Getting the damp stench out of cycling shoes

[The Ouzo]

Saturday late afternoon I got caught in a monster storm near the end of my ride, the type where you cant see where you're going and the roads you're riding on are now rivers. At one point the road was so flooded the water was up to my BB.

Now normally after a wet ride I'll hang the shoes on by the open door and the combo of wind and sun dries them out and they're good to go, except that we've had wet weather since the weekend, today has been the first proper dry day, this has meant that the shoes have stayed damp.

I've sprinkled bicarb inside them, and they have been sitting in the sun all day, what other tricks have you guys got up your sleeves to get rid of the odour.

[openmind]

Stuff them with newspaper was the old school trick. Take the insoles out immediately after the ride and clean and dry them separately. I put them in front of a fan to keep air flowing over them until they're dry. Helps a lot. 

[waveduke]

I like the smell of the Muc-Off Foam Fresh: https://muc-off.com/products/foam-fresh

 

[dave303e]

biltong maker for a night or 2...

Or if you have a floor fan, point it upwards and put the shoes upside down on it...

[Jbr]

Leave them in the sun

[babse]

Put your sweaty feet and socks in and it'll quickly overpower the damp smell

[CARANXCycleMobile]

REPLACE !!!!  

Time for new shoes then, what size are we shopping for ?

😆😂

[The Ouzo]

18 hours ago, openmind said:

Stuff them with newspaper was the old school trick. Take the insoles out immediately after the ride and clean and dry them separately. I put them in front of a fan to keep air flowing over them until they're dry. Helps a lot. 

who still has newspapers in the house ?

[The Ouzo]

14 hours ago, Jbr said:

Leave them in the sun

ideally yes, but yesterday was the first day of sun that we had since the shoes getting wet.

It did help, that and the bicarb. They were much better when I brought them inside last night, will stick some more bicarb in them just now and get them out in the sun again.

 

[The Ouzo]

2 hours ago, CARANXCycleMobile said:

REPLACE !!!!  

Time for new shoes then, what size are we shopping for ?

😆😂

wrong answer, it calls for a new bike, and we all know you need new shoes when you get a new bike. 😂

[dave303e]

https://www.makro.co.za/rex-m-shoe-dryer/p/itm3c3fb4c2fa526?pid=APCHEFYPU6QMFBV8&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22909667905&gbraid=0AAAAADiAUi2x7dSlUHxLP260sUV4M56nR&gclid=Cj0KCQjw7IjOBhDyARIsAFzrWQwqT8ud2fxNuB8qWRLj5DPHchY5oNYvO_xRZjQnt4Ffgk0A9LATDBIaAmTUEALw_wcB

This is the other option which is not too extravagant at R299

[117]

14 minutes ago, The Ouzo said:

ideally yes, but yesterday was the first day of sun that we had since the shoes getting wet.

It did help, that and the bicarb. They were much better when I brought them inside last night, will stick some more bicarb in them just now and get them out in the sun again.

 

Wash them first. Drying and Bicarb only wont help get the stink out. 

Pull the soles out and leave the shoes and soles over night in front of a fan (when your Mrs dries her hair, she uses moving air and a little heat to get it sorted)

 

Edited March 25 by 117

[guidodg]

soak in a Miltons solution

[Jimmy 2.0]

15 minutes ago, dave303e said:

https://www.makro.co.za/rex-m-shoe-dryer/p/itm3c3fb4c2fa526?pid=APCHEFYPU6QMFBV8&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22909667905&gbraid=0AAAAADiAUi2x7dSlUHxLP260sUV4M56nR&gclid=Cj0KCQjw7IjOBhDyARIsAFzrWQwqT8ud2fxNuB8qWRLj5DPHchY5oNYvO_xRZjQnt4Ffgk0A9LATDBIaAmTUEALw_wcB

This is the other option which is not too extravagant at R299

I would be careful of these with carbon shoes and moldable soles

[guidodg]

but as another poster commented...sounds like a new bike day...

[thebob]

Some Dr Scholl or Kiwi (or other brand) shoe deodorizer spray once the shoe is 100% dry. I also put cedarwood deodorizing inserts in my shoes after every ride and leave them in until the next time the shoes are used.