How do you prevent smelly shoes?

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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.
 
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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.
 
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I tried washing the shoes in the washing machine, and while it helped a bit initially, after 1 or 2 sessions its back to the same.
Changing socks doesn't sound like a good option, I would have to change every 15 minutes, preventing proper flow of training.

I had a look at an electric shoe dryer that heats the shoe to dry them, do you think this would help? ( I cant post link, dont have acces)

I wonder if the heat makes the bacteria thrive better, or if it is good because the sweat evaporates quicker than just drying by itself.
 
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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.
 
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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

 
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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.

 
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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.
 
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I would not wash my shoes. It would ruin them.
Some people smell more than others. The smell is caused by bacteria and sometimes diet.
https://www.thrillist.com/health/nation/what-causes-body-odor-why-do-some-people-smell-so-bad
I use Lysol spray disinfectant in my shoes if I think they smell but I don't have and oder problem for some reason.
I think it is because I use isopropyl alcohol for cleaning because it kills germs and more importantly, it cools. For me, isopropyl alcohol is a must when I go camping and it is extreme hot like last summer when it got to 115 degree F and I was without air conditioning.
 
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A very easy way to kill the bacterias responsible for the smell, is to put the shoes into a plastic bag (you may remove the inlay and put them into a separate bag) and put the bag(s) into a freezer for 24h.

Smell gone…Repeat on a regular basis…works for me since years.
 
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