Nuclear option for smelly shoes

I normally don’t have this issue but one of my pairs just always stinks, and I’m at a loss on how to stop it. What’s weird is that every single other pair I have are completely fine but my anasazi velco’s just smell like a teenage locker room, and I’ve tried the following things with no luck:

Leaving them stuffed with desiccant packs between use.

Leaving them for 72 hours on an automatic shoe dryer.

Lysol.

Normal smelly shoe spray.

Baking soda.

Leaving them in the freezer for a weekend.

is there a next level to stopping the smell or am I just doomed? 

Start wearing socks. Doesn’t eliminate the problem, but makes the interval between needed washes months and not days (I have very sweaty feet). Thinner socks will provide a better feel, but even thick socks aren’t too bad.

Before people start calling it dorky or trad-dad ish, note that several world cup podiuming climbers wear socks. Theirs are super cool climbing shoe specific ones though.

Wash them/ your feet

Thank you for the input, I just realized those are my only shoes that aren’t leather, so that might explain why they are the only ones that smell. Definitely going to go with socks in the future for synthetic shoes but for now just trying to find a way to get this pair back to being socially acceptable.

might be a dumb question but I can I throw them in the washing machine without screwing up the fit? 

Nok Out - It's what my gym uses on rental shoes.

https://www.amazon.com/Nok-Out-Odor-Eliminator-gallon-jug/dp/B009LL5LCG?th=1 

Totally got rid of my stink. 

Bobby H wrote:

Thank you for the input, I just realized those are my only shoes that aren’t leather, so that might explain why they are the only ones that smell. Definitely going to go with socks in the future for synthetic shoes but for now just trying to find a way to get this pair back to being socially acceptable.

might be a dumb question but I can I throw them in the washing machine without screwing up the fit? 

Yes to the machine, I have done this to muiras,TCs, UpMoccs, and regular Moccs. Just make sure it is on cold with a mild detergent (I used tide, rinse thoroughly with warm water, and air dry. Do not do anything to stress the shoe.

My Experiment

I soak shoes in vinegar, then let them air dry without rinsing.  The mild acidity of the vinegar leaves behind a decreased ph that kills stinky bacteria for months to come.

Team socks!

I had a similar issue and I soaked them in rubbing alcohol for a few minutes and then let them dry out.  It worked 100%. Maybe that damaged them a bit, it doesn’t seem so, but it was that or the garbage. 

I got a pair of those cedar shoe trees meant for dress shoes and removed the spring mechanism to keep them from stretching out the shoes (pretty simple, just needed a drill and a punch) and have been putting them in my shoes after every session for a few months. It's made a big difference even without washing them. 

+1 for the vinegar 

I started putting silicon drying pouches in mine. It totally killed the odor. I make my own with silicon cat litter and pantyhose, but there must be something commercially available.

Dry Tote makes reusable ones.

place cedar shoe forms in your shoes in between uses.  Helps the shoe keep it shape as well as manages odor.  This is more of a long-term management strategy once you get the worst of the odor under control

Bobby H wrote:

Thank you for the input, I just realized those are my only shoes that aren’t leather, so that might explain why they are the only ones that smell. Definitely going to go with socks in the future for synthetic shoes but for now just trying to find a way to get this pair back to being socially acceptable.

might be a dumb question but I can I throw them in the washing machine without screwing up the fit? 

I've washed on a gentle cycle on cold with towels and had no issues. Just don't put them in the dryer...

God damn dirty hippies 

You mentioned baking soda...but for how long?

This is the only thing I found to have worked on a pair of shoes that were wet for a few days on an epic trip. But it took a very liberal amount of baking soda inside the shoe and left them sitting that way for a couple weeks. Then use a little vacuum attachment to easily clean all the baking soda out.

1) Baking soda or borax (same active ingredient?) mixed into warm water. 2) Soak shoes. 3) scrub interiors with a plastic bristle brush & soak some more. 4) rinse with water and allow to dry. This works like a charm

Machine wash works great on my Anazasis

Thank you truly to everyone who gave me suggestions, what ended up being the ticket was washing them 3 or 4 times with a tiny amount of detergent, and then leaving them on one of those electric shoe dryers overnight between each wash. Now I just put big ol' industrial desiccant packs from work inside them immediately after climbing and leave them in til next time I head out, and that seems to be doing the job well.  Definitely sticking with the leather shoes from now on, but I dig these and I'm glad I can wear them til they die without feeling like a monster.