How to Get Rid of Fungus in Tennis Shoes

If you have a pair of tennis shoes that developed mold on the fabric, don't throw them away just yet. Two things need to be removed to restore the shoes back to passable function: the smell and the stains from the mold. Get ready to scrub and put in a little sweat equity to get the sneakers fungus and odor free.

Things You'll Need

  • SInk with hot water
  • Dish soap
  • Toothbrush
  • Horse hair brush
  • Bowl with white vinegar and warm water
  • Tennis balls
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Instructions

    • 1

      Fill a sink with hot water and a little dish soap. Soak the tennis shoes in the water. Grab the horsehair brush and scrub the mold areas of the tennis shoes while they are in the eater. Use the toothbrush to get into areas around the eyelets and hard to reach zones like the tongue. Remove the in-soles and scrub the top and bottom.

    • 2

      Rinse the tennis shoes off and rid the shoes of soap. Fill the bowl with three tablespoons of white vinegar and three cups of warm water. Dip the toothbrush into the solution and scrub the shoes at the molded areas with the vinegar solution. The vinegar solution penetrates the material and helps lift the mold odors out of the fabric.

    • 3

      Rinse the tennis shoes to get rid of the vinegar form the shoes. Push tennis balls into the shoes and let the tennis shoes dry. The tennis balls keep the shoes from shrinking when drying.

    • 4

      Remove the tennis balls when the shoes are dry and give them a good sniff and inspection to make sure the mold and fungal odors are gone.