after running under the rain for 30 minutes my white sneakers had a foul stench. I tried disinfectant and washing them with soap and water and lots of rubbing and sunlight to dry.
While that got rid of most of the smell, my white sneakers are now brownish, specially around the shoelaces.
I’ve never washed sneakers in the washing machine. Am I going to ruin them?
That seems incredibly wasteful, have you tried like baking soda or something?
I should have clarified that the ones I get are about $15 a pair and last me 6 months. But yes, I’ve tried everything, baking soda, vinegar, freezing them, washing and drying - even if it works initially the smell comes back within days.
I think they meant wasteful for the environment, not your budget
If I could go barefoot 100% of the time I would. I really don’t know what else I can do.
Do you wear cotton (or another natural fiber) socks? Polyester tends to make smells linger a lot more because it doesn’t wick moisture properly.
I’m really not sure what material they are (dozens of randoms pairs), but I’ll keep this in mind next time I need socks. Thank you
Have you tried leather shoes?
The ones I’ve had in the past were even worse, made my feet sweat a lot. These days I usually wear slip on shoes, they’re more breathable and seem to dry out better overnight. That or just sandals.
How about foot powder? Ever since I first tried it, I’ve never worn socks and shoes without putting on foot powder first ever again. It really helps with sweat and odor.
I don’t think I’ve tried that. Any recommendations? Needs to be safe for cats
Maybe you can try the ones that don’t have aluminum in them and just use corn starch. It’s similar to deodorant vs antiperspirant, with the latter being the most effective, because it has aluminum in it.