Smelly football boots and trainers are a problem for anyone who plays sports regularly, and once that odour sets in, it can be nearly impossible to get rid of. The combination of sweat, damp conditions, and bacteria creates the perfect storm for bad smells, leaving many athletes - and parents - struggling to find a lasting solution.

But a simple household item is a game-changer: cat litter. This trick has been doing the rounds online for a while, but it recently got a fresh wave of attention thanks to a Facebook post by Matt Taylor in a Grassroots Football UK group. He shared: “Here’s a Grassroots Life hack a Footy Mum absolutely swears by. Cat litter in a sock and placed inside smelly boots. We tried it and bizarrely it works.”

It turns out plenty of people are already using this trick. One mum, Lindsay Carrington, responded: “I use this stuff. I fill my son’s boots with them when they are wet, wrap the boots in newspaper, put them in his boot bag, and they dry rapid with no awful smell. I put it in when they start smelling too. Works a treat.”

Another user, Stephanie McGown, agreed, adding: “The only thing I have tried that keeps that awful cat pee smell away.

"I saw this tip on here a few weeks ago when everyone’s kids played in the torrential rain and were covered head to toe in mud.”

So why does this work? Most cat litter is made from highly absorbent materials like clay or silica gel, which suck up moisture and trap odours.

Football boots, trainers, and even everyday shoes tend to hold onto sweat and water, especially in the colder months.

Once they stay damp for too long, bacteria take over, leading to those eye-watering smells. By drying out the shoes properly, you stop bacteria from growing in the first place.

But cat litter isn’t the only budget-friendly trick people swear by. Louise Beamond commented on the post saying: “Tea bags also work great too. Just shove a few unused tea bags in the boot, put a cloth or pair of old socks in, and leave them until next used.”

Tea bags are known to have natural antibacterial properties, and they can absorb both moisture and bad smells.

Other ways to get rid of stubborn shoe odours include: Baking soda, Cedar Wood and silica gel packs, which can all help absorb moisture and naturally fight off bacteria.