How do you unstink shoes?

xcmad

I have a pair of Spesh MTB shoes....and they hum.

I've tried washing powder, and airing them, spraying them with Lynx Africa... all sorts. They stink out the office and generally pretty nasty. They are less than 6mths old.

Any tips on how to un-stench?

tomilinski1

Have you tried Febreze?
Generally they get stinky because of all the water that gets into the absorbent parts and in my experience you can't get rid of it - maybe leave them somewhere away from your desk.
My Spesh shoes that are used for commuting seem to fall apart after about a year and a half anyway!

Initialised

Keep them dry, use anti final (athletes foot) powder/spray.

Long_Time_Lurker

Initialised is right - it's the bacteria in the shoe.
You should use anti-bacterial spray powder, but you may have left it too long.
You need to kill anything that the spray can't get to:
1. Dry your shoes (must be completely dry!)
2. Put shoes in plastic bag and tie up. (Ensure there are no holes).
3. Put in freezer overnight. (making sure that the missus/wife doesn't find out) :oops:
Then start using the spray/powder regularly.

lostboysaint

What they've said!

Best solution for drying is to stuff them with newspaper and stick them in an airing cupboard or near a radiator. Change the newspaper if it saturated. The newspaper draws out the moisture and the heat dries the shoe.

dave2041

+1 for the freezer, also bicarbinate of soda does wonders. Same for jeans!

Drysuitdiver

nikwax techwash slooshed inside them over a bowl of water then steeped in it overnight before drying them out using the newspaper methosd. thats what works for my wifes stinking trainers that can curdle milk with the smell.

joelsim

Stick them in the washing machine and then dry thoroughly as others have suggested.

joelsim

And sort your feet out with Mycil until the stink doesn't happen any more.

alfablue

You may well have athletes foot (a fungus, as per Joelsim's Mycil suggestion). Get Mycil / Cannestan or Daktarin cream and use between your toes for 2 weeks. At the same time use anti-fungal spray in the shoes. Also put sodium bicarbonate powder in the shoes, this truly does work wonders.

wilshawk

shoe deoderant will help, clarks ones are good on trainers, even though its not a sports shop, they dont just smell nice but have anti bacterial effect too.

Also good quality (thick) cotton sports socks and change often, they will absorb all the sweat and stuff instead of your shoe, thus cutting off the food supply to the evil bactera.