Hey Todd, we would be happy to help. The scent should definitely be light as that is one of our main selling points, we don't use harsh chemical scents to mask the smell. The Stix are infused with an antimicrobial Silver Ions that will inhibit the growth of odor causing bacteria. Depending on how much bacteria is currently living in your shoes may depend on how long it will take to get rid of the smell completely but you should see an improvement by now, and then the more you use them within a few shorts weeks it will go away completely :) This timing is different for everyone. Please make sure you are putting your Stix in your shoes right after you work out and just leave them in until you use the shoes next. We are also happy to help further with other tips so feel free to email us anytime at Theteam@glovestix.com. We truly appreciate your business and your happiness is super important :)