Stinky shoes

[lovinmyboys]

Do I have to throw them away? Ds has two pairs of shoes that just smell awful! I bought some funk away spray. I don’t think it has helped. Is there something else I should try? I am not 100 percent sure what made them stink so bad, but I think he put his wet feet in them. 

[MercyA]

I have washed all kinds of sneakers / tennis shoes / athletic shoes in the washing machine many times with no problems. You can put them in a pillowcase for extra protection if you want, but I rarely do. I usually wash them on hot, with towels, using regular detergent and a little bleach (depending on the color). I reshape them if necessary and let them air dry. You could also try using enzymatic detergent or sports detergent. 

Non-cotton socks or no socks lead to stinky shoes here. 

[readinmom]

I've done these things here

Ds used to get his shoes wet at various sports practices and once they dried, the smell was overpowering.   We used the newspaper at night and it seemed to help.  

[Chris in VA]

I would toss them in the washer and see what happens. I would change the inserts, too. 

My son's were once so bad my mother-in-law wouldn't let them in her house! I let him wear sneakers without socks and they got smelly fast. We threw them away that time. 

[hippiemamato3]

Washing machine, HOT water, add vinegar. If they still smell after that, get two new pairs and alternate them.