UKC

My shoes smell terrible literally made me gag when I opened my rucksack there hanging on the washing line airing out now. What's the best way too freshen them up

In reply to Sempafi:

Boot bananas!

In reply to Sempafi:

If theyre bandits you just have to Learn to Live with it :-D

In reply to Sempafi:

Step 1: Wash them. Trainer program if your washing machine has one.
Step 2: Wear thin socks when climbing
Step 3: Let them dry out ASAP when you finish climbing i.e. don't leave them in a plastic bag.

After 6 months back to step 1.

In reply to Sempafi:

Here are few options: http://www.theclymb.com/stories/passions/climb-passions/how-to-deal-with-st...

In reply to Sempafi:

One thing that worked with a really stinky pair of trainers, was to hang them out in bright sunlight for a few days. I guess the UV works on them. It's easier said than done in this country though!

In reply to Sempafi:

Second the boot bananas, work a treat!

In reply to Sempafi:

Will try the bananas when I get paid there staying on the line for now

In reply to Sempafi:

Just put a little foot powder in them after using, then leave them to dry. The powder helps them dry out and absorbs smell. Something like this: http://www.boots.com/en/Boots-Pharmaceuticals-Super-Absorbent-Foot-Powder-7...

In reply to tom_in_edinburgh:

More than 6 months from a pair of rock shoes? I wish, I get 3 months max!

In reply to Sempafi:

Buy new ones and wear real thin socks. Its obvious and like helmets and other stupidy unfashinable solutions in climbing it works.

In reply to Offwidth:

No reason for helmets to be unfashionable! Mine looks great

In reply to Sempafi:
I've found that leaving a tea bag in the shoe in between sessions can help to lessen (but not erase) the smell. My climbing shoes used to smell like cheesy Doritos, but now they smell more like a very weird cup of tea.

In reply to Sempafi:

An exorcism?

In reply to Sempafi:

I'm surprised no-one's mentioned Bicarbonate of Soda yet - I've always sprinkled a thin layer on the inside of my shoes, given them a shake, and left them for a few days, once every few months, and it's always worked surprisingly well.
The downside is getting it all back out so as to avoid having bits digging into your feet when you use the shoes again - I always use a vacuum cleaner with a thin nozzle.

In reply to crayefish:

As an clichéd Imperial grad one might say its very unlikely you could ever be a fashion victim in anything much beyond things like University choice for spods (and thats a good thing of course btw

In reply to Offwidth:

Lol. Well the term 'fashion' does need to be applied to me in the loosest sense of the word

In reply to Sempafi:

Give them a squirt of odour eaters spray after every session and (most importantly) don't leave them festering in a kit bag when sweaty.

I had a pair of evolv shoes that I had to retire due to the stench though-I believe due to them being fully synthetic 'vegan' shoes.... Nothing seemed to cure those bad boys!

In reply to Sempafi:

Fabreeze is supposed to be good

In reply to Sempafi:

I would still go with the exorcism.

Or Take off and nuke the Site From orbit.

Its the only way to be sure.

In reply to Sempafi:

I do have evolv vtr's and just washed them along with my kit bag. The majority of the rancid stench has gone however there is a still a faint smell when you get up close and personal. I'm taking them to church in the morning for a exorcism I'll keep you posted

In reply to MischaHY:

3 months? You must be doing something wrong! Lol mine last 3 years haha they did start smelling after 2 (-ish) years, I don't like wearing socks...

Regarding smell, I washed mine and used athlete's foot powder. Most of the smell has gone but having the powder in is a bit annoying because you can't get rid all of it so for a few sessions you might feel that your foot is slipping inside the shoe a little - was fine after a few sessions...

In reply to Sempafi:

I don't have too much of a problem with my Bandits - not saying they smell good, just that I share a bedroom with them without noticing :P

I do make sure they are on TOP of my climbing stuff in my bag, which is just a jute Sainsbury's shopping bag, so they are always exposed to the air.

In reply to Haighy:

1) What are boot bananas like for drying out boots, do the work like absorba balls?
2) Do banana boots smell of lavender as my bf hates that smell (was thinking bday prezzie)
3) My shoes live out of the bag, the smell if you sniff them, but one of my old pairs of climbing shoes (Montrail) live in a plastic sealed bag.

In reply to Choss:

thats one of my favourite techniques choss

odour eaters febreeze teabag wont work if they already ming badly
uv light damages rubber

filling them with soil and leaving them for a few days should work, get the bacteria to clean them for you, then handwash in warm water with some bicarb/baking powder

In reply to Sempafi:

Stick them in the freezer.

Works for daps.

In reply to Katie86:


My wife banned my Boot Bananas because she found the tea-oil smell stronger than the climbing shoes. That's not easy. Apparently it fades over time but she wasn't going to wait that long.

I didn't find the Bananas effective at drying the boots. I think they absorbed so much moisture from the air (it was pretty humid when I had them) they weren't doing anything.