How do you prevent smelly shoes?

You could also bring a few pairs of socks for when you play and change socks while playing before the socks are wet. If the socks are changed before they are fully wet, the shoes will be less likely to get wet. I would rather wear 3 pairs of socks in a training session than have wet shoes personally.

Originally Posted by tomahawk11

I play 6-7 times a week, and after a couple of months my shoes start smelling pretty badly.
What do you guys do to prevent it?
I've tried using some silica bags to absorb the sweat after using them, and also tried some anti-bacterial sprays - but none of if seems to work in the end.

Now I have a new pair of shoes coming in the mail, and I really want to prevent them from smelling as well.

A few good suggestions there:
One thing i found helpful was to use a mesh bag to carry the shoes separately from my kit bag. It was one of those shoe bags with one side being all mesh. I would put them in the washing machine once a season as well.
the big no no is bringing yr shoes home all mixed up with wet towel shirt and stuff all in one bag.
I dont have to do this now because i keep my shoes on a shelf in the club these days.
I have just remembered when i was plsying 5 + times a week -(which I did for a 20 year stretch )I always had 2 pairs of shoes - one a bit more suited to heavy training and the other for league matches and tournaments and that must have helped. In many ways I Paid more attention to my shoes than my bat

Originally Posted by wiktor145

I can share one more way.
You can take a bucket of water, put a few tablets for water disinfection (with silver (maybe also chlorine), like Katadyn Micropur Forte or something like this, probably something other that tablets with the same purpose would also work), then put your shoes in the bucket for some time (few hours?) and then let them dry. That should kill the bacteria and give your shoes better smell
I tested that couple of times, and it worked for me. Combining that with washing in washing machine could also work nicely.

Wiktor is barking up the right tree here. There is more to do besides washing. You find ways to do a better job killing the baddies, before player incubates them again.

You have bacteria and fungus. A strong washing doesn't always get rid of it all like OP is sharing his ancedotal evidence.

There are several efective things out there, Wiktor named one. His approach is to add an effective disinfectant containing chlorine and silver, which are very effective if used in sufficient amounts long enough.

Another thing to do is to dry them in SUNLIGHT several hours, which amazingly purifies a lot of baddies. If you are in the mountain areas, the spores in the air, especially around pine trees also do a great job killing baddies, so leave those suckas in a small cage so the squirrles and whatnot do not tear them up.

There are also laundy additives for athletic clothes you put in washer, but your other househlod stuff cheaper.

There are pine oil products available that do not cost too much. A 2 day treatment - day one of pinesole or equiv product with an air out in the sun followed the next day by Wiktord's suggestion of chlorine soak, washer wash, sun dry is even more effective. Even better if you have silver handy, but that costs money.

Paddy's suggestin slows down your problem - the incubation, so does Carl's... but it is a matter of time before you need to treat, but heck, time is money, so there is something to it.

How about shoe deodorizer?
https://www.amazon.com/Adidas-Sneake...%2C286&sr=8-13
It usually contains anti bacteria stuff. I use this after every Friday session. It works for me.

You should change new socks everyday. you can use baby powder inside your shoes

You need to treat them well. Like high end 400$ leather dress shoes.

First, buy a pair of shoe trees, in cedar. It's very important to choose cedar, because it is a wood which has antibacterial properties and absorbs a lot of humidity. You can find good one on amazon for ~25$. Whenever you are not using the shoes, the shoe trees must be inside your shoes.

Also, during a training session, change your socks 2-3 times. At the end of the day your shoes will have less humidity inside.

Finally, if you have money, buy 2 pairs of shoes. That way you can alternate and never wear the same pair during 2 consecutive training session. It will allow the shoe to rest a bit more.

Originally Posted by Dream2K

I regularly see cases of athlete shoes being amputated (together with the feet). Thus far two main causes are apparent: too little disinfection or too much.

what?

Virus makes all things odourless.
https://sun6-20.userapi.com/BY6K4Z2M...29J42houpc.jpg