Shoe care question

[Chet Spiker]

I bought a pair of Giro Riddance shoes about a year ago and have been very pleased with them. They are comfortable and have good grip but there's a slightly embarrassing problem; they pong a bit! Nothing horrible but a kind of earthy farmyard fragrance that pervades the utility room where they live in their original box. No it's not me - I don't have this problem with any other shoes, I put clean socks on before any ride and if they get wet they go in an old pillowcase in the airing cupboard overnight. I can't seem to wash it out either - after a long, slightly muddy ride last week I removed the laces and insoles and gave them a thorough dousing in a bucket of warm soapy water (Fairy Liquid) then let them dry slowly in the garage (which is very dry). The pong is weaker but still there. I even tried a special shoe freshener spray but not much improvement was noticed. Any tips gratefully received.

 

[Spiderweb]

Just put the insoles in the washing machine at 30 degrees, then stick on top of a warm radiator to dry.

 

[roadrash]

sprinkle bicarb soda inside and leave overnight to remove unwanted smells

 

[Chet Spiker]

Thanks I'll try both of those tonight. The insoles on their own are odourless - it's the uppers that smell, especially the padded part at the back of the heel. Have bought some odour-eaters, too!

 

[Yellow Saddle]

www.sinkthestink.com

 

[Globalti]

The problem is the grey cardboard insole that's stuck inside the shoe. It stays damp for long enough to provide a perfect breeding-ground for bacteria, which break it down and make that catty amine odour. The answer is always to remove the insoles after a ride and leave them just sticking out to air that base.