ALRIGHT TODAY'S BLOG IS AN IMPORTANT ONE AND IF YOU DON’T THINK IT’S A BIG DEAL; THEN YOU’RE A BARBARIAN! WITH SUMMER PRACTICES TAKING PLACE AND SHOES BEING WORN ALL THE TIME, THE QUESTION OF THE CENTURY IS, HOW THE H*** DO YOU KEEP CHEER SHOES FROM SMELLING LIKE A TACO BELL DUMPSTER ON A HOT SUMMER DAY?! NO MATTER HOW NEW OR OLD YOU ARE TO CHEER, WE’VE ALL SMELT A TEAMMATES (IF NOT OUR OWN) SHOES THAT MADE OUR INSIDES GET A LITTLE QUEASY. WELL, DON’T WORRY BECAUSE YOU’RE NOT ALONE IN THIS ISSUE AND I’M HERE TO GIVE YOU A FEW POINTERS TO HELP YOU AVOID THE UNFORGIVEN SMELL OF RIPE FEET.

BELOW ARE A FEW THINGS YOU CAN DO TO KEEP YOUR SHOES FROM KILLING YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY.

1) SHOES ENJOY THE AIR- ONE OF THE EASIEST WAYS TO ALLEVIATE YOUR GYM OF THE SWEATY FEET SMELL IS TO LET YOUR SHOES, AND EVEN YOUR FEET, AIR OUT. WHEN IT'S A NICE DAY OUT SIDE (AND YOU DON'T HAVE CHEER OF COURSE) PUT YOUR SHOES OUT ON THE PORCH AND LET THEM BREATHE FOR A WHILE.

2) FREEZE THE SMELL OUT- PLACE EACH SHOE IN A ZIPLOCK BACK AND PUT THEM IN YOUR FREEZER FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR (THE LONGER, THE BETTER). BECAUSE OF THE FROST LIKE TEMPERATURES IN THE FREEZER, ANY ODOR CAUSING BACTERIA WON’T BE ABLE TO SURVIVE AND WILL RELEASE THEIR HOLD ON YOUR SHOES.

3) USE DRYER SHEETS- PLACE A DRYER SHEET OR TWO IN EACH SHOE WHEN WEARING THEM AT PRACTICE. THE SHEETS WILL ABSORB UP ANY ODOR THAT MAY OCCUR DURING YOUR PRACTICE HELPING TO LOWER THE SMELL WHEN IT’S TIME TO TAKE THE SHOES OFF. OBVIOUSLY, DEPENDING ON YOUR SHOE SIZE THIS ONE COULD BE SLIGHTLY UNCOMFORTABLE AND AWKWARD, BUT ONCE AGAIN, IT'S BETTER THAN HAVING A TACO BELL DUMPSTER ATTACHED TO YOUR FEET. 

4) INVEST IN ANTI-MICROBIAL FOOT POWDER- NOW WE ALL KNOW THAT A CHEERLEADERS FOOT WOULD NEVER BE THE CAUSE TO STINKY SHOES, BUT JUST TO BE SAFE GET SOME ANTI-MICROBIAL POWDER AND TOSS A LITTLE IN YOUR SHOES. LIKE THE DRYER SHEETS, THIS WILL HELP TO ABSORB ODORS AS THEY APPEAR. ONCE THE SMELL STARTS TO FIGHT ITS WAY BACK THROUGH; ADD MORE.

5) CITRUS SMELLS- CUT A SLICE OF LIME, GRAPEFRUIT, LEMON, OR AN ORANGE AND PLACE IT IN EACH SHOE OVER NIGHT. THE CITRUS CAN HELP KILL OFF BACTERIA AND WILL LEAVE SHOES SMELLING SO FRESH AND SO CLEAN. 

6) HAVE MULTIPLE PAIRS- LASTLY, IF YOU CAN HAVE MULTIPLE PAIRS OF CHEER SHOES THAT YOU CAN SWAP EVERY OTHER PRACTICE, IT WILL HELP KEEP THEM FRESHER LONGER. THIS OBVIOUSLY CAN BE EXPENSIVE, BUT IT'S ALWAYS AN OPTION.

     NOW, TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES AND GIVE SOME OF THESE HACKS A TRY. YOU CAN EVEN TRY COMBINING A COUPLE OF THE HACKS FOR THAT EXTRA LAYER OF FRESHNESS. NO MATTER WHAT YOU CHOOSE TO DO, AT LEAST YOU’LL KNOW THAT YOU’RE NOT THE ONE MAKING EVERYONE SICK THE NEXT TIME YOUR SHOES COME OFF.