Cures for Smelly Cycling Shoes?

sobeitjedi

My bike shoes stink.

These are my shoes: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-m065-sp ... ike-shoes/

They mainly stink because I don't have any overshoes (I need to get some), and with wet weather the shoes get wet and I have been leaving them to dry out at room temperature. This can happen a few times a week. I have been using an Odour Eaters spray (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Odor-Eaters-Fo ... our+eaters) on them but it's not doing the trick.

I've seen a variety of home remedies, products, solutions, suggested online to try, but thought I'd ask the question here. What works for you?

CitizenLee

New shoes.

Once they stink all you can ever do is mask it, which inevitably makes it worse.

pblakeney

Stuff the wet shoes with newspaper in a warm environment overnight. Once dry, spray with the deodorant of choice. Overshoes help but are not waterproof in sustained heavy rain. Or cycle in the dry.

cld531c

Try cat litter or bicarb of soda.
Will help but unfortunately agree with Citizen Lee, once smelly always smelly!

sobeitjedi

Think I'd rather buy new shoes than a newspaper! Thanks for the suggestion though.

sobeitjedi

Seen a few bicarb of soda suggestions, might be worth a try

navrig2

Put up with it unless the shoes are pretty well used and old. Your new ones will just get smelly too.

Some people just make their wet shoes smelly. Mine don't for some reason but they have been soaked numerous times - with and without overshoes, in hot and cold weather and with different types/materials of socks.

redvision

I read somewhere that the best cure is to put them in the freezer. Apparently that can help kill the bacteria. Then spray them with an antibacterial shoe spray.

I should add, I have never tried this so no idea if it actually works.

In future, just put newspaper in them after every ride. And use an antibacterial shoe spray.

fenix

Dry them using the newspaper trick and febreze them.

Brakeless

These work https://www.urbanrock.com/boot-bananas-for-shoes/

thegreatdivide

Stick them inside an old pillow case and tie a knot in the end. Throw them in the washing machine at 30C with a couple of towels (stops them banging about too much in the drum) and wash with bio liquid. Ignore manufacturer instructions that say you can't do this - they're just covering their ar$es - you can do it.

Once you take them out of the machine do what the posters above have suggested and stuff them with newspapers, changing over to new ones after a few hours.

Once totally dry get some bi carb and give the insides a serious dusting. Leave overnight and then tap out the powder. You can stick a hoover end in if you want to be thorough.

No more smell.

thegreatdivide

redvision wrote:

I read somewhere that the best cure is to put them in the freezer.

Urban myth. Bacteria survive freezing temperatures. They just come back to life when thawed out.

navrig2

Some manufacturers specifically say don't put their shoes in the washing machine because it reduces the antibacterial properties of the shoes or can affect the adhesives and the materials.

However if the shoes are already bogging there is probably no point in not trying it.

Bottom briquettes

Good old odour eater insoles work a treat. Put small pouches of activated charcoal in them when you store them.

cooldad

Try showering/bathing more often than twice a year. It's not the 1950s.

Although looks like we're heading that way.

Blue passports rule.

thegreatdivide

Navrig2 wrote:

Some manufacturers specifically say don't put their shoes in the washing machine because it reduces the antibacterial properties of the shoes or can affect the adhesives and the materials.

However if the shoes are already bogging there is probably no point in not trying it.

Nah that's just for the insoles and if a shoe adhesive can't handle 30C and some bio liquid then it's very unlikely they'll last very long on the bike. It's just a legal get out clause in case a punter comes wandering along looking for a warranty claim.

The odd wash in the machine will do cycling shoes no harm at all.

harry-s

^ This.
Been doing it for years with any number of manufacturers, and never had a problem. If they're particularly pungent, then a drop or two of disinfectant in the wash wouldn't hurt either.
No excuse to be minging...

sungod

if they got like it from being soaked they clearly are ok with water

get some milton sterilising liquid, make up a strong solution, enough to submerge them, leave them dunked in it for a while, rinse out with hot water, put somewhere warm to dry, if you have an oven that'll go as low as 60c leave them in there a while

might be best to remove the cleats for this

OnTheRopes

Smell is caused by bacteria, you need to kill the bacteria.
I had this problem on one pair of shoes which started when left damp for a while too long.

The cure, fill the sink with warm water, add bleach, sink the shoes and let them soak for a while, scrub with a dish brush or similar.
Drain and repeat with clean water and rinse well.
Put on a warm radiator or somewhere warm so they dry out in good time.
Problem solved

The same as sungod only more hardcore using bleach instead of Milton , just make sure you rinse well.

pblakeney

Sobeitjedi wrote:

Think I'd rather buy new shoes than a newspaper! Thanks for the suggestion though.

A good reason to stock up with the Metro.
Or whatever free paper is available.

redvee

Had this issue myself so resorted to sprinkling bicarb of soda inside the shoes, under the insole and on the insole and left for at least 24 hours. The last dusting was close to 4 days. It worked first time but I got caught in a slight shower one night and didn't think my shoes were that wet till I smelt them the following morning as I walked into the kitchen.

svetty

OnTheRopes wrote:

Smell is caused by bacteria, you need to kill the bacteria.
I had this problem on one pair of shoes which started when left damp for a while too long.

The cure, fill the sink with warm water, add bleach, sink the shoes and let them soak for a while, scrub with a dish brush or similar.
Drain and repeat with clean water and rinse well.
Put on a warm radiator or somewhere warm so they dry out in good time.
Problem solved

The same as sungod only more hardcore using bleach instead of Milton , just make sure you rinse well.

I agree - diluted bleach will work. Shoes smell either due to bacterial breakdown of retained sweat or if they develop mould after being damp for a while. Just be careful the bleach contact isn't too long or it will stain white shoes a pale yellow. I use a hairdryer on a low heat to ensure insides dry out.

Vino'sGhost

mine are hanging, i use them on the turbo and they're soaking afterwards.

NOTHING works people can smell it as were riding along but its ok because I wrinkle my nose and point at the bloke in front

lakesluddite

I just store mine next to my running shoes - the trainers stink so bad nobody notices the smell of the cycling shoes.

I learned this at school when I used to hang around with uglier kids.

veryslowtwitch

recommend you buy main powered shoe driers, about £15 from amazon/ebay. sorry no pic but they are about the size of a pc mouse and will dry out your shoes completely overnight. dry shoes don't smell.
washing them alone will just make them wet and smelly.

creampie

Old tea bags. Give it a go it neutralises the pong seriously