Antifungal Shoe Spray: Does It Work and How Do You Use It?
Yes, an antifungal shoe spray can help, because shoes are one of the most common places where the fungi behind athlete's foot and nail fungus survive and wait to reinfect clean skin. An antifungal shoe spray does not treat the infection on your foot, but it tackles the reservoir inside your footwear. Used alongside a skin or nail treatment, it closes the loop that so often makes fungal foot problems come back.
Key takeaways
- Shoes act as a fungal reservoir: in one review, 34% of people with athlete's foot had infected footwear (Gupta and Versteeg, 2019).
- Recurrence and relapse rates for fungal foot infections are reported at 10% to 53%, and contaminated shoes and socks are one reason.
- A shoe spray works on the inside of the shoe, not on your skin, so you still need a treatment for the foot or nail.
- Spray, then let shoes dry fully before wearing, and rotate pairs so each one dries out between wears.
- Wash socks hot: laundering at 60°C or higher was effective in studies, while 30°C to 40°C often was not.
Does antifungal shoe spray work?
Antifungal shoe spray works best as a prevention tool: it reduces the fungi and bacteria living inside your shoes so that treated feet are less likely to be reinfected. It is not a cure on its own, and it will not clear an existing infection on your skin or nail.
The reason it matters is simple. Mayo Clinic notes that the fungus behind athlete's foot 'can live on floors, bedding, towels and shoes', and that the condition often comes back. A 2019 review in the Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association looked at 33 studies on shoe and sock hygiene. It reported that recurrence and relapse rates for superficial fungal foot infections are high, at 10% to 53%, and that people who are cured can be reinfected when exposed to 'an infected shoe, sock, or textile.'
The same review found dermatophytes in 34% of the footwear of people with athlete's foot, and in 8 of 10 closed shoes or boots worn by people with nail fungus. Fungi also survived in used insoles that had been stored for one to four weeks. In other words, simply leaving shoes in the cupboard for a while is not enough.
A 2025 review on hygiene against dermatophytes put it plainly: sprays work on shoes, but they must be used correctly. That is where most people go wrong.
Why do fungal infections keep coming back in winter?
Fungal foot infections often return in winter because feet spend long hours in closed, warm boots and thick socks, which keeps skin damp and gives fungi the moisture they need. Boots are also harder to wash and slower to dry than summer shoes.
StatPearls, a peer reviewed medical reference, notes that people who wear occlusive shoes and people with diabetes are at higher risk of athlete's foot, which may affect roughly 10% of the population. In the colder months, many of us wear the same pair of warm boots day after day, and they rarely get a chance to dry out fully. The NHS advises not wearing the same pair of shoes for more than 2 to 3 days in a row, and avoiding shoes that make your feet hot and sweaty.
If you are treating a nail or skin infection right now, winter footwear is the part of the routine most people forget. You can read more about why this happens in our guide on athlete's foot that won't go away.
How do you use antifungal spray in shoes?
To use an antifungal shoe spray, spray it generously inside the shoe, covering the insole, the toe box and the sides, then let the shoe dry completely before you wear it again. Treat socks the same way if the product is made for them, and repeat regularly while you are treating an infection.
A simple routine looks like this:
- Take out removable insoles and spray both sides, plus the inside of the shoe.
- Reach the toe box. This is the warmest, dampest area and the one most likely to hold fungus.
- Let it dry fully. Ideally overnight, in an airy spot. Wet shoes go straight back to being a fungal breeding ground.
- Rotate your shoes. The AAD recommends alternating shoes each day so they are dry when you put them on.
- Keep going after your skin clears. The NHS advises continuing preventive habits after you finish treatment to help stop athlete's foot coming back.
Pay special attention to the shoes you wore while the infection was active. Gym trainers, work shoes and winter boots are the usual suspects.
Antifungal shoe spray vs other ways to disinfect shoes
Antifungal shoe spray is the most practical everyday option, while methods such as UV devices or ozone show promise in research but are less accessible, and harsh household chemicals can damage footwear. The 2019 review concluded that newer methods like ozone and UV look promising, but that more research is needed before there are standard ways to use them.
| Method | How it helps | Drawbacks |
|---|---|---|
| Antifungal shoe spray | Reaches insoles and toe box; quick to use daily | Shoes must dry fully; needs regular use |
| Antifungal powder | Absorbs moisture; StatPearls lists it to reduce risk | Messy; less evidence as a shoe disinfectant |
| UV or ozone devices | Promising results in studies | Costly; no standard settings yet |
| Rotating and airing shoes | Lets shoes dry between wears | Reduces moisture but does not disinfect |
| Bleach, boiling, salts | Strong against fungi in the lab | Can ruin the look and structure of shoes |
For most people, the realistic combination is a spray for the inside of the shoe, rotating pairs, and hot washing for socks and towels.
Should you disinfect socks too?
Yes, socks can carry fungi as well, and washing them at 60°C or higher is the most reliable way to clean them. In the 2019 review, studies that tested laundering found it was often ineffective at low temperatures of 30°C to 40°C, but effective at higher temperatures of 60°C to 75°C.
Wear clean socks every day, and change them more often if your feet get sweaty. The NHS recommends cotton socks, and the AAD suggests natural or moisture wicking fabrics. Use a separate towel for your feet and wash it regularly too.
If your socks are too delicate for a hot wash, a spray that is made for socks as well as shoes gives you a practical alternative between washes.
What is the best antifungal spray for shoes?
The best antifungal spray for shoes is one designed specifically for footwear and socks, that dries without soaking the insole, and that you will actually use regularly as part of a full treatment routine. Consistency matters more than any single application.
That is exactly why we created the Imperial Feet Anti Fungal Shoe Spray. It is designed to disinfect the warm, damp environment inside shoes and socks, helping eliminate the fungus and odour causing bacteria that live there even after your skin has cleared up. Re-wearing untreated footwear is one of the most common reasons nail fungus and athlete's foot come back, so the spray is meant to be used alongside a nail or skin treatment, not instead of one.
How to use it: spray liberally inside your shoes and on your socks, and let them dry before wearing. Use it regularly, especially after sweating or during active fungal treatment, to reduce the risk of reinfection.
When to see a doctor
See your GP, a podiatrist or a foot care professional if a rash does not improve after about two weeks of over the counter treatment, if the skin cracks, swells, becomes hot or painful, or if a nail thickens, lifts or changes colour. If you have diabetes, poor circulation or a weakened immune system, get any foot infection checked before self treating, because small skin breaks can lead to more serious problems.
Frequently asked questions
Can fungus live in your shoes?
Yes. The fungi that cause athlete's foot and nail fungus can survive inside shoes, especially warm, closed footwear. A 2019 review found fungi in the footwear of about a third of people with athlete's foot, and they survived in stored insoles for weeks. This is why disinfecting shoes is part of preventing reinfection after treatment.
How often should I spray my shoes with antifungal spray?
During an active fungal infection, spray the shoes you wear regularly, ideally after each wear, and let them dry fully before putting them on again. Once your skin or nail has cleared, keep using it after sweaty days, sport or long hours in closed boots. Always follow the directions on your product's label.
Do I need to throw away shoes after athlete's foot?
Not always. Many shoes can be cleaned with an antifungal shoe spray, airing and rotation. StatPearls does list discarding old shoes as a prevention measure, so worn out, damp pairs that never dry properly may be worth replacing. Shoes worn barefoot during an active infection deserve the most attention.
Can you use antifungal shoe spray on socks?
Some shoe sprays are made for socks as well, and the Imperial Feet spray is designed for both shoes and socks. Spray, let them dry, then wear them. For washable socks, a hot wash of 60°C or more is also effective, because studies found lower temperatures of 30°C to 40°C often did not remove fungi.
Will antifungal shoe spray cure nail fungus?
No. A shoe spray treats the inside of your footwear, not your nail. Nail fungus needs a dedicated nail treatment, and often patience, because nails grow slowly. The spray supports that treatment by reducing the fungi in your shoes that could reinfect the nail or the skin around it once it starts to improve.
Related reading
- How to Disinfect Shoes and Socks to Prevent Fungal Reinfection
- Athlete's Foot That Won't Go Away: Why Treatment Fails and How to Break the Cycle
Sources
- Gupta AK, Versteeg SG. The Role of Shoe and Sock Sanitization in the Management of Superficial Fungal Infections of the Feet. Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association. 2019;109(2):141-149. doi:10.7547/17-043
- Gupta AK, Taylor D, Wang T, Cooper EA, Saunte DML. Hygiene Practices Against Dermatophytic Fungi: A Review of Strategies to Combat Antifungal Resistance. Biology. 2025;14(8):1016. doi:10.3390/biology14081016
- Nigam PK, Syed HA, Saleh D. Tinea Pedis. StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; updated 2023. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470421
- NHS. Athlete's foot. NHS website; reviewed 2024. nhs.uk/conditions/athletes-foot
- Mayo Clinic Staff. Athlete's foot: Symptoms and causes. Mayo Clinic; 2026. mayoclinic.org
- American Academy of Dermatology. How to prevent athlete's foot. AAD. aad.org
Written by Sylke Bommel, founder of Imperial Feet.
Editorial note: the author is a formulator, not a medical practitioner. This article is for general information and is not medical advice.
