Has someone died in here...? Oh it's your cycling shoes...

[lejogger]

My dhb road shoes are now 18 months old and have performed admirably with much mileage travelled, but they've had much more sustained winter usage this year, and as a result, for the first time ever, I'm afraid they are starting to stink... oh my how they stink. At work they now have to be kept under the stairs with the bike as those many in the office were starting to feel a little light-headed.

Even though I wear overshoes, they have occassionally got a little damp, and occassionally a little more damp than that too, so I'm presuming this is the cause... I also changed to a thicker, more padded inner sole, so could this make them a little clammier??

Anyway, the upshot is that I've tried airing them in the garage with inner soles out, I've even popped them in the washing machine - which considerably improved them - but they still have a stale hum about them alongside the Ariel trying its best to cover it up.

So my question is... can they be saved? They're still in very good nick so if they can be rescued I'd be as happy as Larry.

Some people say shove them in the freezer as this kills the bacteria, but others say it only freezes the bacteria and they return when thawed. Some say can litter, or bicarbonate of soda, and any other sort of chemical solution like febreeze or Grangers G-MAX Odour Eliminator, but nowhere is there a definitive... 'This will rid your shoes of stench' solution.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

 

[junglegusset]

The freezer thing is correct, that will make no difference. I'd soak them in a fifty fifty mix of white vinegar and water, rinse the, dry them and then leave em full of bicarbonate for 24hrs. Hoover them out. Sure there's nothing wrong with your feet? Other shoes smell okay?

L

 

[lejogger]

Thanks for the advice... no, there's nothing wrong with any of my other shoes - work, golf, footy boots, trainers etc... I mean I may have been exaggerating a little bit re: the stench, it is more of an unpleasant odour than a grab your throat and chuck yourself out the window job, but I'd rather it wasn't there all the same.

Another contributing factor may be that I have got a little bit lazy with the overshoe removal... rather than take them off completely, I've been unfastening and then just folding back over the front of the shoe, so maybe they've been a bit clammed up because of that? They are a pain to take off and put on numerous times a day though.

 

[Dave Davenport]

Mine smell like cat pee after they've got damp, tried some shoe freshening spray stuff and it made them worse.

 

[Tomba]

Try a dusting of bicarbonate of soda in them right after using them. It should kill the smelly bacteria. Scholl also do an anti bacterial spray, get it in Asda for £2. Also get those little fragrant/deodorising balls from sports direct £2

Had this problem before with my golf shoes and managed to eliminate it with the above measures, HTH

 

[buddha]

I had this happen with some Northwave MTB shoes - that had no ventelation. It was reminiscent of when (having just climbed a 20% hill, i.e. gasping for breath) you pass a bloated, road-kill badger on a hot summers day

All I can say is the Grangers stuff worked for me.