little products even are. Although they are pretty popular, there are definitely folks out there who haven’t heard of them before. Sneakerballs are exactly what their name suggests- balls filled with deodorizing ingredients which help stamp out bad smells in sneakers. Although sneakers are the traditional shoe for them, they can also be used in a variety of other shoe styles. In fact, it’s encouraged! They can be used in pairs you wear every day, or kept in the shoes you’re saving for a special occasion. There’s no better way to keep shoes fresh while in storage!

There are all different types of shoes that can benefit- in fact, all sneakers can. However, here is a list of specific pairs that really, really need the extra boost.

Work Boots: Obviously these aren’t very breathable. In fact, they’re pretty suffocating for feet! It’s a necessary evil, but there are ways around your work boots turning into a factory of foul smells. Namely, sneaker balls!
Running Sneakers: These are obviously going to be getting their fair share of foot sweat. This is the number one cause of odor-causing bacteria in shoes.
Athletic Footwear: It isn’t just sneakers, however! There are all sorts of athletic shoes that can benefit from sneaker balls. Hiking boots, wrestling shoes, barn work boots, and more are all great candidates.
Professional Shoes: If you’re on your feet all day, you’re going to need a way to combat the day-to-day smell your shoes pick up.
Every-Day Footwear: Basically, if you wear a pair every single day, you’re going to want to keep sneaker balls in them.

Why Sneaker Balls?

There are a variety of reasons why you need to invest in, or make, sneaker balls. Let’s go over a few quick ones to give you an idea of how important these actually are!

Longer Lasting Shoes: It’s no secret that your first instinct when your shoes start to stink is to throw them out. But what if you could nip this problem in the bud before it got to this unmanageable point? Your answer is, of course, sneaker balls. They definitely extend the shelf-life of your favorite pairs and keep them fresher for longer. They can even rescue older pairs that have already started to smell!
Foot Health: The growth of bacteria is never a good thing for your feet. Sneaker balls help to combat this bacteria with their main ingredient- baking soda. While it can be useless with more dangerous bacteria, you’re not going to find that kind of thing in your shoes normally. Baking soda is great for fighting off the bacteria that causes odor specifically. But, hey, anytime you can fight bacteria you should!
Budget Management: Are you on a budget, or just like saving where you can? This is an amazing value, to be honest. Sneaker balls can cost $10 for just a couple of balls… which is so much more per unit than DIY options! These luxurious add-ons don’t need to come at a premium, folks.

Going Natural

Holistic lifestyles are very much in style right now. People are choosing simple ingredients they understand, and making their own products at home when they can. This is a highly sustainable way to live, and we absolutely encourage it! Repurposing old items, or using recyclable materials, is a fantastic way to help the environment out. A lot of people just throw out old, stinky shoes… when they can totally be salvaged! This fights the consumerism that runs strong in American. So, fight the system, and get craftin’!

Below I’ve listed out a few of the reasons DIY sneaker balls are such a great option for all sorts of people. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a holistic mama, or an environmentally aware consumer- DIY is great for all types! This is especially true when the product in question is so incredibly easy to make, as is the case here.

Assurance Of Ingredients: The fact of the matter is that you don’t always know what ingredients are in the products you’re buying. This can make it difficult to trust the long, seemingly random names listed in the ingredients section. When you pick your own ingredients you know exactly what’s going into your sneaker balls. This is especially great for those who choose to live a holistic lifestyle!
Great for allergies: Do you, or one of your children, suffer from allergies? There are some pretty rare ones out there that can impede on your ability to shop around. I personally know people who are allergic to some pretty common ingredients. Lavender, rose, and more can all be culprits for reactions! So, if you have an allergy to common ingredients, then DIY sneaker balls are the way to go.
Customization: What’s better than whipping up the perfect scent? I’m a big fan of this myself. It means being able to choose the exact combination of smells to please your palette, no matter how picky you are. Potency can also be adjusted, so you can either have more or less odor-combating power fit for your needs.

The Different Methods

There are a couple of different ways to go about this DIY job. We’re going to list two of the most popular ones that also happen to be pretty simple. Whichever one works for you is the way to go! There’s no right or wrong answer. Hey, maybe you’ll even think up your own way to make them. Anyways, let’s get right down to business. These sneaker balls aren’t going to make themselves!

Tea Bags

This is probably one of harder methods, but it’s well worth it. It allows a lot of scents to get into your shoes, which increases their deodorizing powers. You can even buy empty tea bags, which makes this process even quicker and easier. So, let’s get into the ins and outs of how, exactly, a tea bag can tame even the worst shoe-related smells!

BetyBedy Tea Bags
Price: See Here

Pure Organic Ingredients
Price: See Here

What You Need:
Teabags
Scent blend
Baking Soda
Stapler

Essentially, you’re going to take a tea bag and make a small opening at the top. Dump out the original contents, and then fill it with a scent blend of your choosing. Once you’re done, simply staple it closed and presto! Your DIY scent-fighter is ready for action. If you’re using a tea bag that’s already empty, then just fill it up and close it per the directions.

Easter Eggs

While Easter eggs may be harder to find, they’re definitely a great option. You may have some left over from Easter, so if you do go ahead and put them to good use! If not I did find a great deal online for your convenience

Darice Jumbo Easter Eggs
Price: See Here

American Greetings Tissue Paper
Price: See Here

What You Need:
Easter Eggs
Scent blend
Baking Soda
Tissue Paper
String
Thumbtack

This is a little more complicated of a process, but it’s vastly less messy if the bag containing the blend of ingredients breaks. I’m going to break it down into steps instead of just listing it out so you can follow along!

Make your blend of scents, and ready your tissue paper. Make sure to be very careful, since tissue paper is delicate. You can use two sheets of tissue paper if you feel it necessary! Place the blend in a small pile in the center.
Pull all four corners together, and use the string to carefully tie them together.
This part is crucial, so make sure to follow the steps in order! You’re going to use the thumbtack to make small holes all over the egg. Do NOT do this with the scent bag in there, or you risk puncturing the little bundle itself. That would mean starting all over.
Plop the bundle into the egg, close it, and it’s ready to go!

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Well, there you have it, folks! Two different ways to craft all-natural, great smelling sneaker balls. As I said earlier, there’s no right way to do it. You might even come up with your own way to do things and go that route. That’s great! I love hearing about unique solutions to everyday problems, personally. It’s just proof of human ingenuity of creativity.

Smelly shoes can be downright embarrassing. Having a bad odor is a huge reason for shoes being thrown out, which is extremely wasteful. Most of these pairs can be salvaged with a little effort and time! This is great for people who love to stay on a tight budget or those who want to help combat overfilled landfills. Are you a naturalist? Great! Know exactly what ingredients go into your blend.

So, get to it! Experiment, and find your perfect fit. Need some ideas on scent blends? I have you covered. I just wrote a great article on just that!