How to Get the Smell Out of Hunting Boots (Rubber or Leather)

Quick answer: To get the smell out of hunting boots, pull the insoles and heavily saturate the inside of the boot and both sides of each insole with Odorless Outdoorsman Unscented Odor Eliminator. Then treat the outside, tongue, laces and soles before every hunt. It eliminates sweat odor on contact instead of covering it. Store boots in a sealed tote, not on the garage floor or in the truck.

Your boots touch every single step between the truck and your stand. If they carry odor, you're leaving a trail all the way in.

Boots are also one of the hardest pieces of gear to keep odor free. They're warm, they trap sweat and you can't toss them in the washer.

Why hunting boots smell

• Sweat soaks into liners and insoles. Insulated boots hold moisture all day, and the odor stays in the lining.
• Long hikes make it worse. A few miles in leather boots chasing elk or mule deer, or a long walk to a whitetail stand, means a lot of sweat.
• Outside contamination. Gas station concrete, fuel, oil, lawn chemicals and the garage floor all end up on your soles.
• They never fully reset. Boots go right back on the next morning with yesterday's odor still inside.

Rubber boots vs. leather and insulated boots

Rubber boots are popular with whitetail hunters because the outside holds less odor. The inside is a different story. Rubber doesn't breathe, so feet sweat more and the liner and insole hold onto it.

Leather and insulated boots, common on Western hunts, breathe better but have more fabric, padding and stitching for odor to settle into. Either way, the inside of the boot is where most of the smell lives.

How to get the smell out of hunting boots

1. Remove the insoles. This lets you reach the footbed and liner.
2. Saturate the inside. Heavily saturate the inside of each boot with Odorless Outdoorsman 16 oz Unscented, including the toe box and heel.
3. Treat both sides of the insoles. Saturate the top and bottom.
4. Do the tongue, laces and collar. These soak up sweat and get missed.
5. Treat the outside and soles. Saturate the uppers, the lug soles and any gaiters you wear.
6. Do it the night before. Odor is eliminated on contact. Treating boots the night before just means you start the morning with dry socks.

Don't forget your socks

Clean boots and dirty socks cancel each other out. Wash hunting socks with unscented detergent and Unscented Laundry Booster, keep them sealed with your hunting clothes and put them on at the truck. On multi-day hunts, pack a fresh pair for each day and treat worn pairs at night.

Store boots like the rest of your gear

• Keep them in a sealed tote with your hunting clothes.
• Don't wear them to the gas station or the diner.
• Put them on at the truck, not at home.
• Re-treat the soles before the walk in, especially if you stopped for fuel. 

FAQ: Hunting boot odor

How do I get the smell out of rubber hunting boots? Remove the insoles, then heavily saturate the inside of the boot and both sides of the insoles with Odorless Outdoorsman Unscented. Treat the outside and soles before each hunt.

Is it safe on leather boots? Yes. It's safe on leather and fabrics and doesn't stain.

Can I use it on my feet? It's safe on skin, but for scent control the bigger payoff is treating the boots, insoles and socks where odor builds up.

Does it add a scent to my boots? No. Odorless Outdoorsman is unscented and eliminates odor rather than covering it.

How often should I treat my hunting boots? After every hunt to reset them, and again on the soles before you walk in.

Start every walk in clean

Keep a 4 oz Unscented in your truck console for the soles and a 16 oz at home for the nightly reset. The Hunting Season Saver Kit covers boots, socks and clothes in one box.