MD Podiatrist Explains Why Shoes Cause Odors

 
You slipped them out of your shoes and got a rather unfortunate whiff: Your feet smell bad. So you put your shoes in the closet, backed away slowly, and hoped that tomorrow the situation might be better. “The odor in feet is caused by sweat or moisture ‘fermenting,'” Daniel Michaels, DPM, board-certified podiatrist and foot states. Stink is the result of “any combination of bacteria, fungus, mold, and/or yeast,” he says.
  
“Odor-causing germs thrive in dark, damp spaces, which makes your socks and shoes ideal environments,” Dr. Michaels says. One specific type of bacteria, brevibacterium, is responsible for foot odor caused by wearing tight or constricting shoes. And guess what? It makes your feet smell like cheese.