Post-Hike Stinky Shoes?

I throw mine in the washer, air dry. You might have some mold at this point.

Febreeze.

–B.G.–

Chlorine shortens the life of fabrics.

Maybe wash with anti-bacterial soap. Make a strong solution of it with water and soak them in a bucket over night.

If that doesn't work you could try peroxide.

Interesting that they smell so bad… do you wash your feet during your trips???
I wash my feet and socks every day and don't have that problem.

Billy

baking soda is about the mildest thing you could try

If they are a size 11 then they are definitely done for… No hope for them… Best to send them to me so I can "dispose" of them properly.

Deal? Good, it's settled then…

This has happened to me twice. Once when I sat in a hot spring with my shoes on. The smelled like sulfur. Second time a few months ago when I hiked a few days in non-stop rain, threw my wet shoes into my pack and then checked the pack on an airplane trip home.

Both times I rinsed the shoes with water using the outside water hose at home and then left them in the garage to dry. There is usually no humidity where I live and I think this is they to drying out the shoes. Of course my feet don't smell and I rarely wash my feet when hiking.

Throw them in a bag and put in the freezer overnight, thaw the next day and the stink is gone! Old thru-hiker trick.

Magic!

Wash with detergent and oxyclean, sunlight dry, enzyme odor remover, cedar essential oil.

"Throw them in a bag and put in the freezer overnight, thaw the next day and the stink is gone! Old thru-hiker trick."

Yeah, like the wife is going to allow that.

A few years ago I used her (I mistakenly thought it was ours) oven to cure some painted motorcycle parts. She freaked out and made me buy a dedicated paint oven for the garage. Then she decided I ruined her oven and bought one of new fangled expensive stainless steel jobs (not to mention a slew of stainless steel major appliances).

Nick, they are crafty….always one step ahead of us.

@ Spelt: I've tried all you suggested except the cedar oil, maybe that's the final missing step. Is that the same stuff they sell at Bed Bath & Beyond to scent your closets?

By the way, has anyone noticed that Montrail shoes/boots retain bad odors like my wife retains a grudge? (I know better than to mess with her oven).

Chlorine based attacks–old-reliable bugkillers–do shorten fabric lives (cotton anyway IME). Question is which wears out first, soles or uppers? Oxygen based microbe-cides probably benign to fabrics. I use alcohol on my hat and ski boot liners; all still among living.

Finally had a washer and good sunlight, so tried the washer with oxyclean and air dry and that seems to have worked pretty well. Don't smell pretty, but think the rot is gone. Thanks for all the suggestions!

Myrazyme Odor Eliminator – put a couple of capfuls in a large bucket, dunk the shoes for a coule of minutes, let dry. Odor gone. Great stuff!