Smelly cycling shoes

[sirmoun10goat]

I live in Vancouver, it rains about 20-25 days a month during November to February. My running shoes are always soaked when I get home. I have 2 8 inch fans, I place the shoes upside down on the fans and let the fans do their work. But also having multiple pairs of shoes let’s me rotate through wet shoes

 

I suggest a fan, and a cheaper pair of shoes for trainer use

[carelv]

Tried kitchen towel and news paper, but wow newspaper really works well, even absorbs the smell better than the kitchen towel. Maybe got to do with the ink.

Another thing, the moment you step off the stationary bike, take off your shows. I drove home from gym with my shoes on and its then that my shoes gets soaked with sweat. The drawback of easy walking MTB shoes.

Obviously regular water and soap washing is a must.

[Mawbs]

i put Karoo foot powder in after every ride and then wash after really dusty/muddy rides or at least once a month or more often in summer

 

[Martin PJ]

I am not a believer in thorough washing shoes and helmets, wrecks them.

Give shoes a quick wash with the hosepipe when you do the bike, (light brush and soapy water, rinse with hosepipe), drip and then dry in the sun. If you have to ride the next day and it's not hot enough to dry them, push loads of compact newspaper inside (remove newspaper and repeat after a few hours for better results). I do the newspaper trick in Sani2C, works well, even when wet and rainy, shoes are 80% dry by the morning.

[Steady Spin]

36 minutes ago, Martin PJ said:

I am not a believer in thorough washing shoes and helmets, wrecks them.

Give shoes a quick wash with the hosepipe when you do the bike, (light brush and soapy water, rinse with hosepipe), drip and then dry in the sun. If you have to ride the next day and it's not hot enough to dry them, push loads of compact newspaper inside (remove newspaper and repeat after a few hours for better results). I do the newspaper trick in Sani2C, works well, even when wet and rainy, shoes are 80% dry by the morning.

Never wrecked a pair of shoes, gloves, or a helmet with regular thorough washing. 

What was your experience? 

[devvydoesdonuts]

50 minutes ago, Martin PJ said:

I am not a believer in thorough washing shoes and helmets, wrecks them.

Give shoes a quick wash with the hosepipe when you do the bike, (light brush and soapy water, rinse with hosepipe), drip and then dry in the sun. If you have to ride the next day and it's not hot enough to dry them, push loads of compact newspaper inside (remove newspaper and repeat after a few hours for better results). I do the newspaper trick in Sani2C, works well, even when wet and rainy, shoes are 80% dry by the morning.

I think if washing is wrecking your gear then you are using the wrong methods to clean them.

[lukelockie]

Mr. Sheen Carpet Fresh powder... dry your shoes out and sprinkle some of the lavender and vanilla scented power in there.

 

Laugh if you must, but give it a bash.

[Martin PJ]

1 hour ago, Steady Spin said:

Never wrecked a pair of shoes, gloves, or a helmet with regular thorough washing. 

What was your experience? 

The shoe glue deteriorates whatever you do, try not to speed the process. On the helmet the netting inside gets a bit tatty, doesn't stick to the helmet anymore after a  couple of years. On the gloves, the stitching separates. Gloves I wash properly.

[KidCharlemagne]

listen up:

1. Sprinkle bicarbonate of soda inside the shoe before a ride.
2. Mixed solution of vinegar and water in spray bottle and spray lightly after a ride.
3. Every couple of weeks place shoes in bag, like a pillowcase or similar, and toss in washing machine. 

That's it!

 

[Steady Spin]

16 hours ago, Martin PJ said:

The shoe glue deteriorates whatever you do, try not to speed the process. On the helmet the netting inside gets a bit tatty, doesn't stick to the helmet anymore after a  couple of years. On the gloves, the stitching separates. Gloves I wash properly.

Yeah... never had that and I have shoes that are older than my bike. 

Change your soap man. 

[reteid]

its a bit like if your feet are smelling and your nose is running you are built upside down.

On a more serious note i have a pair of shoes for the idt and another pair for outside. Def sweat more on the idt even with fan and socks. I place news paper in them and hang up to dry in shade but well ventilated place and it seems to work for me. Hope you get sorted.

[V18]

The bad smell is caused by mold/bacteria breaking down dead skin/sweat/skin oils. The moist environment creates a lovely habitat for them. You can't change the fact that your shoes will contain the ingredients for this. You can however eradicate the bugs from time to time. I use rubbing alcohol with hibitane (pink alcohol hand sanitiser used in hospitals.).

When my commuter shoes start giving that pong, I take out the insoles, flip the tongue outward and spray the shoe/insole thoroughly and leave it to dry.

Note, some alcohols may weaken the glue in your shoes. So keep that in mind. You only want the solution to penetrate the superficial shoe/tongue liner. 

Edited February 21, 2023 by V18

[dasilvarsa]

Showering / Washing Feet before cycling should help as well.