How to Get Dog Poop Out of Shoes

You’re strolling along, enjoying a wonderful walk outdoors, when the inevitable happens, and you step in a pile of dog poo. As you lift your foot from the ground and the smell of pet waste rises to your nose, you begin to wonder how you’ll possibly get the disgusting mess off your shoes. Before you toss them in the trash, find out how to get dog poop out of shoes with ease.

If you’re a pet owner, you’re aware that some outdoor areas are like walking through a dog feces land mine. However, if you don’t have a pet of your own, it’s easy to forget that dogs poop wherever they fancy, and it might be on the same path you like walking.

If the dog poop smell doesn’t warn you ahead of time, there’s a good chance that the squish beneath your shoe lets you know that you took the wrong step. While wiping your feet over thick grass removes some dog waste, there is usually stinky gunk still stuck in the shoe treads, and extra cleaning methods are required to remove the remaining poop.

Ways to Get Dog Poop Off Shoes

While it’s ideal to stop cats and dogs from pooping in your yard, it’s not always feasible. Accidentally stepping into a fresh pile of pet waste is unpleasant, and dog diarrhea is even worse. The fecal matter sticks in all of the nooks and crannies in your shoe, and the odor is nauseating. While composting dog waste is one option, there are easier ways to remove these stubborn stains from your footwear and get rid of the foul smells.

How to Remove Dog Poop from Leather Shoes

Leather is famous for making shoes since the natural material is luxurious and durable. However, it needs special cleaners and techniques to remove stains, such as feces. Learn how to remove dog poop from leather shoes to prevent damaging the material.

First, wipe away as much fecal matter as possible with paper towels while avoiding spreading it. Fill a container with warm water and add a capful of saddle soap.

Apply the soapy water to the stain with a soft brush, rinse it as needed, and reapply the cleaner until the feces is gone. Wipe the whole shoe with a damp cloth and replenish the leather material with a leather moisturizer.

How to Clean Dog Poop Off Shoes in the Freezer

While freezing your shoes to get off stubborn stains is not a conventional cleaning method, it’s a great way to harden the gunk for easy removal. Here is how to clean dog poop off shoes by using your freezer.

Since you don’t want to contaminate the food in your freezer, place your sneaker in a plastic bag or trash bag. Seal the bag shut and set your shoe in the freezer until the poop completely freezes. Take the shoe outside and use a butter knife or another sharp object to pry the frozen dog poo out of the grooves.

Here’s How to Get Dog Poop Out of Shoes with the Sun

Another way to harden the dog poop on your shoes for convenient cleaning is to use the sun’s power. While this technique takes a little time and patience, it makes getting fecal material out of the shoe’s tread easier.

Take off your shoes and place them upside down in a sunny area. Let them sit until the sun dries the gunk, and then use a sharp object, like a pointy stick, to scrape the dried poop out of the treads. After removing the larger chunks, smack your shoes together to loosen any remaining bits.

Use an Old Toothbrush to Get Dog Poop Off Shoes

If you have an old toothbrush in your bathroom, you have the perfect tool for cleaning dog poop out of the treads in your shoe. The bristles fit nicely into small areas, and the brush works the dried poop off your shoes in no time at all.

Take your shoes outside, let them dry completely, and flip them over. Use an old hard toothbrush to scrub between the treads in your shoes. Start at one end and work your way to the other to get as much of the poop off the shoe as possible. To remove small bits, smack the shoe sole on a hard surface, such as the driveway or sidewalk.

Cleaning Dog Poop Off Shoes with Soapy Water

Once you get the dried dog poop off your shoes, it’s essential to clean them with soapy water to remove residue. Even if there doesn’t appear to be any fecal matter remaining, there is still odor-causing bacteria that requires cleaning.

Squirt some dish soap into a container and add warm water. Agitate the liquid and apply it to the dirty section of your shoe. Use a circular motion to clean the surface and avoid spreading the dirt to other areas of the sneaker. Once the shoe is clean, rinse it with cool water and allow it to air dry.

Getting Dog Poop Off Shoes with WD-40

If you have a WD-40 can in your home or garage, you’re in luck. This lubricant spray works wonders at removing a feces stain from your shoes, and it’s safe to use on leather. Discover how to remove dog poop from leather shoes with WD-40.

Set your shoe on the ground and spray the affected area with WD-40. Use an old toothbrush to gently scrub away the stain and rinse it with clean water. If any poop remains, repeat the steps and dry the shoe thoroughly with a soft towel.

Cleaning Your Shoes in the Washer to Remove Dog Poop

If your shoes are fabric or canvas, they are generally safe to clean in the washing machine to remove a pet stain, like cat pee, dog urine, or feces. Explore how to clean dog poop off shoes in the washer and dryer.

When you want to clean your shoes at home, place your shoe with a couple of towels into the washing machine, add your favorite laundry detergent, and clean them with the cold and delicate wash cycle. Transfer the towels to the dryer, and hang the shoe’s laces outside the dryer door before closing it. Dry with the tumble or air-dry setting and check them every 20 minutes.

Ways to Get Dog Pee Off Shoes

Dog poop is not the only problem pet owners deal with, and discovering your dog sprayed your shoes is just as bad as stepping in poo. It’s simple to make a dog urine cleaner or use another method. Learn how to get dog pee out of shoes with easy cleaning solutions.

The easiest way to get urine out of shoes is to wash them in the washing machine. Be sure to check the care tag to ensure they are machine washable if you need to remove pee smell from shoes. Another way to remove dog pee from a shoe is to use baking soda and water. Fill a tub with water and shake in a decent amount of baking soda.

Soak your shoes in the solution for about half an hour, and rinse them off under running water. Dry the shoe thoroughly with a large towel and set them in a safe area to air dry.

Using the Hose to Remove Dog Poop from Shoes

One of the simplest ways to remove dog waste from your shoe is to use your garden hose. This process works best if you step in fresh feces, and the water spray flushes the poop out of the sneaker’s nooks and crannies.

Flip your shoes over and set them on the grass or driveway. Turn on your garden hose and use a gentle spray to rinse off large bits of dog poop. Aim it away from you and use a back and forth motion.

If necessary, use a stronger spray to remove stubborn bits from between the treads. Once your sneakers are clean, let them air dry completely before wearing them.

Remove Dog Poop from Shoes with White Vinegar

White vinegar is a miracle liquid that kills bacteria and mold and removes even the most stubborn stains. It’s safe to use on everything from carpet to shoes, and it is excellent for getting a dog poop stain off your footwear, as well as to get asphalt stains off shoes or your favorite boots.

Set your shoes on a flat surface outside. Combine vinegar and water in a spray bottle and spray the affected areas of your sneakers, whether you are cleaning dog feces or are removing grass stains from shoes. Let them sit for a minute or more and use a soft brush to gently scrub away the feces without spreading it to other areas of the shoe. Rinse thoroughly with clean water and dry with a towel.

Using Hydrogen Peroxide to Remove Dog Feces Stains on Shoes

While we usually use hydrogen peroxide to clean cuts and abrasions, this antiseptic liquid is also a disinfectant with oxidation properties that work well to clean various stains. Use peroxide to disinfect and clean dog waste from your shoe.

Pour hydrogen peroxide into a spray bottle, set your shoe on the ground, and spray the stained area with the liquid. Let it sit for a minute as the peroxide breaks up the stain, and wipe it clean with rags. Check to ensure the fecal matter is gone, and rinse the shoe with cool water.

Shoe Cleaners Remove Dog Poop Stains from Shoes

There are many cleaners on the market if you prefer to use a store-bought shoe cleaner to remove stains from your shoes. There are many popular types, depending on shoe material.

When deciding to use a shoe cleaner to remove dog poo from your shoe or to clean spots off leather, it’s vital to understand your shoe type. Textile and canvas shoe cleaners work well for sneakers, running shoes, and other similar footwear, while natural materials require suede and leather cleaners, conditioners, and brushes.

Follow the directions for your shoe cleaner brand and set your shoes in a well-ventilated area to air dry.

Make a DIY Shoe Deodorizer Spray to Eliminate Dog Poop Smells

Though your shoes look clean, they may still have a lingering dog poop odor. This unpleasant smell follows you wherever you go and is simple to eliminate with a deodorizing spray.

Pour the water and hydrogen peroxide into a spray bottle and add the baking soda. Leave the bottle uncovered until the ingredients stop reacting to each other, and close the nozzle. Set your shoes on a towel and spray the deodorizer over the stinky areas of each shoe without saturating them. Let them air dry before wearing them.

Eliminate Dog Poop Odor from Shoes with Baking Soda

If you check your kitchen, you probably have a box of baking soda sitting in the cupboard or refrigerator. This powder is perfect for absorbing odors and safe to use on your footwear. Here is how to get dog poop smell out of shoes with sodium bicarbonate.

Shake baking soda powder over the affected area of your shoe and set it in a plastic bag for a few hours. Remove the shoe, take it outside, and use a brush to wipe away the odor-absorbed powder. To freshen the insides of your sneakers, sprinkle the baking soda into each shoe, let them sit overnight, and empty the powder in the morning.

Getting Dog Poop Smells Off Shoes with Activated Charcoal

Activated charcoal is great for removing unpleasant smells without masking them. It’s super simple to use, and there is no mess to clean up after you use it to get bad smells, like dog poop and urine, out of your shoes.

This is one of the most effective ways to get rid of foul odors on your footwear, but it takes several days, so prepare to wear other shoes in the meantime. Put the activated charcoal into a large plastic bag and set your shoe inside. Close the bag and let it sit for a few days to eliminate the poop smell.

Taking the wrong step into a pile of dog waste is bad enough, but it’s even worse if you’re not a dog owner. It seems that whatever you do to clean dog poop off the bottom of your shoes, there’s still some remaining.

With the right tools and cleaners, it’s possible to remove all traces and smells of feces and keep your footwear from ending up in the garbage.

Now that you discovered how to get dog poop out of shoes quickly and easily, share our dog poo shoe cleaning methods with your circle of family and friends on Pinterest and Facebook to help them clean up after accidental missteps.