Cleaning smelly sailing shoes?
I love my Zhik sailing shoes but despite me always rinsing them and occasional washing with wetsuit shampoo they have got a bit smelly, any suggestions on what to clean then with that won't damage them?
Thanks
Edited by aquaaddict on Mar 12, 2019 - 09:23 PM.

2 tablespoons bleach in a bucket of lukewarm water. Soak and agitate a few times over a period of 10 minutes. Drain and rinse with clear water twice. Put in bright sun to dry as quickly as possible.
DO NOT over do it on the bleach or time and DO NOT use hot water. Yes, I know they say not to use bleach, but................it's bleach or stink, pick one. I only recommend this a couple times a season. Ever notice that when your boots are new that for a few months if you rinse them well they don't stink. The bleach is resetting them to the almost new condition.
Anyone else ever try the diving products for neoprene? I tried "Sink The Stink" and it only worked to the get by category, but still a little stinky.
Cheers and a farewell to stink...

aquaaddict wrote: I love my Zhik sailing shoes but despite me always rinsing them and occasional washing with wetsuit shampoo they have got a bit smelly, any suggestions....
Yea, put them on your feet, not up to your nose....
Seriously though, I think you’re doing pretty much all you can do. Perhaps use mild washing detergent and/or woolite in a gentle wash cycle. I’ve never found anything to completely eliminate the smell. Make sure you let them fully dry after use. Leave them out of your sailing gear bag for several days after use, at least that’s what I do.
sm
Steve M.
Laundry detergent and rinse. Repeat. Dry thoroughly. I might even consider once dry, adding a light dust of GoldBond while in storage.
Its what works for my wetsuit (minus the GoldBond obviously). My shoes haven't had any issues. If anything its my gloves that develop quite the stench??? Go figure.

martyr wrote: Spray some febreeze inside perhaps?
not safe for human consumption:
-----------
P&G has been tagged as a bad player since it only lists 3 ingredients
but the fact that only 3 ingredients were disclosed and that so many undisclosed ingredients are dangerous, it's safe to assume that their other air freshners are just as dangerous.
Febreze Ingredients
Green Your Clean
Below you'll find a list of just some of the 87 chemicals found by the EWG in Febreze Air Effects, listed in order of their toxicity to humans:
BHT - Known as a neurotoxin, endocrine disruptor, immunotoxicity, non-reproductive organ system toxicity, skin eye and lung irritator
Acetaldehyde - Known to cause cancer, toxic to reproduction and development, immunotoxin, non-reproductive organ system toxin, skin, eye and lung irritator
"Fragrance" - One of the three ingredients actually disclosed, it's a neurotoxin, immunotoxin and allergen
Propylene Glycol - Causes cancer, allergies, toxic to immune system, accumulates in the system, non-reproductive organ system toxin, is classified with "enhanced skin absorption" and irritates the skin, eye and lung
1,3-Dichloro-2-propanol - Carcinogenic (causes cancer)
Limonene - Synthetic form used is known allergen, immunotoxin and skin, eyes and lung irritator
Methyl pyrrolidone - Toxin to reproduction and development, allergen and immunotoxin, non-reproductive organ system toxin and skin, eyes and lung irritator
Alcohol denatured - Also disclosed in the ingredients of Febreze, it's linked to cancer, developmental/reproductive toxicity, organ system toxicity and skin, eyes and lung irritator
Butylphenyl methylpropion al - allergen, immunotoxin and and skin, eyes and lung irritator
Ethyl acetate - linked to developmental/reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity, organic system toxicity and and skin, eyes and lung irritator
Geraniol - Synthetic form used linked to allergies, immunotoxicity, organi system toxicity and and skin, eyes and lung irritation
Linalool - Synthetic form used is known allergen, immunotoxin, and and skin, eyes and lung irritator
Benzaldehyde - neurotoxin, and skin, eyes and lung irritator
Diethylene glycol monoethyl ether - non-reproductive organ system toxicity
Ethylhezanol - developmental and reproductive toxin and skin, eyes and lung irritator
Hexyl cinnamal - allergen, immunotoxin and skin, eyes and lung irritator
And way too many more....
http://www.sustainablebabysteps.com/febreze.html
MN3

turn them inside out, put them in the washing machine with laundry soap and some OXY-Clean.... use warm water... take the our and rinse over night...
Or you can get some of this.. http://www.sinkthestink.com/
Either way it should take care of it, or just deal with the bromodosis 😆

I soak my gear in a mix of warm water and vinegar when ever I sail in salt water. That works well on odors.
Then a soak and agitate in warm soapy water and rinse. Followed a few days drying on my front front swing.
Sometimes a quick dip in a pool for the bootie with a good rinse works in a pinch. 🙂
JohnES wrote: turn them inside out, put them in the washing machine with laundry soap and some OXY-Clean.... use warm water... take the our and rinse over night...
Or you can get some of this.. http://www.sinkthestink.com/
Either way it should take care of it, or just deal with the bromodosis 😆
Plus 1 on this, but the trick I have found is to get them dry and keep them dry while not using.
I hang them in the garage after cleaning and that usually keeps them “mostly” odor free.
MN3 wrote: [quote=martyr]Spray some febreeze inside perhaps?
not safe for human consumption:
-----------
P&G has been tagged as a bad player since it only lists 3 ingredients
but the fact that only 3 ingredients were disclosed and that so many undisclosed ingredients are dangerous, it's safe to assume that their other air freshners are just as dangerous.
Febreze Ingredients
Green Your Clean
Below you'll find a list of just some of the 87 chemicals found by the EWG in Febreze Air Effects, listed in order of their toxicity to humans:
BHT - Known as a neurotoxin, endocrine disruptor, immunotoxicity, non-reproductive organ system toxicity, skin eye and lung irritator
Acetaldehyde - Known to cause cancer, toxic to reproduction and development, immunotoxin, non-reproductive organ system toxin, skin, eye and lung irritator
"Fragrance" - One of the three ingredients actually disclosed, it's a neurotoxin, immunotoxin and allergen
Propylene Glycol - Causes cancer, allergies, toxic to immune system, accumulates in the system, non-reproductive organ system toxin, is classified with "enhanced skin absorption" and irritates the skin, eye and lung
1,3-Dichloro-2-propanol - Carcinogenic (causes cancer)
Limonene - Synthetic form used is known allergen, immunotoxin and skin, eyes and lung irritator
Methyl pyrrolidone - Toxin to reproduction and development, allergen and immunotoxin, non-reproductive organ system toxin and skin, eyes and lung irritator
Alcohol denatured - Also disclosed in the ingredients of Febreze, it's linked to cancer, developmental/reproductive toxicity, organ system toxicity and skin, eyes and lung irritator
Butylphenyl methylpropion al - allergen, immunotoxin and and skin, eyes and lung irritator
Ethyl acetate - linked to developmental/reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity, organic system toxicity and and skin, eyes and lung irritator
Geraniol - Synthetic form used linked to allergies, immunotoxicity, organi system toxicity and and skin, eyes and lung irritation
Linalool - Synthetic form used is known allergen, immunotoxin, and and skin, eyes and lung irritator
Benzaldehyde - neurotoxin, and skin, eyes and lung irritator
Diethylene glycol monoethyl ether - non-reproductive organ system toxicity
Ethylhezanol - developmental and reproductive toxin and skin, eyes and lung irritator
Hexyl cinnamal - allergen, immunotoxin and skin, eyes and lung irritator
And way too many more....
http://www.sustainablebabysteps.com/febreze.html
Wow, that a lot of stuff. Okay scratch that, don't use febreeze!!! Seems that stuff only masks odors and doesn't do anything at all to eliminate them.

Bill40421SE wrote: I soak my gear in a mix of warm water and vinegar when ever I sail in salt water. That works well on odors.
+1
I use the tub, a half cup of white vinegar, and cold water, soak everything that was in the salt water overnight, and then hang it up to dry outdoors.
Easy peazy, cheap, and works well.

Not saying this doesn't help with odor because ... well i don't put my dirty clothing in my freezer
But
Bacteria can live in your freezer
"Yes, Bacteria Can Live in the Freezer
(Last Updated On: April 29, 2018)
bacteria can live in the freezer and on ice creatm
Bacteria can live in the freezer – and on your ice cream.
Research has confirmed that many species of bacteria can live in freezing temperatures. Some can even live in your freezer, and on your ice cream.
Many of us assume this that bacteria and other pathogenic microbes cannot survive in freezing environments. We assume that bacteria cannot survive in frozen food or freezers.
That, however, is an incorrect assumption"
https://www.realnatural.org/yes-bacteria-can-live-in-the-freezer/?amp
MN3
klozhald wrote: [quote=Bill40421SE]I soak my gear in a mix of warm water and vinegar when ever I sail in salt water. That works well on odors.
+1
I use the tub, a half cup of white vinegar, and cold water, soak everything that was in the salt water overnight, and then hang it up to dry outdoors.
Easy peazy, cheap, and works well.
+2 My wife and I are distance runners and all of that moisture wicking stuff is polyester. I put it in the washer with detergent. I pour the vinegar into the bleach container on the washer. Just make sure you use cold water because I’ve bleached cotton with the vinegar. An added bonus is that the vinegar will clean the smell out of a front loading washer as well.
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