need a shoe solution...

[rubysoho]

I have been running in a pair of vibrams since late spring/early summer. I really love them. I love the glove feeling and they work for me on a variety of surfaces. I recently went back to my mizunos for a run and it just felt cumbersome and not as effortless.

However, I noticed a couple weeks ago that the vibrams have developed a wet feet smell after a particularly wet run and then a weekend hiking/camping trip where there was six inches of rain overnight (when we left there was a 20% chance of rain.....). I did the usual wash and tumble dry on low heat. Then they got a bit of a break because I wasn't running. Put them on today before the run and there was a slight hint of smell. After the run - wet wooded trails - it is definitely there.

I really don't want to have to buy a new pair. With fall and winter ahead there are going to be many wet/muddy runs. So is there a solution???? Will a soak in vinegar/water work? Is there a powder I should be putting in them every run?

They reek so something needs to happen! And if it means getting new shoes then I will just have to do that. But I was hoping there might be some magical solution someone here would be willing to share.


Thanks in advance!

[KnottedYet]

Try washing them in dandruff shampoo.

Someone suggested that once for stinky clothes, something about how the chemical in dandruff shampoo that controls dandruff also kills the micro-cooties that make clothes stink.

Worked great for my bike stuff, might be worth a try.

[OakLeaf]

You might try soaking them in a pail with a few denture tablets. Maybe as many as 4-6 tablets depending on how much water you need to cover the shoes. I've done that with water shoes before and it worked fine.

[Becky]

I've had good luck with soaking items in Biz laundry additive to remove all sorts of stains and smells.

[TsPoet]

I like the suggestions above. What I did was put 1 tablespoon of vinegar in the wash with them. I washed a whole bunch of shoes with some puppy potty pads and put the vinegar in there and everything came out not smelling.

[rubysoho]

thanks for the suggestions! I have vinegar at home now so I will start with that.