# How To Get Gasoline Odor Out of Shoes

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-gasoline-odor-out-of-shoes/941082>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [April 30, 2021, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-gasoline-odor-out-of-shoes/941082 "2021-04-30T01:41:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Ptolomy57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Ptolomy57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ptolomy57)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2021, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-gasoline-odor-out-of-shoes/941082/1 "2021-04-30T01:41:10Z")

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I inadvertently spilled gasoline on my leather (or fake leather) tennis shoes while filling my lawn mower’s gas tank. How can I get rid of the odor? I let the shoes air out for a few days now. I have to check on them, but if they still smell, is there way to get the smell out? What do gas station attendants do (in those areas of the US that require full service, like NJ)?

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**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2021, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-gasoline-odor-out-of-shoes/941082/2 "2021-04-30T01:49:49Z")

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I used to be a pump jockey. All you have to do is hang out at a gas station 8 hours a day, and you’ll stop noticing the odor. Seriously, just banish them to the garage for a week or two and the smell will go away.

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**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2021, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-gasoline-odor-out-of-shoes/941082/3 "2021-04-30T12:47:03Z")

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Time, much time.

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**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2021, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-gasoline-odor-out-of-shoes/941082/4 "2021-04-30T12:57:45Z")

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> [@Ptolomy57](#):
>
> is there way to get the smell out?

Don’t just let them air out, put them in the sun. Sunlight will help break down whatever hydrocarbons are on the surface, and heat will help mobilize/evaporate whatever has soaked in.

If you’ve really spilled a lot on these shoes, then it may be a lost cause.

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**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2021, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-gasoline-odor-out-of-shoes/941082/5 "2021-05-03T16:38:14Z")

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Burn it away?

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**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2021, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-gasoline-odor-out-of-shoes/941082/6 "2021-05-03T20:50:25Z")

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If you place in the Sun it will go away in a couple of days if you leave indoors I doubt if it would take longer than a week