Running trainers got really smelly?

Question

I entered the Great South Run last weekend and it was absolutely peeing it down with rain during the whole run. Got back to the car and the trainers were obviously soaking wet, they have dried out now but they smell disgusting.

These trainers are fairly expensive Brooks trainers, specifically for running in. The only way I can think of getting rid of the smell is to put them in the washing machine but I have heard that I shouldnt do that.

Would it be ok to put them through the wash or does anyone else have any other suggestions on how to get them clean again?

Its not the insides that smell, its the fabric on the outside.

Any ideas? thanks.

Answer 1

it's probably worth a shot to double bag them and put them in your freezer for a day. Spritzing them with a water bottle with little splash of bleach might help, but then there is bleach on your shoes.

then again, why not soak them in mild bleach solution, then rinse them and hand wash, with a bucket and some dish soap, and dry them in front of a fan

Answer 2

What you've got here is an overgrowth of bacteria.

Of course, you can neutralise the odor with, as some suggested, cat litter. The carbon from newspapers stuffed in trainers does help, as does bicarbonate of soda. Regular deodorant will "de-odorise". But with these solutions, the bacteria are still there, just not so smelly. It wouldn't take much to reactivate the odor.

Trainers are generally much better constructed than we realise and washing them in the machine SHOULD be okay for most makes. Personally, if I were in your shoes (sorry!) I would definitely throw them in the washing machine to wash the bacteria out. They will probably come out better than you'd expect --- all clean and new looking.

Dry them in the sun or any place with good air circulation. Letting them knock around in the dryer a while shouldn't hurt them before you put them out to finish drying, and you can throw a towel in there to reduce the banging that your dryer drum will get.

Good luck!

Answer 3

If your machine has a gentle cycle you could try that, be sure to remove the laces. You could wash them in a sink or a bucket let them soak a long time. But you need to dry them fast otherwise they will smell musty, put them in a sunny spot, tumble dry on low or fluff(not the best way), sun lamp, you get the idea, I have even dried stuff with a hair dryer(works well, kills the life of the dryer though). Good Luck.

Answer 4

In "How Clean is your house" the woman said you should put a few spoons of bicarbonate of soda (a natural odour eater) into the middle of a cloth, add a few drops of eucolyptus oil (don't know how to spell it) wrap it up and put it into the shoe - you need 2 of these for 2 shoes!
Leave it overnight and they should be smelling fresh in the morning

Answer 5

get two brand new white dishclothes some bicarbonate of soda and some eucalyptus oil put the bicarbonate of soda into the dishclothes then sprinkle some drops of the oil on it then put the clothes just inside each trainer overnight by the morning they should smell fresh again hope that solves your problem

Answer 6

My trainers go in the washing machine on a regular basis and it does them no harm.

Make sure it is a full load though.

Answer 7

I did the great south run too and my trainers smell lke cats. Spray them with lots of air freshener.

Answer 8

If you put them in the washer put them in a pillow case as it'll stop them banging around and wrecking the drum.

As for the smell try freebreeze or some odoreater spray.

Answer 9

I heard that if you put them in a shoe box filled with cat litter overnight then it should neutralize the smell. Never tried myself.

Answer 10

yep, I chuck mine in the machine, probably doesn' do the machine much good! But washes the trainers. Just don't do it every week